ABSTRACT
Picturebook research underwent considerable changes by the end of the twentieth century. Initially, historical perspective dominated the fi eld: most surveys focused on the emergence and development of picturebooks. In the 1980s they began to be regarded by scholars as either an art form or as educational tools for language acquisition, introduction to literature and visual literacy. However, picturebooks have never received such enthusiastic critical attention as they have in recent years. The number of studies has increased as the artistic effects of picturebooks have developed considerably due to intensive experimentation with the interplay of text and image. Research confi rms that, at its best, picturebook illustration is a subtle and complex art form that can communicate on many levels and leave a deep imprint on a child’s consciousness.
