Children’s play has been a recurring theme throughout the history of picture books for children,  perhaps because of its utter relevance in young children’s lives. Pija Lindenbaum and Emma  Adbåge are two authors of Swedish contemporary picture books who often explore depictions of  play. The aim of this thesis is consequently to study depictions of children’s play in Lindenbaum’s  Vi måste till jobbet (2019) and Adbåge’s Gropen (2018), and if the depictions can be interpreted  as possibly empowering or subversive for the playing characters. With Play theory as a theoretical  ground and useful concepts for picture book analysis, the aim is to compare these two picture  books and how they each portray play.    The results of the study show that Lindenbaum and Adbåge, each in their own way, explore both  different depictions of play as well as the potential for empowering and subversive feelings for the  playing child. In Lindenbaum’s case we see a depiction of pretend play and its mental evolution in  children aged 3 to 8, as well as an acclaim to children’s playrooms as safe and potentially  liberating play arenas. Whereas Gropen is more of a conflict-oriented work, Adbåge also defends  children’s own spaces for play and the empowering feeling these arenas bring the playing children  in being free from adult interference.

In this essay I study how humans and nature are portrayed in three Swedish picture books: Sprätten satt på toaletten(1970) by Annika Elmqvist, En blommas liv (2008) by Stefan Casta and Sara Lundberg and Naturen (2020) by Emma Adbåge. This is done based on the concept of ecomimesis from Timothy Morton's Ecology without Nature: Rethinking Environmental Aesthetics (2007) and other ecocritical terms such as: anthropocentrism, anthropomorphism and nature. In order to analyse the picture books I also use relevant ideas from Maria Nikolajeva’s Bilderbokens pusselbitar (2000). In addition to this, I discuss environmental literature for children and examine the didactic and aesthetic properties of the works.  Finally, I conclude that the books portay humans and nature differently but that they all have the message that we should cherish nature. Sprätten satt på toaletten has an anthropocentric worldview with humans shown as both the problem and the solution to the environmental crisis. En blommas liv gives a clear example of ecomimesis and anthropomorphism with its romantic illustrations of a conscious flower. Naturen ridicule antopocentrism and makes an attempt to redefine the concept of nature. All the works have both aesthetic and didactic qualities. They contain thought-provoking illustrations and stories but they also have clear messages. In other words, they are created based on the idea that literature can change the world. I question the phenomenon that adults, which cause the environmental crisis, speak for other peripheral groups. That we think we know what nature is and needs and hand over the responsibilities to the children. / I denna uppsats undersöker jag hur människa och natur gestaltas i tre svenska bilderböcker: Sprätten satt på toaletten (1970) av Annika Elmqvist, En blommas liv (2008) av Stefan Casta och Sara Lundberg samt Naturen (2020) av Emma Adbåge. Detta görs utifrån begreppet ekomimesis från Timothy Mortons Ecology without Nature: Rethinking Environmental Aesthetics (2007) samt andra ekokritiska termer såsom: antropocentrism, antropomorfism och natur. Till grund för bilderboksanalysen ligger relevanta begrepp från Maria Nikolajevas Bilderbokens pusselbitar (2000). Utöver detta för jag även en diskurs kring miljömedveten litteratur för barn och undersöker de nämnda verkens didaktiska och estetiska egenskaper.   Slutligen kommer jag fram till att verken gestaltar människa och natur på olika sätt men att de alla har budskapet att vi ska värna om naturen. Sprätten satt på toaletten visar en antropocentrisk världsbild med människan som både problemet och lösningen till miljökrisen. En blommas liv ger ett tydligt exempel på ekomimesis och antropomorfism med sina romantiska bilder av en tänkande blomma. Naturen förlöjligar antopocentrismen och gör ett försök till att omdefiniera naturbegreppet. Samtliga verk har både estetiska och didaktiska egenskaper. De innehåller tankeväckande illustrationer och berättelser men har också tydliga budskap. Med andra ord är de skapta utifrån idéen om att litteratur kan förändra världen. Jag ifrågasätter företeelsen att vuxna, som orsakar miljökrisen, för andra perifera gruppers talan. Att vi tror oss veta vad naturen är och behöver och lägger över ansvaret på barnen.

This assignment aims to explore and analyze the picture books I skogen by Eva Lindström, Furan by Lisen Adbåge, Om dagen tar slut by Lisa Hyder and Naturen by Emma AdBåge, through an ecocritical study of subjekt formations. The studying of children's literatre, in relatoin to both the anthropocene and environmenantal discourse, gives an insight into the way man and nature are narrated and how subject positions are challenged. When analyzing such subjects this essay uses The Nature in Culture Matrix, created by the research group Nature in Children's Literature and Culture. The main concepts presented throughout this text include anthropocentrism, ecocentrism, celebrated nature and problematasing nature. This thesis examines how modern picture books protest against the former independent, free and courageous child that was encouraged to put themselves before others. Such a chliche is evident when characters defy a common pattern of action and how anthropomorphizations of nature can highlight the ecocritical way of thinking. It is further evident that pictre books, through intrigue, problematize the human subject and draw parallels to everything that is living. To conclude, the results show that the child as a subject either is challenged or replaced by nature.