How texts work
When you read a picture book, you make sense of the story through the words and the
pictures. There are often alternative readings of a text. Different readers see different
things and recognise different messages. Look at these examples.
Technique
Description
Examples
Allegory
A presentation of a story with
seemingly real characters and
events which refer to a
spiritual or abstract idea.
The Rabbits by John Marsden and
Shaun Tan
A send up or humorous
version of a text which makes
fun of a situation.
The True story of the Three Little
Pigs!: by A Wolf by Jon Scieszka
Parody
The Story of Rosy Dock by Jeannie
Baker
The Singing Hat by Tohby Riddle
Vesuvius Poovius by Kes Gray
Irony
Subversion
Point of view
Intertexuality
An outcome of events
different from what was
expected with humorous
touches.
Where the Wild Things Are by
Maurice Sendak
turning upside down, turning
around or changing from the
original to make fun of actions
and behaviours.
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N
Muntsch and Michael Martchenko
The particular perspective
brought by a composer or
character in the book to the
text or matters in the text. The
reader also has a perspective
or way of looking at the text.
Voices in the Park by Anthony
Browne
The associations or
connections between one text
and other texts.
Willy’s Pictures by Anthony Browne
The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan
Princess Smarty Pants by Babette
Cole
The Staircase Cat by Colin
Thompson
The Dragon New Year: A Chinese
Legend by David Bouchard
The Stone: A Persian Legend of the
Magi by Diane Hofmeyr and Jude
Daly
Robber Girl by Margaret Wild and
Donna Rawlings
The Devil’s Trousers: A Folktale
from Bologna by Maurice Saxby
picture_word_book: How texts work
Read some of these picture books and discuss how the composer:

provides different meanings using language techniques

positions the reader to think about issues in particular ways

encourages the reader to think some issues are important to society

talks about the role of different groups such as girls and boys, people from
different backgrounds and of different abilities

leaves out important information or events.
picture_word_book: How texts work