Picturebooks and Mental Illness: Discussions in a Post-COVID Context

Abstrakt

This article analyses Gro Dahle and Kaia Dahle Nyhus’s picturebook Dagen, focusing on four
crucial double pages. Addressing themes of depression, it provides a unique child’s perspective
and describes various coping mechanisms, delivering a hopeful message. Utilizing social semiotics
and multimodality, it examines verbal and visual elements, aligning with Kress and Van
Leeuwen’s metafunctions. Beyond literature, it intersects with post-COVID depression research,
revealing connections between the two. Dagen portrays Po’s struggle to connect with their
Day, meticulously exploring visual, interpersonal, and textual dimensions. The study extends
to post-COVID depression, highlighting its prevalence and contributing factors. In conclusion,
the analysis emphasizes the synergy between literature, psychology, and medicine in understanding
and addressing contemporary challenges.