Best Illustrations

Did anyone read any Richard Scarry books growing up? Talking to Lila the other day reminded me of all the picture books I read when I was little, and how the illustrations captivated me sometimes more than the actual writing. In the case of Richard Scarry, I don't even remember there being any writing. Or maybe there was writing, but never a story with a real narrative. Regardless, I would spend so much time pouring over every graphic detail. How could you not??


I also remember loving graphic novels when I was little. One of them that I was obsessed with was called Robot Dreams.  It had a story, with characters and conflict. But it was all pictures, no dialog or anything.


If I were to "read" these books now, would it be "reading?" I'm fascinated by where the line is between when a book becomes a "graphic novel," or even a "comic book." Does it lie in the word count? What about books like Hugo Cabaret, which has long passages of prose and pictures? Is a book book somehow inherently more "literary" than a graphic novel?