An investigation of Güzin Öztürk's stories and novels for children in terms of values

Society is a whole formed by various elements coming together. At the core of this whole that consist of diverse components, are children. Children are the smallest yet most effective dynamic of society. Therefore, child education is of a great importance. The most shaping elements in child education are values. Although values change, develop, and transform over time, their essence remains the same. Due to this importance, values and education have been updated in the Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Model prepared by the Ministry of National Education. In this study, seven children's books by Güzin Öztürk—"Kuş Olsam Evime Uçsam, Kar Kurdu ve Canavar, Ben Bir Hayaletim, Kayıp Kapının Anahtarı,Sanal Zommbi Anneannem, Süper Koşucu, Tumpa Tumpa Sakın Kaybolma"—were examined within the scope of 20 values determined by the Ministry of National Education's Curriculum. These values include the concepts of justice, family unity, diligence, friendship, sensitivity, honesty, aesthetics, privacy, compassion, humility, freedom, patience, healthy living, respect, love, responsibility, frugality, hygiene, patriotism, and benevolence. The selected books and the relationship between these books and the 20 values were determined in this research. This is a qualitative study, and the books were examined through general survey and document analysis methods. After being scanned, the values in the content were classified and interpreted. As a result of the study, it was found that all seven books contained the 20 values, with a total of 315 value occurrences. The most frequently found value was "family unity" with 42 instances. The study concluded that the concept of family unity is effectively conveyed and that other values are also reflected. Thus, it is believed that Güzin Öztürk's books are valuable educational materials. These books may be used as a resource aligned with the curriculum and the values in the Ministry of National Education's program.