Reading Contemporary Picturebooks

Picturebooks frequently appear in works on the acquisition of literacy, both pre-school and during the school years, but almost never are they examined and analysed as a unique form of text. Much is always assumed about the nature of the texts being read; there is no substantial tradition of analysis of composite, verbal/visual texts – no poetics of the picturebook and therefore assumptions about its nature are often confused and/or inadequate. Most importantly, nowhere has there been a text which combines a scholarly but accessible introduction to the nature of the picturebook with a discussion of how it is used and read. This book analyses how picture books work – the role of picture books in learning to read, how children make meaning from pictures, and how teachers can make best use of picture books in the classroom.

Author Biography

David Lewis is one of the leading British specialists on picturebooks. He was formerly Lecturer in Primary Education at the University of Exeter.