A writer recalls a conversation with the director of the Arucas library about the benefits of reading illustrated picture books with children. Not only the words printed on the page, but also the messages woven into the illustrations. The values these books convey and how they can be used in psychology and education to prevent problems and even intervene in different psychoeducational areas. The Arucas library is admired for several reasons: the wide range of cultural activities it offers to the community and its rich collection of illustrated albums.
During the same week, the psychologist guiding the class introduced psychology students to the picture book The Monster, which portrays, with deep respect, the image a child forms of an abusive father and the ambivalence surrounding episodes of gender-based violence and vicarious violence: I love you because you are my father, yet you harm my mother and me. In discussions, the title is cited for its sensitive treatment of family violence.
Another crucial aspect addressed by the story is how teachers respond when a child arrives with a drawing of a monster and says that the monster lives in their home. Adults often downplay what children share, because they are children with vivid imaginations. We forget to read between the lines. Children use metaphor as a powerful tool to express fears, problems, and their world.
Does this mean that every time a minor tells us about living with a monster or about troubling events there we should raise alarms or trigger a protocol? The answer, in practice, is yes, depending on what is shared, the child’s level of development, and our capacity to observe without judgments. At minimum, one should try to uncover what lies behind the phrase “I live with a monster.”
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Perhaps the image is merely a product of childish play, or perhaps it signals something more serious. Honestly, it is better not to remain in doubt. While at home, a child might hide under the bed when the monster they live with roars and smashes everything within reach. For this reason the picture book matters; it not only teaches children but also adults what is missing in everyday life. The reason for sharing illustrated albums with students is clear: to cultivate the ability to read faces, nonverbal language, silent expressions, and metaphor. Because sometimes what goes unsaid matters more than what is spoken, and only those who stay attuned to silences can truly understand it.
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