Telling through Pictures: Exploring children's agency in shared talk about favourite books

Abstract

This study explores children's agency during adult–child interactions focused on the child's favourite book. A total of 55 preschool-aged children (5–6 years old) participated in semi-structured interviews that examined how they used book illustrations to support, structure, and enrich their dialogue with adult about a book. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical procedures included obtaining informed consent from parents, verbal assent from the children, and offering participants the right to withdraw at any time. The findings indicate that children actively used illustrations to facilitate participation, organize their responses, and enhance engagement in dialogue with the adult. The reference to the illustrations in book enabled children to take initiative and influence the direction of the conversation, thereby fostering mutual understanding. Through the exercise of agency, children assumed a more active and dominant role in the interaction, effectively demonstrating their knowledge, shaping the flow of communication, and asserting control over how the book’s content was interpreted and shared.