What are wordless Picturebooks?
According to Emma Bosch, an author of critical essays about Children’s literature, wordless picturebooks are, “books that tell a story through a series of illustrations without written text” (Bosch, 72). In this definition, Bosch identifies three components of the wordless picturebook. Those components are the format of the book, the use of sequence to tell the story, and the lack of written text as part of the narrative. Even though this is a board definition, it’s a starting point in understanding what wordless picturebooks are.
Many traditional wordless picturebooks combine text and image to tell a story. The wordless picturebook are only different from traditional picturebooks, because the text is not found printed on the page, but it can be argued that instead the text is in the reader’s mind. Wordless picturebooks are unique because they rely solely on the visual image to tell the story. Virginia H. Richey and Katharyn E. Puckett point out in their 1992 wordless picturebook bibliography that “In these books, the illustrations carry the meaning; it might tell a story, demonstrate a concept, or provide information” (Richey, ix). The creator of wordless picturebooks must work with a different set of limitations than a traditional illustrator making these books unique.
Although, a simple definition such as there are no words defines wordless picturebooks, it does not get into the complex nature of wordless picturebooks. As stated Literature and the Child, 8th Edition, a survey book on children’s literature, a wordless picture book, the story is told through the illustrations alone, “of course the title of a wordless book often contains important clues regarding what the story will be about." It is important to state that, “many wordless books incorporate words in the illustrations” (Galda, 110). This is where one might feel that the line might become blurry. But with this definition, the picture book may include words, as long as they are part of the illustrations and do not tell the story.
David Wiesner, a Caldecott winner for his wordless picturebooks, description on the creation of wordless picturebooks gives us an interesting insight into what wordless picturebooks are and considerations that are made when creating them. Wiesner states that they require, “care and clarity in every aspect of the picture making. Because the images are the “text,” everything in them must contribute not only to the advancement of the plot but to revealing the emotions and feelings of the characters. There are no words to tell us how characters are feeling or what they are thinking. Gestures, posture, and facial expressions alone must describe a personality” (Wiesner, vii). Wiesner hits many of the restrictions an illustrator working in the format must consider as they are creating their works.
A wonderful aspect of wordless picturebooks that Sandra L. Beckett, an author of critical essays about children’s books, states is that “the creators of wordless picturebooks can reach a broad readership, while their publishers can hope to sell in a wide market” (Beckett, 84). Richey and Puckett point out that “A reader who cannot decipher any print can still derive the intended meaning from these works” (Richey, ix). This appeal to readers of all ages and skills makes wordless picturebooks universal.
Many traditional wordless picturebooks combine text and image to tell a story. The wordless picturebook are only different from traditional picturebooks, because the text is not found printed on the page, but it can be argued that instead the text is in the reader’s mind. Wordless picturebooks are unique because they rely solely on the visual image to tell the story. Virginia H. Richey and Katharyn E. Puckett point out in their 1992 wordless picturebook bibliography that “In these books, the illustrations carry the meaning; it might tell a story, demonstrate a concept, or provide information” (Richey, ix). The creator of wordless picturebooks must work with a different set of limitations than a traditional illustrator making these books unique.
Although, a simple definition such as there are no words defines wordless picturebooks, it does not get into the complex nature of wordless picturebooks. As stated Literature and the Child, 8th Edition, a survey book on children’s literature, a wordless picture book, the story is told through the illustrations alone, “of course the title of a wordless book often contains important clues regarding what the story will be about." It is important to state that, “many wordless books incorporate words in the illustrations” (Galda, 110). This is where one might feel that the line might become blurry. But with this definition, the picture book may include words, as long as they are part of the illustrations and do not tell the story.
David Wiesner, a Caldecott winner for his wordless picturebooks, description on the creation of wordless picturebooks gives us an interesting insight into what wordless picturebooks are and considerations that are made when creating them. Wiesner states that they require, “care and clarity in every aspect of the picture making. Because the images are the “text,” everything in them must contribute not only to the advancement of the plot but to revealing the emotions and feelings of the characters. There are no words to tell us how characters are feeling or what they are thinking. Gestures, posture, and facial expressions alone must describe a personality” (Wiesner, vii). Wiesner hits many of the restrictions an illustrator working in the format must consider as they are creating their works.
A wonderful aspect of wordless picturebooks that Sandra L. Beckett, an author of critical essays about children’s books, states is that “the creators of wordless picturebooks can reach a broad readership, while their publishers can hope to sell in a wide market” (Beckett, 84). Richey and Puckett point out that “A reader who cannot decipher any print can still derive the intended meaning from these works” (Richey, ix). This appeal to readers of all ages and skills makes wordless picturebooks universal.
References:
Beckett, S.L. (2012). Crossover Picturebooks A Genre for All Ages. New York: Routledge.
Bosch, E. (2014). Texts and Peritexts in Wordless and Almost Wordless Picturebooks. In B. Kümmerling-Meibauer & P. Nel (Eds.), Picturebooks: Representation and Narration (pp. 71-90). New York, NY: Routledge.
Galda, L., Sipe, L., & Cullinan, B. (2014). Literature and the Child (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Richey, V.H., & Puckett, K.E. (1992). Preface. Wordless/Almost Wordless Picture Books, A Guide (pp. ix). Englewood, Colorade: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.
Wiesner, D. (1992). Foreword. Wordless/Almost Wordless Picture Books, A Guide (pp. ix). Englewood, Colorade: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.
Beckett, S.L. (2012). Crossover Picturebooks A Genre for All Ages. New York: Routledge.
Bosch, E. (2014). Texts and Peritexts in Wordless and Almost Wordless Picturebooks. In B. Kümmerling-Meibauer & P. Nel (Eds.), Picturebooks: Representation and Narration (pp. 71-90). New York, NY: Routledge.
Galda, L., Sipe, L., & Cullinan, B. (2014). Literature and the Child (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Richey, V.H., & Puckett, K.E. (1992). Preface. Wordless/Almost Wordless Picture Books, A Guide (pp. ix). Englewood, Colorade: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.
Wiesner, D. (1992). Foreword. Wordless/Almost Wordless Picture Books, A Guide (pp. ix). Englewood, Colorade: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.
Melissa Hayes
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Created Fall 2014 to fulfill LIS 592
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Created Fall 2014 to fulfill LIS 592