Effects of Picture Book Reading on Young Children’s Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Animals

Reading picture books to young children is expected to develop their cognition and imagination and contribute to the acquisition of their knowledge of and attitudes toward various things and phenomena. This study created a science picture book about guinea pigs and examined the effects of reading it on young children’s knowledge of and attitudes toward animals. Interviews were conducted with 81 five-year-old kindergarteners (47 boys and 34 girls) in pre- and post-reading sessions. Each child was asked about the physical characteristics and ecology of guinea pigs, proper care for them, and their attitudes toward guinea pigs and other animals. After reading, the children’s animal knowledge significantly improved, and more came to believe that all animals, including guinea pigs, had emotions. Regardless of the experience of keeping pets, the children deepened their knowledge and understanding of animals. Girls scored higher than boys in terms of knowledge of proper care. These findings suggest that picture books function effectively as a medium for developing knowledge of and empathic attitudes toward animals. Educators should focus more on knowledge of caregiving behaviors, especially for boys. Children can indirectly encounter animals through picture books, which foster their understanding of and empathy toward animals. Furthermore, the characteristics of guinea pigs as rodents appeared in the picture book, were considered to strengthen the effects on young children. These findings can contribute to the design of animal education programs that use picture books and educational materials for other animal species.