Embodied Toddlerhood in Minimal Narratives

This article analyses one Norwegian and two Swedish and picturebooks for children aged zero to three that are about the human toddler body. The books are: My Wonderful Self (Albrektson in Hela fina jag, Lilla Piratförlaget AB 2019), Little Tummy (AdBåge in Lilla magen, Dreyers Forlag, Oslo, 2015) and Lars is Big (Nyhus in Lars er stor, Gyldendal, Oslo, 2013). We explore how the body is both a central theme and structure in the stories, and we regard how the works in question open possibilities for toddler engagement with literature. Our thesis is: How do three picturebooks that focus on the toddler body reflect ideas about toddlerhood? Based on picturebook theory, we discuss some selected aspects of diverse bodily representation, gender and toddler agency. Our analysis revealed that each book offers a unique perspective on how fictional toddler bodies can reflect broader cultural, social, and artistic ideas. The picturebooks invite both toddler and adult readers to consider who young children are and what their bodies can do. While we can’t know exactly how toddlers interpret these characters, the protagonists are designed to be both relatable and unique. They often blur lines of ethnicity and gender, creating symbolic figures that challenge traditional norms. But even though the three works balance the universal and the individual, the protagonists of our stories do not represent all readerships. In sum, these books offer more than simple stories about the body. They are part of a larger conversation about identity, representation, and the evolving ideals of toddlerhood in literature.