In Plain Sight

Author: Richard Jackson 
Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney
Roaring Book Press (2016)
Ages 4-8 years

In Plain Sight is a fascinating story book about the relationship between a loving grandfather and his granddaughter. Each day of the week Sophie, the granddaughter, comes home from school only to find that her grandfather has hidden something for her to find. Many different objects are hidden "in plain sight" throughout this fun and playful picture book for young children. It encompasses both young and old individuals, and portrays an exquisite depiction of an African-American family. In Plain Sight is an effective picture book written for children because it contains repetition, asks questions that involve the reader, and uses a medium that fits well with the lost and found game in the story. 

Before addressing the effectiveness of the story, it is essential to discuss both the purpose of the story and the intended audience of the text. To commence, this story is written by Richard Jackson for children to enjoy. The purpose of this story is to entertain young readers by keeping their attention through a game. This is determined by the questions asked by the grandfather. The grandfather asks Sophia to find items that he has misplaced. This engages the young reader in this story by including them in the look and find game throughout the illustrations. Through this aspect of the book, the author is keeping the readers' attention and entertaining them throughout the text. The intended audience for this story is children ages four to about age eight. In this age group, children are beginning to recognize text, but cannot read just yet. It is important to teach children of this age that reading is fun, and by making this book into a game, the children will be engaged and learn to love reading. The intended audience is concluded by the vocabulary used, as well as the illustrations in which make this story a picture book. After addressing both the intended audience and the purpose of the story, the effectiveness of In Plain Sight can be determined.

Through discussing the intended audience and the purpose of the story, In Plain Sight can be seen as an effective story written for children because it contains repetition. For the intended audience of this text, it is important that picture books have patterned language to enhance a young reader's experience in reading. Repetition is used to make young children feel comfortable and ready to face the unfamiliar and unexpected. Once Sophie says, "Here I am!" the children begin to understand that they will have the opportunity to find yet another new object in the book. Children are more than ready to face the challenges that are given to them by the grandfather with the help of repetition through this story. In Plain Sight can already begin to be perceived as an effective piece of literature for children because it contains repetition. 

Throughout this book, repetition is given alongside questions that involve the reader, making it an effective text. Another key aspect of a picture book is questions that include the reader. The question-answer mode is a language pattern very familiar to young children that are the intended audience of this particular book. The questions used in this story allow children to be inspired and involved in the finding of each item, giving them an awareness of inclusion. By doing so, it pulls the audience in by keeping them focused on the story. Not only do the questions get the young child involved, but they also allow adults to assess how well the child comprehends the story as well as the questions being asked. Grandpa asks throughout the book, "Can you help me?" simply allowing the young child to help him find the things he needs. Using questions in a picture book excites the young reader, and adds a new level of variety in the text. In Plain Sight is an effective piece of children's literature because it asks questions that involve the intended audience.
  
In further analysis of the literature, In Plain Sight uses a medium that fits well with the lost and found game in the story. Upon examination of the illustrations, the illustrator uses watercolor to depict the events in the story. Through this choice, the illustrator shows tremendous expression and portrays quiet and somber scenes in a homey setting. Watercolor allows the very smallest detail of the different people and animals in the story to shine through. The illustrator uses this medium to his advantage to hide the little objects in the pictures for young children to find. Grandfather pretends to have lost the object, and the medium used gives the reader the opportunity to find it. In Plain Sight is an effective literature piece for children because it shows multiple elements of a picture book.

In Plain Sight is an effective piece of children's literature because it attains the author's purpose of presenting the reader with an interactive story for young children, while also addressing the intended audience through an entertaining game. The text reaches this goal by containing repetition, asking questions that involve the reader, and using a medium that fits well with the lost and found game in the story. Through presentation of all three of these areas, the story becomes an effective children?s picture book. It is a captivating book for both the reader and the young child about a lovely family relationship that is sure to warm the hearts of many. In Plain Sight is an extremely effective piece of children's literature. 

Review by Carmen Mason