Impact of Static and Animated eBook Illustrations on Children's Engagement, Enjoyment, and Information Recall

In an exploratory study, we investigated the effects of different types of illustrations on eBook reading engagement among children aged 11 to 12 years. We explored three distinct illustration styles: static (depicting significant events within the story), basic animated (animating story events), and focused animated (emphasizing specific elements or illustrating continuous change over time). Our findings suggest that animated illustrations, especially focused animated illustrations, enhance children's engagement, increase their confidence, and improve recall. Subjective feedback highlighted a strong preference for and greater enjoyment of stories featuring animated illustrations. The majority of children believed that animated illustrations would substantially improve their eBook reading experience.