The objective of the study was to establish the impact of illustration on the reading and interpreting of a poem in the case when only one illustration is provided with the text. The research study involved 408 students of the Faculty of Education and Faculty of Arts. The students were divided into two groups, of which one was given the poem Učenjak (Scholar) written by Niko Grafenauer and illustrated by Lidija Osterc, while the other had the same poem illustrated by Marjan Manček. Both groups had to answer a number of questions regarding personal traits of the literary character, his appearance and the environment he lives in. The results showed that the illustrations had a significant impact on the interpretation of the physical features of the literary character and the environment he is set in. This in turn affected the understanding of the message of the poem.

A Children’s Tale Made of Colours: Isabella e l’ombra by Antonio Tabucchi

Antonio Tabucchi is one of the most representative authors of contemporary Italian literature. His output includes a short story for children entitled Isabella e l’ombra, which was illustrated by Isabella Staino and to whom the story is dedicated. Instead of relying on words to write short texts at school, the main character, a little girl named Isabella, uses colours and explains their chromatic compositions to the teacher. Undoubtedly, the writer’s pedagogical intention behind this story is for young readers to understand that literary expression does not occur only by writing but also through images and colours that can transmit as many emotions as written texts do. Moreover, the text, which can be considered a Bildungsroman for children, touches upon some topics visible in other novels and stories by Tabucchi. This paper aims to analyse the way in which Tabucchi shares some of his existential ideas with a non-adult audience, particularly regarding the relationship between various forms of language, the symbolism of colours, the power of visual communication, and the importance of such feelings as sadness, affection, and generosity.