Welcome to Worlds of Words. You will find many useful resources on this site for building bridges between cultures. These resources include multiple strategies for locating and evaluating culturally authentic international children’s and adolescent literature as well as ways of engaging students with these books in classrooms and libraries. Use the blue navigation bar at the top of the page to browse or search our growing database of books, to read one of our two on-line journals, or to learn more about our mission. We encourage you to take time to explore the many resources on this site and to return often as we expand to include more voices like yours.

What’s New at WOW

WOW Books

Each Wednesday, we spotlight an entry from our WOW Books database and ask you to provide insight about the book by leaving a comment. During March we focus on books written by authors who will be attending the second annual Tucson Festival of Books at the UA campus March 13-14, 2010. To learn more about the festival and all the authors and illustrators who will be attending visit the TFOB Web site.

Our second Tucson Festival of Books author for March is Asma Mobin-Uddin and the picture book, The Best Eid Ever. In this story, Aneesa comes up with a plan to help two sisters, refugees with no new clothes in which to celebrate Eid, and make it the best holiday for everyone. Tell us what you think of The Best Eid Ever by leaving a comment.

WOW Currents

Each Monday during the month of March, WOW Currents contributors Andrea García and Carmen Martínez-Roldán will help to facilitate an online literature discussion of Return to Sender. Additionally, Andrea and Carmen address your questions and comments, so let us hear from you.

Join us for a month of Mondays in April with WOW Currents contributor Mary Starrs Armstrong.

WOW Review

WOW’s latest issue of WOW Review invites readers to visit communities and cultures across the globe. Rich with insights to books you may have read or will want to add to your reading list, this issue’s theme of “Hope Amidst Conflict” offers a universal glimpse of the strength of children across many nations. What is most interesting in the titles reviewed here is the source of hope — a reminder that humans are surrounded by evidence of hope in their daily lives.

WOW Stories

Check out our third issue of our first volume of WOW Stories with a focus on reading critically through global inquiry. In this issue of WOW Stories: Connections from the Classroom we present 17 vignettes that share the belief that readers have the social responsibility to negotiate personal and cultural meanings from literature that create the possibility for social change in both their immediate and global communities.

WOW Highlights

∞ Open Reading Hours: Saturdays – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. & Mondays through Thursdays – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
∞ Make a quick and easy online gift to WOW! Your contributions help our programs grow.
∞ Longview Foundation awarded WOW a significant grant to improve, update, and innovate our website so we can bring you new interactive features. We are excited about what our e-future holds!
∞ WOW Stories and WOW Review are accepting submissions. Our two 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. E-mail us with questions, feedback, and submissions.