No, picture books are not just for children...
As an adult who avidly collects picture books for myself, it makes me exasperated when people talk about them only in the context of books for young children. Toddlers, even. For some reason there is an assumption that the apparent simplicity of picture books are not demanding enough for older readers. I would argue that they are layered and challenging not only for older children, but also adults. It is the balanced interaction of the visual and written that creates the space for an entirely different and complex way of experiencing a book. Picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers, says in a recent article that he doesn’t write them specifically for children, but for everyone. I completely agree with his point of view. It is all too easy to classify picture books neatly within the children’s...
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