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Reading children’s literature is often considered important for developing readers’ empathy towards others. Picture books that thematise cultural diversity and issues of cultural difference often affirm positive models of cultural harmony and tolerance, thereby providing young readers with exemplars of human rights and social justice. Since 2000, many picture books have responded to Australia’s changing policy regarding immigration, especially the impact on refugees and asylum seekers. This chapter will discuss how picture books targeted for primary aged children engage with the subjective experience of migration and encourage readers to take up an empathic position with regard to the plight of others as represented in the texts. Picture books discussed in this chapter will include recent examples that deal with Asian-Australian relations, refugees, and asylum seekers. The chapter will have direct relevance to the cross-curriculum priority ‘Asia and Australia's Engagement with Asia’, and will include the general capabilities: ethical understanding and intercultural understanding.
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
- Hyram and B. 2003 single work picture book
- The Little Refugee 2011 single work picture book
- A True Person 2007 single work picture book
- Ships in the Field 2012 single work picture book
- My Two Blankets 2014 single work single work picture book