CLA Awards

BY CYNTHIA ALANIZ AND APRIL BEDFORD, AWARDS COMMITTEE CHAIRS

As we begin the month of March, we wanted to share a reminder about two of the fabulous opportunities available for children’s literature scholars and teachers to apply.

Children’s Literature Assembly Research Award

First, applications for the Children’s Literature Assembly Research Award are open to any current CLA members (excluding elected board members and officers). Projects using any type of research methodology will be considered just as long as the focus of the project is related to the field of children’s literature. This award provides grants of $1,000 for original research projects addressing significant questions to the field of children’s literature, and up to two grants may be awarded annually if funds are available.

So if you have a great idea for a research project, and you could use some financial assistance to bring that idea to fruition, please consider applying for the CLA Research Award. You may find more information and the application on the CLA Research Award page. Also on the website, check out the projects of previous award recipients. If you have any further questions, please email the award committee chair, April Bedford, at [email protected]. Completed applications are due no later than July 1, 2021.

Children’s Literature Assembly Early Career Award

This year, we will also be selecting a recipient for the Children’s Literature Assembly Early Career Award, awarded every other year to an early career individual who shows extraordinary promise as a researcher and leader in the field of children’s literature. Nominees must have been CLA members for at least one year and must have completed a doctoral degree no more than seven years prior to the nomination date. Applicants may self-nominate or be nominated by another CLA member.

Additional details about the award, including the nomination and application materials may be found on the CLA Early Career Award page,  where you may also learn more about the 2017 and 2019 CLA Early Career Award recipients. For more information, please contact the award committee chair, Cynthia Alaniz, at [email protected]. Completed applications for this award are also due no later than July 1, 2021. Please consider nominating yourself or a colleague with great potential to make important contributions to our field.

Cynthia Alaniz is a School Librarian at Cottonwood Creek Elementary in Coppell, TX and a CLA board member.
April Bedford is is the Dean of the School of Education at Brooklyn College and a CLA board member. She has been involved in CLA for over two decades and considers it her professional home.