Hardcover of Yuyi Morales’s ‘Dreamers‘, Neal Porter Books.
We crossed the threshold of the new technological era many years ago. Now we live in a new environment, surrounded by the smart gadgets and a highly intense visual culture. Texts become shorter, and the importance of videos grows bigger. Authors, educators, and researchers raise concerns that books might be replaced by smartphones and tablets for good and, therefore, are going to disappear pretty soon. We don’t want to read anymore; we want to watch. And the shorter and funnier those videos, the better! Nevertheless, picturebooks are succeeding in holding an important place in children’s life. They, like toys, act as the primary mediator and filter between children and the world. They educate, they entertain, they develop. But they are more than that. They serve as tool of socialisation – they convey societal values to children and persuade them to accept these values. They serve as a means of teaching literacy, literature, and cultures. Picturebooks are considered the most suitable path to introduce children to the world they have just begun to explore. Certainly, picturebooks introduce children to the concepts of family. And they do that purposefully or inadvertently. But don’t blame the book! It is parent’s first responsibility to find the right book that will explain the intricate world in a more affordable, beautiful and non-judgemental way. That is why it is of paramount importance to know how to find a book that helps single mothers tell a story about their unique family to their children.