02/22 Illustrations in Literature

Folktales, fairy tales, and most children's books are illustrated in some way. Sometimes, the images are so good that they help to show parts of the story that a reader might not understand. Sometimes, they are shown to help the reader become more connected to the story.

Here are some questions to think about when you read from a book or story that includes illustrations, drawings, pictures, or images:

Why was this picture chosen to illustrate the story? What do you think of when you see it? Does it make the story better? Does it make the story worse?

What colors are there in the picture? Do the colors show that the story is a happy story or a sad story? How do the colors make you feel? Are they bright and cheerful or dark and gloomy? Have you seen the picture before somewhere else? If you have, what do you remember about it?

Which parts from the story are illustrated? How detailed is the picture compared to the story? Did the artist leave out anything the author tried to make important?

In the following illustration, a bear runs away from a group of bees. The illustrator shows that the bear is angry. The bear's eyebrows point down, and the mouth is turned down like a frown. An illustration helps the reader picture what happens in the story.