Digital Commons Network^™

Weaving Words And Pictures: Allen Say And The Art Of Illustration, Christina M. Desai

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Text and illustration in childrens literature can interact in many ways, sometimes complementing, sometimes contradicting each other. Picture books for children now receive considerable critical attention, yet the illustrations are seldom analyzed as seriously as the text. This article explores the dynamics between words and pictures in three fiction works: The Boy of the Three-Year Nap, by Dianne Synder, El Chino, and Emma's Rug, both by Allen Say. Say brings varied artistic techniques, such as visual metaphor, cartoon elements, and irony, as well as a multicultural perspective, to the development of character and meaning.'