Our Core Programmes

The REIYL Conference is our flagship programme that takes place biannually. The inaugural conference was held in Glasgow in 2019 with over 50 delegates attending from all over the world. Panels focused on research by emerging and established academics as well as children’s authors. Each conference is intended to facilitate REIYL’s mission of bringing together folks under a broad banner of researchers working in and with inclusive youth literature - such as academics, teachers, librarians, writers, illustrators, and publishers - in-person and online to exchange ideas across disciplines and foster community. 

Developed by Rita Faire, Coming into View began as a six-week programme that sought to learn about children of colour’s sense of belonging in the books they read while also advocating for their increased agency and active participation in the discourse around representation in youth literature. Based on the success of this initial programme, our intention is to develop Coming into View into a biannual event that will continue to focus on how children of colour experience belonging in books.

REIYL Lite is an online symposium for new researchers and publishing professionals. The symposium consists of toolbox-building sessions facilitated by industry and academy leaders. All of the facilitators will be people of colour.