A series of three non-fiction ‘documentary reportage’ children’s picture books focused on environmental sustainability and resilience. Including: Green City: How one community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt for a Sustainable Future; Pedal Power: How One Community became the Bicycle Capital of the World; and Solar Story: How One Community Lives Alongside the World’s Biggest Solar Plant.
- Submitting institution
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Anglia Ruskin University Higher Education Corporation
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- 911
- Type
- L - Artefact
- Location
- New York
- Open access status
- -
- Month of production
- -
- Year of production
- 2016
- URL
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https://figshare.com/s/99b7107c17411546fb45
- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- Yes
- Number of additional authors
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- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Allan Drummond is a picture book artist, whose authorial practice uses simultaneously writing, illustration and book design. The outputs – a series of non-fiction children’s books – present an original and innovative approach to the picture book form using ‘documentary reportage’ techniques (illustration, writing) to communicate real world challenges of sustainability amongst communities in three different locations in the world.
Green City depicts the community of Greensburg, Kansas, USA rebuilding after a category 7 tornado. Pedal Power depicts a young mother in Amsterdam, Holland who played a significant part in street demonstrations for safer cycling. Solar Story features a small, mainly Berber community, living beside the world’s largest solar power plant in Morocco.
The research investigates the following questions:
· Can the ‘documentary reportage’ approach applied to a series of children’s picture books, effectively involve 5 to 8 year old readers in issues around alternative energy sources and sustainability around the world?
· What impact and effect do these ‘reportage’ picturebooks have within the publishing industry, within the specific field of the Trade Picture Book market.
· What is the impact and effectiveness of these ‘reportage’ books on teachers, librarians, and readers?
The research process conducted through the authorial practice is rigorous, with a consistent investigation including field-
work (interviews, sketches, photography) and in-studio activities for experimentation between techniques.
The research insights show that, in addition to a significant reach in the Trade Picture Book market, the books were also
very successful in the Educational Market (sales exceeding 2millon), with translations into Chinese, Spanish, Japanese and
other languages. This also shows how the ‘documentary reportage’ approach can be used in schools to support learning
materials, and is evidenced by testimonials from educators, librarians and publishers, sales figures, reviews and significant
international awards.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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