A Content Analysis of Children’s Books Based on the Thai Children Desirable Attributes

Abstract

This study aims at analyzing contents of children’s books based on the Thai children desirable attributes to enhance children development. The study
sample includes 1322 titles of children’s books for 3 - 12 year old children, published by 32 publishers between 2007 and 2014. These books are fiction and non-fiction writings, excluding books translated from foreign languages, wordless picture books, exercise or work books, and cartoons. The Thai children desirable attributes, used as the study conceptual framework, comprise 3 dimensions and 32 characteristics: physical dimension, lifestyle dimension, and capability dimension.

The research tools include a guide book describing the desirable attributes of the Thai children, and a book content analysis form. The findings reveal that
1,046 titles of the books (79.12%) are books for 3-5 year old children, 243 titles (18.38%), are books for 6-9 year old children, and 33 (2.50%) titles are those of
10-12 years of age. The contents found in 1,071 (81.01%) children’s book titles match with the desirable characteristics in the lifestyle dimensions, in 518 (39.18%)
titles match with the desirable attributes in capability dimension, and in 170 (12.86%) titles match with the desirable attributes in physical dimension. The desirable attributes of longing for knowledge in lifestyle dimension are found in 268 titles (25.02%), of language usage skills in capability dimension are found in 2248 titles (47.88%), and of disease prevention in physical dimension are found in 52 titles (30.59%). The study findings suggests that the government formulate a policies for supporting the production of children’s books that stimulates the development of children at various ages and for requiring school libraries to acquire children’s books suitable for children at different ages and to conduct library activities. Teachers and librarians should focus on using children’s books for promoting children development.