This and more has happened in the hands of innovative and ingenious picture book authors and illustrators. Traditional nursery rhymes and fairytales have been turned upsidedown, perceptions of cultural and political realities have created stark tensions and the physical structure of the book has been parodied. The literary and visual devices described here have specific application to the postmodern evaluation of picture books.
Some books intertwine familiar stories to create a new context, a device known as intertextuality.
Each double page juxtaposes Mum participating in a fairytale opposite an illustration of the reality of Dad coping at home. Fantasy images become larger as the ideas flow from the children, till fantasy becomes larger than reality. When Mum finally does arrive home, the single image covers a double page spread, with Dad peering around one doorway and Mum looking through the partly opened front door. The resolution of this climactic situation is truly postmodern when all the fantasy characters follow her in and share tea. Simple two line rhymes provide the clue to hidden figures of nursery rhyme fame in the illustration opposite.