As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Center for the Study of Children's Literature, “Are We There Yet?” summons us to reflect on the founding of the Center and the inauguration of the academic study of literature for young people.
“Are We There Yet?” fires the imagination with the promise of arriving somewhere – maybe at a place, or at an idea, or at the completion of a project. The theme challenges us to imagine the future – a time and place ‘yet to arrive.’ “Are We There Yet?” also makes us chuckle with its familiarity. We recognize the agony of waiting, the unsated appetite that propels one forward, and the perpetuity of always arriving and never arriving. Optimistic seekers populate the pages of literature for young people despite the realities they’ll inherit. Authors, illustrators, and publishers invite us to stay put for a while; no matter how discomforting that pause may feel, it offers the reflection that nourishes persistence.
Have we realized our vision? How close have we come? How far do we have to go? How do we get there? What will our future, the future of academic studies, of Children’s and Young Adult Literature, the future of youth itself look like?
Note: The program will begin in the evening on July 25 and then continue all day on July 26 and 27.
Registration begins in March 2025.
Learn more about the Summer Institute in Children's Literature and view past themes