Critical Analysis of Children’s Picturebooks on Latino Fathers and Their Daughters from a LatCrit and Intersectionality Lens

• Published in: Children's literature in education Vol. 56; no. 3; pp. 401 - 416
• Main Authors: Wee, Su Jeong, Silva, Eden, Leyva, Chelsea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2025
• Subjects: Education; Language and Literature; Language Education; Linguistics; Original Paper; Social Sciences; Sociology; Picturebooks; Latino father; Latina girls; Latinx culture; Father–daughter relationships; LatCrit; Intersectionality
• ISSN: 0045-6713; 1573-1693
• DOI: 10.1007/s10583-025-09618-x

This study examines the portrayal of Latino fathers, their daughters, and their relationships in children’s picturebooks through a LatCrit and intersectionality lens. Seven children’s picturebooks were analyzed using critical content analysis. The findings revealed that Latino fathers were depicted with diverse immigration statuses and national origins, often shown as working-class. Despite financial challenges, the fathers were consistently portrayed as warm, nurturing, and supportive, actively engaging in their daughters’ lives and fostering their imagination. The daughters, characterized as active, imaginative, and family-oriented, were depicted as gender-neutral. The portrayal of father–daughter relationships emphasized cultural values like familismo, highlighting the fathers' involvement in nurturing and supporting their daughters despite personal and financial challenges. However, the analysis also identified persistent gender stereotypes, with fathers shown primarily in breadwinning roles and daughters in domestic settings. This suggests a need for more diverse and complex representations that challenge traditional gender roles. This study calls for authors and illustrators to depict multifaceted characters and relationships, reflecting the evolving dynamics within Latinx families and providing positive, inclusive representations for young readers.