Children’s Literature in Action: A Librarian’s Guide By Sylvia M. Vardell Chapter Two Reflection

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Children’s Literature in Action: A Librarian’s Guide
                                                                 By Sylvia M. Vardell
                                                               Chapter Two Reflection  

Chapter two shows the qualities of picture books, the importance of them in children literature, and the skills to learn to properly evaluate them. This chapter demonstrates how picture books have evolved throughout time as well. For technology has taken a major role in changing the art in children’s book and I foresee that technology will keep revolutionizing the field. Technology creates images that can be very realistic and show details that before would take longer to create and the cost is now affordable to create numerous books.

Illustrations are a major component of these picture books for Vardell states, “In the best picture books, the illustrations extend and enhance the written text providing the reader with an aesthetic experience that is more than the sum of the book’s parts.” Illustrations bring text to life. They help children process what is going on and allow the reader to feel the emotions that are occurring in the story. Illustrations not only help children, but anyone that is an English language learner to connect the words with the pictures to understand the plot of the story.

Before reading this chapter when I thought of picture books I assumed that they were only for children. To my surprise Vardell mentions, “…some picture books are so sophisticated and ground breaking in their content or their art, they are really more appropriate for older readers, even adults.” After reading several picture books I can see how an older audience would be entertained by them. Since illustrations have revolutionized and become more sophisticated through time some picture books are more suited of adults. It is also a good way for kids and adults to read these picture books together to enhance literacy in children. 

There are many types of picture books about different topics. Vardell mentions wordless picture books, predictable books, alphabet books, counting books, concept books, and several others. Yet, the one that surprised me the most was the wordless picture books. I never thought of the many ways they could be used in the classroom. I especially liked the part of using them for ESL students to increase their vocabulary skills. Wordless books lend themselves to be used in many forms. For children trying to acquire the English language they could easily be used to increase English oral fluency.

The last sections of the chapter are about evaluating picture books. I really appreciated this section for as a science teacher I do not really review many picture books. It really helped me clarify what one should focus on to give a good reflection. Lastly, one of my favorite quotes from Vardell is, “And we are in the lucky position to be guardians of that legacy―finding, reading, selecting, and sharing those stories with our young citizens…” This book is easy to read and Vardell reminds the reader the important role librarians play in developing literate children. 

Vardell, Sylvia. (2014). Children's Literature in Action:  A Librarian's Guide, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited. ISBN-13: 978-1610695626

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