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All Journal EJI (English Journal of Indragiri) : Studies in Education, Literature, and Linguistics
Muhammad Yusuf
Universitas Sumatera Utara - Indonesia
Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

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Cultural Identity in Children's Books: Multilingualism and Cultural Pride in The Name Jar Muhammad Arifandi Yacub; Firja Adica; Adrian David Rafael Siburian; Rafi Isham Fadhlillah; Muhammad Yusuf
EJI (English Journal of Indragiri): Studies in Education, Literature, and Linguistics Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026): EJI (English Journal of Indragiri): Studies in Education, Literature, and Ling
Publisher : Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.61672/gk6x1f90

Abstract

Children's literature contributes immensely towards constructing the cultural identities of immigrants and minority language learners, but research focusing on analyzing particular multilingual picture books from a multimodal perspective is scarce. The current research focuses on the analysis of The Name Jar (Choi, 2001) as a multilingual picture book in order to understand the ways’ cultural identity representations are created and negotiated in a Korean-American environment. A qualitative case study methodology was used where multimodal content analysis (Krippendorff, 2019; Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006) and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) techniques were applied to the verbal text, illustrations, paratext, and Korean-script sections of the book. Four themes were derived: cultural identity through naming; text as a mirror and window; visualizing multilingualism; and pedagogical possibilities of the text. The findings of the current research demonstrate that The Name Jar creates a complex counter-narrative of assimilation by promoting hybrid identity while the Korean script is more than just a decoration but also a multimodal semiotic resource. Overall, multilingual picture books like The Name Jar have great potential as pedagogical materials for intercultural education and promoting the heritage language identity.
Multimodal Representation of Academic Anxiety in Jory John's The Smart Cookie Anggun Dhanisa; Nabila Zuki; Sarah Safika Sitorus; Ibnati Faiza Hamdi; Muhammad Yusuf
EJI (English Journal of Indragiri): Studies in Education, Literature, and Linguistics Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026): EJI (English Journal of Indragiri): Studies in Education, Literature, and Ling
Publisher : Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.61672/4xr23w06

Abstract

Modern children's literature no longer serves merely as a tool for early literacy, but functions as a socio-cultural artifact reflecting the emotional and psychological challenges of contemporary children. However, previous research on how children's academic anxiety and identity crises that are deeply depicted through the synergy of text and imagery in popular storybooks remains highly under-explored. This study aims to examine the multimodal construction in the picture book The Smart Cookie by Jory John and Pete Oswald (2021), specifically how the protagonist's “baked identity” serves as a layered semiotic metaphor for perfectionist pressures and academic performance anxiety. Methodologically, this study adopts a qualitative descriptive approach within the Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) paradigm, integrating Michael Halliday's Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), Kress and van Leeuwen's visual social semiotics, and intermodal relations. The analysis focuses on the verbal, visual, spatial, and gestural dimensions of 18 selected double-page spreads. The findings demonstrate that the text-image dynamics actively construct a “third story,” a psychological realm arising from the ironic tension and counterpoint between verbiage and illustration. This study concludes that micro-level narrative and visual decisions successfully encode macro-level social anxieties, allowing the storybook to critique academic performativity while simultaneously fostering internal psychological resilience and social-emotional literacy in young readers.
Co-Authors Adrian David Rafael Siburian Anggun Dhanisa Firja Adica Ibnati Faiza Hamdi Muhammad Arifandi Yacub Nabila Zuki Rafi Isham Fadhlillah Sarah Safika Sitorus