Portrayals of gender in preschool environment : A qualitative text- and picture analysis of gender portrayals in picture books

The study is a qualitative literature analysis with the purpose of examining how children and preschool pedagogues were portrayed in picture books that take place in the preschool environment, based on gender perspectives. To define the material, books that take place in the preschool environment had been selected. The purpose of the study was also to examine how relationships between children and preschool pedagogues were portrayed, from a gender perspective. And whether there was a difference between the gender portrayals depending on the year when the book was published. The picture book analysis has created an understanding of how preschool pedagogues can work gender pedagogically with literature as a tool, together with the children. The analysis and the results have shown that there are variations in how gender and gender roles were portrayed in the picture books. It also showed that there are picture books that are gender conscious and that some maintain and enhance gender roles