Topic # 2
Selecting ONE story we have read in the course, advance an argument about how illustration or pictures complement and enhance the experience of reading a children’s book. Do these images improve or add to the story presented by the text? Do they tell an alternate story in addition to the one that is written? What do the pictures tell the reader about the story’s characters, settings, and atmosphere and what are their implications on the story’s overall meaning? In this paper, I want to examine the use of illustrations by Vladyana Krykorka in the fiction “A Promise is a Promise” by authors Robert Munsch, and Michael Kusugak. It is hard to define illustration. “Some discussions on book illustration begin with an attempt to decide…show more content… “In picture books, as in all literature, setting is used to establish a story's location in time and place, create a mood, clarify historical background if necessary, provide an antagonist, or emphasize symbolic meaning.” (Norton). The illustrations in the fiction “A Promise is a Promise” set the mood for the book and it go well with the story, making it easier for Children to understand the message of the story. For example, the illustrator used dull blue to the background to set the readers mood to the gloomy cold weather conditions prevails in the Northwestern Territories. The gloomy setting brings a feeling of aloofness. In another example, the illustrator made the readers to visualize the Inuit’s people’s dress culture parka which they wear from animal hides, fur quills and feathers. In other example, the authors used illustration to depict the closeness in the Inuit’s family, Allashua with her siblings and mother portrays a humble loving home. Also, Allashua has a space between their family readers gives them a clue for the climax of the story. The illustrations are well done to set the mood of the readers. Thus, illustrations establish feeling and visualization to the readers that arouses their interest in reading the…show more content… A good text should have effective characterization. Illustration does not detract from an appreciation of the whole book but creates personally meaningful bonds with books which cause students to return to them pleasurably again and again (Gainer, 18). The pictured illustration should be very effective in a short story appealing to the young readers. The illustration of Qallupilluit by Vladyana Krykorka is scary and funny. The text cannot help the readers visualizing these strange creatures. However illustrations brings out the authors intention very effectively. The Qallupilluit’s have crabs and skull on their hairs as a decoration is funny, but also scary. The character of Qallupilluit is well developed with the illustration that reveals their innate scary nature and a humor in them deeply hidden during their invasion to the Allashua’s house when they absorbed by the dance party. The character of Allashua’s has been well developed with the illustration. Her rebellious nature is illustrated as a clue when the illustrator depicts her back on the family picture and separated by a space between her, siblings and mother. In another illustration the kitchen is shown very busy tells the reader that Allashua’s mother is a caring and busy mother. Mother’s attachment is well brought out the way she holds the last baby and the children so close to her. Thus, illustrations help develop