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Athens Journal of Education - Volume 4, Issue 2 – Pages 123-
New Perspectives on Picture Books
By Lisa Ciecierski
James Nageldinger
William P. Bintz
Sara D. Moore
The use of picture books has been illuminated as a potential to address important topics such as STEM, fluency, and social justice. Unique genres such as hybrid texts and wordless picture books are also worth considering for instruction. This article explores new perspectives on using picture books. Potentials for using wordless picture books beyond the early grades to support literacy across the curriculum are shared first. Next, we discuss how some picture books lend themselves to the engineering design cycle and can be used as an organizing idea for instruction which focuses on integrating the STEM disciplines. To continue, the prospect of utilizing picture books to strengthen reading fluency while engaging students in rich content area material is discussed. The potentials for using banned and challenged picture books to teach social justice is discussed next. We conclude by presenting practical strategies, picture books to consider for each of the areas, and lessons learned.
Keywords: fluency, picture books, social justice, STEM, wordless picture books.
Introduction
Historically, picture books have been used with young children to enjoy
and learn to read. On average, a picture book is 32 pages in length and contains
illustrations on every page or every page spread. Picture books appeal to
readers of all ages and while they are shorter than a novel, many are highly
sophisticated (Ciecierski & Bintz, 2015). They can help students gain a better
understanding of the world around them (Murphy, 2009) and connect to the
material being studied in a meaningful way (Taliaferro, 2009; Villano, 2005).
Picture books can be utilized to capture students’ attention (Routman, 2000)
and can also serve as "way-in" books (Keene & Zimmerman, 1997), providing
an unexpected interest into topics that may become interesting to explore
(Bintz, 2011). Hence, picture books are short in length but rich in appeal.
Recently, there has been a proliferation of exciting new genres in the
professional field of picture books. These genres include but are not limited to:
the post-modern picture book highlighting design features such as strategic text
placement, varied font sizes and dimensionality of illustrations, non-traditional
(^) Assistant Professor, Language and Literacy, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, USA. † (^) Assistant Professor, Literacy Education, Elmira College, USA. ‡ (^) Professor, Literacy Education, College of Education, Health, and Human Studies, Kent State
University, USA. (^) Educational Consultant, USA.
Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books
plot structure, all of which invite readers to read complex text in strategic
ways. Additionally, hybrid picture books integrate verse and prose, multiple
sources of information, mixtures of styles, and multiple functions. These
genres offer readers new ways of making meaning. They may also serve as an
invitation to educators and readers to consider new perspectives and new
potentials for utilizing these types of picture books as well as many other types
of picture books for instruction.
The purpose of this article is to inspire readers, teachers, and teacher
educators to explore new perspectives and their potentials for making meaning
through the transformative nature of the picture book. It is comprised of four
sections to represent four different perspectives. We begin by presenting the
potential of using Wordless Picture Books and continue by exploring the
potential of using picture books to teach Science Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics. Next, we share about utilizing patterned and predictable text in
picture books to increase reading fluency while simultaneously promoting
content area learning. The fourth perspective demonstrates the potency of using
banned and challenged picture books to teach social justice issues. Each section
contains a description of the perspective, multiple books highlighting examples
of the perspective, and discussion about how utilizing this type of picture book
may lend to instruction. We conclude by sharing our final thoughts.
New Perspectives on Wordless Picture Books
"Wordless picture books prepare students for a solid foundation in
reading because they stimulate oral communication and foster literacy"
(Gitelman, 1990, p, 525).
What is a Wordless Picture Book?
A wordless book is simply a "picture book with no text" (Harris &
Hodges, 1995, p. 282). It can, of course, be read fast and often is by many
readers, both young and old. However, it should not be read fast because a
wordless picture book is anything but simple. It is a complex, time-honored,
literary genre, or art form, that has played a critical role in helping young
children develop a positive disposition about books, reading, and learning.
There are a plethora of wordless picture books for readers of all ages.
Some of our very favorites are highlighted in Table 1.
Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books
pictures represent (Jalongo, Dragich, Conrard, & Zhang, 2002). They prompt
readers to tell interpret the story in their own words, that is, to personalize the
story with an authentic voice (Rosenblatt, 1991).
From a semiotic perspective, typical picture books, those with words and
illustrations, invite readers to use both sign systems to crate meaning (Siegel,
1995). Wordless picture books, however, are unique in that they allow readers
to use one sign system, the illustrations, to create meaning. Interestingly
enough, Berghoff (1993) found that even when text is available, readers use
illustrations and drawings to create meaning beyond just the written text.
Simply stated, illustrations are critically important for readers to create
meaning, whether it is in a typical picture book or a wordless one (Pantaleo,
Ultimately, the goal of typical picture books and wordless picture books is
the same, to help readers become more engaged in and attentive of any text
(Sulentic-Dowell, Beal, & Capraro, 2006). Wordless picture books may be
considered as one of the most beautiful art forms in literature and have much
potential for sparking new conversations about new perspectives.
Wordless picture books may stimulate interest as well as conversation
among readers. Exploring the potentials of award winning picture books to
engage and instruct students in the science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics may be enjoyable for children may also be used as an invitation to
explore and make sense of the world they inhabit.
New Perspectives on Picture Books Related to Science,
Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM)
"Scientists investigate that which already is;
engineers create that which has never been."
—Albert Einstein
What is STEM?
The engineering design cycle can be used as an organizing idea for
instruction which focuses on integrating the STEM disciplines (see Morgan &
Ansberry, 2015; Lachapelle, Sargianis, & Cunningham, 2013). STEM is an
abbreviation often used for four disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics. Science and mathematics are familiar disciplines and we
have briefly described engineering above. Technology is subject to the greatest
misconception in our modern era. The Standards for Technological Literacy
(ITEA, 2000) define technology as, "the innovation, change, or modification of
the natural environment in order to satisfy perceived human wants and needs"
(p. 242). This reminds us that technology is as much the chair in which we sit
as it is the computer on which we type. STEM understanding and STEM
thinking is important to us as literate members of society when we make
health-care decisions or consider environmental issues when voting. STEM is
Athens Journal of Education May 2017
equally important in many of the fastest growing careers.
As STEM becomes more and more prevalent, so do the books that may
potentially connected to this concept. Table 2 shares just some of these that
may be used in the classroom.
Table 2. Picture Books for STEM
Anything is Possible (Belloni & Trevisan, 2011). Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah (Thompson, 2015). Engineering Elephants (Hunt & Pantoya, 2010). Engineering the ABC’s: How Engineers Shape Our World (Novak, 2010). George Ferris: What a Wheel! (Lowell, 2014). Honda, The Boy Who Dreamed of Cars (Weston, 2008). How Machines Work (Macaulay, 2015). Iggy Peck, Architect (Beaty, 2007). Mr. Ferris and His Wheel (Gibbs Davis, 2014). Papa’s Mechanical Fish (Fleming, 2013). Rocks, Jeans, and Busy Machines: An Engineering Kids Storybook (Rivera & Rivera, 2010). Rosie Revere, Engineer (Beaty, 2013). The Fantastic Ferris Wheel: The Story of Inventor George Ferris (Kraft, 2015). The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford (Slade, 2015). The New Way Things Work (Macaulay, 1988).
Using Picture Books Related to STEM
The designed world surrounds us. Our clothing, our homes, the tools we
depend on each day are all the result of engineers designing solutions to
problems which make our lives better. Our clothes keep us warm; our homes
protect us from the elements; our digital tools connect us. High-quality and
award-winning literature, particularly picture books, can be used to teach
children (and adults) about the engineering design process.
In the picture book, The Most Magnificent Thing (Spires, 2014), the
heroine has a vision of a most magnificent thing she will make. Using a wide
range of found resources and over the course of many iterations, she brings her
vision to life. This story is about the engineering design process, the cycle
through which engineers design solutions to problems (Crismond & Adams,
2012). In this process, engineers work to define and understand the problem,
develop possible solutions, build and test models or prototypes, and then reflect
and redesign. There typically is no one best solution; rather, engineers work on
refining the solution to be the best possible one under the given criteria (what
will make this successful) and constraints (what limits of space, money, or
other resources are there). Picture books such as The Most Magnificent Thing
introduce learners to key STEM ideas and STEM thinking.
From a literacy perspective, these picture books are highly engaging pieces
of literature. The fiction/narrative books are excellent examples of the power
and potential of realistic fiction. They have engaging story lines, fascinating
characters, intriguing settings, and beautiful, if not artistic, illustrations.
Athens Journal of Education May 2017
Table 3. Hybrid Texts for Fluency in the Content Areas
A Drop Around the World. (McKinney, 1998). Cucumber Soup (Krudwig, 1998). Dinner at the Panda Palace (Calmenson & Westoctt, 1995). Flight of the Honey Bee (Huber, 2013). Gotta Go! Gotta Go! (Swope, 2004). Haiku Hike (St. Mary’s Catholic School, 2005). One leaf rides the wind. (Mannis, 2002). Out of this world (Skylansky, 2012). Python (Cheng, 2012). Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library (Rosenstock, 2013). Winter bees & Other Poems of the Cold (Sidman, 2014). The Wright Brothers (Edwards, 2003).
Using Hybrid Texts to Teach Fluency across the Content Areas
Recent introduction of new genres in children’s and adolescent’s literature
have opened up a new and exciting landscape in reading pedagogy with the
potential for helping struggling readers increase their reading fluency while
accessing grade level content. One of these new genres is called hybrid texts
(Maloch & Bomer, 2013).
This genre offers elementary and middle-grades reading and content area
teachers a new way to think about teaching reading, as well as using reading as
a tool to teach across the content areas. As a new genre, the power and
potential of hybrid text is immense but virtually unexplored. One of the least
explored dimensions is the relationship between hybrid text and oral reading
fluency. Once thought to be a problem relegated to the lower grades, recent
research has show reading fluency to be an issue extending middle and high
school as well (Paige, Rasinski, & Magpuri-Lavell, 2012; Rasinski & Padak,
Much research indicates that authentic literature, especially high-quality
literature, is an effective tool to teach content area material across the
curriculum (Albright, 2002; Bean, 2003; Bintz, 2011; Ciecierski & Bintz;
Murphy, 2009; Palmer & Stewart, 1997). At the same time there is a body of
empirical research that clearly indicates a correlation exists between oral
reading fluency and silent reading comprehension (Benjamin &
Schwanenflugel, 2010; Fuchs, Fuchs, Hosp, & Jenkins, 2001; Rasinski, Rikli,
& Johnston, 2009). Patterned and predictable text has been shown to be an
effective way to increase reading fluency (Bridge & Burton, 1982; Rhodes,
1979). Patterned and predictable hybrid text offers rich content area
possibilities for struggling readers while building fluency beyond the early
grades. The integration of the patterned and predictable hybrid text elements
with narrative information and a strong illustrative/text relationship offer
potentials for simultaneous fluency development and content area learning.
These Hands (Mason, 2015) is a powerful book that was used as a
foundation to show how hybrid texts may be utilized in the classroom. It begins
with Vance. Vance jokes with some of the cast members backstage. In a few
Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books
minutes, he and some of his classmates will be performing a Readers Theatre
piece for their sixth grade class. He’s nervous but not overly so. Less than a
year ago reading aloud in front of people would have been the last thing he
wanted to do. The way he plodded word for word through text was as painful
for others to listen to as it was for him to undertake. Today, he looks forward to
it. Not incidentally, the script the teacher has chosen was adapted from
Margaret Mason’s hybrid text These Hands (Mason, 2015), a powerful
intergenerational story, in which an African American man tells his grandson
about a time when, despite all the wonderful things his hands could do, they
could not touch bread at the Wonder Bread factory. Based on actual stories of
bakery union workers Mason’s patterned and predicable text combines the
proven connection of oral reading fluency to reading comprehension with the
introduction of rich content area material. Young Joseph learns that people
joined their hands together to fight discrimination so that one day, their
hands—Joseph’s hands—could do anything at all in this whole wide world.
The genre of hybrid texts has unlimited potential for use in content area
classrooms. As discussed, viewing the use of hybrid texts if various ways may
lead educators to considering their use to address the topic of fluency. This
extended way of thinking is important to consider in education. Similarly, is
the consideration of challenged and banned books to address social justice.
New Perspectives on Picture Books as Challenged and Banned Books
What are Challenged and Banned Books?
Challenged or banned books are books that have been questioned for
reasons such as violence, offensive language, and containing material that is
believed to be sexually explicit. Evans (2015) shares that these books are
"demanding, dangerous, and difficult" as well as "fascinating, frightening,
frustrating" and even a risk (p. xliiv). She continues to share the emotions that
are may be felt in response to these books. They are not books that make us
feel warm and fuzzy. It is actually the challenge and the complexity of these
books which may appeal to some while challenging others. Consequently,
these books might also be perceived as being unsuited for an age group.
Many challenged or banned books are novels. However, considering
picture books that are banned has great implications for instruction. Table 4
shares additional texts that may be considered.
Vol. 4 , No. 2 Ciecierski et al.: New Perspectives on Picture Books
social justice issues such as the freedom of religion, as well as women’s rights
and how these rights did and still do differ from culture to culture and country
to country.
The second picture book and Tango Makes Three (Richardson & Parneli,
2005) tells the true story of three penguins who live in the Central Park Zoo
located in New York City. Roy and Silo are two male penguins who appear to
enjoy each other’s companionship. They are often seen swimming and playing
together in the water. When the other penguins in the zoo begin hatching eggs,
Roy and Silo cuddle and share a nest like the other couples. They even bring an
egg-shaped rock back to their nest. A zookeeper who had been watching the
penguins decides to give Roy and Silo their own egg to nurture, and the two
fathers do a wonderful job doing just that. Their son, Tango, is born and loved
just as the other chicks.
This book was challenged because of homosexuality, religious viewpoint,
and a claim that the book was unsuited to an age group. There are several
interesting points to consider.
First, the book is based off of a true story. Roy, Silo, and Tango are real
penguins and so is their story. The book is written for children in preschool
through grades three. Again, considering Rosenblatt’s transactional reading
theory previously discussed would influence the readers’ interpretation of this
picture book.
While the topic of homosexuality is difficult and sometimes controversial,
many children live in a world where homosexuality is part of their life.
Children and adolescents around them may not know how to have
conversations about this topic and may question what is right and what is
wrong. From a social justice perspective, this book might be considered as a
"way-in" to this conversation.
Finally Hiroshima No Pika (Maruki, 1980) shares the story of a seven-
year-old girl having breakfast with her family. It seems like an ordinary
morning until "it" happens. Told from the mother’s perspective, this is the story
that brings the bombing of Hiroshima to life. The illustrations and language are
graphic to portray this even in a realistic manner. The reader is brought into the
story to experience the pain and turmoil of the event.
This book was challenged because it does not represent war as being
glorious. It is also challenged for not being appropriate for its intended
audience. However, it was not written with the intention of being shared with
young children. The suggested audience is grade four and above. While this
book is indeed graphic, it shares a perspective of the event that is realistic. War
is not glorious, and it is important to recognize and understand historical events
so these events do not repeat themselves.
Picture books are not written simply for young children and have great
potential for being utilized to enhance the learning and conversations of older
students. While many may challenge particular books in the attempt to protect
students, considering these books as a "way-in" to difficult but important
conversations is worth considering. They may also inspire interest into topics
underexplored but important for our future.
Athens Journal of Education May 2017
Final Thoughts
While picture books are often short, they have tremendous potential of
being complex and inspiring sophisticated thinking. We have highlighted four
perspectives to consider: wordless picture books, picture books related to
science, technology, engineering, & mathematics, hybrid texts to teach fluency
across the content areas, and challenged and banned picture books. We hope
that these will serve as an invitation to consider other forms of picture books
and the many potential they offer to teachers and to students alike.
References
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