Main Content
Syllabus
LL ED 462: The Art of the Picturebook (3 credits)
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
Overview
The Art of the Picturebook explores a wide range of picturebooks with the idea that illustrations are visual art evoking thoughts and feelings. Because picturebooks provide aesthetic experiences and contribute to aesthetic development, they are rich and important sources for literacy education. This course provides opportunities to extend your repertoire of strategies for making sense of picturebooks, to deepen knowledge about picturebooks and the artists who create them, and to consider ways to help children become more sophisticated readers of picturebooks and creators of visual texts.
While picturebooks are often emphasized as integral to the literacy development of young children, they can be engaging and desirable for older children as well. Course topics include picturebooks for the very young, as well as picturebooks (including graphic novels) that could appeal to elementary and middle school children. Whether picturebooks appear relatively simple and straightforward or contain innovatively complex or metafictive design elements, close readings of them with an understanding of terminology offer opportunities to express and discuss reactions and interpretations. The Art of the Picturebook provides a forum for you to explore preferences, ideas, insights, and questions about selected picturebooks, along with curricular and pedagogical considerations. Course readings include interviews with illustrators, selections about creating picture compositions, and scholarly essays presenting theoretical perspectives and ideas about picturebooks as literature and art for children’s literacy development.
This course emphasizes that reading and interpreting picturebooks is an active, creative process that is socially, culturally, and historically situated. Authors and illustrators are influenced by culture, so their art reflects values of that culture, consciously or unconsciously. A reader’s experience with a picturebook is also influenced by cultural and social contexts in a given moment. Because engaging in aesthetic experiences is an active, creative process, reading picturebooks is, as Jane Doonan (1993), author of Looking at Pictures in Picture Books, asserts, a form of play. The Art of the Picturebook approaches picturebooks as sources of deep play.
The course also provides opportunities to research selected illustrators, both for class discussions and an illustrator study project (e.g., a Wiki page). The culminating illustrator study project involves an in-depth investigation of a key children’s book illustrator and a process of sharing works-in-progress with classmates for collaborative editing.
Course Objectives
Throughout this course you will:
- Increase your repertoire of strategies for making sense of picturebooks.
- Deepen your knowledge of picturebooks and the people who create them.
- Consider how you can enable children to become more sophisticated readers of picturebooks.
Required Course Materials
For pricing and ordering information, please see the Barnes & Noble College website.
Materials will be available at Barnes & Noble College approximately three weeks before the course begins. It is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Requirements
For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
HelpDesk
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Assignments
- Readings: There is quite a bit of reading required for this course. It's vital that everyone does the readings. Our understandings of the readings will become the basis for the course.
- Post on the weekly threaded discussions: Because we meet only in cyberspace, it is vital to post regularly each week. I expect you to post in a thoughtful and pertinent manner to each of the threaded discussions. Not only should you respond to the readings, but you should also respond to the ideas put forth by your fellow classmates.
- Response Papers: You will be asked to turn in responses to professional readings, children's books, and a scary picture activity. Good response papers are honest and thoughtful responses to course material, especially to ideas contained in the reading. Good response papers make connections among the professional readings and between the professional readings and picturebooks. One week the paper will include your reflection on making a picture of your own. Response papers should run from 500 to 700 words and answer the questions: What ideas are you gleaning from the readings? How are these ideas shaping how you look at picturebooks? The response papers will be shared only with the instructor. You're welcome, though, to share excerpts from your response papers on the threaded discussions. The specific topic for the response papers will be on the Activities & Assignments page of the corresponding lesson.
- Make a Picture: As part of the course, you will use the drawing utility in Microsoft Word, or use real construction paper and then scan or digital photo it, to make a scary picture utilizing the principles discussed in Molly Bang's Picture This. (Your grade for this assignment will be based on your reflection, not the quality of the picture itself.)
- Snow White Comparison Chart: When specified, you will need to create a chart that elaborates the similarities and differences between different versions of the classic Snow White. This assignment will count as 10% of the course grade (see Response Assignments in the course grading scheme below).
- Children's Literature Illustrator Project: For your final course project, you will do a study of a key children's book illustrator following the template.
How does he/she work? Does he/she have a discernable style? Does he/she have any themes consistent throughout his/her works? What books has he or she illustrated? How do the illustrated books portray and reflect his/her styles, themes, or any literary theories? How do the different styles of illustrating shape the meaning of the story? What stays constant? What seems to change? How does it change? Can you identify something about the way illustrators work that shapes the mood and the meaning? Does anything in his/her biography shed light on his/her work? Do you know any great web pages about the illustrator to share? Does he/she have any good publications to read? You can pick any illustrator who appears on the illustrator links page. If there's someone not on the list you'd like to study, please check with me before you start your research.
Your Illustrator Project should be 2,000 words, about ten pages. Please make sure you have the five additional references, not counting children’s books. When I look at your pages, I will be considering sufficiency of information on your illustrator, coherence (how your Illustrator page is structured), depth of information, and clarity of information (including your writing style). Revision is important, and this is where feedback from other students is very helpful. Remember that you are expected to edit each other’s pages, and your contributions to the pages of others factor into your grade for this project—in other words, I will be considering if you helped to edit the pages of at least two other students’ Google Docs, and will also consider how much time and effort you put into this editing. This doesn't have to take a long time, but it should go beyond a cursory “Your Illustrator Project is good!”
Please take a look at Penn State policies and guidelines on copyright and academic integrity before you create your project
In addition to the above, you will complete other activities as specified throughout the course. Specific details for each activity can be found on the Activities & Assignments page of each lesson. Be sure to regularly check the course announcements and emails from your instructors for additional specifics.
Course Grading Scheme
| Class Participation | Discussion Forums | 25% |
| Reaction Assignments | Four Reaction Papers (4 @ 10% each) | 50% |
| Snow White Comparison Chart (1 @ 10%) | ||
| Wiki Project | 25% | |
| Semester Total | 100% | |
Note: The course values risk taking. If you take a risk with an assignment and it doesn't quite turn out the way you hoped, you won't be penalized on your grade if you can show the logic of what you were trying to do and reflect on why it didn't turn out the way you had planned.
Late Policy
Work received after the deadline will be considered late, and one letter grade will be deducted unless you have contacted me beforehand. In the event of an emergency, contact me as soon as possible.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.Course Schedule
Lesson 1 - Course Introduction
Lesson 2 - Picturebooks Overview
| Timeframe: | Week One
Note: Week One covers both Lesson 1 and Lesson 2.
|
|---|---|
|
Readings: |
Textbooks
Course Reserves (To access these articles, click on the Course Reserves link in your Course Navigation Menu.)
|
|
Assignments: |
|
Lesson 3 - Close Looking - Part I
| Timeframe: | Week Two
Note: Week Two consists of Lessons 3, 4, and 5 that are all covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
Course Reserves (To access these articles, click on the Course Reserves link in your Course Navigation Menu.)
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 4 - Close Looking - Part II
| Timeframe: | Week Two
Note: Week Two consists of Lessons 3, 4, and 5 that are all covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 5 - Design
| Timeframe: | Week Two
Note: Week Two consists of Lessons 3, 4, and 5 that are all covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 6 - Style
| Timeframe: | Week Three
Note: Week Three consists of Lessons 6 and 7 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 7 - Word & Image
| Timeframe: | Week Three
Note: Week Three consists of Lessons 6 and 7 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
Course Reserves (To access these articles, click on the Course Reserves link in your Course Navigation Menu.)
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 8 - Picture Books for the Very Young
| Timeframe: | Week Four
Note: Week Four consists of Lessons 8 and 9 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbook
Other Readings
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 9 - Culture - Different Ways of Seeing - Part I
| Timeframe: | Week Four
Note: Week Four consists of Lessons 8 and 9 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Course Reserves (To access these articles, click on the Course Reserves link in your Course Navigation Menu.)
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 10 - Culture - Different Ways of Seeing - Part II
| Timeframe: | Week Five
Note: Week Five consists of Lessons 10 and 11 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 11 - Unconventional Illustrators
| Timeframe: | Week Five
Note: Week Five consists of Lessons 10 and 11 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 12 - Graphic Novels, Wordless Picturebooks, and Interactive Digital Narratives
| Timeframe: | Week Six
Note: Week Six consists of Lessons 12 and 13 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbooks
Choose one of the following readings:
|
| Assignments: |
|
Lesson 13 - Pedagogy
| Timeframe: | Week Six
Note: Week Six consists of Lessons 12 and 13 that are both covered in the same week.
|
| Readings: |
Textbook
Other Readings
|
| Assignments: |
|
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Grading
The World Campus follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit
| Letter Grade | Percentage |
| A | 95-100 |
| A- | 90-94 |
| B+ | 85-89 |
| B | 80-84 |
| B- | 75-29 |
| C+ | 70-74 |
| C | 65-69 |
| D | 60-64 |
| F | below 60 |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
University Policies
- Accommodating Disabilities:
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
- Graduation: NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
- Additional Policies:
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.