The Dragon Lode
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About the Journal
The Dragon Lode (ISSN 1098-6448), a juried journal, is published twice a year by the International Literacy Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG). Members of the CL/R SIG receive two (2) issues of The Dragon Lode each year. The Dragon Lode provides readers with a forum for exchange of ideas concerning the content and teaching of children’s literature in the development of literacy. |
Editors
Contact the Editors at [email protected] |
Call for Manuscripts
As editors of The Dragon Lode we invite all those interested in bringing children and their literature together to submit articles for publication in future issues. We request scholarly articles of interest to teachers, librarians, researchers, and authors, practical ones grounded in current theory and research, or teaching strategies as they relate to Children’s Literature in the Classroom, Home- School Connection, Bridges to Content Knowledge, Current Issues in Children’s Literature and Reading, Exploration of Authors and Illustrators, and Special Themes.
Spring 2025 Call for Manuscripts with Guest Editor: Adam Crawley, University of Colorado-Boulder
20 Years Since Tango: The Dynamic and Multifaceted Field of Queer Children’s and Adolescent Literature
Manuscripts due - January 31, 2025
In 2005, And Tango Makes Three (Richardson & Parnell) was published, a picturebook based on the true story of two male penguins who parented a baby chick in New York City’s Central Park Zoo. Although Tango was not the first LGBTQIA+ children’s book to be published, it was one of the first inclusive picturebooks produced by a mainstream publisher – thus widening such books’ printing and availability along with signaling large publishers’ burgeoning commitment to endorse queer representations in youth literature. In the two decades since Tango’s publication, the literary landscape has undergone a transformative shift, with a growing body of literature delving into the complex realm of queer experiences and LGBTQIA+ identities. And while there have been significant changes in visibility, legal status, and social acceptance of LGBTQIA+ communities, cultural institutions–including schools–still routinely struggle to promote and provide equitable status and treatment for people who identify on the queer spectrum. Compounding the issue is the current political climate, including (but not limited to) the increased censorship of books with LGBTQIA+ representations in schools and libraries. (For example, Tango has been on the American Library Association’s annual top-ten most challenged books list for nine years, with 2019 being the most recent.) Additionally, recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have reversed LGBTQIA+ protections that were considered precedent, thus condoning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (e.g., Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 2018; 303 Creative LLC v. Eleni, 2023).
Because the emphasis of our work as literacy educators centers on reading and interpreting stories, we are uniquely positioned to engage students in important discussions about empathy, inclusion, and activism concerning LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences. However, national, state, and district policies; resistant stakeholders; and/or uncertainties about how to signal support often limit approaches to inclusion and advocacy.
In this issue, we ask you to engage in an exploration of The Dynamic and Multifaceted Field of Queer Children’s and Adolescent Literature that contributes to cultural, social, and global discourse. Further, we honor the growing and pivotal scholarship on this topic in the fields of K-12 education, literature, library and information studies, and beyond; thus, we seek to build on and continue to dialogue about such work in this issue. We invite you to consider the following questions:
Fall 2025 - Open Theme
Manuscripts due - June 30, 2025
We invite manuscripts that explore contemporary issues and questions, genre study, literary theory, and research related to children’s literature and reading.
Spring 2025 Call for Manuscripts with Guest Editor: Adam Crawley, University of Colorado-Boulder
20 Years Since Tango: The Dynamic and Multifaceted Field of Queer Children’s and Adolescent Literature
Manuscripts due - January 31, 2025
In 2005, And Tango Makes Three (Richardson & Parnell) was published, a picturebook based on the true story of two male penguins who parented a baby chick in New York City’s Central Park Zoo. Although Tango was not the first LGBTQIA+ children’s book to be published, it was one of the first inclusive picturebooks produced by a mainstream publisher – thus widening such books’ printing and availability along with signaling large publishers’ burgeoning commitment to endorse queer representations in youth literature. In the two decades since Tango’s publication, the literary landscape has undergone a transformative shift, with a growing body of literature delving into the complex realm of queer experiences and LGBTQIA+ identities. And while there have been significant changes in visibility, legal status, and social acceptance of LGBTQIA+ communities, cultural institutions–including schools–still routinely struggle to promote and provide equitable status and treatment for people who identify on the queer spectrum. Compounding the issue is the current political climate, including (but not limited to) the increased censorship of books with LGBTQIA+ representations in schools and libraries. (For example, Tango has been on the American Library Association’s annual top-ten most challenged books list for nine years, with 2019 being the most recent.) Additionally, recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have reversed LGBTQIA+ protections that were considered precedent, thus condoning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (e.g., Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 2018; 303 Creative LLC v. Eleni, 2023).
Because the emphasis of our work as literacy educators centers on reading and interpreting stories, we are uniquely positioned to engage students in important discussions about empathy, inclusion, and activism concerning LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences. However, national, state, and district policies; resistant stakeholders; and/or uncertainties about how to signal support often limit approaches to inclusion and advocacy.
In this issue, we ask you to engage in an exploration of The Dynamic and Multifaceted Field of Queer Children’s and Adolescent Literature that contributes to cultural, social, and global discourse. Further, we honor the growing and pivotal scholarship on this topic in the fields of K-12 education, literature, library and information studies, and beyond; thus, we seek to build on and continue to dialogue about such work in this issue. We invite you to consider the following questions:
- How are human, intersectional identities and experiences present in children's and adolescent literature? Specifically, how are authors depicting nuanced portrayals of characters' LGBTQIA+ identities along with their race, class, ethnicity, dis/ability, and/or other ways of being?
- How does queer literature vary across cultural and geographical contexts? What insights can be gained by examining the global perspectives of queer narratives?
- How do queer voices manifest in various literary genres (fiction and nonfiction) and/or formats (poetry, drama, graphic literature)? What can be gleaned from analyzing queer narratives in different genres and formats?
- How does literature portray and bring visibility to LGBTQIA+ characters, relationships, and experiences?
- How can we push back against book banning efforts that specifically target LGBTQIA+ books to maintain inclusive classroom and school libraries? In what ways can we combat various forms of censorship, whether external (e.g., from administrators, parents, community members) or self-censure?
- How does literature contribute to the advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights, representation, and social change? What role does LGBTQIA+ literature play in fostering activism within our various communities (higher education, teacher education, K-12 education)?
Fall 2025 - Open Theme
Manuscripts due - June 30, 2025
We invite manuscripts that explore contemporary issues and questions, genre study, literary theory, and research related to children’s literature and reading.
Manuscript Guidelines
Manuscripts must be submitted electronically and should be no longer than 20 double-spaced, typed pages. Use APA (7th edition) formatting. Author’s name, affiliation, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and email address should be on a separate cover page. Please be judicious in the use of tables, photographs, and charts. Book covers, photographs, illustrations, and figures should be sent as separate jpeg files. Any reference to the author that would enable the reviewer to know the author’s identity should not appear in the manuscript. Book covers, photographs, illustrations, and figures should be sent as separate jpeg files.
Email manuscripts to: The Dragon Lode, [email protected]
Email manuscripts to: The Dragon Lode, [email protected]