ABSTRACT
Caroline is a primary teacher in Scotland, who has recently become a deputy head teacher. This chapter describes Caroline's critical literacy practices using picturebooks. The four learning intentions which Caroline set for the session were: to be able to use pictures and text to make decisions about characters; to be able to justify those decisions; to identify and comment on symbolism – at an appropriate level; and to explore point of view. Through her work, Caroline shows us that picturebooks provide access to texts and transfer power to children who do not conform to dominant constructions of 'being literate'; a key aspect of literacy practices for social justice. One of the main reasons to use a critical literacy approach is the enthusiasm and engagement it generates in children. The teacher had discussed constructions of gender with children, and the expectations that toys, such as dolls and guns, can create, which the children really responded to and were interested in.
