PBs Where Text Is At Odds With Illos?

#1 - May 11, 2012, 06:02 PM

Hoping I can harvest the collective mind here...

I've been asked by someone if I can recommend some pbs where the text 'doesn't match' the illustrations - where the text is saying one thing while the illos do another, and where that interplay/mismatch is central to the story. She says she finds such books really useful for her autistic son, in 'getting the brain to take different paths'. I could only think of a couple off the top of my head - Libby Gleeson/Armin Greder's An Ordinary Day and one of my own. I've been googling trying to come up with more but it's tricky to be sure they fit the bill without access to the actual books. And then it occurred to me that people here could probably throw many titles into the pot without even blinking.

Am I right? I'd love to get your input. It would be great to have a list of at least ten to feed back to her.

Thanks so much, everyone.

#2 - May 11, 2012, 06:27 PM

A lot of Jan Brett's books have illustrations around the borders of the main picture, showing what is happening somewhere else, leading up to the next page's illustration. It's wonderful for predictions.

#3 - May 11, 2012, 06:32 PM

To Catch A Little Fish by Mercer Mayer is one of my favorites...

#4 - May 11, 2012, 06:48 PM

Good one, Arty. I think Mercer Mayer's I AM SHARING does something similar, where Little Critter claims to be such a good sharer but the pictures tell another story.

#5 - May 11, 2012, 07:07 PM

ZOMBIE IN LOVE, by Kelly DiPucchio does a bit of that, as does Marla Frazee's A COUPLE OF BOYS HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER. Oh, and what about MITCHELL'S LICENSE, by Hallie Durand? The text is as if the boy is driving a car, but he's really driving his dad.

#6 - May 11, 2012, 07:16 PM

Thank you all so much. I'll pass all these on and cross fingers they're not too tricky for the mother to find via the library system here (Australia). If anyone else has more, please keep them coming. I'm wanting to read these myself too now!

#7 - May 11, 2012, 08:54 PM

THE BUNNY PARTY by Rosemary Wells.

I am not sure if this next one qualifies as a 'PB where text doesn't match the illustrations', but I have seen students will Autism enjoy/get engaged in HOW DO DINOSAURS SAY GOOD NIGHT? by Jane Yolen (as well as others in the series.)

#8 - May 11, 2012, 08:58 PM

OFFICER BUCKLE AND GLORIA is the first one that popped into my head. The text tells a pretty straight story, but something totally different (and funny) is happening in the illos.

#9 - May 11, 2012, 09:03 PM

Also, I just did a quick search of the boards and found this thread: http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php?topic=61860.0. There are lots of great examples of these kinds of books in there. Hope it helps!

#10 - May 11, 2012, 09:43 PM

Thanks, Sunflower and Wolfie. I didn't realise that thread was covering similar ground. I was vaguely aware of it but assumed it was a discussion of technique. I am off to strip-mine it now.

#11 - May 12, 2012, 04:13 AM

I think the original Clifford the Big Red Dog book does something like that. The pictures are not exactly opposite of the text, but the text is very understated for what is going on in the pictures (example: it says "Clifford likes to dig up flowers" and he is actually digging up trees and shrubs).

My kids actually have a little trouble seeing the humor with this story, though they love Clifford, because it describes the typical activities of dogs back in a time when dogs were allowed to roam free around the neighborhood (chasing cars, digging in other people's yards etc.). That's so rare nowadays, at least in our area.

#12 - May 12, 2012, 01:20 PM

I LOVE picture books in which the text and story are divergent. Here are some of my favorite:

our own Katy D.'s "Farmer McPeepers,"
Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins
Nothing Ever Happens on My Block by Ellen Raskin
Will's Mammoth Rafe Martin
My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis
Charlie Needs a Coat by Tomie dePaola
Goodnight Gorilla by Paggy Rathman
Drac and the Gremlin by Allen Baillie

These are classics and should be available through the library.

#13 - May 12, 2012, 01:31 PM

Another example is MY CAT, THE SILLIEST CAT IN THE WORLD by Gilles Bachelet

#14 - May 12, 2012, 02:45 PM

My first thought was OFFICER BUCKLE AND GLORIA, too. And thanks pj for the mention of FARMER MCP.

#15 - May 12, 2012, 06:06 PM

Great suggestions. There's another by Eve Bunting about the Perfect Father's Day.
Vijaya

#16 - May 12, 2012, 06:33 PM

Princess Peepers books. She cant see so it's from her viewpoint and she gets everything wrong.

#17 - May 12, 2012, 09:10 PM

You guys are fantastic! I am passing all these on to a very grateful mother. PJ, only two of the books you mentioned are available via our library system but I know she is talking to them about ordering others in, which most libraries here are very open to doing if there are specific requests.

#18 - May 15, 2012, 04:16 AM

Here's another:

SOMEDAY WE'LL HAVE GOOD MANNERS by Harriet Ziefert.

(although the bad behavior in the illustrations gives me a headache)

#19 - May 16, 2012, 08:11 AM

DEAR MRS. LARUE has pictures of both what IS happening and what the dog THINKS is happening as he writes letters home from obedience school.

PBs Where Text Is At Odds With Illos?

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