Research: Children's Books.
Meerkat Mail:
Gravett, Emily. 2006, Macmillan. 'Meerkat Mail'
Meerkat Mail is an interesting book to look at primarily for the way it incorporates interactive elements into its storyline. Follwing the story of the meerkat Sunny who decided they want to live somewhere other then their home, they proceed to visit all of their 'relatives' around the world, sending postcards home the whole time. It's this bit the brings about the interactive part of the book, as the postcards are actual ones attached to the pages and can be flipped over to read Sunny's letters home. It's a more subtle interactive approach then something like a pop up book but, based on my own memories of such thing, it instantly helps to involve kids in the books story.
Most of the books illustration follows these little slice of life images that combine together to make one page. It's a good way to develop characters without wasting too much 'time' or space but I think something I'd like to avoid in my own work.
Above you can see how the postcards interact with the rest of the pages, they're usually weather or circumstance beaten based on what's happening on the main page. Lifting them also tends to reveal the rest of the illustration for the page but its never covering up anything important. Personally I think such interactive elements, while effective, would hinder more then help my storyline.
Meerkat Mail:
Gravett, Emily. 2006, Macmillan. 'Meerkat Mail'
Meerkat Mail is an interesting book to look at primarily for the way it incorporates interactive elements into its storyline. Follwing the story of the meerkat Sunny who decided they want to live somewhere other then their home, they proceed to visit all of their 'relatives' around the world, sending postcards home the whole time. It's this bit the brings about the interactive part of the book, as the postcards are actual ones attached to the pages and can be flipped over to read Sunny's letters home. It's a more subtle interactive approach then something like a pop up book but, based on my own memories of such thing, it instantly helps to involve kids in the books story.
Most of the books illustration follows these little slice of life images that combine together to make one page. It's a good way to develop characters without wasting too much 'time' or space but I think something I'd like to avoid in my own work.
Above you can see how the postcards interact with the rest of the pages, they're usually weather or circumstance beaten based on what's happening on the main page. Lifting them also tends to reveal the rest of the illustration for the page but its never covering up anything important. Personally I think such interactive elements, while effective, would hinder more then help my storyline.