Abstract
Wordless crossover picturebooks can be defined as texts that convey a narrative
through a series of images with little or no written information which target readers of
all ages. Picturebooks are traditionally associated with a child readership, however
wordless picturebooks are considered by many scholars to have true crossover
potential and have garnered attention among readers, publishers and scholars in the
last few decades. The lack of written language opens up the readership of wordless
picturebooks to pre-literate readers and transcends potential language barriers,
thereby allowing for greater audience participation than picturebooks containing both
written and visual narrative. Furthermore, in recent years many prominent artists and
illustrators have been drawn to the wordless format, creating innovative picturebooks
dealing with complex themes that transcend traditional readership categories.
While existing studies highlight both a rising interest among audiences and a
multitude of potential research directions, wordless crossover picturebooks remain
largely unexamined. Wordless picturebooks are generally investigated within an
educational context, while crossover picturebooks are examined and praised for their
innovation and potential benefits in some studies, however they are seldom found in
bookshops, specifically within the South African context. South Africa is a
multicultural country with twelve official languages and a children’s publishing market
that produces almost exclusively textbooks for schools, and very few books for
enjoyment. Despite scholarly and industry interest in the genre internationally, my
research shows that no wordless South African crossover picturebooks have been
commercially produced to date. Multiple studies have identified that there is a gap in
research carried out by illustrators, which serves to contextualise, reflect on and
theorise the processes undertaken to create a finished work.
The aim of the study is to gain insight into the creative process involved in the
production of a wordless crossover picturebook, from the perspective of a practicing
illustrator. Responding to the gaps in scholarly research, and using my background
as a picturebook illustrator, this study employs a practice-based approach to
research wordless crossover picturebooks. Wordless crossover picturebooks are
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conceptualised and contextualised using picturebook theory and narratology, with
the aim of providing a framework for picturebook analysis and the creative practice.
Three recently published wordless crossover picturebooks, namely The Paper Boat,
A Refugee Story (2020) by Thao Lam, Small Things (2021) by Mel Tregonning, and
The Wanderer (2020) by Peter van den Ende, are examined to determine their
crossover and narrative characteristics, and to gain insights into the ways in which
contemporary authors approach the construction of these texts. A creative practice is
then embarked on, with the aim to create a wordless crossover picturebook that is
rooted in the local South African context. The creative practice is continuously
recorded and reflected on, and results in a wordless crossover picturebook titled I’m
Like a Bird – An Immigrant Story (2023). Findings from the practice are distilled into
a framework for the creation of wordless narratives, informed by narrative theory.
The key outcomes of the research are a record and reflection of the process of
creating a wordless crossover picturebook from the perspective of an authorillustrator,
and the conceptualisation of a framework based in picturebook theory and
narratology which can be used as a guideline when creating wordless narratives.