Is there such a place as far away?

This paper forms the second of two parts (Part One CONFIA 2019) spanning a year, and pertaining to the creation and wonderment of new knowledge and ways of looking and seeing in the field of Cartography, Cartographic understanding and Cartographic output. It’s emphasis is on Picture Story Books for pre-school and infant children from the point of view and artistic journey of the cartographer as Picture Book Maker in the creation of this art form.

Paper One outlined the project and discussed the role of the Cartographer and Cartography in children’s literature through the eyes of the Cartographic Picture Book Maker. Over the year artifacts have been created and tested for and with nursery, pre-school and infant children. The use of text and/or image has been discussed and then developed into formats that test the knowledge and understanding of these age groups as a Cartographic tool for developing spatial awareness and greater clarity in geographic interpretation.

I have explored the ways in which children read such texts, both visually and textually and I have questioned ‘The Picture Book’ in both its conventional and unconventional possibilities in terms of format, size, scale and layout.

Paper Two draws on the questions asked at the outset of Paper One and seeks to answer them. It builds upon those initial methodologies and the creative processes employed by the Picture Book Maker on their journey to the production of a fictional Story Picture Book based around Cartography, and of the highest quality for young audiences. Children’s reactions to the artefact and digital developments are documented and results discussed, with reference to further elaboration of the ideas outlined in Paper One.