Show Me a Story: Why Picture Books Matter: Conversations with 21 of the World's Most Celebrated Illustrators 

 I think it’s no coincidence that the day after I made the decision to start this blog, I was found by this book! I say that I was found by this book because that is exactly how it happened. It just happened to come in as I was finishing my preschool storyhour… I need to back up and explain that I am a children’s librarian (Youth Services Specialist).

So… as I was saying, the book was on the desk when I finished storytime today. I’ve been thinking about ways that I could share activities that I use to link to picture books in my storyhour programs, for a while now, and I decided that the best way to start was this blog. Then, the next day… there was this book! This is the perfect book to include in my first post. Show Me a Story! Why Picture Books Matter, by Leonard S. Marcus brings together interviews with 21 different picture book illustrators. It gets right to the heart of why picture books are so important, which is a huge part of why I wanted to start this blog. Reading begins long before a child actually makes phonemic sense of words. It begins when someone reads to them. It begins with the experience. The sounds, rhythms, and flow of language combine with another vitally important part of the picture book– the pictures. In the forward of this book, children’s book author, David Wiesner, gives an eloquent explanation of the importance of picture books, “It is through the book’s images that a child first understands the world of the story…”. “Take away the pictures and you deprive kids of a wealth of understanding– not to mention a lot of fun” (Marcus, 2012). I am a firm believer in the power of fun– specifically when it comes to reading– and that is what I plan to bring to this blog!

Marcus, L.S. (2012). Show me a story! Why picture books matter. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.