Family Concept in Works of Children’s Literature

Abstract

The primary role in socialization of an individual belongs to family and environment. When every
family has different ways of communication and different structure is taken into consideration, it is necessary to
introduce the child to different family types and different parents’ attitudes in the society. Qualified children’s
books function as an important tool in the introduction of the child to different family structures. The purpose of
the study is to analyze how family concept is reflected in children’s books that are for primary education period.
In accordance with this aim, 3 books from 5 writers who take part in the contemporary Turkish children
literature were taken and 15 books were studied in terms of family concept. This is a descriptive research in
survey model. The study was limited to family types, communication among family members and parents’
attitudes. It was determined that the analyzed books reflected all family types in changing social structure. The
writers tried to tell the children about the family structures of the society they live in, parents’ attitudes and
conflicts among family members through the books we studied