It is easy to take for granted how attuned we are to recognising and decoding visual stimuli, so embedded is this routine in our daily practices. The acquisition of literacy can mean that the role of images becomes devalued or dismissed, seen as something which serves purely to decorate, or embellish writing. Worse still, images can be seen as a means for cheating or bypassing comprehension of written language. As the ability to decode writing grows, the focus and educational or cultural value placed upon pictures often diminishes. Equally, however, the synergy that operates between written and pictorial language can convey complex meaning, requiring simultaneous consideration that can feel overwhelming and difficult to articulate.

Visuals can enrich and enhance the imaginative and informative worlds of reading. This provides rich opportunities not just for consumption, but for immersion and creativity too. They can provide aids for comprehension and for the retention and memorisation of information. This book explores the potency and power of visual literacy and ways this can be harnessed to create inclusive opportunities for reading and writing, building immersive worlds of knowledge and imagination and equipping practitioners and interested parties with a language to better express the creative decisions both in making, and reading, visual texts.

An introduction to Seeing Sense

Exploration and understanding of visual literacy is a burgeoning field that is seeing exciting development in the area of children's books, education and librarianship. It holds great potential for making reading available and accessible to a wide range of people. There is however, a distinct lack of published texts on this subject to bring together the discourse around visual literacy and provide the terminology needed to unify and further this discussion. This book draws on my personal experience working as the Reading and Learning Development Manager for Lancashire Libraries and my involvement with the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals.

While working for Lancashire County Council, I organised a yearlong promotion with visual literacy as the focus. This involved exhibitions centred on visual imagery, the creation of new visual assets within the libraries and different approaches taken to enhance displays and events through visual means.