There is no hard and fast rule to distinguish a graphic novel from a picture book. However, there are several features that are often found in graphic novels:
- Paneled layouts
- Visual text features (word balloons, captions, thought bubbles)
- Illustrations that convey details essential to the meaning of the story
Sometimes picture books also include these features so a book might fall into more than one category. Read more about the subtlties of graphic novels in this Horn Book article.