CONTINUOUS NARRATIVE: One character or object portrayed in two or more places on the same page or page spread
CONVENTIONAL SIGN: Conventional signs require readers have the code to decipher meaning.
DOUBLE NARRATIVE: Two scenes with different characters or settings on the same page or page spread
ICONIC SIGN: Iconic, or representational, signs are a direct representation of an object.
LINEAR NARRATIVE: Writing with a beginning, middle, and end that is read from left to right and top to bottom.
MULTIPLE NARRATIVE: Multiple scenes with different characters or settings on the same page or page spread
NARRATIVE: Picture books communicate through two narrative forms, the verbal (words) and the visual (images), often diverging into multiple split narratives.
NONLINEAR: As opposed to a linear narrative with beginning, middle, and end, a nonlinear narrative can be perceived from any number of starting points.
SYMBOLISM: Figures and symbols are purposely distorted to express an idea. In picture books, symbols are often imbedded in the illustrations and are not hinted at in the story.
THEME: The overall idea of the story; a common thread running through the story.
VERBAL: Communication through words. The text in a picture book is verbal.
VISUAL: Communication through images. The pictures in a picture book are visual.
VISUAL INTEREST: Illustrators create visual inertest through the use framing, pacing, drama, and picture sequence.
VISUAL LITERACY: Includes thinking and communicating with images. Visual thinking is the ability to transform thoughts and information into images; visual communication takes place when people are able to construct meaning from the visual image.
SPLIT NARRATIVE: Two episodes in the same setting with different characters on the same page or page spread.