The power of picture books: A pandemic tool to recovery

Jones, Verity; McEwen, Lindsey; Gorell Barnes, Luci; Webber, Amanda; William, Sara; Hobbs, Laura; Fogg Rogers, Laura; Deave, Toity

Abstract

This paper draws on 18 months of interdisciplinary research in partnership with Schools and Early Years settings across some of the most socially disadvantaged areas of Bristol, funded by the AHRC. The interdisciplinary team undertook an art based research project
to explore 3-11 year olds lived experiences of the pandemic (Jan 2021- June 2022) and consider what we could learn in order to support resilience and recovery.
In addition to policy guidance (scaling from school to national), ongoing work with Action for Children and academic papers, a significant output was a unique (free) picture book and teachers' notes based on the research. This paper will reflect on a literature review of children's books published during and about the pandemic. I will then share the timeline for the creation of this book and the evaluation of it, as both children's text and teacher's resource. Consideration on textual choices made will be discussed, as well as the challenges of transforming research into children's narrative. I will critically reflect on how the diverse experiences of young people (trauma; agency) could be used to empower and enable positive wellbeing, and how lessons learned during a social shock may be transferred to different contexts.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: UK Literary Association International Conference 2022
• Start Date: Jul 1, 2022
• End Date: Jul 3, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jan 18, 2023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10363379
• Related Public URLs: https://ukla.org/programme/