This abstraction forced children to use their imagination. They weren't passively consuming an artist’s interpretation of what a girl looked like; they were identifying the character by their essential quality—their color or shape. This method taught semiotics to toddlers without them realizing it: a symbol (the red circle) can stand for an object (the girl).
Munari believed that books for children should not just teach morals but should teach visual literacy . He despised condescension. His books are tactile, typographical experiments. Cappuccetto Rosso, Verde, Giallo, Blu e Bianco (published originally in 1972 by Einaudi) is part of his series of "Tactile Workshops" and "Prelibri," where the physical form of the book and the use of color replace traditional narrative. munari cappuccetto rosso verde giallo blu e bianco pdf