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]
    • Children’s Literature Breakfast featuring notable authors and illustrators as keynote speakers,
    • Children’s Literature Master Class where teachers and teacher educators engage in discussion and activities focused on teaching children’s literature in post-secondary institutions

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
Wendy Stephens (Chair and MailChimp)
Xenia Hadjioannou (Website Manager)
Mary Lee Hahn (Social Media)
Liz Thackeray Nelson (Membership)
membership Committee

Liz Thackeray Nelson & Xenia Hadjioannou (Chairs)
Trish Bandré (Treasurer)
ways and means Committee
Ally Hauptman (Co-Chair)
Mary Lee Hahn (Co-Chair)
Michelle Hasty
Raven Cromwell
Marion Rocco
Peggy Rice
Breakfast Committee
Angela Wiseman & Ally Hauptman (2022 Co-Chairs)
Ally Hauptman & Andrea Page  ( 2023 Co-Chairs)
master class committee
Adam Crawley & Lisa Patrick (2022 Co-Chairs)
Sara K. Sterner & Lisa Patrick  (2023 Co-Chairs)
Endowment committee
Miriam Martinez (Chair)
Lauren A. Liang (Past President)
Ruth Lowery (President)
Trish Bandre (Treasurer)
Xenia Hadjioannou (Vice President)
Notables committee
Kathryn Will (2022 Chair)
Fran Wilson (2023 Chair)
student committee
Emmaline Ellis (Chair)
Alexandra Lampp Berglund (Past Chair)
Jennifer Pulliam
Meghan Valerio
Laurie Esposito
Wenyu Guo
Ling Hao
Jennifer Slagus
Ashley Johnson
Johari Murray
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
Donna Sabis-Burns & Rachel Skrlac Lo (Co-Chairs)
Nadine a Bryce  
Lester Laminack  
Craig Young  
Katherine Sciurba
Nominating Committee
Lauren A. Liang (Chair, Past-President)
Ruth Lowery (President)
Xenia Hadjioannou (Vice President)
Donna Sabis-Burns & Rachel Lo (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Co-Chairs)
Research Award committee
Donna Sabis-Burns (Chair 2022)
Jeanne Fain (Co-Chair 2022)
Maria Leija
Marla Robertson
Megan van Deventer
Bonnie Campbell Hill Literacy Leader Award committee
Nancy Johnson (2022 Chair)
early career award committee
Coming in 2023
Journal of Children’s Literature Editors
Thomas Crisp
Mary Napoli
Vivian Yenika-Agbaw
Angie Zapata
NCTE liaison
Kristen Ritchie
publisher representative
Patty Rosati, Harper Collins Publishers

Officers

President
Ruth Lowery
The University of North Texas (’22)
Vice-President
Xenia Hadjioannou
Penn State University, Harrisburg ('22)
Secretary
Megan Van Deventer
Weber State University (’23)
Treasurer
Trish Bandré
Salina Public Schools (’23)
Email the treasurer about non-membership payment and accounting transactions
Historian
Amy McClure
Ohio Wesleyan University ('23)
Past President
Lauren Aimonette Liang
University of Utah (’22)
Other Elected Board Members
  • Ally Hauptman, Lipscomb University (’22)
  • Donna Sabis-Burns, U.S. Department of Education (’22)
  • Rachel Skrlac Lo, Villanova University (’22)
  • S. Adam Crawley, University of Texas at Austin (’23)
  • Lisa Patrick, Ohio State University (’23)
  • Angela Wiseman, North Carolina State University (’23)
  • Mary Lee Hahn, Poet & Community Volunteer (’24)
  • Andrea M. Page, Author & Educator (’24)
  • Sara K. Sterner, Cal Poly Humboldt (’24)

CLA MEMBERSHIP

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