A while ago on Picturebook Den I asked the question What is a picture book?
I was writing about different kinds of picture books, board books and longer picture books, and asking for your favourites for little ones.
But there are some picture books which are in that grey area and beg the question - who are they aimed at?
Two in particular spring to mind that are picture books, but I am fairly sure neither of them will appeal to the majority of parents of small children, for completely different reasons - although I am prepared to be convinced otherwise, if you can come up with a good argument.
But perhaps that is not who they are aimed at?
I am sure that ardent fans of both writers love the books and I must say I have enjoyed both of them for different reasons, but I am still not sure I would read them to under 5's! So who are they for?
The first book... Terry Pratchett's Where's My Cow?
(note- It does say it is a picture book "for people of all sizes.')
I will admit to being a Pratchett fan and this book probably appeals in the first instance because it is set in his famous Discworld featuring Sam Vimes of the City Watch who is reading a book to his little son.
I love the way it shows two different stories (well three, really) at the same time.
There is a very traditional 'Where's my cow?' - someone looking for a cow and asking
'Is that my cow?
It goes "CLUCK!"
It is a chicken' etc etc
The images are pale and overlaid is a strong image of the father, Sam Vimes, and his son along with comments by Vimes such as, "You'd have to be really silly to mix up a chicken and a cow!" He eventually gives his son a very Pratchett style lecture on what to do if you lose your cow and decides it is not the best story for his son and starts a new story 'Where's my Daddy?'
This is where the book changes. Images becomes a little darker although still humorous, as the less salubrious characters from Ankh Morpork are suggested as possibilities, with the first being Foul Ole Ron.
Where's my daddy?
Is that my Daddy?
It goes "Bugrit!...
We all know how quickly children, particularly tinies, repeat anything they hear and I can just imagine those little copycats repeating that gem as they trip up the steps to nursery!
For the adult or older child it is a fun book although for those not accustomed to buying and reading picture books it may seem very short and, as at least one reviewer says, very expensive for such a short book!
I personally think they have missed the point. A story is as long or as short as it needs to be and the illustrations are eye catching and a lot of fun, even more so if you are a Pratchett fan already. BUT who is it for, and does that really matter?
The second book... is one I saw a while back, The Wolves in the Walls, by Neil Gaiman. I have to admit when I first picked up this book I was put off by the illustrations. They were just not appealing to me, which is not to say others will not find them wonderful.
I remember my first reaction to the book was that the story coupled with these illustrations made it seem a terrifying book for young children. I don't know that I paid enough attention to the text at the time but I wasn't inclined to stay with it.
Last week I was given a CD of Neil Gaiman reading some of his own short stories and this was one of them. I was on my own in the car when I listened to it and I found the language was rich ...
'Lucy hears sneaking, creeping,
crumpling noises
coming from inside the walls.'
and the story, being read to me, created quite different and much brighter images in my mind. It was much more appealing than the book had been.
I still think it is the kind of book that would give a lot of children nightmares and personally I would have wished that the lovely language (and the way the story was told) had been paired with much gentler images that would have taken away a little of the scariness and made it more accessible to younger children.
But perhaps that is not what the author wanted anyway. His young daughter is on the CD interviewing him. I don't suppose he was trying to give her nightmares, they sound great together, so perhaps he is blessed with unscare-able children!
Over to you....
What do you think of these books?
Who do you think they are for? Or does that matter?
Can you suggest other picture books that are similarly not particularly suitable for young children, for whatever reason?
----------------------------------------------------------
. www.lindastrachan.com
Linda Strachan is the award winning author of over 60 books for all ages, from picture books to teen novels and writing handbook Writing For Children
But there are some picture books which are in that grey area and beg the question - who are they aimed at?
Two in particular spring to mind that are picture books, but I am fairly sure neither of them will appeal to the majority of parents of small children, for completely different reasons - although I am prepared to be convinced otherwise, if you can come up with a good argument.
But perhaps that is not who they are aimed at?
I am sure that ardent fans of both writers love the books and I must say I have enjoyed both of them for different reasons, but I am still not sure I would read them to under 5's! So who are they for?
The first book... Terry Pratchett's Where's My Cow?
(note- It does say it is a picture book "for people of all sizes.')
I will admit to being a Pratchett fan and this book probably appeals in the first instance because it is set in his famous Discworld featuring Sam Vimes of the City Watch who is reading a book to his little son.
I love the way it shows two different stories (well three, really) at the same time.
There is a very traditional 'Where's my cow?' - someone looking for a cow and asking
'Is that my cow?
It goes "CLUCK!"
It is a chicken' etc etc
The images are pale and overlaid is a strong image of the father, Sam Vimes, and his son along with comments by Vimes such as, "You'd have to be really silly to mix up a chicken and a cow!" He eventually gives his son a very Pratchett style lecture on what to do if you lose your cow and decides it is not the best story for his son and starts a new story 'Where's my Daddy?'
This is where the book changes. Images becomes a little darker although still humorous, as the less salubrious characters from Ankh Morpork are suggested as possibilities, with the first being Foul Ole Ron.
Where's my daddy?
Is that my Daddy?
It goes "Bugrit!...
We all know how quickly children, particularly tinies, repeat anything they hear and I can just imagine those little copycats repeating that gem as they trip up the steps to nursery!
For the adult or older child it is a fun book although for those not accustomed to buying and reading picture books it may seem very short and, as at least one reviewer says, very expensive for such a short book!
I personally think they have missed the point. A story is as long or as short as it needs to be and the illustrations are eye catching and a lot of fun, even more so if you are a Pratchett fan already. BUT who is it for, and does that really matter?
The second book... is one I saw a while back, The Wolves in the Walls, by Neil Gaiman. I have to admit when I first picked up this book I was put off by the illustrations. They were just not appealing to me, which is not to say others will not find them wonderful.I remember my first reaction to the book was that the story coupled with these illustrations made it seem a terrifying book for young children. I don't know that I paid enough attention to the text at the time but I wasn't inclined to stay with it.
Last week I was given a CD of Neil Gaiman reading some of his own short stories and this was one of them. I was on my own in the car when I listened to it and I found the language was rich ...
'Lucy hears sneaking, creeping,
crumpling noises
coming from inside the walls.'
and the story, being read to me, created quite different and much brighter images in my mind. It was much more appealing than the book had been.
I still think it is the kind of book that would give a lot of children nightmares and personally I would have wished that the lovely language (and the way the story was told) had been paired with much gentler images that would have taken away a little of the scariness and made it more accessible to younger children.
But perhaps that is not what the author wanted anyway. His young daughter is on the CD interviewing him. I don't suppose he was trying to give her nightmares, they sound great together, so perhaps he is blessed with unscare-able children!
Over to you....
What do you think of these books?
Who do you think they are for? Or does that matter?
Can you suggest other picture books that are similarly not particularly suitable for young children, for whatever reason?
----------------------------------------------------------
. www.lindastrachan.com
Linda Strachan is the award winning author of over 60 books for all ages, from picture books to teen novels and writing handbook Writing For Children
