“The Man who draw-ed it was wrong!” –  never underestimate young children.

Many people think that writing picture books must be easy – so few words, and even illustrations to do some explaining. But this very succinctness makes them difficult to write – like poetry, every word must be right. The way the words work with the pictures is also of vital importance to the work of art which is the picture book. This is the most difficult thing for a new picture book author to appreciate – that the illustrations carry half the narrative.

People often also think that really it doesn’t matter what you write or draw, because picture books are (usually) addressed to the very
young who won’t know the difference. But young children are a very perceptive and alert audience, and can query everything. They deserve your full respect.

         For instance Lonely Veronica says that “two half loaves of bread and two bananas …woke her up”, but in the pictures, as both my children noticed: “There are three ‘wanas!” Then my son announced: “The man who draw-ed it was wrong!”

          Nursery rhyme books are a special case. The illustrator is always looking for new aspects of the familiar. In one, Oxenbury does not show the plate and spoon for “Hey diddle diddle”. At two my son attributed this “mistake” to the book, rather than the author: “That page doesn't know it”.                                                  

     The children were also very aware of cases when pictures were scientifically incorrect. In one story a picnic is invaded. My daughter at three asked “Are those ants?” [Yes] “But they’re got so many legs!” I agreed that yes, they had eight legs like spiders and added that it seemed that the illustrator didn’t know how many legs ants have. She thought for a minute then suggested: “Perhaps she didn’t know how to count!”

       In another, fish are being chased by a whale. My son asked “What’s those insects called, that whales eat?” [Plankton] “Why does it say he ate fish?” I said some whales do eat plankton rather than fish, but perhaps the author thought chidden wouldn’t know this, or maybe he didn’t even know it himself. He was delighted by this concept, and told a visiting friend some hours later that he know about plankton, so he knew more than an author.

      Young children also object strongly to being condescended to. A simplistic zoo story asked the rhetorical question “Can you see the brown bear?”. My son answered with scorn at four: “A’course I can, Read-Maker” (having forgotten “author”).

       All children are a very critical and sharp eyed audience. As picture book authors and illustrators be on your guard. Be accurate, no condescension, and never underestimate your audience, however young!