Research in children's literature has undergone significant shifts over the past forty years that affect the field's current positioning, especially for those who engage in this research. The invitation to present a keynote at the Children's Literature Assembly's online conference of research in children's literature provided the author an opportunity to reflect on her own experiences and perspectives as a researcher. What follows here is an expanded version of that keynote address and is shared here with the readers of JCL as part of this fiftieth anniversary-themed issue.