A picture book combines visual and verbal narrative in a single book format, most often aimed at young children, with the story told primarily through text rather than through the sequential images that define comics. Its illustrations can be produced in a wide range of media, including oil paint, acrylic, watercolor and pencil, and the form often doubles as an educational resource that supports children's language development and understanding of the world. Early examples of the modern form include Heinrich Hoffmann's Struwwelpeter of 1845, Benjamin Rabier's Tintin-Lutin of 1898 and Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit of 1902, and the genre includes classics such as Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings, Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat and Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are; the Caldecott Medal, established in 1938, is awarded annually for the best American picture book.
Facts
Place of OriginGermany; the form traces to Orbis Pictus, published in Nuremberg in 1658 and used as a German schoolbook. 1 Notable ExampleBeatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902), one of the earliest works in the format of the modern picture book. 2 Defining TraitTells its narrative primarily through text working with images, distinguishing it from comics, which tell their story primarily through sequential images. 2 Sources
1. Orbis Pictus (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)Lead section, second paragraph, opening sentenceQuote, Lead section, second paragraph, opening sentence
The book was published in Nuremberg and was initially used as a textbook for German schools.
2. Picture Book (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)Lead section, second sentence
With the narrative told primarily through text, they are distinct from comics, which do so primarily through sequential images.
Lead section, third paragraph, opening sentence
Three of the earliest works in the format of modern picture books are Heinrich Hoffmann's Struwwelpeter from 1845, Benjamin Rabier's Tintin-Lutin from 1898 and Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit from 1902.
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