Holocaust Picturebooks for Young Readers. Postmemory, Representation, and Education

Judit Papp

doi:10.6093/1826-753X/10835

Judit Papp University of Naples L’Orientale

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6093/1826-753X/10835

Keywords: Children’s literature, Holocaust, illustrations, picturebooks, teaching

Abstract

This paper explores the profound intersection of visual storytelling, historical memory, and educational impact within Holocaust picturebooks. In investigating the delicate balance between artistic representation and the responsibility to convey historical truth, the analysis delves into the ways in which these unique narratives contribute to shaping collective remembrance. The potential educational efficacy of Holocaust picturebooks, assessing their role in fostering empathy, historical awareness, and critical thinking skills among readers is also discussed. Through this exploration, the paper aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of Holocaust representation in the literature for children and young readers and lays the groundwork for future studies and research endeavors aimed at expanding our comprehension of Holocaust representation in picturebooks, fostering ongoing dialogue and critical inquiry in this vital field especially in the Italian and Hungarian contexts.

Author Biography

Judit Papp, University of Naples L’Orientale

Judit Papp (<jpapp@unior.it>) is a researcher of Hungarian Language and Literature at the University of Naples L’Orientale. She holds a PhD in “Modern and Comparative Linguistics and Literature” (European School of Advanced Studies, Naples, 2007). Her research areas include Hungarian studies (language, literature, cultural and civilizational history) and translation. She is coordinator of the Editorial Board of the band A journal “Studi Finno-Ugrici”. She is a member of the Inter-University Center for Hungarian and Central-Eastern European Studies (CISUECO), secretary of the Center for Studies on Learning and Disciplinary Didactics (CSADD, UniOr) and a member of the UniOr research project ALMA: Atlante Linguistico Multimediale della diversità Alimentare bio/culturale. She is a member of the UniOr Research Unit of the PRIN (2022) Literature of Socialist Trauma: Mapping and Researching the Lost Page of European Literature (LOST).