written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
Original: 1984
Re-illustrated edition: 2003
Children's librarians everywhere have weeded worn, old copies of Picnic by Emily Arnold McCully
from their shelves because they've purchased the newly illustrated, larger sized version published in 2003. And it's a shame.
Originally published in 1984 as a completely wordless book, Picnic is the story of a mouse family and an outing that goes awry when baby mouse falls out of the back of a truck on the way to the picnic grounds.
In 2003 the book was republished in a larger size, with brand new illustrations and minimal text.
"Now the Caldecott artist has added words and painted bigger illustrations in her signature whimsical style to accommodate a larger-sized read-aloud book," reads the jacket flap.
Original: 1984
Re-illustrated edition: 2003
Children's librarians everywhere have weeded worn, old copies of Picnic by Emily Arnold McCully
from their shelves because they've purchased the newly illustrated, larger sized version published in 2003. And it's a shame.
Originally published in 1984 as a completely wordless book, Picnic is the story of a mouse family and an outing that goes awry when baby mouse falls out of the back of a truck on the way to the picnic grounds.
In 2003 the book was republished in a larger size, with brand new illustrations and minimal text.
"Now the Caldecott artist has added words and painted bigger illustrations in her signature whimsical style to accommodate a larger-sized read-aloud book," reads the jacket flap.
Interestingly, the illustrations, although completely repainted for this edition (shown in the right side column above), are almost identical to the originals (in the left column ). The colors are deeper and lusher. Not much is lost in the softening of detail. I have to admit that I was happy to see these changes when first encountering this edition. But I am not happy with the other new development.
To me, there wasn't any need to add text. The text is superfluous - it adds nothing to the experience of reading the story. I believe that the addition of such uninspired text is actually a dumbing-down of the book.
But don't take my word for it:
From an interview with Emily Arnold McCully by Scholastic students :
"Interestingly, the first wordless book that I created [Picnic] was not intended to be wordless. I simply worked out the story with pictures and a very brief text, and the editor said the text was unnecessary."
"...For Picnic, I started out with words, and an editor pointed out to me that the pictures didn't need words. The story could be told through pictures alone."
From Horn Book review of the original in July/August 1993:
"Picnic is an example of pure, unbridled action, deepened by characterization and emotional truthfulness. In the first few pages a family of mice sets out for a picnic, leaving behind their youngest child. What follows is a brilliantly worked out sequence that has the spontaneous feeling of improvisation. Without such a clear sense of plot and drama, I believe Emily could never have made a wordless picture book so perfectly clear to follow - and so much fun."
From Kirkus Reviews in a review of the re-illustrated edition in 2003:
"The added words, which are mostly snatches of dialogue or song, are more distraction than enhancement (the original was perfect in its wordlessness)."
To me, there wasn't any need to add text. The text is superfluous - it adds nothing to the experience of reading the story. I believe that the addition of such uninspired text is actually a dumbing-down of the book.
But don't take my word for it:
From an interview with Emily Arnold McCully by Scholastic students :
"Interestingly, the first wordless book that I created [Picnic] was not intended to be wordless. I simply worked out the story with pictures and a very brief text, and the editor said the text was unnecessary."
"...For Picnic, I started out with words, and an editor pointed out to me that the pictures didn't need words. The story could be told through pictures alone."
From Horn Book review of the original in July/August 1993:
"Picnic is an example of pure, unbridled action, deepened by characterization and emotional truthfulness. In the first few pages a family of mice sets out for a picnic, leaving behind their youngest child. What follows is a brilliantly worked out sequence that has the spontaneous feeling of improvisation. Without such a clear sense of plot and drama, I believe Emily could never have made a wordless picture book so perfectly clear to follow - and so much fun."
From Kirkus Reviews in a review of the re-illustrated edition in 2003:
"The added words, which are mostly snatches of dialogue or song, are more distraction than enhancement (the original was perfect in its wordlessness)."
RSS Feed