Children’s literature and love of reading: the sustainability of care in ‘A árvore da escola’

Abstract

Today there is a growing body of research emphasizing the fundamental role played by children’s literature in readers’ training and reading motivation. Picturebooks have been increasingly the focus of attention for promoting fruitful and versatile interactions between text and illustration, calling for readers’ participation and stimulating creativity, as well as the love of reading. In this essay, we focus on our attention in A árvore da escola, by Antonio Sandoval, with illustrations by Emilio Urberuaga, aiming to look at the rich and diversified dialogue promoted by the alliance between text/illustration, embodying a commitment towards citizenship education and care, that implies considering Literature’s fundamental place at the core of Education. We conclude that the interaction between text/illustration assumes a very relevant role, enabling readers to understand the multidimensional character of generosity, fostering new ways of positioning ourselves in the world.