The graduate students in the MACL program plan, organize, and host a children’s and young adult literature conference to showcase exceptional graduate- and undergraduate- level research and creative works. Presenters are welcomed from all around the world to share their enthusiasm and expertise.
See below for info on the most recent conferences and feel free to direct any inquiries to our email: macl.gradconference@gmail.com
2024
Beyond Borders: Trends in World Children’s Literature and Literature in Translation
The 2024 conference encouraged academic and creative works that sought to go beyond geographical and cultural boundaries in order to create a more inclusive space, revealing larger issues, trends, and innovations in children’s and young adult literature. Keynote speakers included author Giselle Vriesen and Professors Melanie Ramdarshan and Sarah Van den Bossche.
Official Website | Official Poster |CFP
2023
(Re)Imagining Tomorrow: Agency and Possibility in Literature and Media for Children and Young Adults
This conference focused on sci-fi futures, cultural transformation, technology, and agency in children’s and young adult literature. Keynote speakers included Dr. Grace Dillon and author Nafiza Azad.
2022
Because It Lasts: Time and Space in Children’s and Young Adult Literature and Media
The 2022 conference focused on time and space in children’s and young adult literature and media. Keynote speakers included Justyna Deszcz-Tryhubczak and author Tanya Kyi.
2021
Fresh from the Fight: Heroes, Tricksters, and Villains in Children’s and Young Adult Literature and Culture
The 2021 conference featured keynotes from Dr. Stephanie Toliver, Dr. Angel Matos, and best-selling author Richard Van Camp.
2018
In the Shadows: Illuminating Monstrosity in Children’s and Young
Adult Literature and Culture
The 2018 conference featured Dr. Elaine Ostry as an academic keynote and the New York Times best-selling novelist Rachel Hartman as a creative keynote.
2016
Many Worlds to Walk In: Exploring Diversity in Children’s Literature, Librarianship, and Education
The 2016 conference explored the idea of diversity, encompassing narratives that depict diversity and the diverse formats we use to create and share narratives with children. Our presenters addressed a wide range of themes, including gender studies, indigenous narratives, immigrant and minority narratives, and diversity in library services and collections. Dr. Naomi Hamer and Dr. Renee Hill were our keynote speakers.
2014
“i Will Be Myself”: Identity in Children’s Literature, Media and Culture
Our 2014 conference explored, questioned, and analyzed the issues surrounding identity in various elements of children’s and young adult literature, with a multimodal approach to children’s media. Across novels, films, apps, picturebooks, we examined themes of identity, which can include liminality, hybridity, Otherness or Othering, gender, and transformation. We were very honoured to welcome Phillip Serrato as our keynote speaker.
2012
Stranger in a Strange Land: Exploring Texts and media for Young People Across Cultures and Continents
“Stranger in a Strange Land” was a one-day children’s literature conference exploring a diverse range of themes in literature and other materials for young people. With Sarah Park and Elizabeth Marshall as keynote speakers, this conference explored the many boundaries, physical and non-physical, that affect children’s media.
2010
“Second to the Right and Straight on Till Morning”: Navigating the Narrative Realm(s) of Children’s Texts
The third conference, held in 2010, featured Maria Tatar and Philip Nel as the keynote speakers. This event was the beginning of what has become a biennial conference, planned by students in the MACL program and other graduate student volunteers from the affiliated departments and programs.
2009
A following conference was held in 2009 and organized independently by MACL graduate students as an outcome of their enthusiastic response to the 2008 event.
2008
The first conference, which took place in 2008, was a Language and Literacy Education Department-sponsored conference held in conjunction with visiting lecturer Aidan Chambers, from the UK