Navigating Identity and Diversity: Children’s Literature as a Mirror of Cultural Change in Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2026.1.779.796Słowa kluczowe:
children’s literature, ethical literacy, multimodality, cultural diversity, education and identityAbstrakt
Aim. This paper investigates how selected contemporary picture books address critical sociocultural themes - migration, multiculturalism, gender identity, environmental anxiety, and postcolonial memory - and evaluates their pedagogical potential in primary and higher education. It examines how multimodal storytelling supports ethical, emotional, and intercultural literacy.
Methods. The study employs a qualitative, interdisciplinary design combining literary analysis, critical discourse analysis, multimodal interpretation, and ethical hermeneutics. Four award-winning picture books - The Journey (Francesca Sanna), Julian Is a Mermaid (Jessica Love), Greta and the Giants (Zoë Tucker & Zoe Persico), and Islandborn (Junot Díaz) - were analysed with attention to thematic focus, visual strategies, and educational relevance.
Results. Each book articulates complex issues through distinct narrative and visual approaches: migration as trauma and resilience (The Journey), gender identity and affirmation (Julian Is a Mermaid), environmental activism and eco-anxiety (Greta and the Giants), and diasporic memory shaped by postcolonial histories (Islandborn). Across the corpus, multimodality intensifies emotional engagement and invites ethical reflection. The texts encourage empathy, critical thinking, and inclusive values, with relevance for teacher education.
Conclusions. Contemporary children’s literature can function as a transdisciplinary educational resource that fosters ethical literacy and intercultural understanding through imagination, reflection, and dialogue. Limitations include a focus on English-language works and the absence of empirical classroom research. Future studies should incorporate global and indigenous perspectives and examine classroom implementation.
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Bibliografia
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Prawa autorskie (c) 2026 Milan Mašát
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