Culturally authentic literature is widely recognized for its efficacy in developing children's multicultural awareness and intercultural understanding. Through systematic examination and analysis of 53 Children's picture books featuring China and its culture published in North America, this study investigated the extent to which the selected books…

To develop a love of reading in the young, teachers need rich repertoires of children's literature and other texts. However, the significance of this subject knowledge is rarely given the attention it deserves in policy, practice, or training contexts. This article, drawing on survey data from England and Finland, underlines these concerns. It…

In this study, I examined preschool storybook apps for the affordances they may provide for young children's vocabulary development. Specifically, I sought to understand (a) the degree to which storybook apps introduce new words, (b) the types of words children can learn, and (c) the degree to which digital enhancements align with new words in the…

During the 1960s a flurry of provocative publications sparked broader awareness and concern for the environment. In 1971, Dr. Seuss published "The Lorax" to communicate environmental concerns to young children. The book engages complex themes with rhythmic language and colorful artwork. For decades, the book has served as an early…

The work of the French illustrator and writer Gilles Bachelet has been recognised through numerous awards, but he is not yet sufficiently well known in the critical community. In this article, the multilevel humour that constructs his work is studied, both from an iconic and a textual perspective, as well as the situational humour and the humour…

Educators who take an inclusive, anti-ableist stance value human variation. Teaching in pursuit of anti-ableism requires open dialogue about aspects of human diversity, complex social identities, and the contributions of people with disabilities. In this column, we build from the rich work exploring ableism via children's literature in order to…

As we write this paper in late 2023, Advanced Placement (AP) Black history, psychology courses and the use of diverse literature written for children and young adults is being banned by many school districts across the United States. Educators are being threatened, sanctioned, reprimanded, and fired. Despite this, some teachers stand steadfast in…

Children's literature is an important pedagogical tool in early childhood classrooms as it provides opportunities for young readers to engage with texts and to see the world from multiple perspectives. Central to cultivating equitable early childhood learning experiences is utilizing children's literature with multiple representations of…

As more challenges occur to erase LGBTQ identities in the classroom, it is essential for educators to learn ways to become more inclusive. Using children's literature is a powerful way to include and center all identities. In this article, we share the journey and work of 1 s-grade teacher on a path to become more LGBTQ-inclusive with read-alouds.

Purpose: Early childhood and early elementary are key times when children develop internal and external antifat attitudes; thus, it is necessary to better understand the available children's literature around fatness. This paper aims to examine children's picture books with fat protagonists to better understand the current landscape of children's…

Carefully chosen picturebooks offer a developmentally appropriate medium for helping children understand even the most complex challenges. However, it may be difficult for teachers to find high-quality children's books for explaining multifaceted topics such as climate change. This study explores the contents of a set of picturebooks about climate…

In informational texts, when the identities of the narrators are inconsistent with the identities of the writers, can such text be classified as nonfiction? In this article, we examine the relationship between the writer and the narrator of informational nonfiction books in alignment with the ELA Common Core State Standards for reading in grades…

Children's books of Nazi propaganda prove that a society can venerate science to the point of making biology the organizing principle of its educational system yet nevertheless produce children's literature shot through with fabrication and falsehood. Three children's books of Nazi propaganda that are frequently mentioned in accounts of…

This paper investigates the visual and verbal representation of diversity in Australian early childhood picture books, focusing on those that have been shortlisted for the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Early Childhood Book of the Year award (2001-2020). Educators at all levels draw on award lists to help create their reading lists…

In this essay, we discuss how teachers and students can use children's literature and literature-based activities to intentionally foster hope. The previous years have proved to be challenging on many fronts. Teachers of all levels are focusing on ways to support academic development in an oft-shifting context. Drawing on research using…