A importância da literatura infantil na formação dos pequenos leitores

Abstract

This research, conducted through an integrative literature review, investigates the importance of children's literature in the formation of critical readers and the integral development of the child. Based on the premise that children's and young adult literature, from its beginnings, offers diverse stimuli and connects reality with imagination, the study explores how early contact with literary narratives impacts cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional development. The adopted methodology allowed for the synthesis of evidence from studies published between 2019 and 2024, in Portuguese and English, that address the influence of children's literature in childhood. The literature analysis reveals that reading stimulates imagination, creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary expansion, and the development of empathy. The role of the mediator, whether in family or school, is crucial in promoting the child's encounter with books and fostering a reading habit. The research highlights the need to value and integrate children's literature into children's daily lives, offering quality works and pedagogical practices that encourage pleasurable and reflective reading, contributing to the formation of autonomous and engaged readers.