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Funny, action-packed, thought-provoking (and sometimes all of the above), these three graphic novels and one…well, what do you call Brian Selznick’s books? take readers on fantastic adventures.

Brian Selznick defined his own format with The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck. He pushes the envelope even further in The Marvels. Black-and-white drawings (over four hundred pages’ worth) wordlessly tell the story of a storm, a shipwreck, and a rescue in a theater. In the text narrative that follows, a boy named Joseph runs away from boarding school to his uncle Albert’s house in London, a place that feels strangely from another time. Selznick is a unique and masterful storyteller, and his story-inside-a-story unfolds an emotional narrative that will leave readers marveling. (Scholastic, 10–12 years)

In Marika McCoola’s Baba Yaga’s Assistant, Masha answers a help-wanted ad to become assistant to the mortar-and-pestle-riding, child-eating folkloric character. To win the position, she must creatively accomplish challenges set forth by Baba Yaga. Masha draws on lessons learned through her grandmother’s stories and her own inherited magical ability, uncovering her family’s complex connection to the witch along the way. Illustrator Emily Carroll‘s vividly colored digital art establishes setting and tone. Comprised of short chapters, this graphic novel shines in its pacing, harmony of image and text, and use of flashbacks to advance plot. (Candlewick, 12–14 years)

With her hypochondriac father taken to his bed, capable Princess Decomposia of the Underworld — star of Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula — is running the show…and running herself ragged. A baker named Count Spatula joins the castle staff, and his nourishing food and supportive demeanor help the princess get through her hectic days. When the king has him fired, the princess must decide whether to stand up to her father. Andi Watson’s unique and funny graphic novel—populated by friendly creatures of the night — has a decidedly supernatural twist, but at its core is a relatable tale of self-actualization and blossoming romance. (Roaring Brook/First Second, 12–14 years)

Ballister Blackheart — ex-knight and current supervillain — is focused on the destruction of the Institute of Law Enforcement and Heroics. He also wouldn’t mind getting even with Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, a knight-school acquaintance who shot off Blackheart’s right arm. Just as Blackheart’s plans are coming to fruition, plucky young shapeshifter Nimona shows up on his doorstep claiming to be his new sidekick. Set in a medieval-type kingdom mixed with futuristic science, Noelle Stevenson’s webcomic-turned-graphic-novel Nimona entertainingly tweaks both the science-fiction and fantasy genres. Nimona herself is beautifully flawed and refreshingly unstereotypical. (HarperTeen, 11–15 years)

From the August 2015 issue of Notes from the Horn Book.

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Picture books tells their stories in two ways: 1) via text, and 2) via illustrations (hence the name “picture book.”)

Occasionally a story will rely more heavily on art than text, or vice-versa – but more often than not, the balance is equal.   Great illustrations do not simply mirror or reflect the story – they further it. They inform and elaborate in ways that the necessary economy of text in a picture book cannot.  They reveal details about character, behavior, setting and plot that enrich and expand upon the narrative, making for a reading experience that engages aurally, visually, cognitively and emotionally.

While many picture books are enjoyed by emerging or independent readers, they are designed to be read aloud, adult to child. The primary intention behind writing and/or publishing a picture book is for the parent, grandparent, caregiver, teacher, librarian or other loving adult to share the storytelling experience with the child.   As the child listens to the adult read, he or she looks at the pictures, thus absorbing as much of the story through the art as through the text.  Therefore it is essential that picture book authors (especially those that are not also illustrators themselves) learn how to write with illustrations in mind.

When Jane Yolen spoke at the SCBWI Winter Conference about the 10 words every picture book author must know, she referred to this concept as “illustratability.”  She described it as “thinking visually” when writing – making sure that there is action on every page that invites illustration, and avoiding talking heads and internal dialogue.

A character’s thoughts and feelings are not inherently illustratable. Nor are extended discussions between characters. The most successful picture books aalmost all involve a story that is active, and that unfolds with a number of different visual events, locations and experiences.  They are visually progressive, as well as being dramatically and/or emotionally progressive.

This, by the way, is one of the reasons I am such an advocate for picture books, and why I don’t buy into the argument that picture books are dying or agree with parents who push their children into chapter books too early at the expense of the picture book experience. Picture books offer the young reader so much more than just a reading experience. The visual stimulation they provide nurtures and develops the imagination in different ways than the decoding of text does. Picture books teach young readers how to absorb story and information visually as well as cognitively – an invaluable skill in later life for everything from understanding and appreciating film, theater and the visual arts to reading body language in negotiations and relationships, interpreting maps and developing a personal aesthetic.