There are links from each season to personalities and how the park is viewed by each character. The font in Smudge’s story is fun and childish, matching her cheerful persona.Įach perspective is shown through a different season, even though the scenes unfold at the same point in time.

The font for Charles is thin and delicate as he is lonely and unsure of himself. The font used for Smudge’s father is thick and bold and indicates his depressed nature. The font used for Charles’ mother is a classic style and is a hint that she sees herself as a proper and traditional figure. The visual elements add a great depth to this story and allow the reader insight into the four characters and their perceptions of each other as they cross paths in a park.įont types are an important element and link directly to the personality of each character. Presenting different perspectives intensifies personal responses (Giorgis, Johnson, Bonomo, Colbert, Conner, Kauffman, Kulesza, 1999). The characters are presented as gorillas but are in human form, perhaps to prevent bias from readers. The story is told from four different perspectives a mother and her son, and a father and his daughter.

Voices in the park, written and illustrated by Anthony Browne (1998), is an excellent example of powerful visual literacy.

Visual literacy is ‘the ability to analyse the power of the image and the how of its meaning in its particular context’ (Johnston, as cited in Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl & Holliday, 2010, p.620).

Voices in the park by anthony browne