Hafizhah Rahmiati Auliya, Octavian Muning Sayekti, Setiawan Edi Wibowo, Sari Rakhmawati, Lilis Suryani, Theresa Dwita Haliem
Picture books are widely used in primary education, yet their overall effectiveness has rarely been quantified. This meta-analysis synthesized evidence from 20 studies (88 effect sizes; N = 2145) to examine the impact of picture book-based interventions on literacy, language, and vocabulary outcomes, while testing study-, intervention-, learner-, and outcome-level moderators. A Three-level meta-analysis showed a moderate pooled effect (Hedges’ g = 0.71, 95% CI [0.31, 1.12], p =.0005) with high heterogeneity (I2 ≈ 66%) and indications of Publication bias. Moderator analysis found stronger effects among fifth-grade students (g = 3.56) and for Scientific literacy outcomes (g = 3.21), though these were based on small subsamples and should be interpreted cautiously. Findings support Multimodal learning and Dual Coding Theory, and highlight picture books as a flexible, context-sensitive tool for enhancing literacy, warranting broader integration into curricula and teacher training. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2026.
Elementary Education, Faculty of Education, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Department of Elementary Education, Faculty of Education, Yogyakarta State University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
