The paper will review the history of the picture book from the very beginning of its creation to today. A historical overview of the picture book takes us back to the 17th century, and it gained real momentum in the 20th century, at a time of momentum of pedagogical children΄s literature. The first Croatian picture books were published in the 19th century and were created according to the pattern of textualization of the image. The picture book is the first book in children΄s hands and plays an important role in every child΄s life. That first children΄s textbook has countless functions and roles in the life of the young reader and the need is realized very aerly on for such reading material intended for children. The picture book function was incructive and fun as well and a very early awareness was developed that teaching a child should begin with a picture book. That consciousness has originated from religius frameworks and the first printed materials adapted to children were catechisms and biblical books that are considered the forerunners of the picture book. The picture book is a synergy of image and text as well, its more widerspread appearance comes in parallel whit the invention of the color printing press. The first Croatian picture books have not been preserved, so it is difficult to determine the exact year of its apperance in Croatia, but it is known that the first Croatian picture book were valuable and rare toys with exclusively an educational role.