Abstract
This study aims to examine how family types, parental roles and behavioral characteristics are represented in children's picture books that contain the family phenomena. In this context, the one hundred (100) best-selling children's picture books targeting the age group of 3-6 have been selected. In forty-two (42) of the children's picture books that have been examined, family-themed content was encountered, and they have been included in the study. As a result of the research, it was found that the nuclear family structure was represented more than the extended family structure in the books in which the family phenomena has been found. When parental roles were examined, parent representations providing physical, economic, and emotional care have been found. In the role of the parent providing physical care, it is seen that the representation of the mother is more prominent, while in the role of the parent providing the economic care, the role of the father is more prominent. While both the mother and the father are reflected as caring, protecting, attending, and loving; fathers -unlike the mother's representation- are also reflected as self-confident, instructive and as the person that undertakes tasks that require power. And when the parental behaviors are examined, we see 5 different parental behaviors: the educating parent, the parent that creates an environment that makes things easier, the rejecting/criticizing parent, guiding/participating parent, and the parent who disciplines. It is important to keep in mind that children's books that aim to improve children's knowledge and skills by prioritizing their development and needs, and that positive parental representations and behaviors, especially regarding the notion of family, in children's books will contribute positively to children's behavioral acquisition.