In the November/December issue of the Horn Book people from thepicturebook.com posted a Proclamation.
Here's what it says (in part and in synopsis):
The picture book isn't dead it just needs less imitation. It needs grown-up conversation, and the grown-ups creating these books need to know picture book history. Picture books are a form, not a genre. Good design fosters good reading. We need criticism to keep us original.
There are a number of other bulletpoints here -- you can see the whole thing at http://mosscovered.blogspot.com/. I think the most exciting aspect of all of this is that if you take out the words picture books and substitute children's books you have a perfect creed for what we, as authors of all ranges of children's literature, should be striving for.
Thank you to everyone at thepicturebook.com for keeping us honest.
Here's what it says (in part and in synopsis):
The picture book isn't dead it just needs less imitation. It needs grown-up conversation, and the grown-ups creating these books need to know picture book history. Picture books are a form, not a genre. Good design fosters good reading. We need criticism to keep us original.
There are a number of other bulletpoints here -- you can see the whole thing at http://mosscovered.blogspot.com/. I think the most exciting aspect of all of this is that if you take out the words picture books and substitute children's books you have a perfect creed for what we, as authors of all ranges of children's literature, should be striving for.
Thank you to everyone at thepicturebook.com for keeping us honest.