CFP: Teaching Children's Literature to Undergraduates

Philip Smith Discussion

Children's Literature has been taught in undergraduate classrooms since at least the early 1970s and has grown to become a staple of English literature programs. Children's literature classes are typically among the most popular English lit course offerings and often draw in students from other disciplines. It is easy to understand why; children's literature classes promise students the opportunity to revisit familiar works with fresh eyes. With the rise of children's book purchases in the midst of the pandemic, and the celebration of books such as Bruce Handy's Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult (2017), the popularity of the discipline is unlikely to abate. At the same time, shifting student demographics and expectations, the publication of new works of children's literature, as well as the challenges and opportunities of online teaching, make teaching children's literature to undergraduates a dynamic and evolving space. Drs. Stephanie J. Weaver and Philip Smith invite proposals for review for an edited collection on teaching children's literature to undergraduates, with children's literature defined as works for early teen and younger audiences. Approaches may include but are not limited to: 

 

Teaching Guides 

Pedagogical-based arguments 

Theory-based arguments

Arguments concerning the role of Children's Literature in the Contemporary English classroom 

Case Studies

 

We seek to work with scholars from a range of institutional affiliations, nationalities, and career stages. We particularly encourage submissions from scholars who belong to groups, or contribute scholastically to the literature of groups that are often underrepresented within academia due to race, nationality, ethnicity, gender identity, disability, or other protected characteristics.

 

Abstracts of 500 words or less along with a CV can be submitted to teachingchildrensliteditorial@gmail.com before March 31, 2021. Upon preliminary acceptance, the deadline for paper submission will be September 30, 2021.