Abstract:

A picture book is a material that a child comes into contact with at an early age and that serves as a window to the world around him. Likewise, the picture book to adults serves as a window into the children's world, through which they can become aware of the problem and help the child find a solution to the problem in a child-appropriate way. By reading problem picture books, children and adults can openly discuss life topics, problems and experiences. A common interest in picture books and reading to children develops a special relationship with the children, as well as the child’s relationship with the book.

Healthy and proper emotional development of children is the task of all adults that surround children. Children’s literature is a medium that can convey different messages to children and also a way to get closer to them. Picture books, as a genre of children’s literature, and particularly problem picture books, can have a positive effect on the child and help him solve the problems he encounters while growing up.

The paper analyses problem picture books written by Croatian authors Tatjana Gjurković and Tea Knežević, and illustrated by Jelena Brezovec, which deal with emotions of disappointment, guilt, shame and humiliation. The aim of the paper is to find out how the linguistic and visual levels of these picture books as a whole participate in conveying messages to children and adult readers.

Keywords:

Problem picture book, emotions, emotional development, literary text, illustration.