Visual+literacy+analysis



This is a useful way to consider one of the key ideas of the book; that a tragedy can also be the catalyst for enormous growth and change. It is also a useful exercise how to communicate ideas in a compressed format with only text and images as your tools.

The purpose of a book cover is to make a book so enticing that we want to buy it. A recent article in //Times Online// stated that, “studies show that a book on a three-for-two table has about one and a half seconds to catch a reader’s eye. If it is picked up, it is on average glanced at for only three to four seconds. ” Time is of the essence! A book cover is essentially an invitation to buy the book. It is like an advertisement. The visual and textual elements of the cover must work together to form the strongest emotional response in a reader. As famous adman, Bill Oberlander states, “you must captivate the heart and soul of the reader.” You have to convert what the book is about into powerful words and images. .

Extra research: [] - article on the importance of book covers.

[] - article about the features of successful book covers.

@http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/08/why-good-advertising-works-even-when-you-think-it-doesnt/244252/

** Compare three different book covers of //Year of Wonders// ** ** Part One: Look at some of the covers on different editions of //Year of Wonders// and consider ** **the intended audience, mood and genre and the different visual techniques.**

W hat objects and words are emphasised in some and not others?

What could the significance of the apple be? What can an apple symbolise?

How do you respond to each one? Who do you think would find each cover appealing?

What do they make you feel? What kind of mood do they evoke?

**Part Two: Consider the visual literacy techniques on the cover of Year of Wonders in detail**

Cover: What does the cover tell you? What predictions can you make about the story?

Look at the font used - what does that tell you about what kind of book it is?

What are the pictures used? Is anyone looking at you directly? What does this tell you about the book? Who is the most important character or feature of the story? Describe the woman’s facial expression. What does this tell you?

What part of the cover attracts your attention first? What is the effect?

What do you look at first, then second and after that? What is the effect?

Does one element of the picture seem to be placed in front of the other or is one element at the centre or off centre//?// What does this tell you about the book?

What is the setting? What does this tell you about the story?

What are the colours used? Why have those colours been chosen? How does colour change, emphasise or enhance meaning? Does colour alter the mood, tone, and narrative in any way?

What is the relationship between the title of the book and the tag line? Can it be a Year of Wonders if it is a novel about the plague? What does this tell you about the book?

**In pairs, design a cover for //Year of Wonders// by Geraldine Brooks.** **Design a book cover that would make the book appealing to teenagers. Given that they is such a high body count, endless violence and death, yet much tenderness and love in the novel what needs to go onto the cover to make it appealing to teenagers?**

1. What information about the story needs to go on the cover of the book?

2. What are some of the major ideas in the text and how would you represent the ideas in the book on the cover?

3. How would you organise the ideas and information that needs to go on the cover?

Design your cover. You have 30 minutes.

Adapted from: Quin, R., McMahon, B., Quin, R., 1996, Using Visual Texts in Primary and Secondary English Classrooms, Department of Education, Queensland and North Sydney Girls High School Stage 4: Picture books unit, NSW Department of Education.