A good picture book is an invitation to an intimate
gathering, or a rowdy holiday party. It’s a space of comfort and engagement.
It’s a warm cozy hug or a dance in the rain. Whatever type of shindig it is,
it’s important for the author and illustrator to draw readers in and make them
feel comfortable. Telling an engaging story is key to keeping your guests
entertained, but readers need to feel included and safe in the environment to
ensure that they will enjoy their stay. The reader is not just witness or
listener, but an active participant in the narrative.
This is an aspect of creating picture books I had not really
considered when I first started writing and illustrating for children. I simply
wanted to tell a compelling story and make funny pictures. It’s easy to get
caught up in the mechanics of making a book: word count, editing and
illustration style often take center stage. Of course, these are all important
elements. But this implicit agreement between the author, illustrator and
reader to invite and be invited is crucial.
You are invited
I like being included in a get-together as much as the next
person. There are many ways to extend an invitation. One is to make sure that
the reader sees him or herself in the story by making books with diverse
characters and situations. The We
Need Diverse Books campaign is more
relevant than ever. I have witnessed firsthand how empowering it is when a
child sees themself or their environment reflected in a story, especially when
it’s an identity or issue not often represented in media. That child feels
included.
Refreshments are served
What’s on the menu? A light snack or banquet? I am the
person who hangs out at the snack table. Partly because I’m an introvert, but
also, it is a great a vantage point to observe what is going on in the room.
Plus there are usually brownies.
Wordless picture books can offer a quiet welcome for a
reader to enter the pages, and provide nourishment. The reader explores
surroundings and discovers elements at the same time the characters do. When
the illustrations are the P.O.V. of the character, the reader becomes the character. In Sidewalk Flowers, written by Jon Arno
Lawson and illustrated by Sydney Smith, we, as the reader, find beauty in
unexpected places at the same time as the little girl.
From Sidewalk Flowers, by Jon Arno Lawson and
illustrated by Sydney Smith
Of course there will
be party games
When those “icebreaker” exercises are introduced at an
event, I cringe and want to hide, but you know what? I usually end up having a
good time. The idea is to have fun and get to know one another through
connection and shared activity. So
I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I first felt indifferent
with the current genre of Meta picture books. But once I saw a group of
children being read Don’t Let the Pigeon
Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems, or The
Book with No Pictures, by BJ Novak, and heard the squeals of delight and
shouts of children interacting with the narrator, I understood the genius. The
children are in collusion with the author or narrator. They are let in on a joke
that a character in the story may not be aware of. Kids don’t just see
themselves in the story. They become part of the story, and the story is richer
for it.
The author and
illustrator as party planner
As I sit down to write or illustrate, I will do my best to
be the consummate host and extend my invitation warmly, make sure my guests are
well fed and enjoy our time together.
*****************
Deb Pilutti writes and illustrates for children. She is the
author/illustrator of Bear and Squirrel are
Friends…Yes, Really (Simon & Schuster 2015); The Ten Rules of Being
a Superhero (Christy Ottaviano Books 2014); The Secrets of Ninja School (Christy Ottaviano Books 2017); and illustrator of The Twelve Days of Christmas in Michigan, written by Sue Collins
Thoms (Sterling), and Idea Jar,
written by Adam Lehrhaupt (Simon & Schuster 2018).
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