The genre of novel has dominated fiction for centuries now, and its form hasn't exactly spared picture books. But as valuable as this genre is, do we leave something behind when we fail to consider other, more episodic forms of fiction that allow for slow, plodding exposition across many texts that lets children luxuriate in the worlds being created?

In this episode, we'll look at how serial picture books like The Berenstain Bears and Little Blue Truck create worlds differently, using an almost programmatic importation of the libraries they've accreted from previous writing. While these texts are popular, they hardly represent the standard for picture book publishing. Why?

All this and more in less than 20 minutes!

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Show graphics by Emily Tetrault. Theme and interstitials excerpted from Erik Satie's Gnossienne #1. All book images used under the Fair Use exceptions to exclusive copyright as defined under Title 17, subsection 107, of US Code.