I recently read an article in the Journal of Children’s Literature by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop in which she reflects upon her work analyzing African American children’s literature. Over time, she finds a continuity in this literature and she mentions linkages other groups of color have made to the traditions she cites in analyzing their own stories. What are the traditional/classic children’s books from Asian American, Latino/a, Caribbean, Native American and African American authors? And who is writing books today that will be classics tomorrow?

The theme for the 2013 ALAN workshop is “40 Years of ALAN: Celebrating Great Books for Young Adults”– Presenters are encouraged to revisit time-honored classics of young adult literature as well as “future” classics. Books that deal with hard truths and books that deal with fantastical worlds are welcomed as well as provocative discussions about the authors who write them, the librarians who nurture them, the teachers who teach them and the students who read them. This workshop will be a celebration of the emergence of young adult literature – both fiction and non-fiction – as a driving historical, sociological, literary and contemporary force in today’s culture.

The proposal form can be found here.

All applicants must be ALAN members. Electronic  submission should be sent to Jeffrey.Kaplan@ucf.edu Proposals are due no later than midnight of Friday, January 11, 2013.

ALAN membership is currently $20 and rises to $30 in January.