There’s something magical about picture books. For starters, their size is just right for reading snuggled together your child or grandchild. And, when done well, the intentional intermingling of image and text to tell a story is sure to captivate both child and caregiver. Indeed, a good picture book can be enjoyed again and again – with new discoveries unfolding with each reading.
For example, it wasn’t until our seventh or eighth reading of GOODNIGHT, ARK, that my daughter discovered the toothbrush sitting on the window sill and then we laughed and laughed at the idea of Noah brushing the animals’ teeth. Similarly, it was with great joy after several readings that she later noticed that Chipmunk’s Chocolate Shoppe in LOVE IS KIND sells organic chocolate which made Little Owl’s gift seem just that much more special.
And among the many extra little details I hope readers will notice in my newest release, LITTLE EWE, are the many opportunities for counting things like frogs on logs and spider webs!
Perhaps you and your little ones have also noticed extra little details and wonders as you read and re-read your favorite books.
Well, today, I’d like to share another little extra that I never paid much attention to as a child or even during my many years reading bedtime stories with my kids. I’m talking about the end papers. For those of you who aren’t as book geeky as I am, those are the papers at the very front and end of the book. One of half of these end-spreads are pasted to the front and back covers of the book and help to secure the interior pages which have been bound together and set in the spine of the cover.
Now that I’m aware of them, I’m smitten! I mention them at school visits and I always begin the reading of a new book by investigating them. Sometimes they are plain, but more often than not, they have illustrations or designs. And when they do, those illustrations or designs connect to the story in some fashion.
For example, the end papers of the popular KARATE KID (Running Press Kids, 2019), written by Rosanne L. Kurstedt and illustrated by Mark Chambers provide a charming clue that the book might just be about different karate poses! And the end papers of the delightful TEA PARTY RULES (Viking, 2013), written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by K. G. Campbell provide wonderful opportunity to predict with children just where this story will take place and what it might be about.
Now, here’s a fun game to play your kids. Have them find their favorite picture books and – before reading the book again – open up to the end papers and see if you they can figure out how the end paper illustrations connect to the story. To get you started, I’ve included a collage below with the end papers for four of my books. Can you guess which end paper goes with which book? If so, what’s the connection? Have fun! (Answers below.)
And the answers (but you still have to figure out the connection).
Have fun investigating the end papers of your favorite books and don’t forget that to make a game of figuring out the connections!
Laura Sassi Tales 
Reblogged this on Rosanne L. Kurstedt's and commented:
Read this fun blog post from Laura Sassi about end papers.
I love looking at end papers, too! Fun game.
Ah, yes, they are wonderful to look at. Glad you like the game too.
Thanks for helping us see the beauty beyond the story. Fun game for kids!
Thanks, Trine. I think kids will enjoy the game.
Everything about the physical execution of picture books is artful. They have become THE art books I go to rest and contemplate. Funny how Miss A discovered the toothbrush. I thought it a wonderful touch.
Yes, and that book, especially, has so many extra little humorous touches like that. =)
Go look at the end papers of Ame Dyckman’s “Dandy”! So funny! And they finish the story!
Oh, thanks! I will do. =)
I love the creativity of endpapers and figuring out how they connect to the story! And yours are very special! I noticed them and how they connected right away !