Exploring Well-being: A Literature Review of Children's Book Analysis

This literature review explores the impact of children's literature on the learning, educational, and psychological development of children aged 3-4 years. It analyzes a multimodal picture book, "Blow Your Nose, Big Bad Wolf," and a digital text, "Germs Are Not for Sharing," focusing on visual imagery, language, and modes of representation. The review examines how these texts promote well-being and personal care, aligning with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF). The analysis highlights the effectiveness of imagery and simplistic language in conveying health and hygiene messages to young children, fostering positive habits and a sense of responsibility for personal and collective well-being. The review concludes that illustrated literatures are more successful in establishing effective learning outcomes among children.

Running head: CHILDRENS BOOK LITERATURE REVIEW
CHILDRENS BOOK LITERATURE REVIEW
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Overview..........................................................................................................................................2
Multimodal children’s picture book story.......................................................................................3
Analysis of visual imagery..........................................................................................................3
Language Analysis.......................................................................................................................4
Explanation..................................................................................................................................4
Digital Text......................................................................................................................................5
Analysis of modes........................................................................................................................5
Analysis of modes working together...........................................................................................5
Explanation..................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
The report focuses on the role of various children oriented literatures on the learning,
educational and psychological aspects of children. The study considers children between the age
group of 3 to 4 years to understand the effect of the literatures on their essential growth factors.
A multimodal literature and a digital text has been analyzed in order bring forward the study.
Overview
Study Theme- Children’s well being
Personal care among children
Considering VEYLDF the children are expected to develop strong sense of well-being.
Hence, this is chosen as a prime theme for the effectively analyzing the various aspects related to
the essential development of children of the age group between 3 to 4 years. Well-being can help
children to reduce their propensity towards falling sick. Moreover, the theme has other essential
aspects connected with it like becoming better learners and communicators. Children’s well-
being is very important in the years 3 to 4. In Australia, the seasons are changing currently.
Especially in Melbourne in Victoria at this time many children fall sick. Hence, it is relevant to
the current context of the season that is affecting the city. Children will have to be made aware of
personal wellbeing from an early age and various literatures are present in order to depict the
same.
There are other aspects of the VEYLDF that is also covered through the theme. The
theme essentially cover the elements of learning outcome 3 in which children are assumed to
have strong senses of wellbeing and learning outcome 4 that assumes children to be confidents

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learners that are involved with the learning processes (Grieshaber & Graham, 2017). The various
multimodal children’s books and digital texts that are focused towards making children
understand various value oriented learnings (Giorgis et al., 1999). In this case the book being
considered is “Blow your nose big bad wolf”. The literature review will focus on imagery since
multimodal books predominantly use imagery to establish a given idea among the young readers.
The picture books have greater opportunities to provide effective education to children in regards
to personal care and wellbeing. Hence, the book has been considered in order to project a review
of the given literature and how far it lives up to the standards of VEYLF. The digital text is also
selected in order to understand its literary significance in accordance with the educational aspects
connected to the pedagogy predominantly in use in Victoria (Page & Tayler, 2016).
Multimodal children’s picture book story
The book being considered is “Blow your nose big bad Wolf’
Author is Steve Smallman
Illustrated by Bruno Merz
The publishing year is 2015

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Analysis of visual imagery
Figure 1: book cover
(Source- bookpository.com)
Visual imageries often provide socio-cultural aspects concerning the given topic.
According to many experts visual codes are much necessary for bringing out the actual meaning
of a theme of a book (Galda & Short, 1993). The mummy pig has been depicted in the image of a
powerful adult who has control over her children, the three little pigs. Moving forward the image
has focused towards establishing a relationship of self-identification that the kids can have with
the little pigs. However, this relationship is not being established in the long shots where the pigs
are being seen at a distance. The images where the pigs are in close range can be easily
interpreted by the children (Rintakorpi, 2016). These images have many familiar features like

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houses and rooms. In a certain picture two of the pigs are directly looking at their mother pig.
This is establishing a feeling of family and close relationship within the children’s mind. The
pigs are also given different colors. The colors attract the attention of children towards the
subject of the book. For example- the pig wearing blue is providing the image of a small male
child, a pig is wearing pink to symbolize femininity and the green pig is portraying nature. The
theme is projected in a way that can induce family values among children (Cochrane, 2013).
Language Analysis
Language is very important factor especially in children’s book. Language of a book
needs to present the theme in such a way that the children can easily understand and interpret the
meaning of a book. The socio-cultural perspectives of language use are also very important
towards the projection of the central theme contained in a book (Giugni, 2011). The language
factors are important as children need to understand the meaning of the message that is being
projected through the book. The language of the book is simplistic. The better feature of the
language utilized in the book is the way it can be easily interpreted among children from various
cultural backgrounds. The children were able to easily construct a meaning from the pictures.
Moreover, they were able to identify the message with the real life scenarios (Campbell & Tan,
2017).
Explanation
In all the book was able to capture the attention of children and they were able to
understand the value of personal health and well-being. The book took the help of dominant
literary imagery in order to project health and welfare value among children. The effect of the
book was noticed among children, who were seen to use tissues when sneezing (Campbell &
Tan, 2017). Moreover, children were seen to advise their peers to use tissue while sneezing. The

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imagery was powerful enough to leave an impression over the children. The books conveys an
essential message to the children in regards to developing healthy habits toward stopping the
spread of diseases.
Digital Text
Figure 2: Germs are not for sharing cover
(Source- Barnes & Noble ebooks)
The digital text being analyzed is a book “germs are not for sharing” in you tube
Analysis of modes
The modes that have been used in the digital text is direct and specific. Children are
depicted in various places and situations that might involve contact with germs. Moreover, the
features are simplistic. Children are shown to be in various circumstances and the option of
healthy habits are available. For example- children are shown to be sneezing and in the same
picture a tissue paper is shown. In another image children are shown how to clean themselves
after going to places that might have germs.

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Analysis of modes working together
The modes are working together greatly in the projected digital text. This is because a
situation where children might get affected by germs is being provided simultaneously with the
ways in which the contacted germs can be cleaned off. Moreover, the imagery uses the powerful
motive of all children working together towards their health and wellbeing. This works really
well towards establishing personal care as individual as well as group responsibilities (Hassett &
Curwood, 2009). The imagery also involves the portrayal of children taking part in healthy
exercises along with their friends and family, which enhances the learning among children
(Spodek & Saracho, 1993). The most important thing that the various modes should contribute
towards is increasing the learning ability of the children. Children are greatly influenced by the
various types of audio visual imagery that they come across at various instances. It is known that
children of the age group between 3 to 4 years are not much inclined towards reading. It is also
to be considered that children at this age can read with much difficulty (Page & Tayler, 2016).
Hence audio visual modes are much important to enhance their learning capabilities and induce
effective learning among them. The usage of various modes have been effective in establishing
the dominant message to the children. The depiction of hand drawn children can further enhance
the learning abilities of children.
Explanation
The digital text is focused towards establishing the norms of healthy habits among young
minds. Moreover, the imagery is used greatly towards establishing the fact that germs are
unwelcome and are the prime reasons behind sickness. The imagery focuses on the values related
to health and wellbeing especially among children. The roles that the children have to play for
their personal wellbeing and the collective wellbeing of their peers have been very aptly

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portrayed (Galda & Short, 1993). The various factors that make germs unwelcome in the body or
household have been very systematically and simplistically presented. The audio visual media
has been synthesized with old fashioned storytelling. The result is that the children do get to hear
stories but the additional benefit is that get to see an actual book through digital audio-visual
media. This helps to create a strong interest among the children and the prospects of the message
getting clearly established on the young minds of the children are greatly increased.
Conclusion
In conclusion it can be said that the literatures that were analyzed have the ability to
positively affect young minds of the 3 to 4 year olds. Children rely much more on imagery to
form ideas than adults. Hence, illustrated literatures are much more successful in establishing
effective learning outcomes among children.

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References
Campbell, S., & Tan, M. C. (2017). A Selective Collection of Children’s Health Fiction 2014-
2016.
Cochrane, V. (2013). Extending children's vocabulary and comprehension through oral and
visual literacy. Practically Primary, 18(3), 39-43.
Galda, L., & Short, K. G. (1993). Children's Books: Visual Literacy: Exploring art and
illustration in children's books. The Reading Teacher, 46(6), 506-516.
Giorgis, C., Johnson, N. J., Bonomo, A., Colbert, C., Conner, A., Kauffman, G., & Kulesza, D.
(1999). Children's books: Visual literacy. The Reading Teacher, 53(2), 146-153.
Giugni, M. (2011). ‘Becoming worldly with’: an encounter with the Early Years Learning
Framework. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 12(1), 11-27.
Grieshaber, S., & Graham, L. J. (2017). Equity and educators enacting the Australian early years
learning framework. Critical Studies in Education, 58(1), 89-103.
Hassett, D. D., & Curwood, J. S. (2009). Theories and practices of multimodal education: The
instructional dynamics of picture books and primary classrooms. The Reading
Teacher, 63(4), 270-282.
Page, J., & Tayler, C. (2016). Learning and teaching in the early years. Cambridge University
Press.

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Rintakorpi, K. (2016). Documenting with early childhood education teachers: pedagogical
documentation as a tool for developing early childhood pedagogy and practises. Early
Years, 36(4), 399-412.
Spodek, B., & Saracho, O. (1993). Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education.
Yearbook in EarlyChildhood Education, Volume 4. Teachers College Press.