As part of my research, I went to a local book shop to find out how children’s books were sold and displayed in a larger book shop. I wanted to understand what children’s book illustration is like today, so I wanted to look at a variety of books to see different types and genres of children’s book illustration.

Among contemporary books in the shop, there are shelves dedicated to the classics, fairy tales, graphic novels, biographies, and guidebooks. This organisation helps children find older well-known works rather than having them among other books. This allows new books to stand out in a way so that children can find something new to read. I’d imagine it also helps parents/teachers who want to find books to read for children such as traditional fairy tales.

Before walking into the shop, the windows were displaying children’s books that you can find inside and are decorated with colorful paper airplanes. This catches the eye of both children and adults with the whimsical decoration. Next to it is a display dedicated to one book called “Frank and Bert” which is written and illustrated by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros. The display uses the neon pink string found in the story to get people’s attention as it is strewn around the window. It’s a great way to advertise a book for others to find and shows how some shops will make sure many books have their chance to be seen. It can encourage potential buyers and be a way for children to find a story they would enjoy.

I took a quick look at “Frank and Bert” and found a lovely story about the importance of friendship. In the book Frank and Bert play hide and seek together but Frank tends to find Bert each time, so he lets him win this time around. The story is sweet and funny, and it is also a counting book. The window display is a lovely idea for people to look at the book that they may not find or miss in other bookstores.

I also found a small reading corner near the end of the shelves. I think it’s a great way of encouraging children to pick up a book and read alongside other customers. It would probably help children decide on books they would like to read and promote reading for pleasure.

I looked through a few of the books that caught my eye, I wanted to see how different books used layout, text and image and gain a better understanding of a picture book layout. I found a great variety of style from different artists, even well-known ones such as Quentin Blake who illustrated “Michael Rosen’s Sad Book”. Even from the bleak front cover, you can tell it’s a story much different than most.

I loved the front cover of “It Fell from The Sky” by the Fan brothers with its use of holographic material for the marble, it stands out even more from the rest of the black and white drawing.

There was also “Collecting Cats” by Lorna Scobie, which features a vast array of adorable cats. This page in the middle of the book was my favourite part, the text has just enough room from the rest of the chaotic page of cats and mice in the middle.

Visiting the book shop made me appreciate the abundance of children’s literature and illustrations that offer so much variety and fun for children. It is a place for children to explore and discover books they love to read whether it is fiction or non-fiction.

What is Children’s Book Illustration?