National Center for the Study of Children's Literature (NCSCL) News

2006-2007 Academic Year:

• Job Announcement

OPEN RANK Professor of English and Comparative Literature: Tenure-track specialist in Children's Literature, desirable secondary specialization in Folklore, with distinguished teaching experience and publications to teach undergraduate as well as graduate courses. Ph.D. in English or Comparative Literature in a relevant field preferred. The successful candidate should have demonstrated significant teaching excellence and the ability to work with a diverse student population and be willing to commit time to department and university service, especially working with graduate students. Relevant previous and substantial current publications demonstrating expertise and research interest in these areas are required. Send applications to include cover letter, CV, and dossier (letters of recommendation and official or unofficial transcripts) to Sherry Burgus Little, Chair, Department of English and Comparative Literature, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-8140. Explain in cover letter how expertise in relevant areas is demonstrated by teaching experience and publications. Review of applications will begin October 16, 2006. Applications should be postmarked by Monday, November 6, 2006. We particularly seek candidates who mirror the diversity of the university and its surrounding urban community. SDSU is a Title IX, Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age disability or veteran status, including veterans of the Vietnam era.

2005-2006 Academic Year:

• Award-winning author Francisco Jiménez gave a free and public talk in Smith Recital Hall on the SDSU campus on March 29 2006 at 7:00 pm. Jiménez's talk launches the new Latino/a children's authors series that the Center for Latin American Studies and National Center for the Study of Children's Literature have jointly organized. Jiménez is the author of two autobiographical works, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child and Breaking Through, as well as two illustrated books, La Mariposa and The Christmas Gift. His talk is titled "Making Connections Across Borders: The Discovery of Self, Purpose, and Place through Writing." For more information on his visit click here. During his visit, Jimenez was interviewed on KPBS. Click here to see a photo and listen to the interview. (posted 3/27/06)

• Antone Minard worked as part of an international team of scholars on Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia, edited by John T. Koch. Professor Minard contributing 80 articles and worked as editorial assistant on the five volume work. (posted 1/17/06)

• Alida Allison and Peter Neumeyer recommend Christmas Holiday children's books in an interview on the radio program "These Days." To hear their interview, click HERE.

• Children's book author and SDSU Professor Emeritus Peter Neumeyer discussed " The Annotated Charlotte's Web, Revisited" on November 16 during a free lecture at the San Diego State University Library. For more information, click HERE.

• In a radio interview, Antone Minard discusses the new and controversial movie Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and C.S. Lewis, the author of the book series on which the film is based. To hear his remarks, click HERE.
  (posted 12/05)

• Peter Neumeyer's "My 10 Favorite Children's Books" recently appeared in Parents' Choice. Click HERE to read his list.
  (posted 11/05)

• Dr. Mary Galbraith is serving on the doctoral committee of Wan-Hsiang Chou who is studying for the Ph.D. in Language and Literacy Education at Pennsylvania State University. On the faculty at SDSU, Dr. Galbraith is an expert on the understanding of Children's Literature by means of "attachment theory"-which posits childhood needs for adult presence, warmth, and protection and examines what children do to survive psychically when these are not provided. Chou sought out Dr. Galbraith for her doctoral committee after having read and been impressed by Galbraith's essay on bedtime stories ("'Goodnight Nobody' Revisited") in the Children Literature Association Quarterly (volume 23.4, 1999). (posted 10/05)

• Professor Alida Allison comments on the strange ways Cinderella has become a Material Girl in Jodi Kantor's recent article on the fairy-tale maiden in the New York Times ("Love the Riches, Lose the Rags"; November 3, 2005). Click HERE to read the article.

• In October, 2005 Carole Scott, professor of English and Comparative Literature, and the late Millicent Lenz's collaborative study of author Philip Pullman's high fantasies was published by Wayne State University Press. For more information on her work with the Children's Literature Program, and her new publication, His Dark Materials Illuminated: Critical Essays on Philip Pullman's Trilogy, click HERE. (posted 10/05)

• Volunteers are sought to read on a weekly basis with children who may not have an adult reader at home. This literacy program is sponsored by the Rotary Club in partnership with Birney Elementary School in Hillcrest. Those interested should contact Don Taylor at (619)-516-3632. (posted 10/05)

• Professor Jerry Farber discusses his "10 Favorite Children's Books (Plus 10)" in the recent issue of Parents' Choice. Click HERE to read the article. (posted 10/05)

• Librarian Linda Salem has recently published "Children's Literature Studies. Cases and Discussions." To read more, click HERE. (posted 10/05)

• In honor of banned books week (the last week of September), several faculty contributed to an article in the SDSUniverse about various children's books and authors who have been challenged or censored and why they are important to read. To read the article, click HERE.

• Professor Jerry Griswold's book "The Meanings of 'Beauty and the Beast'" has been selected as a finalist in the Mythpoetic Society's Scholarship Award for Myth and Fantasy Studies. To read the full story, click HERE.

• Peter Neumeyer, SDSU professor emeritus, won the Children's Literature Association's Anne Deveraux Jordan Award this year. The award was presented this past June at the ChLA convention in Winnipeg. To read more about this honor and Neumeyer's long career, click HERE.

• Read about the establishment of the Ray Sabin and A.K. Jones Endowed Professorship in Children's Literature at SDSU in the May 2005 edition of the University Advancement e-newsletter: http://advancement.sdsu.edu/advancements/index.htm

2004-2005 Academic Year:

During the 2004 - 2005 academic year, the NCSCL continued working towards its goals by reaching out to both teachers and children's literature scholars. The center worked to advance the field of study in children's literature through continuing education workshops, radio interviews about current events, and courses and seminars for teachers including the following:

• Several faculty were interviewed on the KPBS Program These Days, hosted by Tom Fudge:
  • On March 28, 2005 Professor Jerry Griswold spoke about fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen's life and writings in honor of the 200th anniversary of Andersen's birth. To hear his interview, click HERE.
  • Professor Alida Allison participated in a program on children's theater, literature and film on April 6, 2005. To hear her interview, click HERE.
  • The Harry Potter Hype: Professor June Cummins discussed J.K. Rowling's latest book, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which came out in bookstores on July 16, 2005. To hear her interview, click HERE.
  • Professor Mary Galbraith spoke about the new film "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and about the book's author, Roald Dahl. To listen to the July 21, 2005interview, click HERE.

• Fulbright Program: The National Center for Children's Literature was proud to host Anto Thomas Chakramakkil, a Fulbright Scholar from India. To read more about his work with the Children's Literature faculty, click HERE.

• Pippi Longstocking Week. For more information, click HERE.

2003-2004 Academic Year:

• An article published in the SDSUniverse on January 29, 2004 describes the importance of Children's Literature, and provides information on the Master of Arts Specialization in Children's Literature. Click the link below to read the article. http://www.sdsuniverse.info/info_content.asp?id=13370

• The Summer 2003 edition of SDSU's 360 Magazine featured an article on the Children's Literature Program. Click HERE to read the pdf version.