Create a Book Cover Illustration
Have the student immerse themselves in a variety of their favorite picture books, paying special attention to the covers of the books, what they convey, and how they interest and engage the reader. The student might note that some books use an image on the cover that is replicated from another image in the book, while others use an entirely new image. Some cover images wrap around and include both front and back covers, while others are contained on just the front cover. After they have explored various picture books, invite the student to choose one that interests them and share with you what they notice about the cover illustration. How does the cover capture their interest? What does it tell them about what the book might be about? What is appealing about the cover, and how does it reflect the tone or content of the rest of the book? After discussing what they noticed about various book covers, invite the student to create a new cover for a book of their choice. They will need to think about what the cover will show, what visual elements they want to include, and what medium and techniques to use. The student should share their cover and some of the reasons behind their decisions.