Children’s book research

Book 1 – ‘Dear Zoo’

• Author: Rod Campbell

• Illustrator: Rod Campbell

• Age Range: 2-5

• Pages: 20

• Size: 239 x 240mm

• Publisher:

• Font: Serif

• Text: Short sentences 4-5 words long with max 5 on each page. Large image breaks sentences apart to space out the text and not make it look like there is a lot. Image also turns interactively as there are flaps which reveal the image underneath. This engages the reader and is the main focus for children of the ages 4 and under, children above this age will read the text themselves as well as lifting the flaps.

• Rod Campbell has since come out with various other editions of this book. Some include activity books, pop up books and ones with fastenings to clip onto pushchairs for younger children, which are also equipped with soft fabrics instead of flaps to make them more suitable for a younger audience who are just starting to use their senses.

Book 2 ‘Starting School’

• Author: Allan Ahlberg

• Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg

• Age Range: 3-5

• Pages: 32

• Size: 227 x 243mm

• Publisher: The Penguin Group, Puffin Books

• Font: San Serif however is easy to read as letters are not joined up and all text size is the same throughout

• Text: Short sentences as young children will not want to sit through lots of text. Sentences come with pictures for each. May be suitable for 5 year olds to read due to simple words.

• Some of the sentences are repeated making this book easy to follow. Very similar to the reality of starting school making it a great book for beginners in reading and also beginners in education.

Book 3 – ‘Small Brown Dog’s Bad Remembering Day’

• Author: Mike Gibbie• Illustrator: Barbara Nascimbeni• Age Range: 3-7• Pages: 32. There various pages however the pictures are a reasonable size

and the small amount of text is spread throughout the book with small amounts on each page.

• Size: 186 x 207mm• Publisher: The Penguin Group, Puffin Books• Font: San Serif• Text: the cover is bold due to the brightly patterned border around the edge

that has also been carefully illustrated. The text on the front of the book is curvy and bendy adding to the attractiveness of the cover. Fairly longer sentences due to being for a bigger age range. Younger children would have it read to them as there are some complex words however children around 7 years old would be able to read it themselves. Beginning letters of ‘Small Brown Dog’ are in bold. The age range for this book is a little more wider as the text is simple meaning young children can understand the story as and adult reads it but is also suitable for an older audience as they would be able to read it themselves and the pictures that go with the story are more detailed and so are taken up by a whole page each time.

Book 4 – ‘Each Peach Pear Plum’

• Author: Allan Ahlberg

• Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg

• Age Range: 3-5

• Pages: 32

• Size: 186 x 207mm

• Publisher: Puffin

• Font: Serif

• Text: Rhyming couplets with an illustration for each and then a big illustration on the page after. Serif font to make following the text easier.

• This book is well illustrated with not overly complex drawings. Due to the popular children’s story characters such as Cinderella and The Three Bears, young children will enjoy reading this as they can familiarize themselves with the characters. As the age range is 3-5, the children will be more interested in the pictures, however the text will still attract some attention due to not only the simple words, big text and rhymes but also the fact that after the adult has read the page, they will then look for the character.

Book 5 – ‘The Jolly Pocket Postman’

• Author: Allan Ahlberg

• Illustrator: Janet Ahlberg

• Age Range: 3-6

• Pages: 52

• Size: 203 x 235mm

• Publisher: Puffin Books

• Font: Serif

• Text: Serif text allows an easier read. Illustrations along with every small paragraph of text. Envelopes on each page containing an illustrated piece surrounding the subject of the text which engages the reader. For younger children, the main focus will be the interactive parts and an adult will read the text however for an older child they may read it by themselves and still look in the flaps.

• There are several other editions of this book including ‘The Jolly Christmas Postman’ a festive children’s book with Christmas themed text and parcels.

Book 6 – ‘Spot Goes To The Park’

• Author: Eric Hill

• Illustrator:

• Age Range: 2-4

• Pages: 24

• Size: 240 x 248mm

• Publisher: The Penguin Group, Puffin Books

• Font: Serif

• Text: Simple short sentences with bold writing. Some text in speech bubbles to take a different approach to telling the story, this will also allow the young children to follow the book.

• Spot ‘lift the flap books’ are always the same which shows consistency and is a good way to approach the same books. There are a range of different ‘Spot’ books out and are all short stories as children do not stay focused for long however each page is brightly coloured but still with simple illustrations and the same black text to make it bold and stand out. Due to there being a wide collection of these books which all feature the same characters, children are bale to familiarize themselves with these characters like they are real people.