Children's books are aimed at different age groups and contain certain common elements for each age. Picture books for ages 0-5 contain simple text, often one word per page, with large illustrations to engage young children. Books for ages 5-7 include more text balanced with images and often contain traditional stories, myths, and fairytales. Chapter books for ages 7-11 have short chapters to hold interest and a page of text paired with an illustration, while books for ages 11-13 contain no illustrations and focus solely on the story text. Graphic novels use comic book style panels and detailed illustrations to tell visual stories that are often adapted into films and television shows.

1. M E L S T O R E Y
Graphic Narrative

2. Children’s Books
 Picture Books;
 Aimed for children 0-5 years old. These illustrated book are usually
printed onto thick card or board so children can easily turn the pages.
They are to do with simple things that need to be learnt such as the
alphabet, shapes and numbers. They rarely have many words to them,
when they do they are usually one bold big word that represents the
picture on the page.

3. Children’s Books
 Traditional Literature;
 Aimed for children 5-7 years old. Myths and legends, folklore and
fairytales are mainly the subjects that follow these children’s books. A lot
of magic is used in these typical stories to create a happily ever after
ending. There are typical stereotypes that you will see in fairytales such
as a motherly figure like a fairy godmother.
 Animals with human characteristics (anthropomorphism) are
traditionally used in these stories to create more magic for the children
and this sometimes makes it funnier depending on what animal it is.

4. Children's books by Age
 0-5 Picture Books
 These books are read to the child until they are able to say and read the
words in the book which are simple and the text is large. Children’s first
books. Large images, one word per page.
 5-7 Early Reader Books
 Teaching children to build on their reading skills with text and images,
usually a 50/50 balance.
 7-11 Chapter Books
 Short chapters so children of this age don’t loose interest in the story.
Longer chapters are appropriate for children of the ages 9-12. These
chapter books usually have a page of writing the a illustration of the
scene on the other side of the page, but these are not included as often as
earlier stage books.
 11-13 Young Adults Books
 These do not have any illustrations by the text or inside the
novels. They have an illustrated front cover which is usually
detailed and digitally made.

5. Children’s Books Font
 Children’s books use serif fonts for example Times Roman,
Goudy, Garamond and Baskerville.
 These fonts are suitable of children’s stories as the flicks on the
ends of the letters carry on to the next letter which makes it
more flowing so children can read along and not get lost in
what they’re reading.

6. Graphic Novels
 Artwork and Layout
 A graphic novel is a narrative work using illustrations and
images. The artwork is experimental as can be the layout. But
the traditional six/nine block comic book style is still used a
lot.
 The artwork is very detailed and the layout is
set in a traditional western left to right
reading.

7. Graphic Novels Inspiration
 TV and Film
 Many graphic novels have been made into hit TV series or film
productions. The way they are set out is a very detailed
storyboard for a film or TV program so it is easy to convert the
novel into a film production.
 Also many graphic novels started off as a film or a TV show.
 Examples; Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and
The Walking Dead were both Graphic novels
before being a film and a TV series.

8. Graphic Novels Text
Balloon Tails:
The end of the tail
should be pointing
toward the mouth
of the character
saying the dialogue
so readers know
who’s speaking.
Joining balloons
withconnector:
If two characters
are having a long
conversation back
and forth or if one
character expresses
two ideas one after
the other
Burst Balloons:
The text inside the
balloon is bold and
sometimes in
capitals to
emphasize the
shouting or
screaming dialoged.
Thought Balloons:
The tail on the
balloon is made up of
small bubbles, these
are pointed towards
the head of the person
thinking this thought.