Mission

WOW is committed to creating an international network of people who share the vision of bringing books and children together, thereby opening windows on the world. We encourage thoughtful dialogue around international literature so that children can reflect on their own cultural experience and connect to the experience of others across the globe.

ICCAL holds an estimated 25,000 volumes of children’s and adolescent literature focusing on world cultures and indigenous peoples. Housed at the University of Arizona, College of Education in several specialized reading rooms, ICCAL has an adjacent classroom for courses and workshops and offices for staff and visiting scholars and is the largest collection of its kind in the U.S.

These resources are used to:

  • promote intercultural understanding and global perspectives.
  • identify excellent culturally authentic literature about children’s lives around the world.
  • provide resources for adults who share a passion for connecting readers with books.
  • Share the stories of children’s dialogue and interactions around international literature.
  • Encourage the integration of international literature into the curriculum.
  • News

    Twitter Updates

    Visiting Author: Rosemary Wells

    On October 20, 2010 at 7:00 P.M., Rosemary Wells, illustrator and author of the preschool series Max and Ruby, will be at Worlds of Words physical location on the 4th floor of the College of Education at the University of Arizona.
    more . . .

    2011 Tucson Festival of Books

    The list of visiting children’s authors for the 2011Tucson Festival of Books is nearing completion. Make your plans to attend the festival on March 11th and 12th. Some of the authors already committed are David Wiesner, Rafael Lopez, Thacher Hurd, E. B. Lewis, Mike Lupica, Margaret Read McDonald, and Lauren Myracle. For more on the book festival . . .

    Keep an eye on the Calendar for more WOW events!

    New format for WOW Stories

    Submit your proposal to share stories from your literacy community. See our call and guidelines for more information.