In Pictures and In Words: Teaching the Qualities of Good Writing Through Illustration Study

by Katie Wood Ray

Make abstract qualities like tone, detail, and organization easily visible for young writers with Katie Wood Ray's In Pictures and in Words . "If teachers show children how an illustrator's decisions about pictures are a lot like a writer's decisions about words, they form a bridge of understanding that nurtures children as writers." Katie Wood Ray Katie (beloved author of About the Authors and Already Ready ) begins with a strong, classroom-based research foundation for this powerful, intuitive idea. She then suggests 50 ways you might use illustrations to help students internalize key aspects of craft through their love of picture books. In Pictures and in Words is filled with sample student work that documents how children's thinking deepens as they explore illustrations. Katie even includes full-color pages of published illustrations with examples of sticky-notes that show the kinds of links students can make between pictures and words. Give children an engaging way to make the qualities of good writing part of everything they write, for life. Find out how Katie Ray can help you do it when you read In Pictures and In Words.

Genres: Professional Development, Education, Teaching, School, Writing, Nonfiction

280 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2010

Reviews

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chock full of very practical lessons for young readers and writers! There were many ideas that I wanted to try with my students too. I strive to be a teacher who can notice illustrations in picture books too because there were so many new insights that I have never noticed. I’m so inspired to delve into the world of illustration in a meaningful way!

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas on how to show students that illustrations matter.

[Louise Breugem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great help with teaching Illustration Study!

[The Reading Countess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading ch. 7/8 in preparation for our writing committee/Edmodo discussion.

ch.7/8: Maybe it's just me. I'm no kindergarden teacher. Heck, I'm no longer a primary teacher. I'm a solid intermediate/middle grade teacher. But I'm struggling with this book. I get that pictures are the precursor to writing. I see the connections between a clearly drawn and well planned picture and future strong writers. But this book is tedious. I loved the color picture inserts. Does that count?

Teaching kids about perspective and attention to detail. Got it. Some good picture book titles duly jotted down. Check. Anything else? Um. no.

I found the description of fabulously illustrated children's books (that admittedly made me want to read the said books) maddening. I wanted to SEE the picture being described. This frustrated me beyond belief.

*I LOVE Katie Wood Ray. I am in NO way, shape or form a tiny fraction of the kind of teacher she is. But wow. Next, please.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Ray's work is with early elementary, there are many ideas in this book that transcend grade level or writing level. The ideas she describes for using illustrations to teach writing is creative and useful to all ages. There were some places I wished for a more direct connection to writing, especially in the second half of the book that is a compendium of techniques that could be taught from illustrations. I liked the techniques and their relationships to illustrations--showing, not telling, and manipulating point of view for effect, for example--but for many of them the extension to examples in writing was limited. A key point I really appreciated in the book was her assertion that writers need stamina: they need to know how to sit in front of an empty page and create something from nothing. The process of illustration can help develop that. Ray's personal examples, as usual, are great. Who doesn't love her voice? I'll read anything she publishes.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book, though not too applicable to my teaching job. I wonder how the author can spend so much time on illustration what with the NCLB testing. She also seems impressed by her student's two-week writing sample while the samples, although authentic, seem awfully short to me. Still I appreciate her bibliography of picture books to use with various writing techniques.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read on how to "bridge understanding how both writing and drawing are acts of making meaning." (15)
Nurturing students as both illustrators and writers can motivate reluctant writers, value their illustrations, and use picture books as a means of bridging how to convey ideas through words and pictures in an engaging way.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it is written for primary teachers, the lessons can absolutely be adapted for any age writer or illustrator.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent teacher resource, most applicable to early elementary

[Annette Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired me to teach some art illustrations in class this past year.