REIYL
REIYL
Researchers Exploring Inclusive Youth Literature
 

Welcome to REIYL!

We’re glad to have you here!

Our purpose is to bring together folks working in and with inclusive youth literature - such as academics, teachers, librarians, writers, illustrators, and publishers. We create space for them to share and discuss their work, and to connect with others, including young readers.

Since 2019, we have been organising a variety of in-person and online events, supporting our wider aim of enabling an exchange of ideas and fostering community and collaboration.

Browse our website to find out more about us, and stay tuned for our future plans and events!

 
A graphic of books lined up on a shelf, the text on the spines spelling out "A Community of R Researchers E Exploring I Inclusive Y Youth L Literature"
 

The Story of REIYL

The story of Researchers Exploring Inclusive Youth Literature (REIYL) began in January 2018, when then-doctoral students Breanna J. McDaniel and Joshua Simpson started a conversation about justice and equity-focused research on inclusive representation in children’s literature in the UK.

From this came the idea of hosting a conference that would bring together like-minded emerging scholars, writers, parents, and anyone invested in inclusive youth literature, in the UK and abroad. The aim was to determine the current state of research and trends in the field, to form a network, and to reach out to and engage with child readers.

Since then, REIYL has been facilitating a knowledge exchange with the hopes of building a more engaged and interconnected community, so that gains made in one space can reach other spaces in a timely and even manner.

 

Our core programmes

REIYL Conference

Our flagship event takes place biennially and aims to bring together folks working in and with inclusive young literature.

It is intended to facilitate our mission of bringing together people who are working in or interested in the field of youth literature to exchange ideas across disciplines and to foster community.

The inaugural conference was held in Glasgow in 2019, with over 50 delegates attending from all over the world. Panels focused on the work of emerging academics and children’s authors.

REIYL 2022 - which had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic - also took place in Glasgow. The theme was: ‘Safe Passage: Trauma Recovery and Community Restoration in Inclusive Youth Literature and Beyond’.

REIYL Lite

This biennial online event focuses on promoting equitable experiences for new researchers and publishing professionals.

It consists of toolbox-building sessions facilitated by industry and academy leaders.

REIYL LITE first took place in 2022, under the banner of ‘Safe Passage and Self-Care: Navigating Academia and Publishing for New Researchers and New Professionals’. All of the facilitators were people of colour.

Coming Into View

This programme focuses on the experiences of readers, and advocates for their inclusion and participation in research on inclusive youth literature.

‘Coming into View’ was developed by Rita Faire, and began in 2020 as a six-week programme. The aim was to learn about children of colour’s sense of belonging in the books they read, and to advocate for their increased agency and active participation in the discourse around representation in youth literature.

Based on the success of the initial programme, our intention is to develop ‘Coming into View’ into a biennial event that will continue to focus on how children of colour experience belonging in books.

Panellists at REIYL 2019
Display of inclusive books at REIYL 2019
REIYL team members with REIYL 2022 keynote speaker, children's author and activist Renee Watson
Author Zetta Elliott holding up her novel, Dragons in a Bag
Seated audience captured from above at REIYL 2019
People browsing at the REIYL 2019 book stall
REIYL 2019 panellists