From Pictures to Words: A Book About Making a Book

by Janet Stevens

Step by step through the creative process.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Writing, Art, Books About Books, How To, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Janet Stevens began drawing as a child. Pictures decorated her walls, mirrors, furniture and school work -- including math assignments. While this didn't always sit well with her teachers, it was what she loved to do.

Janet’s father was in the Navy therefore she moved a great deal and attended many schools while growing up.

After graduating from high school in Hawaii in 1971 she landed a job creating Hawaiian designs for fabric. The printed fabric was then made into aloha shirts and muumuus. After she graduated from the University of Colorado in 1975 with a degree in Fine Arts Janet began compiling a portfolio of “characters”, bears in tutus, rhinos in sneakers, and walruses in Hawaiian shirts. In 1977, she attended “The Illustrator's Workshop” in New York City, where it was suggested that her characters might find a home in a children's book. Luckily for libraries (and children's book readers in general), publishers agreed and her first book was published in 1979.

Janet is the author and illustrator of many original stories and frequently collaborates with her sister, Susan Stevens Crummel. Her trademark humorous animals also accompany the texts by such authors as Eric Kimmel and Coleen Salley,

Janet has received numerous book awards, including a Caldecott Honor Award, Time Magazine’s Ten Best Children’s Books , the Wanda Gág Best Read-Aloud Book. Child Magazine’s Best Books of the Year.. Janet's books have been named ALA Notables and have repeatedly appeared on the New York Times Best Seller List.

She is particularly proud of her state book awards, voted on by children -- which include Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Nebraska and Washington. Janet has received the prestigious Texas Bluebonnet Award twice.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book shows how you come up with ideas, to forming a plot and looking at the different settings. Characters are also talked about and the problem too.

The only challenge is that it is a professional illustrator/writer. I think this would be a cool book so more advanced students look to see how a professional does it compared to how they planned thier book.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could be a very good mentor text when teaching writing to middle grades students. The art is very attractive, as hers always is.

[Theresa F.]

The subject of how stories are written and published is well-worn territory for children's books. However, this work takes the unique approach of being from the point of view of a children's book illustrator who, after building her career drawing pictures for other people's stories, is now attempting to write her own original tale, prompted by a cast of characters in her imagination. This feeling of being compelled to create by some inner muse is relatable to a broad range of people. Her uncertainty over whether she can make the transition from illustrator to author is also relatable to anyone who has ever attempted something new in an environment where they are already known for another, different skill.
Unfortunately, the book quickly plows into familiar ground, with its overview of the necessary components of a story and a thorough breakdown of the steps involved in writing and publishing a book. While these sections are informative, as an adult reader I found them to be a bit dry and not necessarily entertaining. Also, as an adult, I found the running gag where one of the characters repeatedly mentions aliens to be tedious. But kids in the target age group might be more receptive to the joke.
I will say that the illustration technique of using black-and-white sketches for the real world environments and bright colors for the imaginary characters and settings was a creative way to help child readers keep track of the action.
Did I like it? It had its high points, as well as its shortcomings.
Would I reread it? No, but then I'm not the target demographic.
Would I recommend it? Not sure.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clever way to introduce kids to the process of making a picture book. I liked the book concept but the supporting cast of characters seemed rather strange and disjointed. The book itself was not as powerful as it could have been with a better underlying story the author/illustrator was creating.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an excellent book if you are teaching your students the process of making a picture book. It shows many steps with illustrations (!) that are needed. I don't think that this is a stand alone read-aloud... it is definitively an how to book. Some of the conversation was a little confusing as I wasn't sure who was talking at times.

[Lynnea (Juv) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had heard about this book as a great way to explain how a book is made. It was not at all what I expected. Not a bad book, it just doesn't match the title very well, in my opinion. It does explain, in a fun-did-sort-of-way, how a story is developed - with characters and a plot, etc. Maybe it's just the title that should get a bad rating.

[Kirti Vyas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 starts

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great illustrations and some comical interactions between the author and her creations as they try to write a book. Very good framework for early in
iLife writers

[Tristan Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

So creative and informative! Idk how to explain it but I got Magic School Bus and Reading Rainbow vibes.

[Chris Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Popular children's book illustrator and author Janet Stevens shows us how to create a picture book with help from the characters in her imagination who have been waiting for the chance to appear in a book. We learn about character, setting, plot and conflict, as well as the editing and publication process that writers and illustrators go through. The story Stevens creates here isn't nearly as compelling as her other books, and her own self-portrait illustrations oddly lack expression compared to her animal characters, but this book is still an excellent resource for teaching students about the writing process through the perspective of one of their favorite author/illustrators.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I was unfamiliar with and Janet Stevens is a former parent whose child I taught. A colleague loaned it to me. It is an old book (published in 1995), but could be most useful in talking about writing stories, how to choose characters, work with a story board, find a plot, and more. The illustrations show the animals that are in the developing story, but with Janet, the author, sketched on each page “talking” about the creation and to the animals. It’s whimsical look at how a picture book moves from the “seed” to the published book. You may know the illustrations by Stevens from other books like The Weighty Word Book. If you don’t know that book, look for it, too!

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at how an artist/illustrator sets about creating a story and illustrating it. The artist goes through the process from idea to story line through editing and finally to print in an extremely fun way. To start she has the characters that she has sketched or invented in her mind encouraging her to do a book and they all joustle to be the ones included in the book.
A book that you might want to share with you kindergartner or first grader as they explore beginning writing and telling a story by drawing pictures as you record the text. Beautiful illustrations and the joy of making ideas come to life in a concrete way.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dated from the perspective of 20 years later, but still with great illustrations, and a good explanation for how an author/illustrator puts a picture book story together. This book was written before the advent technology we take for granted today: email, scanning, texting, etc. So this author had to do everything through the mail or on the telephone.

[Kalynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this different viewpoint. Sometimes we think it goes from words to pictures, but really it most often goes from pictures to words, even if those pictures stay in our mind. This is another great addition to a unit on the writing process, or really any story, as you make the parallel between authors young and old.

[Candace Nielson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a book that is great for a classroom because it makes learning about the plot, characters and everything else you need to include when writing a story interesting to learn about.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book because it wasn’t your typical children’s book. I liked that the author was narrating as she wrote. And I also found it to be very informative about how to write a story. This book could be used in a story writing unit to get kids thinking about writing.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illustrator Janet Stevens is prompted to write the words in a story versus only drawing the pictures. She is nervous, but tries anyways walking her imaginary characters and readers through the process.

Would be good to read before Author's Day!

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This too is being withdrawn due to lack of circulation, but it is a very interesting book, on how an illustrator/storyteller goes about creating a book.

[Miss Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

GR Level: M

Elementary: 800's

This is a great non-fiction book. It describes the process of publishing picture books. Very intriguing!

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great non-fiction book. It describes the process of publishing picture books. Very intriguing!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant demonstration of the creative process in making a picture book.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book for me to read to my son. Great for encouraging a reluctant writer.