How We Do It

Between the Waterford Early Reading Program™ and Waterford Early Math and Science™, Waterford has created more than 350 picture books for students. These books serve several purposes:

They teach about rhyme and alliteration
They give students the opportunity to practice reading key words in context
They encourage a love of literature
Waterford Early Math and Science Program books teach about numbers, operations, science concepts, and various scientists and mathematicians

So, what is it like to work on a Waterford student book? As Yosaku says in Mr. Lucky Straw, "It must be my lucky day!"

Waterford Institute's educational designers—many of whom are former teachers—research the most effective methods to teach early reading, math, and science. Designers then determine a sequence of learning objectives. Many of these objectives translate into student books.

Teaching an objective through a story isn't always easy. Educational designers publish a list of objectives, and writers submit story ideas and manuscripts for review. Stories that are accepted continue through a process of refinement.

Once the educational design and editorial teams are satisfied with a manuscript, an illustrator is assigned to work with the author. Together, they produce a mock-up of the book. These books are taken to our best judges: children. We read our books to elementary school students. We also have the students read our books to us. We ask questions. The students ask questions. And we bring all of the information back to the Institute to analyze and refine the text.

With words in place, it's time to visualize. Each artist approaches book illustration in a different way. Some artists like to walk through the book, visualizing each page as a movie director visualizes scenes. Other artists like to zero in on the characters, sketching faces and expressions until they know just whom they are dealing with. Regardless of the approach, every artist spends hours researching settings, costumes, characters, and styles.

The final steps of putting the book together are perhaps the most magical. Waterford illustrators work in a wide variety of media, both digital and traditional. Often, illustrators say that choosing the medium is the most enjoyable part. When the artwork is final, it is scanned into the computer or delivered electronically. Graphic designers then weave the illustrations and the text into the final book.

Through the work of our publisher and distributor, Pearson, the books find their way into the hands of children across the nation. And how do we know when we have done it right? When children like Jacobie from California say, "These are the books I like."