In our study, we analyzed 147 contemporary realistic fiction children's and young adult books that feature characters with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We compared these representations with current statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For each book, we examined the character demographics, the main character, the…

Gender representation in children's books may influence young children's formation of the gender-equity concept. Previous studies show a male protagonist overrepresentation in US children's books. This study analyzed 956 Chinese children's books to investigate if similar patterns of gender representation exist. Research Findings: Binomial logistic…

This paper examines literacy as a sociocultural, personal and human practice dependent on and derived through relationships between people, settings and culture. Drawing on a recent empirical research study that combines learner, teacher and author perspectives [Curtin (2023) "Reading and Writing Pathways Through Children's and Young Adult…

Using Sealey-Ruiz racial literacy development model, this article argues that all children deserve to see their identities, experiences, and languages reflected in text. We pair this model with award-winning children's literature to deepen preservice teachers' racial literacy. Scholars have long recognized the power of children's literature in the…

Incorporating climate change into literacy curriculum is an important goal globally, but one that has gone unmet in typical elementary classrooms. One reason may be a lack of preparation of teachers to select texts on this topic. This research involved preservice elementary literacy teachers in a children's literature course evaluating children's…