The Routledge Companion to Picturebooks

This comprehensive academic guide offers an essential deep dive into the world of picturebooks, presenting forty-eight chapters that survey the field's history, development, and remarkable international diversity. Structured into five key parts, the volume systematically explores foundational concepts from ideology to emotions, examines genres ranging from baby books to adult picturebooks, and investigates the medium's interfaces with other art forms. This is not a casual read but a scholarly toolkit for understanding picturebooks as a complex and culturally significant art form.

What distinguishes this companion is its rigorous academic framework combined with its global perspective, making it an indispensable resource for students, scholars, and serious creators in children's literature and visual studies. The systematic organization allows readers to navigate theoretical concepts, historical contexts, and cross-cultural comparisons with precision, ultimately providing a sophisticated understanding of how picturebooks communicate across ages and cultures. This volume will fundamentally reshape how serious readers perceive and analyze the seemingly simple picturebook.