ABSTRACT
It is in the nature of picturebooks to be cultural artifacts refl ecting societal mores, values, and beliefs. It is also in the nature of picturebooks to demonstrate extraordinary fl exibility, openness, and inventiveness due to their brevity and the interplay of two artistic forms-narratives and illustrations (Nodelman). In a world that is changing at an almost unfathomable speed, it is not surprising that this highly dynamic and culturally refl ective artistic form is evolving at an accelerated rate. In the last three decades, picturebooks have become “increasingly experimental, with thematic complexities and sophisticated artistry that have entirely changed their look” (Mikkelsen 31). These changes have been so dramatic that a new subgenre has evolved-the postmodern picturebook (Goldstone).
