It is often assumed that picturebooks are for very young readers because of their emphasis on the illustrations and their scarcity of text; however, there are increasing numbers of picturebooks where the age of the implied reader is questionable. These are picturebooks whose controversial subject matter and unconventional, often unsettling style of illustration challenge the reader, pushing them to question and probe deeper to understand what the book is about. In addition to the book challenging the reader, the reader often challenges the book in an attempt to understand what is being said. These increasingly popular picturebooks work on many different levels; they are truly polysemic and worthy of in-depth analysis. They push the reader to ask questions and in many instances are intrinsically philosophical, often dealing with fundamental life issues. Challenging and Controversial Picturebooks examines these unconventional, non-conformist picturebooks, considering what they are, their audience and their purpose. It also considers:a Children's and adults' thoughts on these kinds of picturebooks.How challenging and unsettling wordless picturebooks can play with the mind and promote philosophical thought.What creates non-conformity and strangeness is it the illustrations and their style, the subject matter or a combination of both?Why certain countries create, promote and accept these picturebooks more than others. Why certain picturebooks are censored and what factors are in play when these decisions are made.The role of publishers in translating and publishing these picturebooks.Children's creative and critical responses to strange, unsettling and often disturbing visual texts.This inspiring and thought-provoking volume explores the work of a number of highly respected, international picturebook experts and includes an exclusive interview with the legendary Klaus Flugge, Managing Director of Andersen Press, one of the few remaining independent children's book publishers in England. It is an indispensable reference for all interested in or working with picturebooks, including researchers, students in higher and teacher education, English advisors/inspectors, literacy consultants and classroom teachers.

Children's thoughts on challenging and controversial picturebooks Adults' thoughts on challenging and controversial picturebooks Part One: Challenging and controversial picturebooks: What are they and who are they for? 1. Picturebooks as Strange, Challenging and Controversial Texts Janet Evans (Independent Scholar, England) 2. The Scandal of the Commonplace: The Strangeness of Bestselling Picturebooks Perry Nodelman (The University of Winnipeg, Canada) 3. From Traditional Tales, Fairy Stories and Cautionary Tales to Controversial Visual Texts: Do we need to be Fearful? Sandra Beckett (Canada) 4. Who are these picturebooks for?: Controversial Picturebooks And The Question Of Audience Ase Marie Ommundsen (Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Norway) Part Two: Controversy and ambiguity in the art of the visual 5. Fusion Texts, the new kid on the block: What are they and where have they come from? Janet Evans (Independent Scholar, England) 6. "These books made me really curious". How visual explorations shape young readers' taste Marnie Campagnaro ( University of Padua, Italy) 7. Beware of the fox! Emotion and Deception in Fox by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer & Jörg Meibauer (Germany) 8. Fear and Strangeness in Picturebooks: Fractured Fairy Tales, Graphic Knowledge and Teachers' Concerns Elizabeth Marshall (Simon Fraser University, Canada) Part Three: Creative, Critical and Philosophical Responses to Challenging Picturebooks 9. What's Real And What's Not: Playing With The Mind In Wordless Picturebooks Sandie Mourao (Independent Scholar, Portugal) 10. Who's afraid of the big bad wolf: Responses to the portrayal of wolves in picturebooks Kerenza Ghosh (University of Roehampton, England) 11. Filling the Gaps: Exploring the Writerly Metaphors in Shaun Tan's The Red Tree Sylvia Pantaleo (University of Victoria, Canada) 12. Could This Happen To Us?: Responding To Issues Of Migration In Picturebooks Janet Evans (Independent Scholar, England) Part Four Thoughts from a children's book publisher 13. The Legendary Klaus Flugge: Controversial picturebooks and their place in contemporary society Klaus Flugge in conversation with Janet Evans