When I first began sketching out ideas, I wasn't entirely certain on a direction (art style, typography style, or target readership age). I merely began sketches ideas of what I could display in the book. After compiling some research into what elements come together to make an 'ideal' children's book for reader age groups of 0-5, 5-7, 7-11 years old, I felt I was ready to give my ideas a little more direction.
Since I began research into this brief, and beginning to generate ideas of my own, it's always been important to me that the child should be able to feel like they're a part of the book - not just that it was written for them. I want them to be able to feel involved with the story as much as I do writing/illustrating it.
Here are some further ideas I've sketched out:
Idea 1) Aimed at: 0-5 year olds. This was one of my initial ideas, I felt it didn't really matter whether or not the story was Fiction/Non-Fiction/Reference, as the character is attached on a long piece of string and journeys through the story (through small slats in the pages). I felt this would involve the child reader and give them some control (especially if their parent/carer is reading the story to them).
Idea 2) Aimed at: 0-5 year olds. This I felt may have been a little too generic - a tactile picture book for young audience to engage with their senses as the book is being read to them. Although I relish the idea of tactile children's book, I felt it didn't really have much personality. Which made me question whether or not the earliest age group was really the group I wanted to design a book for.
Idea 3) Aimed at: Between the two earliest age groups. As previously mentioned, involvement of the child reader is certainly important to me - and since the beginning I've always wanted to include a way to make them feel like a part of the story. This would include lift-the-flap elements. I tried to think of a way I could involve this child-like notion, while also including facts the child would pick up on. I began to think at this stage that I should be looking towards the older age groups, as I wouldn't feel so restricted in what I was creating - knowing the child could understand terms and facts I would use. At this point, the 5-7 year old age group was suiting my ideas a lot more than the younger age group, as this gave me the 'best of both worlds' - they would revel in the colours and shapes used, but also begin to understand terminology, facts and instructions given as a part of the book.
Idea 4) Aimed at: 7-11 year olds. After I felt my age group was changing to older children, I felt like my ideas were gaining much more direction. I felt I could include instructions, facts and terminology without having to worry too much about whether or not the child could understand it. I could make it more text-based and design the page around that. I could vary my art style a little more, rather than remaining solidly on an art style bright colours and simple shapes. I could even experiment more with typeface!
I still felt it was important to keep the book fun and interactive - I didn't want to drain it out with facts and figures. After reading that if I was designing a children's book for 7-11 year olds, it could be focused around tracks and trails, a 'detective' style book, I became really excited about furthering my sketches. I could create an explorer's manual for 'Naturesbase'!
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