Children Reading Pictures: Interpreting Visual Texts

This book describes the fascinating results of a two year study of children's responses to contemporary picturebooks. Children of primary school age, from a range of backgrounds, read and discussed books by the award-winning artists, Anthony Browne and Satoshi Kitamura. They then made their own drawings in response to the books.
The authors found that children are sophisticated readers of visual texts, and are able to make sense of complex images on literal, visual and metaphorical levels. They are able to understand different viewpoints, analyse moods, messages and emotions, and articulate personal responses to picturebooks - even when they struggle with the written word.
With colour illustrations, and interviews with the two authors whose books were included in the study, this book demonstrates how important visual literacy is to children's understanding and development. Primary and Early Years teachers, literacy co-ordinators and all those interested in children's literature will find this a captivating read.

Times Educational Supplement Book of the Week, December 2002

'This is a book well worth reading by any student, teacher, lecturer or researcher who is interested in the ways children access texts and the development of visual literacy. It encourages reflection and discussion about practice in schools and also our adult perceptions of how young children view picture book texts.' - Jacqueline Harrett, Cardiff School of Education, UWIC, Escalate website