Cultural elements in children's books: The works of Metin Özdamarlar

The aim of this study is to identify and classify the cultural elements found in Metin Özdamarlar's children's books. The research was conducted within a qualitative research approach using the document analysis method, and the data obtained were analyzed through descriptive analysis. The subject of the study consists of ten children's books by Metin Özdamarlar, selected by taking into account popularity criteria and their inclusion in the Ministry of National Education textbooks. A framework developed from the existing literature was used to identify and classify the cultural elements; the elements were examined under eight categories: daily life, interpersonal relationships, values and education, literature-art and music, traditions and folklore, social life, geography and place, and proverbs and idioms. As a result of the research, a total of 875 cultural elements were identified in the works examined; it was observed that cultural elements were most frequently found in the interpersonal relationships category, followed respectively by proverbs and idioms, values and education, social life, daily life, literature-art and music, traditions and folklore, and geography and place. The findings of the study reveal that Metin Özdamarlar's children's books have a rich and multidimensional structure in terms of cultural transmission, and that elements related to historical awareness, national values, and everyday life culture are presented to young readers in a systematic and functional manner. These results indicate that the works in question constitute an important resource in terms of cultural identity formation and value transmission.