Worlds of Words Center of Global Literacies and Literatures recognizes our global lives.
Open a book. . . Open a mind. . . Change the world!
No matter where we live, our daily lives interconnect through global mobility and rapid economic, social and technological changes. Knowledge of the world and an understanding of global perspectives have thus become a necessity, not a luxury. Children no longer have a decision about whether they will lead global lives — but they do need to decide how they will live in a global society — and literature can play a role in opening their options.
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The Worlds of Words Center is located in the University of Arizona College of Education, Room 453.
Featured Research
WOW Stories is a regular on-line publication of Worlds of Words containing vignettes written by educators about children’s experiences reading and responding to literature.
WOW Review is a regular on-line publication of Worlds of Words containing reviews of selected books to be published quarterly. The reviews are careful examinations of the books, primarily focused on the cultural authenticity of the text and illustrations.
An analysis of international books published in the United States and collected by Worlds of Words and USBBY
We're Accepting Submissions!
Our 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.
Current Calls, Guidelines and Submission Instructions:
WOW Blog Features
Check out our latest blog collections for insights, updates, and expert perspectives.
This month, explore poems from Japan and Korea in two WOW Current blogs. First delve into the differences between Japan's Haiku and Korea's Sijo and why one is more commonly taught in U.S. schools. Then celebrate Asian American voices in children's poetry from recently published picturebooks.
This month's WOW Recommends brings to focus Indian Boarding Schools in preparation for September 30, the National Day of Remembrance of U.S. Indian Boarding Schools. Little Shoes demonstrates how stories can help younger generations confront painful histories while creating space for remembrance, understanding and healing.
Take a peek at our Fall 2026 exhibit "We Are Family! (Alles Familie): Depictions of Family in Contemporary Picture Books" with a dozen exhibit books available in English. This WOW Dozen features books from all four categories of the exhibit: Family Life – Colorful and Diverse; Mothers and Fathers – Loud and Soft; Sisters and Brothers – Old and Young, Big and Small; and Grandparents – Near and Far.
Former chef turned prolific author and editor Daniel Nayeri shares his thoughts on writing, reader relationships and the various ways he plays with structure and content when creating his books.
Looking for more?
Browse our resource collection for book recommendations and teaching tools.
Global Children’s and YA Literature Initiatives
Our students live in a global world. The opportunities we offer through literature in our classrooms can invite them into the richness of cultural diversity and global communities. To globalize the text exemplar lists included in standards documents that guide instruction in many states and countries, we developed global book lists of recommended fiction and nonfiction books organized by themes within K-12 grade level bands.
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