Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature | The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Welcome to the Center for Children’s and Young Adult Literature where our goal is to engage and empower young readers with high-quality children’s and young adult books.

2020 Holiday Gift Guide

This holiday season, the CCYAL rounded up a few of our favorite books and book-themed gifts for you to add to your shopping list! You’ll find recommendations for every age group and every interest ranging from science to magic to social justice. We hope you help spread the love of literacy this holiday season!

Vote For Our Future Read Aloud

The Commission for Women in partnership with the Center for Children’s and Young Adult Literature present: Vote for Our Future by Margaret McNamara

A virtual storybook time read by Susan Groenke, Professor of English Education and Director of the CCYAL. We encourage adults to sit down with the young children in their lives (Pre-K – Grade 5) to enjoy a virtual storybook read-aloud about the importance of voting. This read-aloud encourages young readers to become advocates and activists in the voting process as it offers actionable ways for young people to get involved in politics! Click the link in the title to view the presentation.

2020 Best of the Best Books!

We were sad to miss our in-person “Best of the Best” conference this year, but our usual presenters couldn’t let a year pass by without sending out some recommendations! See which titles made our Best of the Best 2020 list!

Fighting Anti-Black Racism through Story

We know the power of story—stories can affirm and challenge us; change our minds and hearts; and provide soothing balms of healing as we find ourselves in others’ words or escape present-day realities. Now, perhaps more than ever, is the time to share stories with the young people in our lives about our various and diverse racial and ethnic identities, and the actions we can take to oppose anti-Blackness and racism. We understand that the ongoing police brutality against Black men, women, and youth is not a new phenomenon, but instead is a current manifestation of long-historied, state-sanctioned racism, anti-Blackness, and white supremacy in this country. We urge you to read books to learn more—about our connected histories, about the present moment, and about what you can do now to change the future. As we know, the status quo is not okay. Find our list of recommended reading here and here.

PhD Specialization in Children’s & Young Adult Literature

Students interested in researching past and current trends in children’s and young adult literature now can do so at UT, thanks to a new doctoral specialization.