The helping hand of the picture book : A semiotic analysis of how parental mental illness is communicated in three picture books for children.

Mental illness is common, and it happens that affected individuals have children. Children of parents with mental illness, can be negatively impacted, experiencing worry or guilt. To prevent these children from developing mental health issues, it´s important to talk about the parents’ illness. The picture book can be a helpful tool in initiating such talks, by offering a suitable way for children to understand their parents’ illness and process emotions. This paper explores how picture books communicate a parent who is mentally ill, through graphic design. This is investigated through a semiotic analysis of three picture books, each depicting a different type of mental illness. The theoretical framework further consists of representation and color theory. Findings show that mental illness is communicated from the child’s perspective, via illustration and text. For instance, by showing symptoms using color, describing the child’s own perception of the parent and including hope.