The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between text and picture in two works by Sven Nordqvist, with the focus on how the action is propelled. The two works are compared in order to bring out any differences in the relationship and what significance this can have for the interpretation. The study also considers the theory of conceptual worlds to examine how the books can promote pupils’ literary understanding. The method of analysis is based on Rhedin’s (2001) theoretical concepts and elements of Nikolajeva’s (2000) terminology. The study demonstrates a difference in the works, in that the first one has an even balance in the amount of text and pictures. It is obvious that text and picture interact and together carry the narrative forward, while simultaneously leaving some freedom of interpretation to the reader. In the other work, the pictures dominate in terms of both space and content, and it is chiefly the pictures that carry the narrative forward. In the second work there is also an unclear relationship between text and picture, which gives the reader further scope for interpretation. The pictures in the two works and the scope for interpretation make them suitable for the development of reading comprehension, through the construction of conceptual worlds.

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate how a picture book for children is transformed into an easy-to-read version for children who have just started reading. I examine two versions of Emil of Lönneberga. One of the books is the orginal picture book of Emil in Lönneberga and was written by Astrid Lindgren (1963), while the other is an easy-toreadversion of the book, as adapted by the author Helena Renvall (1977). I have conducted a comparative study as a text and picture analysis of the material, with the focus on the adaptation of the original story. The adaptation in this case is a revision intended to make the story easier to read and more accessible to today’s children. The most important finding of the study is that easily read information is not just a matter of simplifying the text; the form of both text and pictures is adapted. The text is characterized by simpler words and shorter sentences. The pictorial material has been increased and the originally black and white pictures have been given added red colour. Otherwise, most of the layout has been changed for several reasons, but generally speaking so that the relation between text and pictures on each spread will function inthe most easy-to-read way possible.