The role and importance of emotional literacy in the context of problematic and problem-oriented children's literature

Blažič, Milena (author), Zollner, Hans (author)

This study explores the importance of emotional and social literacy in the portrayal of sensitive issues in children's literature, with a particular focus on the motif of child sexual abuse. The following researchquestions were identified as particularly important: First, in what ways do such literary texts contribute to the development of empathy and ethical reflection? Second, to what extent do these texts place the child at the center of the narrative? Third, do verbal and visual elements support or hinder emotional awareness? The study is based on the literary analysis of selected picture books with traumatic content, including The Tale of the Waterman (O povodnem možu), The Little Doll and Giant (Punčka in velikan), Kiko and the Hand (Kiko in roka), the Sad Book, Red Apple (Rdeča jabolka), and Blue (Azul). The literature that does not place the child at the center of the narrative runs the risk of losing its pedagogical and ethical credibility. The article argues that there is a connection between literary aesthetics and ethical responsibility and develops a holistic pedagogical model for emotional and social competence.

• Language: English
• Keywords: emotional literacy, social literacy, ethical literary studies, fairy tale justice, problem-oriented, problematic, child sexual abuse
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 63-70
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177289
• UDC: 82-93
• ISSN on article: 1857-8187
• DOI: 10.58885/ijllis.v14i4.63hz
• COBISS.SI-ID: 261837827

Copyright

Podatek o licenci CC-BY 4.0 je naveden na pristajalni strani članka (glej izvorni URL zgoraj). (Datum opombe: 19. 12. 2025)

• Publication date in RUL: 19.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Anglisticum
• Publisher: Association-Institute for English Language and American Studies, Tetovo, North Macedonia
• ISSN: 1857-8187
• COBISS.SI-ID: 114314499

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: čustvena pismenost, problemska literatura, otroška literatura, mladinska književnost