LibGuides: Children's Literature Studies: Disruption & Changework

Moments & Movements in Youth Literature: An Ongoing Timeline of Changework

Graphic created by Jewel Davis with a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Timeline PDF & Google Slide (make copy to edit)

Exploring Counter-Narratives & Critical Lenses

A selection of scholarship on racialized identities and experiences in youth literature.

Race Capshaw, Katherine. "Race." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Phillip Nel et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 164-168.
From The Brownies’ Book to Black Lives Matter (The Lion & the Unicorn special issue) This issue of The Lion and the Unicorn pays homage to The Brownies’ Book magazine, initiated one hundred years ago by the editors of Crisis magazine.
REIYL and International Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity in Youth Literature (The Lion & the Unicorn special issue) This special issue, which is intended to showcase some of the work inspired by the REIYL conference and the conversations held since, includes essays and reflections from an author, a bookseller, and emerging scholars in an exciting microcosmic offering of the larger book community.
The Social Mind: Using Drama to Walk through Racism in Out of Darkness Enciso, Patricia E., Nithya Sivashankar, and Sarah Bradford Fletcher. "The Social Mind: Using Drama to Walk through Racism in Out of Darkness." Engaging with Multicultural YA Literature in the Secondary Classroom. Routledge, 2019, pp. 22-31.
“We Need Diverse Books”: Diversity, Activism, and Children’s Literature Dahlen, Sarah Park. "“We Need Diverse Books”: Diversity, Activism, and Children’s Literature." Literary cultures and twenty-first-century childhoods. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2020, pp. 83-108.
Unsettling Representations of Identities: A Critical Review of Diverse Youth Literature Durand, E., and Marilisa Jiménez-García. "Unsettling representations of identities: A critical review of diverse youth literature." Research on Diversity in Youth Literature, vol 1, no. 1, 2018.
Black Critical Theory in Children's Literary Analysis: Why It Matters Price Gardner, Roberta. “Black Critical Theory in Children's Literary Analysis: Why It Matters.” A Companion to Children's Literature, edited by Karen Coats et al., Wiley, Hoboken, NJ, 2022, pp. 299–313.
Much Ado About A Fine Dessert: The Cultural Politics of Representing Slavery in Children’s Literature Thomas, Ebony Elizabeth, Debbie Reese, and Kathleen T. Horning. "Much ado about A Fine Dessert: The cultural politics of representing slavery in children’s literature." Journal of Children’s Literature, vol. 42, no. 2, 2016, pp. 6-17.
Alterity and Innocence: The Hunger Games, Rue, and Black Girl Adultification Toliver, Stephanie R. "Alterity and innocence: The hunger games, Rue, and Black girl adultification." Journal of Children's Literature, vol. 44, no. 2, 2018, pp. 4-15.
Young Adult Literature for Black Lives: Critical and Storytelling Traditions from the African Diaspora Thomas, Ebony Elizabeth. "Young Adult Literature for Black Lives: Critical and Storytelling Traditions from the African Diaspora." The International Journal of Young Adult Literature, vol 1, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-15.
“But This Story of Mine Is Not Unique”: A Review of Research on African American Children’s Literature Brooks, Wanda, and Jonda C. McNair. "“But this story of mine is not unique”: A review of research on African American children’s literature." Review of Educational Research, vol 79, no. 1, 2009, pp. 125-162.
Parties, Pranks, and Privilege: Reading Looking for Alaska Through the Lens of Critical Whiteness Sams, Brandon, and Ashley S. Boyd. “Parties, Pranks, and Privilege: Reading Looking for Alaska Through the Lens of Critical Whiteness.” Critical Explorations of Young Adult Literature: Identifying and Critiquing the Canon, edited by Victor Malo-Juvera and Crag Hill, Routledge, New York, NY, 2019, pp. 202–214.

A selection of scholarship on Indigenous identities and experiences in youth literature.

Indigenous Sinclair, Niigaanwewidam James. "Indigenous." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Phillip Nel et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 102-105. MLA 9th Edition (Modern Language Assoc.) Philip Nel, et al. Keywords for Children’s Literature, Second Edition. NYU Press, 2021. APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.) Philip Nel, Lissa Paul, & Nina Christensen. (2021). Keywords for Children’s Literature, Second Edition: Vol. Second edition. NYU Press.
Lecture: An Indigenous Critique of Whiteness in Children’s Literature Reese, Debbie. "Lecture: An Indigenous Critique of Whiteness in Children’s Literature." Children and Libraries, vol. 17, no. 3, 2019, pp. 3-11.
He called their namesakes, the animals, from each direction": Kinship and Animals in Indigenous Children's Literature Harde, Roxanne. "“He called their namesakes, the animals, from each direction”: Kinship and Animals in Indigenous Children’s Literature." Children's Literature Association Quarterly, vol. 46 no. 3, 2021, p. 230-243.
Rights of Indigenous Children: Reading Children’s Literature through an Indigenous Knowledges Lens Peterson, Shelley Stagg, and Red Bear Robinson. “Rights of Indigenous Children: Reading Children’s Literature through an Indigenous Knowledges Lens.” Education Sciences, vol. 10, no. 10, Oct. 2020, pp. 1-14
Transformation and Collaboration in the Paratexts of Australian Indigenous Children's Literature Daozhi, Xu. "Transformation and collaboration in the paratexts of Australian Indigenous children's literature." Antipodes, vol. 30, no. 2, Dec. 2016, pp. 379–91.
Stories of the Ainu: The Oldest Indigenous People in Japanese Children's Literature Yoo Kyung Sung, and Junko Sakoi. “Stories of the Ainu: The Oldest Indigenous People in Japanese Children’s Literature.” Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature, vol. 55, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 4–13.
The Trouble with the Town: Reading for Peoplehood in Métis Children’s Literature Adese, Jennifer. “The Trouble with the Town: Reading for Peoplehood in Métis Children’s Literature.” University of Toronto Quarterly, vol. 89, no. 1, Winter 2020, pp. 107–25.
Spirits in the Material World: Ecocentrism in Native American Culture and Louise Erdrich’s Chickadee Chang, Li-ping. “Spirits in the Material World: Ecocentrism in Native American Culture and Louise Erdrich’s Chickadee.” Children’s Literature in Education: An International Quarterly, vol. 47, no. 2, June 2016, pp. 148–60.

Self-Determined Stories by Mandy Suhr-Sytsma

A selection of scholarship on immigrant and diaspora identities and experiences in youth literature.

Migration, Refugees, and Diaspora in Children's Literature (ChLAQ special issue) This special issue is about displacement—voluntary, involuntary, cultural, emotional, geographical—and its effects on children.
Diaspora Martin, Michelle and McDaniel, B.J. "Diaspora." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Philip Nel, et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 54-56.
Not American Enough: African Diaspora, Unfinished Migrations, and Transnational Children’s Literature Teague, Latoya. “Not American Enough: African Diaspora, Unfinished Migrations, and Transnational Children’s Literature.” Journal of Children’s Literature, vol. 47, no. 2, Sept. 2021, pp. 35–47.
‘So What Am I Supposed to Do Now?’: Border Crossing in American Born Chinese Scherff, Lisa. “‘So What Am I Supposed to Do Now?’: Border Crossing in American Born Chinese.” Critical Explorations of Young Adult Literature: Identifying and Critiquing the Canon, edited by Victor Malo-Juvera and Crag Hill, Routledge, New York, NY, 2019, pp. 230–243.
National Identity in a Multicultural Society: Malaysian Children’s Literature in English Desai, Christina M. “National Identity in a Multicultural Society: Malaysian Children’s Literature in English.” Children’s Literature in Education, vol. 37, no. 2, June 2006, pp. 163–84.
National Identity. Where the Wild, Strange and Exotic Things Are: In Search of the Caribbean in Contemporary Children’s Literature Lazú, Jacqueline. “National Identity: Where the Wild, Strange and Exotic Things Are: In Search of the Caribbean in Contemporary Children’s Literature.” Children’s Literature: New Approaches, edited by Karín Lesnik-Oberstein, Palgrave Macmillan, 2004, pp. 189–205.
Postwar Images: Japanese Ideologies of National Identity in Picturebooks Sakoi, Junko, and Yoo Kyung Sung. "Postwar Images: Japanese Ideologies of National Identity in Picturebooks." Critical Content Analysis of Visual Images in Books for Young People. Routledge, 2019. 190-207.
Postcolonial Bradford, Clare. "Postcolonial." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Phillip Nel et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 151-153.
Empire and Children’s Literature: Changing Patterns of Cross-Cultural Perspective Randall, Don. “Empire and Children’s Literature: Changing Patterns of Cross-Cultural Perspective.” Children’s Literature in Education, vol. 41, no. 1, Mar. 2010, pp. 28–39.
Transnational Arizpe, Evelyn. "Transnational." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Phillip Nel et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 187-190. MLA 9th Edition (Modern Language Assoc.) Philip Nel, et al. Keywords for Children’s Literature, Second Edition. NYU Press, 2021. APA 7th Edition (American Psychological Assoc.) Philip Nel, Lissa Paul, & Nina Christensen. (2021). Keywords for Children’s Literature, Second Edition: Vol. Second edition. NYU Press.

The Nation in Children's Literature (ebook) by Kit Kelen (Editor); Björn Sundmark (Editor) This book explores the meaning of nation or nationalism in children's literature and how it constructs and represents different national experiences.
Side by Side US Empire, Puerto Rico, and the Roots of American Youth Literature and Culture (ebook) by Marilisa Jiménez García; Sonia Nieto (Foreword by) This text focuses on the contributions of the Puerto Rican community to American youth, approaching Latinx literature as a transnational space that provides a critical lens for examining the lingering consequences of US and Spanish colonialism for US communities of color.

A selection of scholarship on trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive identities and experiences in youth literature.

Gender Marshall, Elizabeth. "Gender." Keywords for Childrens Literature, edited by Phillip Nel et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 81-84.
Trans Mason, Derritt. "Trans." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Phillip Nel et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 181-183.
"Being trans brings me love": Transgender and Gender Expansive Representation in Young Adult Novels as Counter Narratives (Dissertation) Davis, Esther. "being Trans Brings Me Love": Transgender and Gender Expansive Representation In Young Adult Novels As Counter Narratives. 2021.
The Manic Pixie Dream Girl in US YA Fiction: Introducing a Narrative Model Gouck, Jennifer. "The Manic Pixie Dream Girl in US YA Fiction: Introducing a Narrative Model." The International Journal of Young Adult Literature, vol. 2, no.1, Nov. 2021, pp. 1-20.
Transgender Books in Transgender Packages: The Peritextual Materials of Young Adult Fiction Corbett, Emily. "Transgender Books in Transgender Packages: The peritextual materials of young adult fiction." International Journal of Young Adult Literature, vol. 1, no. 1, Nov. 2020, pp. 1-25.
From Painters to Pirates: A Study of Non-Binary Protagonists in Young Adult Fiction Henderson, Alex. "From Painters to Pirates: A Study of Non-Binary Protagonists in Young Adult Fiction." The International Journal of Young Adult Literature, vol. 3, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1-25.
Girl-Animal Metamorphoses: Voice, Choice, and (Material) Agency of the Transforming Female Body in Young Adult Literature Viswanath, Tharini. "Girl-Animal Metamorphoses: Voice, Choice, and (Material) Agency of the Transforming Female Body in Young Adult Literature." Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures, vol. 11, no. 1, 2019, pp. 112-138.
Gender in Children’s Literature: Through or Beyond Conventions? Politis, Dimitrios. "Gender in Children’s Literature: Through or Beyond Conventions?." Advances in Literary Study, vol. 10, no. 2, 2022, pp. 129-140.
A Critical Reading of Gender Construction in Malaysian Children's Literature Nair, Ramesh, and Talif Rosli. "A critical reading of gender construction in Malaysian children's literature: How linguistic structures convey deep-rooted gender messages for young children." English Today, vol. 29, no. 4, 2013, pp. 37-44.
LGBTQ+ YA By the Numbers Statistical analyses by author Malinda Lo of queer young adult books.

Keywords for Gender and Sexuality Studies (ebook) by The Keywords Feminist Editorial Collective (Editor) This book deepens analyses of the relationships among race, gender, sexuality, nation, ability, and political economy by foregrounding justice-oriented intersectional movements and scholarship.
Gender(ed) Identities (ebook) by Tricia Clasen (Editor); Holly Hassel (Editor) This volume brings together diverse, cross-disciplinary scholarly voices to examine gender construction in children's and young adult literature.
Death, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Adolescent Literature (ebook) by Kathryn James Focusing on texts produced since the late-1980s, and drawing on a range of theoretical perspectives, this text shows how representations of death in young adult literature are invariably associated with issues of sexuality, gender, and power.

A selection of scholarship on disabled identities and experiences in youth literature.

Disability and Children’s Literature (ChLAQ special issue) This special issue considers the intersections of disability studies and children's literature studies.
Disability Markotić, Nicole. "Disability." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Philip Nel, et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 60-63.
Contesting Representations of Disabled Children in Picture-Books: Visibility, the Body and the Social Model of Disability Matthews, Nicole. “Contesting Representations of Disabled Children in Picture-Books: Visibility, the Body and the Social Model of Disability.” Children’s Geographies, vol. 7, no. 1, Feb. 2009, pp. 37–49.
The Politics of Di/Visibility: Narrative Positioning and Disability Representation in Children’s Literature (Dissertation) Lancrenon, Agathe. The Politics of Di/Visibility: Narrative Positioning and Disability Representation in Children’s Literature. Diss. Illinois State University, 2021.
The Paratextual Labeling of Autistic-Authored YA Fiction as #OwnVoices: How YA Literary Culture Creates Space for Neurodivergent Authorship Abad, Jason Michael. “The Paratextual Labeling of Autistic-Authored YA Fiction as #OwnVoices: How YA Literary Culture Creates Space for Neurodivergent Authorship.” Disability Studies Quarterly (DSQ), vol. 41, no. 2, 2021.
What Disability Studies Can Do for Children's Literature Saunders, Kathy, Kings Lynn, and U. K. Norfolk. "What disability studies can do for children's literature." Disability Studies Quarterly, vol. 24, no. 1, 2004, pp. .
The Changing Treatment of Disability in Children's Literature in India Debroy, Dipavali. “The Changing Treatment of Disability in Children’s Literature in India.” Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature, vol. 56, no. 4, 2018, pp. 14–21.

Keywords for Disability Studies (ebook) by Rachel Adams (Ed); Benjamin Reiss (Ed); David Serlin (Ed) Keywords for Disability Studies aims to broaden and define the conceptual framework of disability studies for readers and practitioners in the field and beyond.
From Wallflowers to Bulletproof Families: The Power of Disability in Young Adult Narratives by Abbye E. Meyer This text examines different ways authors use and portray disability in literature. She demonstrates how narratives about and for young adults differ from the norm.
Call Number: PN56.5.H35 M49 2022 (Simmons Authors Collection - Library Reading Room)

A selection of scholarship on queer identities and experiences in youth literature.

Queer Mallan, Kerry. "Queer." Keywords for Children's Literature, edited by Phillip Nel et al., NYU Press, 2021, pp. 161-163.
LGBTQ+ YA By the Numbers Statistical analyses by author Malinda Lo of queer young adult books.
From Alice to Alana: Sexualities and Children's Cultures in the Twenty-First Century Weldy, Lance and Thomas Crisp. "From Alice to Alana: Sexualities and Children's Cultures in the Twenty-First Century." Children's Literature Association Quarterly, vol. 37 no. 4, 2012, p. 367-373.
Digging in to the Alphabet Soup: Exploring Trends and Embracing Change in LGBTQ+ YA Literature Bittner, Robert. "Digging in to the alphabet soup: exploring trends and embracing change in LGBTQ+ YA Literature." Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures, vol. 11, no. 1, 2019, pp. 179-183.
Beyond the Binary: Queer (Im)possibilities of Bisexual Desires in Selected US Young Adult Novels Spencer, Carrie. "Beyond the Binary: Queer (Im) possibilities of Bisexual Desires in Selected US Young Adult Novels." The International Journal of Young Adult Literature, vol. 3, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1-21.
Asexuality and the Potential of Young Adult Literature for Disrupting Allonormativity Kennon, Patricia. "Asexuality and the potential of young adult literature for disrupting allonormativity." The International Journal of Young Adult Literature, vol. 2, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-24.
Queer Theory’s Child and Children’s Literature Studies Kidd, Kenneth. "Queer Theory's Child and Children's Literature Studies." pmla, vol. 126, no. 1, 2011, pp. 182-188.
Homonormativity in Children's Literature: An Intersectional Analysis of Queer-Themed Picture Books Lester, Jasmine Z. “Homonormativity in Children’s Literature: An Intersectional Analysis of Queer-Themed Picture Books.” Journal of LGBT Youth, vol. 11, no. 3, July 2014, pp. 244–75.

Curiouser: On the Queerness of Children by Steven Bruhm; Natasha Hurley (Contribution by) This text explores the dominant narrative about children and what happens when it takes an unexpected, or queer, turn—when the stories of childhood must confront a child whose play does not conform to the ideal of child (a)sexuality.
Call Number: HQ784.S45 C87 2004
Sexuality in Literature for Children and Young Adults (ebook) by Paul Venzo (Editor); Kristine Moruzi (Editor) In this collection, new and established scholars examine how fiction and non-fiction writing, picture books, film and television and graphic novels position young people in relation to ideologies around sexuality, sexual identity, and embodiment.
Queer Anxieties of Young Adult Literature and Culture (ebook) by Derritt Mason This text considers emergent questions of queer youth representation through a range of popular media, including an assortment of young adult books; Caper in the Castro, the first-ever queer video game; online fan communities; and popular television series Glee and Big Mouth.
The Transformative Potential of LGBTQ+ Children's Picture Books (ebook) by Jennifer Miller This text identifies an archive of over 150 English-language children’s picture books that explicitly represent LGBTQ+ identities, expressions, and issues. This archive is then analyzed to explore the evolution of LGBTQ+ characters and content from the 1970s to the present.
Innocence, Heterosexuality, and the Queerness (ebook) of Children's Literature by Tison Pugh This text examines distinguished classics of children's literature both old and new to explore the queer tensions between innocence and heterosexuality within their pages.

Diversity in Newbery MedalWinning Titles: A Content Analysis Koss, Melanie D., and Kathleen A. Paciga. "Diversity in Newbery Medal-Winning Titles: A Content Analysis." Journal of Language and Literacy Education, vol. 16, no. 2, 2020, pp. 1-38.
Exploring Racial Diversity in Caldecott Medal-Winning and Honor Books (Thesis) Moffett, Angela. Exploring racial diversity in Caldecott Medal-winning and honor books. San José State University, Thesis, 2016.
A Statistical Analysis of Diversity in the Printz Awards Dubroc, Anita. "A Statistical Analysis of Diversity in the Printz Awards." Research Issues in Contemporary Education, vol. 5, no. 1, 2020, pp. 51-64.
Pura Belpré Award by the Numbers (Horn Book)
Already on the Shelf: Queer Readings of Award-Winning Children’s Literature Ryan, Caitlin L., and Jill M. Hermann-Wilmarth. "Already on the shelf: Queer readings of award-winning children’s literature." Journal of Literacy Research, vol. 45, no. 2, 2013, pp. 142-172.

A selection of public scholarship, scholars' counterstorytelling, and other thoughtwork.

The Allies of Whiteness Zakaria, Rafia. “The Allies of Whiteness.” The Baffler, 19 June 2020, https://thebaffler.com/alienated/the-allies-of-whiteness-zakaria.
Black in Kidlit. Thomas, Ebony Elizabeth. “Black in Kidlit Thursday.” A Year of Thursdays, 4 June 2020, https://www.ebonyelizabeththomas.com/blog/black-in-kidlit-thursday-d4k9a. Accessed 29 Nov. 2021.
Children’s Books: Still an All-White World? Horning, Kathleen T. “Children’s Books: Still an All-White World?” School Library Journal, 1 May 2014, https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=childrens-books-still-an-all-white-world.
The Overwhelmingly White, Straight, and Able Face of Children's Literature Jimenez, Laura M. "The Overwhelmingly White, Straight, and Able Face of Children's Literature." Michigan Reading Journal, vol. 51, no. 1, 2018, pp. 64-69.
A Conversation with Literary Agents on Diversity and Inclusion Low, Jason. “A Conversation with Literary Agents on Diversity and Inclusion.” The Horn Book, Media Source, Inc., 17 Dec. 2020, https://www.hbook.com/story/articlesopinion/conversation-with-literary-agents-on-diversity-and-inclusion.
Decolonizing Nostalgia: When Historical Fiction Betrays Readers of Color Gómez, Sarah Hannah. “Decolonizing Nostalgia: When Historical Fiction Betrays Readers of Color.” The Horn Book, Media Source, Inc., 25 Oct. 2015, https://www.hbook.com/story/articlesopinion/decolonizing-nostalgia-when-historical-fiction-betrays-readers-of-color.
A Different Drum: Native American Writing Smith, Cynthia Leitich. “A Different Drum: Native American Writing.” Horn Book Magazine, vol. 78, no. 4, July 2002, pp. 409–12.
Grief Can Transform Us and Our Stories McDaniel, B.J. “Grief Can Transform Us and Our Stories.” School Library Journal, Media Source, Inc., 20 Aug. 2021, https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=grief-can-transform-us-and-our-stories-picture-books.
Kyle Lukeoff 2022 Stonewall Acceptance Speech Lukeoff, Kyle. "My Stonewall Award speech, June 27th 2022." Kyle Lukeoff Blog, 29 June 2022, http://www.kylelukoff.com/blog-1/2022/6/29/my-stonewall-award-speech-june-27th-2022.
Let the Church Say Amen Part II McDaniel, Breanna J. “Let the Church Say Amen Part II.” Breanna J. McDaniel, 6 June 2020, http://breannajmcdaniel.com/let-the-church-say-amen-part-ii/. Accessed 29 Nov. 2021.
On Mirrors, Windows, and Telescopes Toliver, Stephanie R. “On Mirrors, Windows, and Telescopes.” Council Chronicle, vol. 31, no. 1, Sept. 2021, pp. 29–30., https://doi.org/https://library.ncte.org/journals/CC/issues/v31-1/31377.
The Struggle Continues: How the Endings of Children’s Literature Create False Narratives of Social Movements Kellogg, Makai. “The Struggle Continues: How the Endings of Children's Literature Create False Narratives of Social Movements.” Social Justice Books, 4 Apr. 2019, https://socialjusticebooks.org/the-struggle-continues/.
When Whiteness Dominates Reviews Horning, K.T. “When Whiteness Dominates Reviews.” Reading While White, 25 July 2016, http://readingwhilewhite.blogspot.com/2016/07/when-whiteness-dominates-reviews.html
Diversity as Evolutionary in Children’s Literature: The Blog Effect Campbell, Edith. "Diversity As Evolutionary in Children’s Literature: The Blog Effect." Children and Libraries, vol. 15, no. 3, 2017, pp. 9-13.