Teachers everywhere have found that book making has the power to motivate even the most reluctant writers. By combining illustrations and texts, children engage in a kind of communication that transcends the sum of its parts-their pictures and words interact to convey a new level of meaning. In Pictures Words Together, Paul Johnson addresses important questions about the process: What do children learn through illustrating their texts? How do texts and illustrations "work" together? He shows how preschool and primary students can be taught to create books that fuse their writing and drawing in profound ways. He offers advice on helping children think about the most effective ways to blend text and pictures, draw the characters and settings for their narratives, and publish their books using simple cutting, folding, and binding techniques. Filled with practical suggestions for teaching and evaluation, as well as abundant examples of children's work, this book is essential reading for those who want to enrich the writing and visual communication experience for children.