Are Picture Books Art or Literature?

[Stewart]

"Did you see the Seinfeld where . . .?"

A definitive no!

 

[Motokid]

?

I always thought the most important questions were

"Is there anymore toilet paper?"

or

"Who's turn is it to buy the beer?"


I am definitely unplugged...got any T.P.?

 

[Ell]

Some people can find great enjoyment sitting by a fire and watching it burn. Enjoying the heat.

I, personally enjoy poking it and playing with it. Getting it as hot as I can, and as bright as I can. Seeing how high I can make the flame go. Sometimes I might get burned, but I always have fun.

Are you related to any TROLLS?

 

[novella]

A definitive no!

Me, too, Stewie.

 

[Jenem]

i agree with Occlith and Novella. and i recommend Andre Dahan's books as an example of both literature and art.

 

[SFG75]

Do picture books deserve there own forum, or sub-forum?

Nope-they fall under the genre of children's lit and as such, are appropriate there. Having such a split to me would be like having a hundred sub-forums for every kind of fiction. While Tom Clancy and Stephen King write different kinds of fiction, I don't believe that each is so special as to warrant a new sub-forum when just one is more than adequate in discussing each author's books.

Is it the story, or the illustrations/pictures that makes a "good" picture book?

I believe that it's the pictures. I have found that it is the picture which grabs my child's attention first. I can read with enough gusto and energy to earn an Oscar, but the children's eyes will wander across the room unless there is some intriguing picture to view at their early age.

 

[Motokid]

Considering the original question was asked over 6 months ago and there are no new forums or sub-forums, I'd say that issue has long since been buried....


Interesting perspective on the pictures though...children are very visual. That's easy to forget when you no longer have infants/toddlers.

 

[abecedarian]

It is true that children tend to be very visual,but I must still be a kid then. I find myself lots of times reaching for yet another rendition of The Night Before Christmas just because some new-to-me artist has interpreted this poem. My excuse is, "I want to show this to Daniel(my most gifted artist son) and the other kids." When really, do I have to have an excuse to enjoy a great poem and some free eye candy? Susan Jeffers is another artist/illustrator who comes to mind. Her interpretation of Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening is not to be missed. And then there's her fairytales...I believe these artists take literature to a different realm, making it available for a wider audience. Not a bad thing.

 

[Herenya]

I'd say it depends. It depends on the quality of the writing, the story, the pictures... the general impression all of them give.

While I think a lot of picture books would be difficult to categorise as art or literature (unless you were about 5) but some could quite conceivably be both. There are some great pictures in children's books - and just because it says it in a few words doesn't mean that it has less value than other literature.