The Visual, the Verbal, and the Very Young: A Metacognitive Approach to Picturebooks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5617/adno.5642Keywords:
Keywords, picturebooks, early concept books, metacognition, iconotext, narrative picturebooksAbstract
Abstract
The article draws on recent research into emergent literacy and metacognition, and charts a developmental trajectory from early concept books to picturebooks aimed at children and young teenagers. Methodologically, the study is a research synthesis, where the aim is to systematize current research findings and offer an overview of different types of picturebooks, and how they build literary and metacognitive competence. My thesis is that picturebooks are crucial in that process. The analysis focuses on the metacognitive affordances that can be found in picturebooks directed at different age groups/competence levels. Both the verbal and visual dimensions of the text are analyzed with the help of picturebook and comic book theory (iconotext, sequentiality). The results show that early concept books are surprisingly abstract; they stimulate the child’s aesthetic-affective response by using clear colours and easily discernible shapes. In the next stage, things (nouns) from the child’s close environment are represented. Naming and identifying are crucial activities at this stage. Verb-oriented concept books follow; these typically focus on simple actions from the child’s lifeworld, such as getting dressed, or eating. Next, we find narrative picturebooks, in which the fundamentals of story, plot, and characterization are introduced. Finally, the potential for advanced storytelling is explored with regard to symbolism, irony, and character development.
Keywords: picturebooks, early concept books, metacognition, iconotext, narrative picturebooks
Bilderbokens berättelser: Ett metakognitivt perspektiv på bilderböcker
Sammanfattning
Den här artikeln bygger på nyare forskning om literacyutveckling och metacognition, och kartlägger utvecklingslinjer från tidiga begreppsböcker riktade till spädbarn till bilderböcker som vänder sig till barn och tonåringar. Metodologiskt är arbetet ett forskningssyntes, där målet är att systematisera forskningsrön, erbjuda en ålders- och/eller utvecklingsindelad bilderboksöversikt, samt påvisa hur dessa böcker kan bygga litterär och metakognitiv kompetens. Min tes är att bilderböcker spelar en avgörande roll i den processen. Analysen sätter fokus på de metakognitiva meningserbjudanden som kan återfinnas i olika bilderböcker. Såväl bild och skrift analyseras med hjälp av bilderboks- och serieteori. Resultaten visar att tidiga begreppsböcker är förvånansvärt abstrakta; de syftar främst till at stimulera barnets estetisk-affektiva respons genom användande av klara primärfärger och tydliga kontraster. I nästa skede återges saker och ting (substantiv) från barnets närmiljö. Verb-orienterade bilderböcker följer; dessa visar framför allt aktiviteter som barnet kan känna igen, som att äta, klä sig, eller gå och lägga sig. I nästa steg återfinns berättande bilderböcker. Där hittar vi berättandets grundbegrepp såsom handling, karaktär, konflikt. Till sist, i de mest sofistikerade bilderböckerna hittar vi symbolik, ironi, fördjupad karaktärsteckning och komplex tematik.
Nyckelord: bilderböcker, begreppsböcker, metakognition, ikonotext, bilderboksnarrativ
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