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The illustrations inside picture books allow for so much interaction with the story's plot, characters, and theme. The great thing about picture books is that even if they do include text, students of all ages can analyze what is happening in the story. The messages that illustrations in picture books reveal only promote student involvement and support comprehension of the story. 
Picture books that support comprehension:
Heckedy Peg by Don and Audrey Wood
 
This book uses color to tell the reader information about the setting and characters. 
Activity:
Pass out strips of colored construction paper (paint samples also work) to students. Allow them to look over the colors. They can discuss their favorite colors. Then, have students find colors that represent different concepts (warmth, cool, spooky). If students are in small groups, they can explain to their peers why they chose the color. Towards the end of the activity, have students find colors that represent certain characters from the story such as the witch or the children. 
 
Other titles that use color:

  • The Napping House by Audrey Wood

  • When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang

Olivia by Ian Falconer
 
This book uses composition to describe characters. 
Activity:
Students will create a two-columned chart. On one side, they will list information they gathered from only the text. On the other side, they will list information they gathered from only the pictures. Review over the information from both the text and pictures and discuss the difference between inferences and fact. This promotes analytical thinking and broadens vocabulary. 
 
Other titles that use composition:
  • Toad by Ruth Brown
  • Mud by Mary Lynn Ray
My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann
 
This book uses style to set the tone.
Activity:
Have students choose a page or two of the book and create a caption for a page without words or come up with a more detailed caption for a page with words based on the picture. The pictures help to create an excited tone to the story, so encourage students to create captions that capture this feeling.
 
Other titles that use style:
  • Sundiata by David Wisniewski
  • Into the Forrest by Anthony Browne

David Wiesner is an author and illustrator known for creating picture books with little-to no text. Picture books with little-to no text are great for working with language skills in a variety of ways:

 

  • They allow for the students to come up with their own words for the story.

  • Students must use their observational skills to interpret the message of the story.

  • Students can create ideas about the setting, characters, and plot, all just from looking at the illustrations.

  • Students use the pictures to fill in gaps of the plot that the text may not have told (My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann is also great for this)

 

Here are just a few books by David Wiesner that you can use in your own literacy classroom:

 

Flotsam

The Three Pigs

Mr. Wuffles!

David Wiesner

For more information on this author, visit his homepage at:

http://www.hmhbooks.com/wiesner/ 

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