dilemma

All of my research so far falls into two distinct categories. One is based on how fiction influences our beliefs and has impacted on society. I have really enjoyed researching this subject but have had trouble finding studies related directly to illustration. I would like to illustrate children's books so fiction and narratives are very much related to my practice but I would like to research a subject that can inform my illustrations rather than the subjects I base my work on. The other side of my research has been based on how illustrations or images in general influence us, why they are useful and how they can be used. So far my problem with this has been that the majority of studies and professionals writing about this have been concentrating on graphic design and marketing. I have just bought a book that could be very useful as a way to bridge the gap between these two areas of research (Visualisation in Popular Fiction 1860-1960). I am hoping that this book can provide me with new avenues of research that connect illustration and narrative and what can be achieved by using the two together effectively.