Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Remembering a Proclamation


Week of August 26, 2012—A Canon of Picture Books
Wednesday, August 29—Remembering a Proclamation

More than a year ago a Picture Book Proclamation from several authors and illustrators appeared in The Horn Book and other publications, and was widely circulated. The powerful words of the proclamation contain information we could use to develop a criterion for a canon of picture books. The Picture Book Proclamation is shown below, you may also link to it at http://www.thepicturebook.co/.

So what criterion might we draw from the Picture Book Proclamation? Below are some things that stand out to me.

A remarkable picture book must:
. . . be fresh, honest, piquant, and beautiful.
. . . spark thinking and conversation.
. . . have meaning, not moral.
. . . center on children.
. . . be original.
. . . be a collaboration that brings together words and art.

For you (and me) to do:
Continue to read and think about the Picture Book Proclamation. What other truths can you discover that should be part of a criterion for a canon of picture books? 

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