ABSTRACT
Picturebooks are typically intended for the youngest readers who often rely on images to make sense of text that they cannot yet decode. In "Picturebooks and Emotional Literacy", Maria Nikolajeva discusses the pedagogical use of picturebooks to foster the skill of empathy with young children. Multiracial picturebooks provide ample opportunity for young readers to begin to understand racial differences at an accessible level and make sense of difference as a positive rather than a negative element of life. Mixed Me books offer "vicarious emotional experiences" for readers with limited life experiences to think about difference and develop empathy through connecting with the characters. Another set of books includes culturally-specific details in addition to universal themes and typical literary elements. Their narratives include the typical literary elements of fiction such as plot, characters, conflict, and resolution.
