Women in children’s books : A semiotic analysis of women's representation in the visual storytelling of children's books

This study investigates how women are represented in the visual storytelling and graphic design of contemporary Swedish children’s books. Through a semiotic analysis of selected images from three books published between 2015 and 2025, the study explores how graphic design contributes to either the reinforcement or the challenging of stereotypes and traditional gender roles. The analysis highlights recurring patterns where female characters are simultaneously portrayed as strong and independent, yet are often assigned masculine roles, raising questions about the value assigned to femininity. Insights from this research are used as the foundation for a parallel design project: the creation of an educational children’s book about women in ancient Greece. The goal with this study is to provide designers with the tools and awareness to avoid harmful stereotypes and instead promote more inclusive and empowering visual representations of women for young readers.