Children’s books with aquatic characters: Content analysis of environmental and value education themes

Children’s books offer important developmental support for children. Illustrated children’s books play an important role in the formation of permanent and effective learning in children by supporting information about environments, situations and assets that are difficult or impossible to access with visual elements. This study examines the topics of aquatic creatures in preschool and primary school books. In 2024, we conducted the study using document review, a qualitative research model. The sample comprises illustrated children’s books in a public library and two public kindergartens in Burdur province.The researcher developed a form to collect the data. The researcher scanned a total of 5300 books. The criteria list guided the examination of books on freshwater and marine organisms among the scanned ones. The necessary information was recorded manually and using a computer. The data were analyzed bythe contentt analysis method. According to the findings, 25 books dealt with aquatic creatures. The analyzed books are for children ages 3-6 and 7-12. Seventeen of the books were published in Turkey and eight in other countries. The books were published between 2006 and 2023. The books' main characters and side characters that are analyzed are mostly aquatic creatures. In a small number of books, child characters were also included. The book's characters are fish, crab, octopus, snail, starfish, oyster, whale. The books deal with the environment, values education, the way of living things, and daily life relations. The messages given by the books are related to raising awareness about the environment, the living spaces of other living things, the way of life of these living things, their needs, cooperation, communication, etc. within the framework of the subject they deal with. The findings demonstrate that children's books encompass a diverse range of living organisms. However, it is important for sustainable life that these publications increase, environmental awareness increases, and that children respect nature and the living space of other living things in nature.