SOCIOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY PICTUREBOOK: SINGLE MOTHERHOOD BY CHOICE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Abstract

The paper focuses on the dependence between the emergence of single motherhood by choice as a social group and shifts in Anglophone children’s illustrated literature. I argue that this social group with a prominent social capital has impacted children’s picturebooks in English-speaking societies in many ways. First, choice mums need literature that could help them to discuss the structure of their family and principal concepts of single motherhood by choice. Second, children’s literature with such content allows monoparental families to become symbolically visible to other members of society and thereby strengthen their position. Single mothers by choice are determined to contribute with their own art individually or as a member of a larger network. Self-publishing industry and ubiquitous online consumption support both professional and amateur creativity which become available to a wide readership through internet online sellers. International publishing houses respond to the demand for diversity in children’s picture- books. Although, they are obviously profit-oriented and therefore publish picture books that simultaneously promote diversity and cover a wider number of book buyers.

Keywords: picturebook, Single Motherhood, Anglophone Children’s Literature, Sociology of Texts, Choice Mum, Visual Grammar, Social Semiotics, Book Market