The Transformation of Revolutionary-themed Cultural Symbols in Children’s Narratives: A Case Study of the Picture Book The People with Stars on Their Hats

Abstract

This study investigates the pedagogical potential of converting revolutionary cultural symbols into children’s narratives, with a focused analysis of the pic-ture book The People with Stars on Their Hats. It identifies a critical gap in age-appropriate transmission of revolutionary heritage, particularly within ear-ly childhood education — where visual storytelling functions as a primary channel for cultural dissemination. Through semiotic analysis of two repre-sentative illustrations from the text — one featuring the star emblem as a visual anchor for historical memory, and another depicting child-adult interaction centered on this symbol — the research illustrates how abstract political con-cepts can be effectively translated into tangible narrative components. The findings reveal three key transformation mechanisms: symbolic simplification preserves ideological essence while adapting to children’s cognitive capacities; emotional personification cultivates affective connections; and interactive sto-rytelling links historical contexts to contemporary experiences. The resulting pedagogical framework suggests that such narrative conversions significantly enhance children’s engagement with cultural heritage when incorporating mul-tisensory elements and intergenerational dialogue. Acknowledging limitations in current adaptation practices, this study proposes future directions for devel-oping developmentally appropriate ideological education materials. It empha-sizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration among historians, educators, and children’s literature specialists to optimize the efficacy of cultural transmis-sion.