Emotions in picturebooks

Abstract

In the explosion of children's literature research based on cognitive criticism, only a few studies specifically address the representation of emotions in picturebooks, where multimediality should be taken into consideration. Cognitive criticism offers new ways of thinking about picturebooks as an efficient implement to increase young readers' emotional intelligence, and again the right hemisphere plays the leading role. The implication for picturebook research is that any emotionally charged verbal and visual information offered by picturebooks is received and processed by different parts of the brain and at different speeds. Empirical studies confirm that even very young children understand emotional dimensions in picturebooks and respond to them independently of their own emotions. In summary, a cognitive-affective approach to the representation of emotions in picturebooks provides understanding of how multimediality is particularly beneficial for stimulating young readers' brain activity in terms of theory of mind and empathy.