Study Task 1 - Blog A

Postmodern Picture Books - by Gabrielle Langton

Picture books chosen from Reading Time, August 2003, vol. 47, no. 3.

In 2003 the winning picture book of the year was 'In Flanders Fields'. Brian Harrison Lever (illustrations) and Norman Jorgensen (text). This book fits the criteria of readers who bring literary/iconic/historical/political experiences and understanding to the reading of the book. Although it is a simple story, High School students would possess many more layers of understanding than for example Junior Primary children. However, as the book is simply told, with large though rather dark illustrations many primary school children would also enjoy this heroic tale.

One of the 2003 Honour Books was 'A Year on Our Farm'. Andrew McLean (illustrations) and Penny Matthews (text). This satisfies the criteria of macro and micro views of the book as a whole, not just a series of episodes. Every page has a relationship with the previous and following pages. We see not only the months but the seasons as they follow each other, and the changes which occur at the farm. The illustrations mirror the seasons and the details added by the story's narrator gives depth to the cycle of the year.

The interplay of the verbal and visual text create irony. The shortlisted book 'Jethro Byrde Fairy Child' by Bob Graham fits this criteria. The Australian Oxford Dictionary 2nd Edition defines irony as 'use of language with enhanced meaning for a privileged part of its audience'. In 'Jethro Byrde Fairy Child' only Annabel and Baby Sam saw the fairy visitors. Mum and Dad just played along - humouring Annabel by providing fairy fare but not really believing in Annabel's visitors. However, Annabel's hunt for fairy folk in the cement and weeds paid off and she goes to sleep with fairy music in her ears.