Pictures and Captions Point the Way

Pictures in nonfiction books are not just for decoration. They often show the main idea. A caption is the short sentence under a picture that tells what it shows. Imagine a page with a photo of a mother bird feeding babies in a nest.

The caption says, 'Parent birds bring food to their chicks. ' The text on the page talks about how bird parents care for their young. The picture and caption both point to the same main idea.

If you are unsure what a page is about, look at the picture and read the caption.

• 1Pictures can show the main idea.
• 2A caption tells what a picture shows.
• 3Pictures and captions help you check your thinking.