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The Influence of Illustrations in Literary Texts on Children’s
Reading Comprehension
Xichen Sun1,a,*
1Department of Foreign Languages, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100000, China
a. 1120200152@bit.edu.cn
*corresponding author
Abstract: This study investigates the influence of illustrations in children’s literature on
reading comprehension. The research addresses the existing lack of standardized
experimental designs in the field and focuses on enhanceable aspects, such as excluding
previously exposed subjects, fixing reading time for students, selecting high-quality classic
children’s literature texts, conducting the experiment within real classroom settings, and
observing students’ attention span during reading. The subjects consist of fifth-grade students
from representative elementary schools in urban and rural areas in China. The experimental
materials include different book types: mere text, text with original illustrations, and text with
secondary illustrations. Through multiple-choice questionnaire and data on reading
comprehension scores, preference, willingness to continue reading, and distraction levels, the
study aims to provide valuable insights for educators, authors, and publishers to enhance
children’s literary engagement and comprehension. The results of the study suggest that the
presence of illustrations and differences in the quality of illustrations do not significantly
affect children’s reading comprehension but do influence children’s first impressions and
choices when selecting books. The results provide useful insights for children’s book
publishers and children’s book illustrators when providing illustrations for children’s books.
Keywords: illustrations in literary texts, children, reading comprehension
1. Introduction
Illustrations play a paramount role in contemporary children’s literature. Notably, in venues like
Blackwell’s bookshop and the Botanic Gardens in Oxford, one can readily encounter John Tenniel’s
iconic original illustrations adorning every copy of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and various
cultural items related to the story. These illustrations have attained such widespread recognition that
they have become nearly as renowned as the books themselves [1]. Evidently, it comes as no surprise
that when C.S. Lewis’s masterpiece The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was awarded the title of
best children’s book by the British Book Trust in 2008, the illustrations by Pauline Baynes were
deemed instrumental. In his letter to Baynes, Lewis himself also recognized and emphasized the
collaborative significance of both the text and the illustrations [2].
The history of children’s book illustration dates back to the mid-seventeenth century, yet the true
Golden Age of Illustration was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where the invention of the
printing press enabled greater access to literature and a rising middle class demanded books for
children. Renowned illustrators like George Cruikshank, John Tenniel, and Walter Crane emerged
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© 2023 The Authors. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
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during this period, each leaving their mark on children’s literature with their distinct artistic styles.
Beatrix Potter’s pastel watercolor illustrations and Edward Lear’s whimsical drawings also
exemplified the diversity of this era [3].
Notwithstanding their reputation and widespread recognition, high expectations have also been
placed on the role that these illustrations play in the teaching and learning process of teachers. They
are expected to encourage students to creatively engage with literary themes, fostering meaningful
aesthetic experiences and inspiring exploration of future literary texts [4]. Therefore, a pertinent
question arises: do these illustrations truly have the anticipated positive impact on children’s
comprehension and understanding of the books?
2. Literature Review
In the realm of existing literature, scholarly opinions diverge on this matter. Some researchers posit
that the visual effects induced by illustrations do not exert a substantial impact on children’s reading
comprehension during the actual reading process. Conversely, there are those who firmly contend
that illustrations do indeed wield a significant influence on children’s comprehension. Additionally,
certain scholars advocate for a nuanced approach, asserting that factors such as the quality, style,
colors, and layout of the illustrations necessitate careful consideration, rather than settling for a simple
binary argument regarding their overall effect.
For example, an empirical study conducted by Jamye Brookshire, Lauren FV Scharff, and Laurie
E. Moses delved into this subject. The study explored the influence of illustrations in original
children’s literature, with a focus on variables such as the degree of color brightness and darkness,
and whether the illustrations’ style was realistic or abstract. The findings from this study revealed a
significant impact of illustrations on children’s comprehension of the story’s content. Moreover, the
style of illustrations exhibited a notable influence on children’s preferences for the literature [5]. Still,
in the study done by Greenhoot, A. F., Beyer, A. M., & Curtis, J, interaction with a companion reader
was taken into account, and the results of the study indicated that preschoolers’ ability to recall the
content of a book through the illustrations was enhanced when accompanied by their parents [6].
Nevertheless, an experiment conducted by Elizabeth J. O’Keefe and Robert T. Solman with fifth-
grade students in Australia yielded different results. The study explored various factors related to
illustrations, such as their presence or absence, their placement before or after the text, and the number
of illustrations (2 or 3). Surprisingly, the findings indicated that these factors did not have a significant
impact on children’s reading comprehension [7]. The contrasting outcomes between the two studies
may be attributed to the manner in which the variables for illustrations were set and the approach
employed to assess reading comprehension. It is evident that the design and implementation of
illustration-related variables, alongside the chosen methods of evaluating comprehension,
significantly contribute to the observed differences in the study results. These crucial aspects should
be taken into consideration while interpreting and comparing findings from different research
endeavors.
In a meticulous 2020 meta-analysis, the researcher compiled and analyzed data from 39 past
empirical studies, focusing on their variable settings and assessment methods. The literature review
revealed substantial areas for improvement in the experimental design of existing studies. Key aspects
that require attention include accounting for subjects’ prior knowledge of the experimental materials,
effectively dividing age groups of students, pre-assessing students’ reading abilities, ensuring a fixed
reading time for students, and carefully selecting appropriate test texts, etc [8]. Addressing these
aspects in future research endeavors holds the potential to enhance the methodological robustness and
validity of investigations exploring the impact of illustrations on children’s reading comprehension.
Given the identified areas for improvement in existing experimental conditions, this study will
strategically focus on enhancing the following aspects in the experimental design:
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⚫Exclusion of Previously Exposed Subjects: To ensure a controlled environment, subjects who
have been exposed to the selected reading materials will be excluded from the experiment. This
measure aims to minimize any confounding effects that prior familiarity with the texts may introduce.
⚫Fixed Reading Time: To maintain consistency and avoid potential variations in comprehension
due to differing reading durations, students’ reading time will be standardized and fixed for all
subjects during the experiment.
⚫Selection of High-Quality Classic Children’s Literature Texts: In order to provide a rich and
engaging reading experience, high-quality classic children’s literature texts will be carefully chosen
as the experimental materials. These texts are known for their captivating storytelling and enduring
appeal to young readers.
⚫Real Classroom Environment: The experiment will be conducted within a genuine classroom
setting to simulate real-world reading conditions. This approach aims to create a familiar and
comfortable atmosphere for the subjects, promoting more natural reading experiences.
⚫Observation of Students’ Attention Span: To gain insights into the potential influence of
illustrations on students’ attention and focus during reading, this study will also observe and assess
students’ attention span throughout the experiment.
By focusing on these enhanceable aspects in the experimental design, this study aims to strengthen
the validity and reliability of its findings and contribute valuable insights into the impact of
illustrations on children’s reading comprehension.
3. Method
A reading experiment was conducted in an authentic classroom setting to primarily investigate the
effects of illustration variables on children’s reading comprehension. The experimental design
involved the following components:
3.1. Experimental Materials
3.1.1. Book Selection
The experimental study utilized the first two chapters of the book The Lion, the Witch, and the
Wardrobe as the designated reading material. To investigate the influence of different presentation
formats on children’s reading comprehension, three distinct versions of the material were created:
⚫Mere Text (T): This version comprised the plain text of the first two chapters, devoid of any
illustrations or images.
⚫Original Illustration (O): This version incorporated the original illustrations as they appeared in
the book, accompanying the text of the first two chapters.
⚫Reprinted Illustration (R): This version encompassed reprinted illustrations derived from
subsequent published versions, accompanying the same text of the first two chapters.
To ensure consistency in textual content and page layout, all three versions of the reading material
underwent appropriate reformatting (see Figure 1). An equal number of materials were prepared for
each version, totaling 150 (slightly exceeding the total number of students tested) to prevent potential
issues such as materials being damaged or lost.
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Figure 1: Covers for the three versions of the reading material.
3.1.2. Comprehension Questionnaire
A comprehensive questionnaire was meticulously developed to assess the impact of reading on
various cognitive aspects. This questionnaire comprises a meticulously crafted set of questions that
have been specifically designed based on different question sources. Each question is tailored to
evaluate students’ comprehension and understanding of the text, taking into account specific sources
of information. For instance, if the answer to a question can be found in both the Original Illustration
(O) and Reprinted Illustration (R) versions, the source is appropriately marked as O+R (see Table 1).
Table 1: Reading comprehension questionnaire.
Source
Question
O+R+T
The total number of children who were sent to the old professor’s house in the
countryside was _____.
O+R+T
Lucy entered the world of Narnia through _____.
O+T
When Lucy first entered the world of Narnia, she was headed in the direction
of _____.
O+R+T
The creature Lucy encountered in the world of Narnia is _____.
O+T
Tamnath’s little cave was put full of _____.
R+T
Tamnus played _____ for Lucy.
O+R+T
After informing Lucy of the real reason for inviting her, Tamnas felt _____.
R+T
The controller of the world of Narnia is _____.
O+R+T
Did Tamnath send Lucy home?
T
The game the children played before Lucy entered the world of Narnia is
_____.
O+R
Among the children, there are _____ boys; there are _____ girls.
O+R+T
Narnia World has always been _____.
To what extent do you have the will to continue to finish the book?
NO ☆☆☆☆☆ YES
3.2. Sample
The study encompassed a sample of 128 children selected from three schools situated in Huining
County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, China. The subjects were chosen using a convenience sampling
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approach. The selected schools were specifically chosen to represent socioeconomic backgrounds
and academic performance levels that were relatively unsatisfactory. The subjects included students
aged between 8 to 12 years old, with a predominant representation of students in grades 3 to 6. It is
important to note that all selected students had no prior exposure to the experimental materials,
ensuring that their familiarity with the content did not influence the study’s outcomes. Additionally,
their willingness to participate in the experiment was confirmed, further ensuring their active
involvement and engagement.
3.3. Experimental Conductor
A team of four experienced residential social workers from the local school was carefully selected to
serve as conductors for the experiment. Their responsibilities included overseeing the implementation
of the experiment and accurately recording the necessary data. To facilitate the smooth execution of
the experiment, all required materials, including printed reading materials and the reading
comprehension questionnaire, were prepared and dispatched to the conductors. Additionally, a
detailed teaching plan for the experimental class was provided, along with clear instructions on how
to record students’ book choices and distraction rates. To ensure consistency and adherence to the
experimental protocols, all conductors were furnished with comprehensive online guidelines. These
guidelines offered detailed instructions and guidance on effectively conducting the experiment and
adhering to the standardized procedures.
3.4. Experimental Procedure
3.4.1. Reading Time (20 Minutes)
⚫Each child was given the freedom to choose their preferred book version without any external
influence or hints. If the class size was less than 30, the remaining editions of 5 books were recorded.
If the class size was more than 30, the remaining editions of 10 books were recorded. The children’s
preference for the book versions was determined based on the remaining editions, ranked from least
to most favorite.
⚫Once each child had selected their desired book, they were instructed to read independently.
During the reading session, any child who experienced a distraction lasting more than 3 minutes was
marked as “distracted.” The distraction rate was then considered when evaluating the subjects’ level
of interest.
3.4.2. Questionnaire (5 Minutes)
After the reading period, the conductor distributed a questionnaire to each child. The questionnaire
consisted of twelve multiple-choice questions, assessing their comprehension of the text they had just
read. Additionally, the questionnaire included a willingness-to-read rating question. The responses to
the multiple-choice questions were utilized for the comprehension analysis, while the willingness
rating was taken into account for assessing the subjects’ interest level.
3.4.3. After-Class Activity (15 Minutes)
Following the completion of the questionnaire, the conductor engaged the subjects in extension
activities such as story continuation and drama interpretation. This 15-minute activity was designed
to create an authentic classroom environment and optimize the use of class time.
Additionally: It is important to note that the after-class activity was not conducted for the purpose
of data collection. All subjects were requested to provide their name, gender, age, and grade
information on the reading materials to facilitate subsequent data collation and analysis.
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4. Result
After excluding the questionnaires with missing answers, the valid sample size for Groups O and R
was 42, while the valid data size for Group T was 35, giving a total sample size of 119. The overall
picture of the four quantitative variables is shown in the table 2.
Table 2: Overall descriptive data of four variables.
Book
Version
Book Preference
Distraction Rate
Average Score of the
Questionnaire
Average Score of the
Willingness
T
Least
14.29%
7.63
9.4
O
Medium
11.9%
7.88
9.39
R
Top
9.52%
8.07
9.33
To investigate the effects of different versions of the reading material on children’s reading
comprehension, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. The grouping variable
was the version of the material (T, O and, R), and the variables of interest were distraction rate, total
score of comprehension questionnaire, and willingness to read while the book preference has been
counted separately. Particularly, to further explore whether children’s reading comprehension
accuracy is affected by the version of a particular question source, multiple-choice question sources
will be categorized, and versions with high expected correctness will be compared to versions with
high actual correctness.
Table 3: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Analytic Term
Intergroup
Variation
Total
Deviation
Partial Eta-square
Cohen’s f-value
Distraction Rate
0.041
12.281
0.003
0.058
Questionnaire Score
4.497
563.754
0.008
0.09
Willingness
2.327
422.632
0.006
0.074
As shown in table 3, based on the total score of the questionnaire, the Eta-square value was 0.008,
indicating that 8% of the variance in the data originated from differences between groups, and the
Cohen’s f value was 0.09, indicating that the data were quantified as having a very small degree of
difference in the quantification of the effect. The Cohen’s f values for the other two variables,
distraction and willingness, were less than 0.1, meaning that the degree of difference in the
quantification of the effect for these two variables was again a very small degree of difference. Based
on preliminary inferences, it is clear that neither the presence of illustrations nor differences in the
quality of illustrations had a significant effect on children’s reading comprehension, willingness, and
distraction rate.
After incorporating the problem sources for further analysis, it can be found that questions sourced
from both original and reprinted illustrations (OR, ORT) yielded high scores overall. Questions with
reprinted illustrations (RT) also received high scores. However, questions with original illustrations
(OT) had relatively lower scores, and questions with mere text (T) had the lowest scores. Although
illustrations did contribute to children’s reading comprehension through detailed analysis, it seemed
that they have faced some difficulty in comprehending the material presented through original
illustrations (see Figure 2). Overall, the effect of illustrations on children’s reading comprehension,
although the overall difference was not significant, was still evident in the details.
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Figure 2: Influence of illustrations.
It is relatively more obvious that when it comes to the choice of version preference based on the
first impression of the book cover, it can be seen that the two editions with illustrations were
overwhelmingly preferred by children by 42% more (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Proportion of children’s book preference.
5. Discussion
The results of this study indicated that the presence of illustrations did not have a significant effect
on children’s reading comprehension levels (as measured by total scores on the Comprehension
Questionnaire), and the reason for this may be that, as explained by dual coding theory, illustrations
have the opposite effect of distracting children from the text in grades 3 to 6 [9]. However, it is worth
noting that illustrations did have an impact on children’s initial book edition choices. The importance
placed on illustrations by publishers and the quality of the illustrations remain important factors to
consider, as they can significantly influence children’s initial preferences for certain editions.
Interestingly, children’s performance on comprehension questionnaires varied by illustration type.
Children tended to perform better on comprehension questions using reprint illustrations compared
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to questions using original illustrations. This suggests that the brighter colours and clearer
presentation of the reprint illustrations may have contributed to more effective comprehension of the
story, which is consistent with the previous study of Brookshire, J., Scharff, L. F., & Moses, L. E [5].
However, it is worth noting that this difference in comprehension does not necessarily indicate that
children had a better aesthetic experience, and this effect is often implicit. Children’s lack of explicit
judgements about the quality of illustrations should not be interpreted as a signal of reduced demand
for illustrations in children’s books.
In conclusion, although this study did not find a substantial effect of illustrations on children’s
reading comprehension levels, it However, it emphasises the impact of illustration as a visual medium
for the first impression that children make when making book choices. Without precisely controlling
for precise variables among the different illustrations, the results of the study are consistent with
previous research: the effect of illustrations on children’s reading comprehension is not as significant
as one might think. However, in comparison to previous studies, this study further suggests that the
impact of visual impact on first impressions, which in turn can influence children’s book purchasing
choices. As C.S. Lewis, the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, revealed in his autobiography,
illustrations depicting scenes from Norse mythology inspired his imagination and the depiction of
“spoken animals” in Peter Rabbit fueled his creative drive [10]. Quality illustrations have the power
to draw readers into the story, allowing them to vividly imagine the narrative and making the reading
experience more enjoyable and immersive. Even if the immediate impact on comprehension and
retention might not always be apparent, illustrations undoubtedly enrich children’s reading
experiences by encouraging their creativity and enabling them to explore new realms of imagination.
Therefore, publishers and educators should recognise the important role illustrations play in
influencing children’s initial book choices and stimulating their interest in literature. Future research
could further explore specific aspects of illustrations that appeal to young readers and examine how
illustrations can be optimised to support comprehension and aesthetic experiences in children’s books.
The present study has some limitations that should be acknowledged. Firstly, the reading level of
the experimental sample was relatively low, and the sample was geographically concentrated, which
may limit the generalizability of the findings to a broader population of children. Additionally, the
sample might not be fully representative of the overall reading level in the target age group, which
could impact the external validity of the results.
Secondly, the experiment used illustrations from books published by actual publishers, and
therefore failed to precisely control for differences between illustrations (e.g. light or dark, realistic
or abstract, etc.), and the original illustrations could only be judged to have a high aesthetic
appreciation based on the market and the ratings given to the book illustrations by critics.
To address these limitations and further advance the understanding of the influence of illustrations
on children’s reading comprehension, future research could take the following directions:
⚫Diverse and Representative Samples: Conducting the experiment with a more diverse and
representative sample, including subjects from various geographical regions and with a wider range
of reading levels, would enhance the generalizability of the findings.
⚫Equally Sourced Questions: Ensuring that questions are evenly sourced across all versions of the
reading material would enable a fair and accurate comparison of the comprehension outcomes
between different groups. This may involve randomizing the distribution of questions or using a
balanced design.
⚫Exploring Inspiration for Teaching Methods: Research could delve into how illustrations can
inspire innovative teaching methods and pedagogical approaches. Educators can be encouraged to
creatively integrate illustrations into their teaching materials and classroom activities to enhance
students’ engagement and comprehension of literary texts.
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6. Conclusions
In conclusion, this study investigated the influence of illustrations in literary texts on children’s
reading comprehension. While the presence of illustrations did not show a significant impact on
overall reading comprehension levels, it did play a pivotal role in shaping children’s initial book
edition preferences. The publisher’s attention to the quality and design of illustrations remains crucial,
as they significantly influence children’s book choices. Furthermore, the study revealed that children
performed better on comprehension questions sourced from reprinted illustrations compared to those
sourced from original illustrations, suggesting the potential benefits of clearer and more vibrant
visuals for comprehension. Despite the absence of a statistically significant effect, the importance of
illustrations in engaging young readers, sparking their imagination, and fostering a love for reading
cannot be understated. High-quality illustrations continue to be an essential aspect of children’s
literature, enhancing the overall reading experience and igniting children’s curiosity and interest in
books. Future research should further explore the specific elements of illustrations that captivate
young readers and investigate how illustrations can be optimized to support both comprehension and
aesthetic experiences in children’s reading materials. As educators and publishers continue to
embrace the significance of illustrations, children’s literature can be enriched, inspiring a generation
of avid readers with new perspectives and meaningful connections to the literary world.
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