Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Childrens picture book and theory of mind development:

From McDull to the True Story of Three Little Pigs

Abstract
Based on the introduction of theory of mind development and the analysis of the childrens picture books
mental meaning, the present paper argues that joint reading of childrens picture book between adults
and children has great implications in facilitating childrens theory of mind development. Childrens
picture book is rich in mental discourse. Appropriately chosen picture books provide a zone of proximal
development for childrens mental understanding. Through joint reading, adults could utilize the visual
clues of the invisible mental processes presented in picture books to scaffold childrens theory of mind
development. The paper also discusses the conversation and questioning skills in picture book joint
reading, as well as selectively analyzes mental discourse in childrens picture books available in the
market.

May

, 2002

May

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Sally Anne
Sally

2003

May

perspective
taking

104 8891
Milligan, Astington, & Dack,
2007

de Villers & de Villers, 2000; Lohmann &

Tomasello, 2003

Theory of mind

theory of mindWimmer & Perner,

1983

perceptiondesire
pretense, intentionthinking
beliefemotionFlavell,
1999

Wellman,
1990; Wellman, Cross, & Watson, 2001

Sally Anne
Sally Anne
Sally
Baren-Cohen, Leslie& Frith, 1985
Sally

Sally

1.
mind-mindedness

Meins et al., 2003; Ruffman, Slade, Devitt, &

Crowe, 2006.
power
assertion

Pears &
Moses, 2003

2.
Slaughter, Peterson,
Mackintosh2007

The Hong Kong

Institute of Education Library
For private study or research only.
Not for publication or further reproduction.

44

45

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Childrens picture book and theory of mind development:

From McDull to the True Story of Three Little Pigs

Abstract
Based on the introduction of theory of mind development and the analysis of the childrens picture books
mental meaning, the present paper argues that joint reading of childrens picture book between adults
and children has great implications in facilitating childrens theory of mind development. Childrens
picture book is rich in mental discourse. Appropriately chosen picture books provide a zone of proximal
development for childrens mental understanding. Through joint reading, adults could utilize the visual
clues of the invisible mental processes presented in picture books to scaffold childrens theory of mind
development. The paper also discusses the conversation and questioning skills in picture book joint
reading, as well as selectively analyzes mental discourse in childrens picture books available in the
market.

May

, 2002

May

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Sally Anne
Sally

2003

May

perspective
taking

104 8891
Milligan, Astington, & Dack,
2007

de Villers & de Villers, 2000; Lohmann &

Tomasello, 2003

Theory of mind

theory of mindWimmer & Perner,

1983

perceptiondesire
pretense, intentionthinking
beliefemotionFlavell,
1999

Wellman,
1990; Wellman, Cross, & Watson, 2001

Sally Anne
Sally Anne
Sally
Baren-Cohen, Leslie& Frith, 1985
Sally

Sally

1.
mind-mindedness

Meins et al., 2003; Ruffman, Slade, Devitt, &

Crowe, 2006.
power
assertion

Pears &
Moses, 2003

2.
Slaughter, Peterson,
Mackintosh2007

The Hong Kong

Institute of Education Library

44

For private study or research only.

Not for publication or further reproduction.

45

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Harry the dirty dog
May Zion, 1992

3.
Shatz,Wellman, & Silber,
1983

4.
Peterson Slaughter
2006
pretense

5.
Adrian, Clemente, Villanueve2007

6.

Cassidy, Fineberg,
Brown, & Perkins, 2005; Dunn, 1999; Ruffman,
Perner, Naito, Parkin, & Clements, 1998

Vygotsky, 1978

scaffolding

Bruner 1986
The Hong Kong
Institute of Education Library

For private study or research only.

Not for publication or further reproduction.

46

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Nicolopoulou
Richner2007

Guajardo Watson2002

Desire and Emotion

Wellman19903

Eat your peas .

. 2000

Bartsch, Campbell Troseth 2007

3

Sally

3 4

Szarkowicz,
2000

, 2002

47

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Harry the dirty dog
May Zion, 1992

3.
Shatz,Wellman, & Silber,
1983

4.
Peterson Slaughter
2006
pretense

5.
Adrian, Clemente, Villanueve2007

6.

Cassidy, Fineberg,
Brown, & Perkins, 2005; Dunn, 1999; Ruffman,
Perner, Naito, Parkin, & Clements, 1998

Vygotsky, 1978

scaffolding

Bruner 1986

46

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Nicolopoulou
Richner2007

Guajardo Watson2002

Desire and Emotion

Wellman19903

Eat your peas .

. 2000

Bartsch, Campbell Troseth 2007

3

Sally

3 4

Szarkowicz,
2000

, 2002

The Hong Kong

Institute of Education Library

For private study or research only.

Not for publication or further reproduction.

47

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

second order mental state

understanding

Thought and Belief

Searly, 1983

Wellman,1990

thought
Dr. Seuss Oh,
the thinks you can think!

1992

You can think about Night,

a night in Na-Nupp.
The birds are asleep
and the three moons are up.

Think
a race
on a horse
on a ball
with a sh!

Oh, the THINKS you can think up if only

you try!

empathy
train of
thoughts

Suddendorf & Busby, 2005

Dr. Seuss

The Hong Kong

Institute of Education Library

For private study or research only.

Not for publication or further reproduction.

48

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

2001
thought bubble

Wellman, Hollander, & Schult, 1996

intention

Schult,
2002

The true story of the three little pigs

.
. 1999

49

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

second order mental state

understanding

Thought and Belief

Searly, 1983

Wellman,1990

thought
Dr. Seuss Oh,
the thinks you can think!

1992

You can think about Night,

a night in Na-Nupp.
The birds are asleep
and the three moons are up.

Think
a race
on a horse
on a ball
with a sh!

Oh, the THINKS you can think up if only

you try!

empathy
train of
thoughts

Suddendorf & Busby, 2005

Dr. Seuss

48

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

2001
thought bubble

Wellman, Hollander, & Schult, 1996

intention

Schult,
2002

The true story of the three little pigs

.
. 1999

The Hong Kong

Institute of Education Library

For private study or research only.

Not for publication or further reproduction.

49

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

2003 7 6
1727 38-39
. . 2000 Eat your peas

1992
Oh, the thinks you can think!

. . 1999 The true story of the three little

pigs :
2002: :
2002: :
2001 :
Adrin, J., Clemente, R., & Villanueva, L. (2007). Mothers use of cognitive state verbs in picture-book reading
and the development of childrens understanding of nind: A longitudinal study. Child Development, 78 (4),
1052-1067.
Baron-Cohen , S., Leslie, A. M., Frith, U. (1985). Does the autistic child have a 'theory of mind? Cognition, 21 (1),
3746.
Bartsch, K., Campbell, M., & Troseth, G. (2007). Why else does Jenny run? Young childrens extended psychological
explanations. Journal of Cognition & Development, 8 (1), 33-61.
Brunner, J. (1986). Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Cassidy, K. W., Fineberg, D. S., Brown, K, & Perkins, A. (2005). Theory of mind may be contagious, but you dont
catch it from your twin. Child Development, 76, 97-106.
de Villiers, J. G., & de Villiers, P. A. (2000). Linguistic derterminism and the understanding of false beliefs. In P.
Mitchell & K. J. Riggs (Eds.). Childrens Reasoning and the Mind (pp. 191-228). Hove, England: Psychology
Press.
Dunn, J. (1999). Mindreading and social relationships. In M. Bennett(Ed.). Developmental Psychology: Achievements
and Prospects. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.
Flavell, J. H. (1999). Cognitive development: Childrens knowledge about the mind. Annual Review of Psychology,
50, 21-45.
Guajardo, N., & Watson, A. (2002). Narrative discourse and theory of mind development. Journal of Genetic
Psychology, 163 (3), 305.

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Ruffman, T., Perner, J., Naito, M., Parking, L., & Clements, W. A. (1998). Older(but not younger) siblings facilitate
false belief understanding. Developmental Psychology, 34, 161-174.
Ruffman, T., Slade, L., Devitt, K., & Crowe, E. (2006). What mothers say and what they do: the relation between
parenting, theory of mind, language and conict/cooperation. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24,

105-124.
Searle, J. R. (1983). Intentionality: An Essay in the Philosophy of Mind. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Schult, C. A. (2002). Childrens understanding of the distinction between intentions and desires. Child Development,
73, 1727-1747.

Shatz, M., Wellman, H. M., & Silber, S. (1983). The acquisition of mental verbs: A systematic investigation of the rst
reference to mental state. Cognition, 14, 301-321.
Slaughter, V., Peterson, C., & Mackintosh, E. (2007). Mind what mother says: Narrative input and theory of mind in
typical Children and those on the Autism Spectrum. Child Development, 78(3), 839-858.
Suddendorf, T., & Busby, J. (2005). Making decisions with the future in mind: Developmental and comparative
identication of mental time travel. Learning and Motivation. Special Issue: Cognitive Time Travel in People
and Animals, 36(2), 110-125.
Szarkowicz, D. (2000). 'When they wash him they'll know he'll be Harry': Young children's thinking about thinking
within a story context. International Journal of Early Years Education, 8(1), 71-81.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wellman, H. M. (1990). The Child's Theory of Mind. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Wellman, H. M., Cross, D., & Watson, J. (2001). Meta-analysis of theory of mind development: The truth about falsebelief. Child Development, 72, 655-684.
Wellman, H. M., Hollander, M., & Schult, C. A. (1996). Young childrens understanding of thought bubbles and of
thoughts. Child Development, 67, 768-788.
Wimmer, H., & Perner, J. (1983). Beliefs about beliefs: Representation and constraining function of wrong beliefs in
young children
s understanding of deception. Cognition, 13, 103-128.
Zion, G. (1992). Harry the Dirty Dog. London: Random House.
Note: A draft of this paper was presented at 2009, Taipei, Taiwan.

Lohmann, H., & Tomasello, M., (2003). The role of language in the development of false belief understanding: A
training study. Child Development, 74, 1130-1144.
Meins, E., Fernyhough, C., Wainwright, R., Clark-Carter, D., Dupta, M. D., Fradly, E., & Tuchy, M. (2003). Pathways
to understanding the mind: construct validity and predictive validity of maternal mind-mindedness. Child
Development, 74, 1194-1211.

Milligan, K., Astington, J., & Dack, L. (2007). Language and theory of mind: Meta-analysis of the relation between
language ability and false-belief understanding. Child Development, 78, 622-646.
Nicolopoulou, A., & Richner, E. (2007). From actors to agents to persons: The development of character representation
in young children's narratives. Child Development, 78(2), 412-429.
Pears, K. C., & Moses, L. J. (2003). Demographics, parenting, and theory of mind in preschool children. Social
Development, 12, 1 - 20.
Peterson, C., & Slaughter, V. (2006). Telling the story of theory of mind: Deaf and hearing children's narratives and
mental state understanding. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24(1), 151-179.
The Hong Kong
Institute of Education Library

For private study or research only.

Not for publication or further reproduction.

50

51

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

2003 7 6
1727 38-39
. . 2000 Eat your peas

1992
Oh, the thinks you can think!

. . 1999 The true story of the three little

pigs :
2002: :
2002: :
2001 :
Adrin, J., Clemente, R., & Villanueva, L. (2007). Mothers use of cognitive state verbs in picture-book reading
and the development of childrens understanding of nind: A longitudinal study. Child Development, 78 (4),
1052-1067.
Baron-Cohen , S., Leslie, A. M., Frith, U. (1985). Does the autistic child have a 'theory of mind? Cognition, 21 (1),
3746.
Bartsch, K., Campbell, M., & Troseth, G. (2007). Why else does Jenny run? Young childrens extended psychological
explanations. Journal of Cognition & Development, 8 (1), 33-61.
Brunner, J. (1986). Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Cassidy, K. W., Fineberg, D. S., Brown, K, & Perkins, A. (2005). Theory of mind may be contagious, but you dont
catch it from your twin. Child Development, 76, 97-106.
de Villiers, J. G., & de Villiers, P. A. (2000). Linguistic derterminism and the understanding of false beliefs. In P.
Mitchell & K. J. Riggs (Eds.). Childrens Reasoning and the Mind (pp. 191-228). Hove, England: Psychology
Press.
Dunn, J. (1999). Mindreading and social relationships. In M. Bennett(Ed.). Developmental Psychology: Achievements
and Prospects. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.
Flavell, J. H. (1999). Cognitive development: Childrens knowledge about the mind. Annual Review of Psychology,
50, 21-45.
Guajardo, N., & Watson, A. (2002). Narrative discourse and theory of mind development. Journal of Genetic
Psychology, 163 (3), 305.

Hong Kong Journal of

Early Childhood

Vol. 9 No. 2 December 2010

Ruffman, T., Perner, J., Naito, M., Parking, L., & Clements, W. A. (1998). Older(but not younger) siblings facilitate
false belief understanding. Developmental Psychology, 34, 161-174.
Ruffman, T., Slade, L., Devitt, K., & Crowe, E. (2006). What mothers say and what they do: the relation between
parenting, theory of mind, language and conict/cooperation. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24,

105-124.
Searle, J. R. (1983). Intentionality: An Essay in the Philosophy of Mind. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Schult, C. A. (2002). Childrens understanding of the distinction between intentions and desires. Child Development,
73, 1727-1747.

Shatz, M., Wellman, H. M., & Silber, S. (1983). The acquisition of mental verbs: A systematic investigation of the rst
reference to mental state. Cognition, 14, 301-321.
Slaughter, V., Peterson, C., & Mackintosh, E. (2007). Mind what mother says: Narrative input and theory of mind in
typical Children and those on the Autism Spectrum. Child Development, 78(3), 839-858.
Suddendorf, T., & Busby, J. (2005). Making decisions with the future in mind: Developmental and comparative
identication of mental time travel. Learning and Motivation. Special Issue: Cognitive Time Travel in People
and Animals, 36(2), 110-125.
Szarkowicz, D. (2000). 'When they wash him they'll know he'll be Harry': Young children's thinking about thinking
within a story context. International Journal of Early Years Education, 8(1), 71-81.
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wellman, H. M. (1990). The Child's Theory of Mind. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Wellman, H. M., Cross, D., & Watson, J. (2001). Meta-analysis of theory of mind development: The truth about falsebelief. Child Development, 72, 655-684.
Wellman, H. M., Hollander, M., & Schult, C. A. (1996). Young childrens understanding of thought bubbles and of
thoughts. Child Development, 67, 768-788.
Wimmer, H., & Perner, J. (1983). Beliefs about beliefs: Representation and constraining function of wrong beliefs in
young children
s understanding of deception. Cognition, 13, 103-128.
Zion, G. (1992). Harry the Dirty Dog. London: Random House.
Note: A draft of this paper was presented at 2009, Taipei, Taiwan.

Lohmann, H., & Tomasello, M., (2003). The role of language in the development of false belief understanding: A
training study. Child Development, 74, 1130-1144.
Meins, E., Fernyhough, C., Wainwright, R., Clark-Carter, D., Dupta, M. D., Fradly, E., & Tuchy, M. (2003). Pathways
to understanding the mind: construct validity and predictive validity of maternal mind-mindedness. Child
Development, 74, 1194-1211.

Milligan, K., Astington, J., & Dack, L. (2007). Language and theory of mind: Meta-analysis of the relation between
language ability and false-belief understanding. Child Development, 78, 622-646.
Nicolopoulou, A., & Richner, E. (2007). From actors to agents to persons: The development of character representation
in young children's narratives. Child Development, 78(2), 412-429.
Pears, K. C., & Moses, L. J. (2003). Demographics, parenting, and theory of mind in preschool children. Social
Development, 12, 1 - 20.
Peterson, C., & Slaughter, V. (2006). Telling the story of theory of mind: Deaf and hearing children's narratives and
mental state understanding. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 24(1), 151-179.

50

The Hong Kong

Institute of Education Library
For private study or research only.
Not for publication or further reproduction.

51