Color as A Narrative Device in Illustration: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Picture books are a central medium through which children learn to interpret stories, emotions, and symbols, yet the role of color in these narratives remains underexplored and theoretically fragmented. This systematic review investigates how color in picture book illustrations has been reported to influence or appear to contribute to children’s narrative comprehension and cognitive development, addressing persistent gaps in methodology and theory. Following PRISMA guidelines, four databases were systematically searched (2000–October 2024), identifying 78 eligible studies from an initial pool of 717 records. Studies were thematically categorized into four domains: the impact of color on emotional perception, cognitive processing and recognition, narrative function in storytelling, and experimental applications.