Chapter 3 Being Controversial in Scandinavia: An Iconotextual Analysis of Selected Norwegian and Danish Picturebooks
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Abstract
This chapter focuses on four titles whose publication evoked controversy, even though Scandinavian picturebooks are perceived as dialogue-oriented, appreciative of child readers, and eager to discuss difficult taboo issues. The presented analysis explores the double address of the iconotexts, understood as the intricate interplay of text and image. Through qualitative analysis focused on selected doublespreads, as well as discussion of epitexts, it examines the verbal and visual narration of the taboo themes (abortion, incest, pornography, child death) from the perspective of a novice reader and an experienced reader. The chapter refers the provocative, eccentric, transgressive and metaphoric qualities of the discussed picturebooks to Olga Tokarczuk’s vision of perfect literature.