thoughts on use of color in The Arrival

How might the use of color change the mood of The Arrival? If you were the author would you have used color or stuck with the neutral tones used? Why or why not?

I think that the neutral tones work really really well for the Arrival – both to increase its old-timey feel and introduce a note of somberness into it. It’s not black and white either, so you know that it’s not because of cost; it’s a deliberate choice to use the neutral tones in the book. If I were the author I would have used color but that is because I don’t know anything about art theory or drawing and I like colorful things. (This is why I should not be a comic book author.)

Describe how it can be beneficial for children to improve their visual intelligence. 

Thinking specifically of neurodivergent kids here, it’s important for them to improve their visual intelligence with regard to comic and picture books because it better helps them understand the world around them. Seeing emotions hyper-exaggerated in comic books, for instance, can help kids identify emotions in people. Improving your visual intelligence can also help you notice things happening in the world around you, and kids with low perception can really benefit from that.

How does reading a book with no words make you feel? Do you enjoy it? Would you rather there be words to guide you? 

Honestly I am not a very visual person or a very visual thinker, so I much prefer books with words! Reading a book with no words makes me feel uncommonly stupid, because I don’t pick up on a lot of cues or art things that are supposed to be “obvious”. I also never feel like I am appreciating the art enough, and I really want to give credit and respect to the illustrator, but when there aren’t words, it’s just not very interesting to me.