The value of the children’s literature received an excellence award from the Office of the Basic Education Commission from 2017 to 2022

Abstract

This documentary research carries out descriptive analysis intending to examine literary and social value attached in the books for children won an award of excellence from the Office of the Basic Education Commission from 2017 to 2022. In terms of figurative speech, this research study finds eight types of speech in the examined books as follows: (1) simile, (2) metaphor, (3) hyperbole, (4) symbol, (5) personification, (6) onomatopoeia, (7) rhetorical question, and (8) paradox. The percentage of these figures of speech are 10.05, 10.51, 8.88, 1.64, 43.93, 4.67, 18.22, and 2.10, respectively. Besides, this research study discovers three main social values in the books. First, the books give a concrete picture of society and culture; they indicate that Thai society is a society with monarchy, cultural diversity, and advanced knowledge of science and communication technology. Second, the books illustrate society and culture abstractly; they indicate that Thai society is a society with a belief in Buddhism, learning value, compassion, and gratitude. Third, the books indicate the notions of peaceful coexistence and environmental and nature conservation. These literary and social values show that the children’s literature received an excellence award serves the purpose of authoring books for children to promote linguistic development, as well as imagination and thinking skills, and broaden real-life and social experience through letters.