Worlds of Words Center of Global Literacies and Literatures recognizes our global lives.
Open a book. . . Open a mind. . . Change the world!
No matter where we live, our daily lives interconnect through global mobility and rapid economic, social and technological changes. Knowledge of the world and an understanding of global perspectives have thus become a necessity, not a luxury. Children no longer have a decision about whether they will lead global lives — but they do need to decide how they will live in a global society — and literature can play a role in opening their options.
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The Worlds of Words Center is located in the University of Arizona College of Education, Room 453.
Featured Journals
WOW Stories is a regular on-line publication of Worlds of Words containing vignettes written by educators about children’s experiences reading and responding to literature.
WOW Review is a regular on-line publication of Worlds of Words containing reviews of selected books to be published quarterly. The reviews are careful examinations of the books, primarily focused on the cultural authenticity of the text and illustrations.
WOW Libros is a regular on-line publication of Worlds of Words containing Spanish-language reviews of Spanish-language books.
We're Accepting Submissions!
Our online journals are available to you without subscription, membership or fee requirements. We are proud to offer these journals and want to hear from you.
Current Calls, Guidelines and Submission Instructions:
WOW Blog Features
Check out our latest blog collections for insights, updates, and expert perspectives.
Expand Our Use of Global Books for the Elementary Classroom: Jeanne Gilliam Fain discusses how educators can expand their use of global books in elementary classrooms.
Buffalo Dreamer by Violet Duncan is a middle grade novel that confronts the painful and traumatic history of the Indigenous residential school system.
Adaptations of classic stories breathe new life into familiar literature. Bringing in a global focus allows readers to revisit the themes of these stories with a fresh perspective that can help them connect with the narrative on a deeper level. This WOW Dozen showcases global adaptations that introduce new readers to classic literature.
Author/illustrator Jose Pimienta discusses their wide range of work and their process of creating. They share more about their work and the experience of guiding a illustration workshop with the Middle School Reading Ambassadors.
Looking for more?
Browse our resource collection for book recommendations and teaching tools.
Global Children’s and YA Literature Initiatives
Our students live in a global world. The opportunities we offer through literature in our classrooms can invite them into the richness of cultural diversity and global communities. To globalize the text exemplar lists included in standards documents that guide instruction in many states and countries, we developed global book lists of recommended fiction and nonfiction books organized by themes within K-12 grade level bands.
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