The Caucus Race
News, Announcements and Paper Calls

Storm and Dissonance: L. M. Montgomery and Conflict
Dates: June 21-25, 2006

Location: University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE

All are welcome at this seventh biennial international conference on L. M. Montgomery. We invite you to join Montgomery scholars, fans, and enthusiasts in an exploration of the theme of "conflict" in the life and works of Canadian author, L.M. Montgomery. Featuring speakers from around the world on topics such as war, family history and relationships, disparity between fact and fiction, the reception of her works internationally, and many more. A number of extra-curricular events and activities complete the programme. For more details on this symposium, including registration information, please visit the L.M. Montgomery Institute website at http://www.lmmontgomery.ca/ and click on "2006 Conference". You can also contact the LMMI directly at lmminst@upei.ca or by phone at (902) 628-4346.

SANKOFA

The inaugural issue of Sankofa: A Journal of African Children's and Young Adult Literature appeared in November 2002. Published annually, Sankofa is edited by Meena G. Khorana, Professor of English and Adolescent Literature and past editor-in-chief of Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature, with Brenda Randolph, Director of Africa Access, as assistant editor.

Sankofa is a peer-reviewed journal aimed at a diverse audience of teachers, students, librarians, researchers, writers, illustrators, editors, and publishers. The name of the journal is taken from an Akan word meaning "looking back."

Sankofa's primary objective is to disseminate information on African children's and young adult literature; recognize common inaccuracies, stereotypes, and biases in books set in Africa; provide readers with in-depth book reviews and scholarly articles on emerging trends in African and African diaspora literatures; and stimulate a global conversation on the comparative patterns in the representation of children in literature.

Sankofa's three major sections offer a variety of perspectives on African children's and young adult literature.

Please submit articles (in English, between 3,000 and 5,000 words) to Dr. Meena Khorana, 202-E Holmes Hall, Morgan State University, 1700 E. Cold Spring Road, Baltimore, MD 21251 USA; email: meenakh@aol.com

Sankofa is housed in the Department of English and Language Arts at Morgan State University, Baltimore (see http://www.morgan.edu/english).

CASH AWARD OFFERED FOR MANUSCRIPTS

Sydney Taylor Manuscript Competition Sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries

The Association of Jewish Libraries announces the twenty-first annual Sydney Taylor Manuscript Competition for aspiring authors of children's books. A cash award of $1,000 will be given for the best fiction manuscript appropriate for readers ages 8-11, written by an unpublished author. The story should have universal appeal, yet serve to deepen the understanding of Judaism and reveal positive aspects of Jewish life. For entry forms and rules, please consult the AJL website at www.jewishlibraries.org, then click on Awards, then click on Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award. Questions can be referred to Rachel Glasser, Coordinator, at rkglasser@aol.com.

Deadline for submission of manuscripts is December 31, 2005. The award will be announced on or before April 15, 2006, and will be presented at the 41st Annual Convention of the Association of Jewish Libraries in Boston, MA in June, 2006.

The Looking Glass

The Looking Glass invites submissions to all columns and sections for the following special issues:
 
Japanese Children's Literature and Culture
Deadline for submissions: 1 October 2005
Publication date: April 2006
Critical, theoretical, and informative articles are welcome on any aspect of Japanese children's literature and culture. Some topics might include the history of children's literature and writing for children in Japan, genre surveys, analyses of modern and contemporary Japanese children's literature, technology and Japanese children's literature, manga and anime, World War II in Japanese children's literature, Japanese children's literature in translation into English and other languages, imported children's literature translated into Japanese, teaching children's literature in Japan, children's literature publishing in Japan, and various aspects of Japanese children's culture. Please see Contribute! for submission guidelines and editorial policies.
 
Indigenous Peoples
Deadline for Submissions: 1 October 2006
Publication date: April 2007
Critical and informative articles are welcome on indigenous peoples of the world, such as the Aborigine, Ainu, Native Americans, and First Nations. Topics should include indigenous peoples' cultures and literatures, storytelling practices, stories and tales, childrearing practices and coming-of-age rituals, how indigenous peoples are portrayed in dominant cultures' children's literature historically and in contemporary times, and the effects of globalization on indigenous cultures and children. Please see Contribute! for submission guidelines and editorial policies.
 

 
The Looking Glass also invites scholarly submissions for the following special topic to be highlighted in Alice's Academy, its scholarly refereed section:

Central and South American Children's Literature
Submission deadline: 1 September 2006
Publication date: January 2007
Articles are welcome on any critical or informative aspects of Central and South American children's literature. Topics can include the history of children's literature, historical surveys of children's literature, regional studies, genre studies, urbanization and globalization, colonialism and post-colonialism in Central and South American children's literature, English, Spanish, and native-language children's literature, imported children's literature in Central and South American countries, teaching children's literature in Central and South America, and children's literature publishing. Please see Contribute! for submission guidelines and editorial policies.