Reading a “classic” story: The use of picturebook as a teaching praxis in the primary school

Abstract

This article examines two German picturebooks published in 2024, Herr Kafka und die verlorene Puppe by Larissa Theule and Post von Püppi: Eine Begegnung mit Franz Kafka by Bernadette, both inspired by the well-known story of Kafka and the lost doll. After discussing Kafka’s status as a European classic and his role in educational contexts across different countries, the article analyses the narrative, visual, and pedagogical features of the two books, considering them as
adaptations and reinterpretations of a biographical episode that has become part of European cultural memory. Through a close reading of texts and illustrations, the study highlights their potential for literary education in primary school, particularly with regard to the development of visual literacy, narrative imagination, metaphorical competence, intercultural awareness, and reflection on themes such as care, empathy, writing, and personal change. The article argues
that engagement with a classic can foster aesthetic reading experiences and support children’s
personal development by encouraging open interpretation and emotional participation in literary texts.