Hey there! This week we are kicking off a blog post series all about Picture Books. November is National Picture Book month and they hold a special place in my heart. So I’ve got some awesome posts lined up for you. And today is the first one.

So, why are Picture Books so important? Not only to little ones but to adults as well?

Below I outline some of the reasons I feel Picture Books are so important for all ages.

Excellent Story Telling

Did you know that Pictures Books have to tell their entire story & include their illustrations in only 64 pages??

Does that seem crazy to you?

People who write for Picture Books have big shoes to fill in only a few pages. So they are excellent storytellers. And they are beautiful examples of literature that need our appreciation even though they are written for young readers in mind.

Reading Concepts

The introduction of reading concepts to young readers is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I have spent most of my career supporting programs for early literacy.

I believe that when you get little ones hooked on reading it encourages lifelong learning.

So, even if the little one can’t read yet it introduces them to those concepts and gets them excited about reading as they grow.

Build vocabulary

You may think Picture Books use simple words and plot lines but you’d be surprised. Many use complex words to push and expose children to higher levels of vocabulary.

Describe complex topics in a safe format

Things like art and history or even topics like divorce. Picture books are here to help children understand the abstract world around them in a safe way.

Start conversations

It starts as a tool for parents and children to discuss the topics and story as well as the complex topics tackled in the book. Like for example in Where the Wild Things Are Max learns all about consequences of his actions. This is a great conversation starter between parents and children to help them understand that their actions do have consequences.

Bridge the gap between generations

Now, this is my FAVORITE reason why Picture Books are so important. I love this one so much that I’ll be talking about it in one of the later blog posts for this series. All about the Pictures Books my granddaughter has introduced me to.

Me the Librarian!

It helps involve multi-generations in activities and encourages growth and conversations between young and old.