Analysis of Gökhan Akçiçek's poem books in the context of appropriateness to children

Children's Literature is regarded as a significant field that brings together literary works contributing to children's cognitive, emotional, and social development. Such works play roles such as enriching children's imagination, nurturing their aesthetic sense, and shaping their worldview, while also enhancing their language skills. Among the genres of children's literature, poetry holds a special place as it appeals to the emotional world of children. With its structural features, effective use of language, and emotional intensity, poetry is a vital tool that not only increases children's language awareness but also supports their social, emotional, and intellectual development. In this context, the principle of child-appropriateness refers to the suitability of the content and design of children's literature to the developmental levels of children. Examining children's books in line with this principle is important in determining the educational value of their content and whether their formal features are suitable for children's perception. Such an analysis reveals the extent to which children's literature meets the developmental needs of children. This thesis study examines Gökhan Akçiçek's poetry books written for children, including Bulutlar Örtmese Güneşi (1995), Bülbül Deresi Şiirleri (1996), Çocuklara Ölüm Yakışmaz (2001), Denizlere Söylenen Şarkı (2007), Alfabesiz Kuşlar (2018), Kalbinden Öpülen Nilüfer (2022), Neşeli Çiçekler Mevsimi (2022), and Kardeşim Sakız Ağacı (2023), using the document analysis method within the framework of the principle of child-appropriateness. This analysis covers the internal and external structural elements of the works. External structural elements include the physical features of the books, such as cover design, binding, paper quality, use of visuals and illustrations, page layout, font type, and text size. Internal structural elements focus on literary aspects such as topic and theme, language usage, narrative style, and the pedagogical characteristics of the messages conveyed. Themes addressed in the poems are carefully examined to ensure their appeal to the world of children, the simplicity and clarity of the language used, and the transmission of messages in a pedagogically beneficial manner. According to the research findings, Gökhan Akçiçek's poetry books were generally found to be written in accordance with the principle of child-appropriateness. For example, although some works were found to have insufficient and limited visuals in terms of external structural elements, the books were determined to appeal to children in terms of visual integrity and design. On the other hand, despite encountering themes such as death, which may not be entirely appropriate for children, it was concluded that the subjects addressed in the works support the emotional and cognitive development of children.