Window to the world: Children’s Literature in Early Childhood Education.

Abstract

This study stems from the possibility, within the scope of the Master's Degree in Pre-School Education and Primary Education, of designing a research project centred on works of children's literature that promote positive transformations in the world when used in work with children. So, in order to build a solid and reflective basis for the project, a literary analysis study began, which is the subject of this paper and whose objectives are to know, analyse and reflect on the impact of children's literature in the face of something as overwhelming and complex as war, based on three works:

The Beginning (O Princípio) (2012), a book that explores the destruction caused by war, featuring a displaced family. Between Paula Carballeira's concise text and the expressiveness of Sonja Danowski's hyper-realistic illustrations, a powerful narrative emerges, echoing the complexities and emotions underlying the theme. The characters, initially lost, overcome adversity and resiliently find hope.

What light would you be reading? (Que luz estarias a ler?) (2015), by João Pedro Mésseder, with illustrations by Ana Biscaia, is a tribute to the children who were victims of the war in Gaza in 2014 and, at the same time, a praise to literature and the power of books, even when all seems lost.

In Migrantes (Migrantes) (2021), Issa Watanabe illustrates a journey between uncertainty and hope, in a visceral picture book that gives the reader clues for a deep reading. A work without text, full of visual metaphors that demand a long, sharp look, this narrative centres on the displacement of migrants - faced with the eventual impossibility of inhabiting the spaces they call home - and the fleetingness of life.

The selected works share the sensitivity of those who tell the stories and the truth of those who live them. As a methodology, we used a hermeneutic analysis of the verbal and visual texts. The relevance of reflecting on war is justified by the demanding and pressing challenges of today, marked by intolerance and inequality. However, how can literary works contribute to addressing these issues? By revealing raw and impactful realities, literary works can arouse empathy, promote understanding about what is foreign to us and encourage critical reflection on the conditions that perpetuate conflicts. Petit (2020) states that reading gives us the opportunity to get to know the Other... "to slip into their skin, into their thoughts" (p. 54). This perspective is paralleled in the reflections of Rodari (2017), for whom stories are fundamental in the construction of meanings and the organisation of mental structures that allow children to decipher the world and distinguish between reality and fiction. Undeniably, each reading opens a window to the world and the opportunity to enrich the understanding of the different faces of humanity.