The Children's Literature Assembly (CLA) of the National Council of Teachers of English is a professional community of children’s literature enthusiasts who advocate the centrality of literature in children’s academic and personal lives. We believe every teacher needs a wide and extensive knowledge base of books published for children and young adults.

CHILDREN'S LITERACY ADVOCACY

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It is a teacher's privilege and responsibility to help students discover the joy of reading, while they also teach students how to internalize the skills and strategies of fluent reading. This occurs through teacher modeling, reading aloud quality literature to the class, recommending books to children based on their individual interests, and through incorporating literature into teaching lessons and learning activities across the curriculum. To that end, the members of CLA are dedicated to achieving the following goals:
  • To provide a forum for exchange among teachers of children's literature who share keen interest in children and classrooms;
  • To promote children's literature as a field of learning, research, and classroom application;
  • To undertake and disseminate programs and projects of special interest to those interested in children's literature; and
  • To work cooperatively with other organizations devoted to the promotion of literature in children's lives

In our pursuit of these goals, we engage in the following advocacy work:
  • publish the biannual, peer-reviewed Journal of Children's Literature that includes empirical research involving children’s literature, interviews with and profiles of noted authors and illustrators, as well as reviews of children's and professional books;
  • create the annual Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts Award
  • host the following events at NCTE’s annual convention [CLA @ NCTE]
    • the Children’s Literature Assembly Breakfast featuring notable authors and illustrators as keynote speakers,
    • the Children’s Literature Assembly Expert Class where teachers and teacher educators engage in discussion and activities focused on teaching children’s literature in post-secondary institutions,
    • the Notable Books the the English Language Arts session during which the Notables committee highlights the books included in the most recent Notables list.

The Children's Literature Assembly seeks the support of all individuals and organizations engaged in the preparation and continuing education of teachers in the pursuit of this essential goal.

Committees and Representatives

Communications Committee
Megan Van Deventer (Chair, MailChimp & Twitter)
Xenia Hadjioannou (Website Manager)
Mary Lee Hahn (Facebook)
Liz Thackeray Nelson (Membership)
Marni Reecer (Digital Design)
membership Committee

Liz Thackeray Nelson (Chair)
Emmaline Ellis (vice-Chair)
Xenia Hadjioannou (Website Manager)
Trish Bandré (Treasurer)
ways and means Committee
Raven Cromwell (chair)
Mary Lee Hahn (vice chair)
Ally Hauptman
Melissa Stewart
Josh Coleman
Breakfast Committee
Jeanne Fain (2023 cochair/ 2024 chair)
Susan Polos (2023 cochair/ 2024 chair)
Jongsun Wee (2024 cochair/ 2025 chair)
Meghan Valerio (2024 cochair/ 2025 chair)
CLA Expert Class committee (Formerly Master Class)
Mary Ann Cappiello (2023 vice-chair/ 2024 Lead chair)
Sara K. Sterner (2024 Past Chair)
Kathy Short (2024 vice-chair/ 2025 Lead Chair)
Endowment committee
Miriam Martinez (Chair)
Ruth Lowery (Past President)
Xenia Hadjioannou (President)
Trish Bandre (Treasurer)
Wendy Stephens (Vice President)
Notables committee
2026 Notables Committee (copyright 2025)
Laura Hudock (2026 Chair)
Ally Hauptman (Chair-Elect)
Mary Ellen Oslick
Jason Lewis
Julianne Scullen
Bettie Parsons Barger
Sarah Sterner
student committee
Jennifer Slagus - Brock University (Chair)
Callie Hammond - NC State University (Vice-Chair)
Kristen Foos - Ohio State University
Ling Hao - University of South Carolina
Amber Moore - NC State University
Marni Reecer - Texas Tech University
Shuya Su - University of Florida
Carrie Ann Thomas - Ohio State University
Resources Ad Hoc Committee
Jackie Arnold (Chair)
Mary Napoli
Lisa Pinkerton
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
Adam Crawley (Chair)
Elizabeth Bemiss (Chair)
Andrea M. Page (Vice-chair)
Grace Enriquez (vice-chair)
Laura Ascenzi-Moreno
Susan Browne
Eun Young Yeom
Kasey Short
Nominating Committee
Ruth Lowery (Chair, Past President)
Xenia Hadjioannou (President)
Wendy Stephens (Vice President)
Adam Crowley (DEI Chair)
Elizabeth Bemiss (DEI Chair)
Research Award committee
René M. Rodríguez-Astacio (chair 2024)
Jackie Arnold
Wenyu Guo
Denise Davila
Marni Reecer
Bonnie Campbell Hill Literacy Leader Award committee
Mary Ellen Oslick (chair)
Kathleen Nickle
Amanda Deliman
Sarah E Djos-Raph
early career award committee
Next award in 2025
Journal of Children’s Literature Editors
Caitlin L. Ryan
Laura Jimenez,
Jill Hermann-Wilmarth,
Craig Young
NCTE liaison
Kristen Ritchie
publisher representative
Patty Rosati, Harper Collins Publishers

Officers

President
Wendy Stephens ('26)
Jacksonville State University
Vice-President
Mary-Kate Sableski (26)
University of Dayton
Secretary
Adam Crawley (26)
University of Colorado Boulder
Treasurer
Trish Bandré
Salina Public Schools (’25)
Email the treasurer about non-membership payment and accounting transactions
Historian
Amy McClure
Ohio Wesleyan University ('25)
Past President
Xenia Hadjioannou ('26)
Penn State University, Berks Campus
Other Elected Board Members
  • Elizabeth Bemiss
    University of West Florida (’25)
  • Rene M. Rodriguez- Astacio
    California State University, Fresno (’25)
  • Megan M. Van Deventer
    Weber State University (’25)
  • Kathy Short, University of Arizona ('26)
  • Liz Nelson, Utah Valley University ('26)
  • Melissa Stewart, Author ('26)
  • Suriati Abas, SUNY One0nta ('27)
  • Dorian Harrison, the Ohio State University ('27)
  • Jennifer Slagus, University of South Florida Libraries & Brock University ('27)

CLA MEMBERSHIP

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