Design of the Picture Book

This post originally appeared on the LAIP in 2014. Design of the Picture Book continues to be one of our favorite resources, which is why we’re thrilled to re-share this great blog today!

by Angela Terrab

The best book authors push boundaries, and in the realm of picture books, a lot of this exploration happens visually. By this measure, Carter Higgins’ blog, Design of the Picture Book, captures all that is great in some of the best new picture books. Higgins is a school librarian and a graphic designer, and she brings both of these skill sets to this beautiful and loving look at illustration and book design.

Design of the Picture Book – logo and homepage.

With a casual and enthusiastic tone, Higgins uses her weekly or biweekly posts to discuss visual themes and design elements of exceptional new picture books. As befits a blog dedicated to design, posts are delightfully visual, featuring numerous photographs of cover art and illustrations and, more often than not, a book trailer. Higgins documents an array of books, both beautifully illustrated and cleverly designed. Pop-up books, fold-out books, die-cut books, books-within-books—Design of the Picture Book is a reminder of the seemingly endless ways that paper can be manipulated to create memorable artifacts.

Illustrations from Dan Santat’s The Adventures of Beekle.

There are a number of ways that librarians might choose to engage with Design of  the Picture Book. Most obviously, the site can be used as a tool for discovery. Take a look at new and upcoming books to add to the collection, or browse for an eye-catching book for your next storytime.

Design of the Picture Book also serves as a reminder of the ways in which multimedia can complement the experience of reading a book. Having designed book trailers herself, Higgins is a fan of well-executed trailers to pique interest in new works. Similarly, libraries can use book trailers to publicize new acquisitions or events.

This site could also be used as a jumping off point to reintroduce older audiences to the art of picture books. Some of Higgins’ selections are simply too lovely not to be shared widely. Why not use picture books for inspiration at your next craft workshop, set them up in Too Good to Miss displays, or take the opportunity to rotate some picture books into your next book club?

After all, art is for everyone; you can never be too old for picture books.

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