Picture books, who didn't grow up with them? If you have small children yourself, you probably have quite a few books in your home. Whether you buy them yourself or receive them as a gift, (almost) everyone loves picture books!
But what exactly is a picture book?
A picture book is a children's book with text and beautiful images, but there are rules attached to this. The book usually consists of 32 pages and the story consists of a maximum of 1000-1500 words and sometimes even has no text at all, e.g. The yellow balloon .
The story often contains a message or a problem that needs to be solved and the story usually has a positive ending.
In picture books you often see beautiful images made by the best illustrators. These also have a function, they strengthen the story and so the child (and parent) always remains captivated listening to the book.
One of the most famous picture book illustrators is Charlotte Dematons, known for the beautiful fairy tale book The Yellow Balloon or There You Are .
Most picture books are suitable for children aged 3-6 years old. They are often able to really understand a story. They are read to by their parents and you can talk about the story with each other afterwards.
National Reading Days
Reading is extremely important for children. Of toddlers and preschoolers who are read to regularly, almost 70 percent have sufficient vocabulary to make a good start at school.
To stimulate reading aloud, the Stichting Lezen and CPNB organize the National Reading Days at the beginning of the new year. For this purpose, a picture book top 10 is selected by youth librarians, booksellers and teachers. Attention is paid to the story and beautiful illustrations, but the jury also looks at possibilities for play and interaction with toddlers.
A picture book of the year will be chosen from this top 10 picture book list, which will be the focus of the National Reading Days.