Worlds of Words

09/03/2026

“We Are Family!: Depictions of Family in Contemporary Picture Books” (“Alles Familie!”), an exhibit from Internationale Jugendbibliothek, International Youth Library in Munich, Germany, looks at how the social changes on the last few decades impact family. The exhibit will be on display in the Worlds of Words Center throughout the Fall 2026 semester.

More information, including on how to schedule a free field trip or tour, is available on our website.

https://wowlit.org/blog/we-are-family-worlds-words-center-exhibit

University of Arizona College of Education

We Are Family In Worlds of Words Center Exhibit Tuesday Rebecca Ballenger, Associate Director, Worlds of Words Center “We Are Family!: Depictions of Family in Contemporary Picture Books” (“Alles Familie!”) an exhibit from the International Youth Library (IYL) in Munich, Germany, looks at how...

08/24/2026

The application is open for middle and high schoolers interested in the Worlds of Words Reading Ambassador program! If you like books, bagels and reading with your besties, this free program from the center provides a university experience within the University of Arizona College of Education.

Orientation is Saturday, August 29. More information is available on our website.

https://wowlit.org/events-programs/teen-reading-ambassadors

08/18/2026

We conducted a first-of-its-kind a**lysis of international children's and adolescent books published in the U.S. with our colleagues at USBBY. Read our reports, access the data and play with interactive maps on our website.

https://wowlit.org/resources/international-book-report

University of Arizona College of Education

International Book ReportAn a**lysis of international books published in the United States and collected by Worlds of Words and United States Board on Books for Young People On this page:1. Introduction2. Maps & WOW International Books IntroductionOur research group completed a detailed content a**l...

06/25/2026

The Reading Ambassadors finished their fourth season of the WOW Reads podcast a little loopy and a lot grateful. Catch up on any of our easily digestible ~15 minute episodes that center middle school and teen voices on books written for them.

https://wowlit.org/blog/wow-reads-bonus-season-4-review-trap

WOW Reads: Bonus - Season 4 In Review, TRAP June 19, 2026 Rebecca Ballenger In this final reflection on the year, Teen Reading Ambassadors hardly know who we are. Remote Media URL We changed up the teen program to emphasize social and artistic opportunities to share what we are reading. Teens chose....

06/17/2026

We are increasingly separated from how we grow, harvest & distribute what we eat. This WOW Dozen list includes fiction & nonfiction books that can help children think about where their food comes from. Visit our website to add your favorite food production-related titles!

WOW Dozen: Growing, Producing and Distributing Food June 1, 2026 By Janine M. Schall, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX Where does our food come from? Where does it grow, who labors to produce it and how does it get onto our plates? As the world has become more globalized and urban...

06/16/2026

Daniel Nayeri shares his thoughts on writing, reader relationships and the ways he plays with structure and content when creating his books in this Authors' Corner. The former chef uses a lot of foodie metaphors, so don't read this piece on an empty stomach.

Authors' Corner: Daniel Nayeri June 12, 2026 By Rebecca Ballenger, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Image Reading Daniel Nayeri’s books and speaking to the person require two different skill sets. A prolific and award-winning author with four books out in 2025 and another four forthcoming (plus a...

06/15/2026

Kate O'Connor and Judi Moreillon discuss the Relay, an ongoing innovative intellectual-freedom-focused program in the U.K. to spotlight LGBTQIA+ fiction and authors.

The Relay: Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Books and Authors June 1, 2026 By Kate O’Connor (School Librarian, UK) and Judi Moreillon (Editor, US) Image In the U.S. and around the globe, books with LGBTQIA+ characters and content are being targeted by censors. According to the American Library ...

06/05/2026

Although open-themed, books in this issue of WOW Review share journeys of humans and animals based in relationships.

"We are interconnected with other people, animals and the earth, and these connections enable us to do what needs to be done." - Susan Corapi and Melissa Wilson, journal editors

https://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/wowreview/issue/857/info/

06/03/2026

The University of Arizona offers the opportunity to explore art, culture and science all year around. In the summer, the experience comes with much-welcomed climate control! Visit Worlds of Words this summer to consider our exhibit, Multilingualism as Stance, or any of the other collections at the U of A.

Bear Down and cool down!

From quiet gallery spaces to immersive planetarium experiences, campus museums offer cool indoor destinations where visitors can explore world-class collections and beat the heat in welcoming spaces.

05/13/2026

The Orbis Pictus Award from National Council of Teachers of English recognizes excellence in the writing of nonfiction for children and commemorates Johannes Amos Comenius' "Orbis Pictus" (1657), considered the first book planned for children. In this month's WOW Currents, Janelle Mathis reflects on her service to the award committee.

The Orbis Pictus Award: Reflections from a Recent Committee Member May 1, 2026 By ​​Janelle Mathis​, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas Image Have you ever hoped to find nonfiction resources to use in classrooms, recommend to readers or just enhance your own reading experiences? Hav...