Case study: Helen Ward, Varmints

A similar technique was used to analyse the textual element of the picture book Varmints. The most noticeable difference between this and The Dragon Machine is the amount of references to sounds. This really brings the story to life as all these sounds can be imagined as the reader follows the story. The world seems full of pleasant sounds then there is a lull filled with just noises backed with words such as fury, the more pleasant sounds return in the end. Again the highlighted sheets do not seem to scan many highlighter colours but this exercise has shown me a useful way to bring life to a story.