By Grace Enriquez How might you help to advance the field of children’s literature? The Children’s Literature Assembly Research Award can support your projects and inquiries by providing a grant of $1,000 for original research addressing significant questions related to the field of children's literature. No longer is the power of a children’s book relegated to the realms of libraries, classrooms, and home. The field of children’s and young literature has burgeoned over the past few decades, with everyone from celebrities and professional athletes to politicians and corporations weighing in o ..read more

Mary Ellen Oslick on behalf for the 2024 Bonnie Campbell Hill National Literacy Leader Award Committee We're excited to invite our NCTE member-leaders who are Classroom Teachers or Literacy Coaches or Teacher Educators to apply for the 2024 Bonnie Campbell Hill National Literacy Leader Award, with funding of $2,500, plus a $150 Heinemann grant. In the realm of literacy education, there are champions who go beyond the ordinary, imparting knowledge and igniting a love for learning. The Bonnie Campbell Hill National Literacy Leader Award celebrates excellence in literacy education as it makes a ..read more

By Fran Wilson, Patrick Andrus and Laura Hudock on behalf of the Notables Committee For 27 years dedicated members of the Children’s Literature Assembly have served on the seven-member committee tasked with selecting 30 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts (NCBLA). While enthusiastic summaries of each title on the annual NCBLA list have been a highlight for readers of the Journal of Children’s Literature and Language Arts as well as for session attendees at the annual National Council of Teachers of English conference and Tucson Festival of Books, in coming months the instructional po ..read more

By Oksana Lushchevska Oksana, we deeply apologize but we cannot let children out from the bomb shelter for the reading time. Today we have air raids one after another. “Oksana, we deeply apologize but we cannot let children out from the bomb shelter for the reading time. Today we have air raids one after another, ” messages the teacher to me the minute I sit down by the computer with children’s books in my hands still deciding which book might be better to read aloud to 2nd graders. I am ready to meet with kids via zoom, our read aloud is about to start. “We are sorry but it looks like we can ..read more

By Adam Crawley and Elizabeth Bemiss on behalf of the CLA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Committee We are living and navigating in troubling times. Across the country, educators (e.g., K-12 teachers, librarians, teacher educators, etc.) experience censorship of and challenges to texts that center historically marginalized races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and other ways of being. In several states (e.g., Florida, Georgia, Utah), legislation explicitly restricts such representations and discussions in K-12+ schools. Simultaneously, cities across the ..read more

By Callie Hammond, Jennifer Slagus, and Liz Thackeray Nelson The NCTE Annual Convention is always an excellent time to learn from and connect with other scholars and teachers. From the vast number of session, workshop, and keynote offerings, there is truly something for everyone. In this post, we highlight several reflections on the conference from current doctoral students and an early-career professor.  Callie Hammond Although I have been an English educator for nine years, the 2023 NCTE conference in Columbus was my first time attending. I can honestly say that it exceeded all of my wi ..read more

By Andrea M. Page and Jackie Marshall Arnold We invite you to the Children's Literature Assembly’s annual event at the 2023 NCTE Convention. Enjoy breakfast with our Keynote Speaker, award-winning author Traci Sorell. The breakfast is Sunday, November 19th, from 7:00am to 8:45am EST in Short North A of the Grand Columbus Convention Center.  This breakfast will be the highlight of your experience at NCTE. During the event, you will have time to engage with fellow Children’s Literature Assembly members. You can participate in a book raffle for an entire set of 2023 Notable Books. Or p ..read more

By Sara K. Sterner, Lisa Pinkerton, and Mary Ann Cappiello CLA Expert Class 2023:  Nodes of Literary Connection—How Culturally Diverse Imprints are Building Pathways for More Inclusive and Representative Children’s Literature | Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 5:45 PM - 7:00 PM EST (GCCC Room B-130-132) Starting in 1994, the Children’s Literature Assembly (CLA) has sponsored a Master Class at the annual NCTE Convention. This guaranteed session provides K-12 teachers and teacher educators, as well as other members of our organization, the opportunity to gain insight about the use o ..read more

By Mary Ann Cappiello & Xenia Hadjioannou on behalf of the Biography Clearinghouse Recently, the Biography Clearinghouse interviewed author Steve Sheinkin about his latest nonfiction book, Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe. Action-packed and filled with dramatic tension and intricate historical details, Sheinkin shares the experiences of Rudi Vrba and Greta Sidonová, two Jewish teenagers during World War II. While the full video interview and transcript are available on our website, covering a range of questions regarding Sheinkin’s research and writi ..read more

Barbara Zulant Kiefer  1944 - 2023 By Bettie Parsons Barger, Lisa Pinkerton, and Erin Reilly-Sanders What a privilege to have studied with Dr. Barbara Kiefer, our teacher and friend. People know Barbara for her work on the Caldecott Award Committees, establishing the Huck Award, co-editing NCTE’s Language Arts journal, advocating for Children’s Literature Assembly and other professional organizations, and writing Charlotte Huck’s Children’s Literature. Moreover, she taught us so much about children’s literature, making it real, and important, and human.  To honor her, we reache ..read more