Ece 260 1 Picture

E.B.
Prof. Kalas
ECE 260
12 September 2017
Picture Book File
 #1 – younger readers
 Author: Beatrix Potter
 Title: Beatrix Potter Nursery Rhymes
 Publisher: Derrydale Books
 Summary: A board-book collection of little rhyming stories and pictures. Includes “Five
Little Pigs” and “Three Blind Mice”.
Evaluation
 Plot
o Believability (absence of coincidence/sentimentality, etc.): 5
 Comment: These stories have little believability. Though they aren’t
overly ridiculous in plot, they are stories depicting animals in humanlike
roles.
o Major dramatic question (clear early in book?): Yes
 Comment: There is very little drama in these rhymes, but there are MDQs
throughout the stories (Where do the geese wander? What’s in the
cupboard? Who’s tapping?), but they’re weak at best.
o Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.): 6

 Comment: Most rhymes end happily after a slight bit of tension or
mystery.
o Style and language (precise vocabulary, figurative language, dialogue, cadence,
understatement, unexpected insights, line in sand, etc.): 8
 Comment: Ms. Potter is excellent at writing rhyming poems for children
that are pleasing to both the eye and the ear. They have a beautiful
cadence. They are all quite literal, and there is no use of figurative
language.
o Pacing: 9
 Comment: Poems are a good length for young children, whether they are
listening or reading themselves.
o Character (dynamic protagonist, characters “ring true” [including cultural
considerations], etc.): 6
 Comment: None of the characters stay with you. They are all colorful and
unique in design, but not memorable personality-wise.
o Setting (detail, texture): 7
 Comment: The rhymes and illustrations work together to paint a picture of
a quiet, lazy countryside populated by charming animals.
o Theme (absence of overt didacticism?): 9
 Comment: These surprising little stories about animal adventures have
zero signs of didacticism. They exist for the story alone.
o Other considerations (mood, tone, etc.):
 Comment: Stories are told in a surprised and delighted tone.

o Is it a well-rounded piece? 6
 Comment: While rhymes and illustrations are excellent and fun for young
readers, the characters and short plots are in wanting.
o Overall rating: 7
 Comment: Without longer plots or engaging characters, these clever
rhyming stories are likely to be forgotten as soon as the young reader is
capable of reading other books.
 Author: Dr. Seuss
 Title: Dr. Seuss’s ABC
 Publisher: Random House, Inc.
 Summary: Outlandish creatures help children learn the alphabet by using various words
starting with the appropriate letter.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: This is a book kids won’t believe in for a moment, simply
because of the mythical beings and the clear focus on alphabet.
o Major dramatic question (clear early in book?): Yes.
 Comment: The only dramatic question is “What words begin with this
letter?”
 Comment: Alphabet continues in a fun and imaginative way at every page
turn, and the ending is a fun surprise, but there is no tension or conflict, as
there is little in the way of plot to being with.
 Comment: Each letter has fun rhymes and interesting sentences structure.
Letters each have unique arrangements and rhyming schemes and are fun
and easy to say.
o Pacing: 9
 Comment: Focuses not only on a letter’s primary sound, but on its
secondary sound as well. Introduces a letter, then moves on before
becoming repetitive.
 Comment: Characters are fun and colorful, but are manufactured purely
for the sake of the alphabet.
 Comment: There is no setting to speak of. Cartoon characters appear
against bright colored backgrounds.
 Comment: This book clearly drives home the alphabet. Though done
imaginatively, its entire purpose is teaching sounds of letters.

o Other considerations (mood, tone, etc.): 7
 Comment: The book has a very silly and fun tone, expressed through the
rhymes and words chosen as well as through the illustrations.
 Comment: It fulfills its purpose in teaching the alphabet in a fun way for
young readers.
o Overall rating: 7
 Comment: The sum is greater than its parts. This book has little plot,
characters, believability, setting, or anything else a good book needs. And
yet, this alphabet book has endured through the ages.
 Author: Diane Johnston Hamm
 Title: Rockabye Farm
 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
 Summary: A farmer lovingly and individually rocks the animals on his farm to sleep.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: Though the story gets sillier as it goes on (the farmer rocking
his pig, cow, and horse), most of the story is rather simple and believable.

 Comment: This is a very predictable book from the beginning. Each
illustration shows a preview of what will happen on the next page.
 Comment: There is no tension or conflict whatsoever. The story just
proceeds in one direction until the end. The ending, however, is perfect.
 Comment: The text is very straightforward. There is no figurative
language, and every sentence is very much like the one before it and the
one after it.
o Pacing: 9
 Comment: Proceeds at a good pace for young readers.
 Comment: Other than seeing that the farmer is patient and caring in
rocking each animal to sleep, there are really no character traits to speak
of.
 Comment: Based on text alone, the setting isn’t even established. This is
obviously a picture book and meant to work with the illustrations, but
without the illustrations, we wouldn’t have a setting at all.
 Comment: A simple story of a farm going to sleep.

 Comment: It’s a very cozy book, perfect for bedtimes because of its theme
and its simple repetition.
 Comment: Simple and easy to understand on all accounts, paired with
charming illustrations.
o Overall rating: 7
 Comment: Though too simple for any but young readers, and perhaps
forgettable, this is fine, cozy little bedtime story.
 Author: Margaret Wise Brown
 Title: Goodnight Moon
 Publisher: Macmillan Book Clubs, Inc.
 Summary: A boy says goodnight to everything in his bedroom.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: The only fantastical aspect of the book is that the little boy and
the old woman are indeed anthropomorphic rabbits, yet everything else is
familiar to everyday life.
o Major dramatic question (clear early in book?): Yes, but slow.

 Comment: The direction of the book isn’t immediately seen from the first
page, but is soon made clear.
 Comment: No conflict or tension is present in the book, but the story is
wrapped up nicely.
 Comment: This book is famous for its memorable rhyming schemes for a
reason.
o Pacing: 8
 Comment: Perfect pacing for a children’s bedtime book.
 Comment: The book lacks characters. We know the old lady is watchful
and wants the boy to go to sleep, and that the boy is imaginative and
curious. Other than that, there is nothing to note.
 Comment: We’re given a simple, down-to-earth setting of a boy’s
bedroom. The details in his room give us the rhymes.
 Comment: Curiosity and a boy’s refusal to go to sleep on time are what
drive the book forward.

 Comment: This is almost a sleepy bedtime story with a hint of nostalgia.
 Comment: Rhymes and their content complement the illustrations
perfectly.
o Overall rating: 9
 Comment: A classic for a reason, this book has a unique way of getting
children ready for sleep.
 Author: Margaret Wise Brown
 Title: The Runaway Bunny
 Publisher: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc.
 Summary: A young boy wants to run away from his mother, who insists that she will
always find him.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: The story follows a series of hypothetical and not-at-all feasible
scenarios.
 Comment: It’s clear what this book is asking. Will the mother succeed in
catching her son? Will he finally come home?

 Comment: This book is a mystery and makes you hope that the boy will
come back to his loving mother. Both mother and son are persistent,
leaving you unsure as to how it will end.
 Comment: It’s a delight how each role chosen by the boy is then countered
by what the mother chooses to be. There’s a lovely cadence in the
arrangement of sentences, which sounds wonderful out loud.
o Pacing: 9
 Comment: Each “daydream” is only a couple of pages long – long enough
to picture and appreciate without getting dull.
 Comment: Though mother and son are rabbits, they share a very real
child-parent dynamic, one of unconditional love versus developing
independence.
 Comment: We’re not introduced to much of a setting through the text, but
the illustrations depict the story perfectly.
 Comment: The probable main theme is that a mother’s love will stop at
nothing to care for her children.

 Comment: This story is dreamy, almost wistful. There is determination
and rebellion matched by persistent love.
 Comment: From the illustrations to the characters and their disagreements,
everything in this story is excellent.
o Overall rating: 9
 Comment: A lesser-known yet fantastic book by Ms. Brown.
 #1 – older readers
 Author: Rebecca Caudill
 Title: The Best-Loved Doll
 Publisher: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
 Summary: A girl chooses amongst her dolls which to take to a special birthday party.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: Other than the “discussions” between the dolls, everything else
is rather believable. Any girl who has multiple dolls could relate to this
story.
 Comment: Which doll will Betsy take?

 Comment: Readers spend most of the book wondering which doll will be
chosen. The text does a good job of highlighting one doll’s aspects, then
showing the love Betsy has for one doll in particular. Ending is satisfying,
though not particularly surprising. Nothing negative happens in the book.
 Comment: Dialogue is rather simple and stilted. Descriptions lack
figurative language, but use precise wording.
o Pacing: 8
 Comment: Story moves along at a good pace. About half the book is spent
choosing a doll, and the other half is spent at the party.
 Comment: The dolls all have unique personalities and interactions, but
Betsy and the other characters are flat.
 Comment: The details in the descriptions are in such a way that you feel as
though you’ve seen and met each doll.
 Comment: The hidden theme here is that even if you aren’t particularly
beautiful, smart, or skillful, having love is the most important thing.

 Comment: Story is expectant, with all parts of the plot leading to one point
– choosing a doll and going to the party. It’s a soft, happy, carefree book.
 Comment: High marks on almost all aspects, but characters and dialogue
could have used more life and realism.
o Overall rating: 7
 Comment: Predictable plot and relatively stiff characters, yet an engaging
story overall.
 Author: Jeff Brumbeau
 Title: The Quiltmaker’s Gift
 Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
 Summary: A selfless old woman will only make a quilt for a greedy king after he has
given away everything he has.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: We can already detect the roles each main character is to play –
mean, greedy king and kind quiltmaker – which makes the otherwise
charming story lose a bit of believability. The way the quiltmaker escapes
danger each time is also rather coincidental, or utilizing “deus ex
machina”.
 Comment: Once our setting and characters are established, the implied
question is then “How will the king get a quilt?”
 Comment: The tension in this book is very well done, and the ending is a
complete turn-around from the beginning and very satisfying.
 Comment: This book’s highlight is the language. Story is a delight to read
due to the words chosen as well as their flow and unique arrangement.
Lovely cadence with every sentence.
o Pacing: 9
 Comment: Moves along at a nice, leisurely pace. Digs into the story
without becoming boring.
 Comment: Besides the fact that the quiltmaker is the “good kind” hero and
the king appears to be the “mean greedy” villain, the characters are
actually well fleshed-out, the king especially. He’s more than he seems at
first – he’s greedy because he thinks possessions will make him happy, yet
he becomes a happy, enjoyable, selfless person by the end.

 Comment: Descriptions work well with gorgeous illustrations to depict
emotions, characters, and surroundings.
 Comment: This book has an excellent theme of the joy of giving, yet an
obvious one. It could be argued that the book was written to teach this
principle.
 Comment: The story has a mystical, magical tone, though it contains a hint
of condescension.
 Comment: The overt lesson can be forgiven in light of the overall story.
o Overall rating: 8
 Comment: A lovely book in both language, plot, and theme.
 Author: Patricia Polacco
 Title: When Lightning Comes in a Jar
 Publisher: Babushka Inc.
 Summary: A light-hearted story of a family reunion and the connections between and
older generation with a younger.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: Quite believable plot. A simple, happy-go-lucky story of a
large family.
 Comment: How do you catch lightning in a jar?
 Comment: Little tension or conflict. The entire story takes place over one
day, and is filled with a happy family event. Satisfying ending clearing up
the mystery of “lightning” in jars.
 Comment: Colorful descriptions and down-to-earth language.
o Pacing: 8
 Comment: Nice, quick pacing and doesn’t linger too long on unimportant
details.
 Comment: The author’s background and heritage is reflected in the family
reunion, but also is a good representation of any typical family reunion. A
relatable and realistic portrayal of children and their relatives.

 Comment: We’re easily able to see the surroundings of the book via the
descriptions.
 Comment: A theme of the importance of family and the special moments
spent together across generations.
 Comment: There’s a young, happy, excited mood and a feeling of
anticipation during the entire book.
 Comment: Well-written and engaging.
o Overall rating: 8
 Comment: Though nothing about the book is particularly memorable, it’s
a fine book about family and making memories.
 Author: Jon J. Muth
 Title: The Three Questions
 Publisher: Scholastic Press
 Summary: A boy sets out on a quest to answer the most important questions in the world.
Evaluation
 Plot

 Comment: This is almost a fantasy. A boy can talk to animals and they
talk back. The plot seems a bit contrived.
 Comment: What are the answers to Nikolai’s questions?
 Comment: Good tension and conflict, with an ending to tie everything up.
 Comment: Simple language – straightforward, little to no figurative
language. Plain and to the point. Dialogue seems fake.
o Pacing: 8
 Comment: Nice pacing, moving from act to act seamlessly.
 Comment: Characters are flat and serve simplistic roles in the story.
 Comment: Loosely established setting, but with nice descriptions
occasionally (example: the storm).
 Comment: Very obvious theme is included in the questions Nikolai is
trying to ask – how should we spend our time, and who is most important?
A bit too overt.

 Comment:
 Comment: It’s a nice story, and the illustrations are lovely, but the
language and characters are lacking.
o Overall rating: 6
 Comment: Rather shallow and reads like a proverb, but still an enjoyable
story.
 Author: M.T. Anderson
 Title: Me, All Alone, at the End of the World
 Publisher: Candlewick Press
 Summary: A boy lives by himself at “the end of the world”, but is lured back by a wild
amusement park.
Evaluation
 Plot
 Comment: Character dialogue is stiff and flat, and setting is fantastic and
unbelievable.
 Comment: What will happen at the End of the World?

 Comment: Building plot and excitement make this interesting and
engaging. Surprise ending that may leave older children thinking.
 Comment: Precise and figurative language are the main features. Lots of
personification.
o Pacing: 9
 Comment: Excellent pacing. Like a rollercoaster – starts slow, picks up
speed, then stops unexpectedly.
 Comment: Characters are rather flat. Each plays the part they’re meant to,
lacking depth beyond that.
 Comment: Particularly in the early descriptions of the boy living on his
own, the detail and texture is gritty and real. Descriptions get looser as
plot gets wilder.
 Comment: Theme is too obvious to those paying attention – endless fun
may turn out to be not fun at all.
 Comment: Dreamlike and almost wistful, in contrast to the crazy
happenings.
 Comment: A bit uneven in places, and lacking memorable characters.
o Overall rating: 7
 Comment: Flat characters, but a lovely story overall.

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E.B.

Picture Book File

 Author: Beatrix Potter

 Title: Beatrix Potter Nursery Rhymes

 Publisher: Derrydale Books

Little Pigs” and “Three Blind Mice”.

o Believability (absence of coincidence/sentimentality, etc.): 5

 Comment: These stories have little believability. Though they aren’t

overly ridiculous in plot, they are stories depicting animals in humanlike

o Major dramatic question (clear early in book?): Yes

throughout the stories (Where do the geese wander? What’s in the

cupboard? Who’s tapping?), but they’re weak at best.

o Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.): 6

o Style and language (precise vocabulary, figurative language, dialogue, cadence,

understatement, unexpected insights, line in sand, etc.): 8

 Comment: Ms. Potter is excellent at writing rhyming poems for children

listening or reading themselves.

o Character (dynamic protagonist, characters “ring true” [including cultural

unique in design, but not memorable personality-wise.

o Setting (detail, texture): 7

 Comment: The rhymes and illustrations work together to paint a picture of

a quiet, lazy countryside populated by charming animals.

o Theme (absence of overt didacticism?): 9

 Comment: These surprising little stories about animal adventures have

zero signs of didacticism. They exist for the story alone.

o Other considerations (mood, tone, etc.):

 Comment: Stories are told in a surprised and delighted tone.

readers, the characters and short plots are in wanting.

 Comment: Without longer plots or engaging characters, these clever

rhyming stories are likely to be forgotten as soon as the young reader is

capable of reading other books.

 Author: Dr. Seuss

 Title: Dr. Seuss’s ABC

 Publisher: Random House, Inc.

starting with the appropriate letter.

o Believability (absence of coincidence/sentimentality, etc.): 3

 Comment: This is a book kids won’t believe in for a moment, simply

because of the mythical beings and the clear focus on alphabet.

o Major dramatic question (clear early in book?): Yes.

 Comment: Alphabet continues in a fun and imaginative way at every page

there is little in the way of plot to being with.

o Style and language (precise vocabulary, figurative language, dialogue, cadence,

understatement, unexpected insights, line in sand, etc.): 8

and easy to say.

 Comment: Focuses not only on a letter’s primary sound, but on its

secondary sound as well. Introduces a letter, then moves on before

o Character (dynamic protagonist, characters “ring true” [including cultural

for the sake of the alphabet.

o Setting (detail, texture): 3

 Comment: There is no setting to speak of. Cartoon characters appear

against bright colored backgrounds.

o Theme (absence of overt didacticism?): 5

imaginatively, its entire purpose is teaching sounds of letters.

rhymes and words chosen as well as through the illustrations.

characters, believability, setting, or anything else a good book needs. And

yet, this alphabet book has endured through the ages.

 Author: Diane Johnston Hamm

 Title: Rockabye Farm

 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

o Believability (absence of coincidence/sentimentality, etc.): 7

o Major dramatic question (clear early in book?): Yes.

illustration shows a preview of what will happen on the next page.

o Other considerations (satisfactory conclusion, tension, clear conflict, etc.): 6