Children's Literature Association
Encyclopedia
The Children's Literature Association (ChLA) is a non-profit scholarly association dedicated to studying children's literature. Begun in the 1970s to generate interest in children's literature as an academic discipline and to provide a place for those studying children's literature to share ideas, the association spawned an annual conference, a scholarly journal, and a series of awards. The association has also published a series of essays, Touchstones, attempting to establish a canon
of children's literature.
in 1973, "To many humanists...in languages, philosophy, psychology, sociology, anthropology, or history, the most embarrassing literature to study is not about autoeroticism or cunnilingus. On such works scholars pride themselves on their broadmindedness. What truly embarrasses them is literature for their own children—'kiddy lit,' they call it." On 20 August 1973, Jordan, Stott, Butler, Bennet Brockman, Glenn Sadler, and John Graham had a meeting to formally found the association, and unite the association and the journal (final board member, Rodney Morissett was unable to attend). As a result, the Children's Literature Association had its first conference the following March. By this time, there was a Board of Directors and a constitution was approved at the conference. Jordan served as the Executive Secretary and conference organizer of the organization until spring of 1976. Jordan subsequently sent out a newsletter to the approximately 200 members. Membership doubled the following year.
, "which would provide common texts for shared dialogue and curricula and presumably position the field within canonical strata of academic privilege". By 1980, a committee whose responsibility it was to formulate this canon, which consisted of two English professors, two librarians from a public school and one librarian from a public library, presented a panel discussion on the issues surrounding the development of the canon. The committee members had a variety of different views on the structure of the canon, for example, whether the list should reflect "literary excellence and/or historic significance". The librarians in particular suggested popular titles, arguing that the association must listen to the opinions of child readers. Scholar Perry Nodelman responded to the panel in the following Children’s Literature Association Quarterly issue, describing the process as "an undemocratic but praiseworthy endeavor" where "some books are more important than others". He also explained how providing a rationale for the list was crucial.
The final list was published in 1982–83 as a pamphlet and consisted of 63 titles. It met with a hostile reception, so a revised version was presented as a series of "touchstones
" (inspired by Matthew Arnold
's description of a work as a benchmark). Nodelman edited the revised project, entitled Touchstones, and defended this method in his introduction, explaining that teachers need a set of books to go to when teaching a course for the first time and these books are those "beside which we may place other children's books in order to make judgments about their excellence". He explains that "a touchstone has to be unconventional enough to draw attention to itself, to cause controversy, perhaps to encourage imitators." He contends that the list is a way to "open discussion" about children’s literature.
Each of the titles in the series includes a scholarly essay that aims to provide "a clearer, deeper sense of the best in children's books, and all the strength and joy to be drawn from them". The essays grapple with the question of why the particular work is canonical using a range of critical approaches: feminist criticism
, reader-response criticism
, archetypal studies
, and rhetorical criticism
, among others. The three volumes are divided by genre: fiction, fairy tales, fables, myths, legends, poetry, and picture books. The texts span a little over 100 years, beginning with Little Women
(1869) and ending with The Borrowers Avenged
(1982), with the majority in the twentieth century.
, published four times a year. The journal addresses a wide range of topics related to children's literature ones while some are devoted to special topics, such as "mothers and daughters in children’s literature".
's Division on Children's Literature, ChLA publishes Children's Literature
. Published annually, "the journal seeks to publish theoretically based articles that demonstrate an awareness of key issues and criticism in children’s literature".
to a book first published in English 20 years prior to the award that did not receive any major awards when it was published.
Western canon
The term Western canon denotes a canon of books and, more broadly, music and art that have been the most important and influential in shaping Western culture. As such, it includes the "greatest works of artistic merit." Such a canon is important to the theory of educational perennialism and the...
of children's literature.
History
In order to stimulate an interest in children's literature among humanities scholars, ChLA was formed in 1972 by Anne Devereaux Jordan, then teaching at Western Michigan University, who was joined by her colleague, Jon Stott.Later that year, she contacted Francelia Butler of the University of Connecticut, who had founded the journal, Children's Literature, in 1971. Francelia Butler, Anne Devereaux Jordan and Jon Stott all felt the need to bring scholars who were interested in children's literature together to "help raise the status of children's literature". As Butler wrote in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in 1973, "To many humanists...in languages, philosophy, psychology, sociology, anthropology, or history, the most embarrassing literature to study is not about autoeroticism or cunnilingus. On such works scholars pride themselves on their broadmindedness. What truly embarrasses them is literature for their own children—'kiddy lit,' they call it." On 20 August 1973, Jordan, Stott, Butler, Bennet Brockman, Glenn Sadler, and John Graham had a meeting to formally found the association, and unite the association and the journal (final board member, Rodney Morissett was unable to attend). As a result, the Children's Literature Association had its first conference the following March. By this time, there was a Board of Directors and a constitution was approved at the conference. Jordan served as the Executive Secretary and conference organizer of the organization until spring of 1976. Jordan subsequently sent out a newsletter to the approximately 200 members. Membership doubled the following year.
Touchstones
In his 1978 presidential address, Stott asked the membership to establish a canonWestern canon
The term Western canon denotes a canon of books and, more broadly, music and art that have been the most important and influential in shaping Western culture. As such, it includes the "greatest works of artistic merit." Such a canon is important to the theory of educational perennialism and the...
, "which would provide common texts for shared dialogue and curricula and presumably position the field within canonical strata of academic privilege". By 1980, a committee whose responsibility it was to formulate this canon, which consisted of two English professors, two librarians from a public school and one librarian from a public library, presented a panel discussion on the issues surrounding the development of the canon. The committee members had a variety of different views on the structure of the canon, for example, whether the list should reflect "literary excellence and/or historic significance". The librarians in particular suggested popular titles, arguing that the association must listen to the opinions of child readers. Scholar Perry Nodelman responded to the panel in the following Children’s Literature Association Quarterly issue, describing the process as "an undemocratic but praiseworthy endeavor" where "some books are more important than others". He also explained how providing a rationale for the list was crucial.
The final list was published in 1982–83 as a pamphlet and consisted of 63 titles. It met with a hostile reception, so a revised version was presented as a series of "touchstones
Touchstone (metaphor)
As a metaphor, a touchstone refers to any physical or intellectual measure by which the validity or merit of a concept can be tested. It is similar in use to an acid test, litmus test in politics, and a shibboleth.-Touchstone in literature:...
" (inspired by Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold
Matthew Arnold was a British poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the famed headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold, literary professor, and William Delafield Arnold, novelist and colonial administrator...
's description of a work as a benchmark). Nodelman edited the revised project, entitled Touchstones, and defended this method in his introduction, explaining that teachers need a set of books to go to when teaching a course for the first time and these books are those "beside which we may place other children's books in order to make judgments about their excellence". He explains that "a touchstone has to be unconventional enough to draw attention to itself, to cause controversy, perhaps to encourage imitators." He contends that the list is a way to "open discussion" about children’s literature.
Each of the titles in the series includes a scholarly essay that aims to provide "a clearer, deeper sense of the best in children's books, and all the strength and joy to be drawn from them". The essays grapple with the question of why the particular work is canonical using a range of critical approaches: feminist criticism
Feminist literary criticism
Feminist literary criticism is literary criticism informed by feminist theory, or by the politics of feminism more broadly. Its history has been broad and varied, from classic works of nineteenth-century women authors such as George Eliot and Margaret Fuller to cutting-edge theoretical work in...
, reader-response criticism
Reader-response criticism
Reader-response criticism is a school of literary theory that focuses on the reader and his or her experience of a literary work, in contrast to other schools and theories that focus attention primarily on the author or the content and form of the work.Although literary theory has long paid some...
, archetypal studies
Archetypal literary criticism
Archetypal literary criticism is a type of critical theory that interprets a text by focusing on recurring myths and archetypes in the narrative, symbols, images, and character types in a literary work...
, and rhetorical criticism
Rhetorical criticism
Rhetorical criticism is an approach to criticism that is at least as old as Plato. In the Phaedrus, Plato has Socrates examine a speech by Lysias to determine whether or not it is praiseworthy...
, among others. The three volumes are divided by genre: fiction, fairy tales, fables, myths, legends, poetry, and picture books. The texts span a little over 100 years, beginning with Little Women
Little Women
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
(1869) and ending with The Borrowers Avenged
The Borrowers Avenged
The Borrowers Avenged is a children's fantasy novel by Mary Norton, published in 1982. It is the final book in the five part The Borrowers series. The Borrowers Avenged was written more than 20 years after the previous book, The Borrowers Aloft and is also longer than the others in the series at...
(1982), with the majority in the twentieth century.
Children's Literature Association Quarterly
ChLA publishes the Children's Literature Association QuarterlyChildren's Literature Association Quarterly
Children’s Literature Association Quarterly is a quarterly academic journal established in 1975 and an official publication of the Children's Literature Association. It is published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. The journal promotes a scholarly approach to the study of children’s...
, published four times a year. The journal addresses a wide range of topics related to children's literature ones while some are devoted to special topics, such as "mothers and daughters in children’s literature".
Children's Literature
Together with the Modern Language AssociationModern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature...
's Division on Children's Literature, ChLA publishes Children's Literature
Children's Literature (journal)
Children’s Literature is an academic journal and annual publication of the Modern Language Association and the Children’s Literature Association Division on Children's Literature. The journal was founded in 1972 by Francelia Butler and promotes a scholarly approach to the study of children’s...
. Published annually, "the journal seeks to publish theoretically based articles that demonstrate an awareness of key issues and criticism in children’s literature".
Phoenix Award
Each year, ChLA awards the Phoenix AwardPhoenix Award
The Phoenix Award is awarded annually to a book originally published in English twenty years previously which did not receive a major award at the time of its publication....
to a book first published in English 20 years prior to the award that did not receive any major awards when it was published.