The fourth biennial Children’s Literature Symposium will be held in the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University. Poet and author Allan Wolf, authors Alan Gratz and Heather Bouwman and storyteller Donna Washington will present approaches for using literature to facilitate reading, creative writing and storytelling in educational settings.

The symposium is designed to raise awareness of the importance of children’s and young adult literature. It is co-sponsored by the Belk Library and Information Commons and Reich College of Education.

Wolf will present the keynote address and will join Gratz and Bouwman in leading breakout sessions on the theme “Crafting Stories with Poetry and Prose.” Washington will provide a storytelling performance. Lunch is provided and teachers can earn 0.5 continuing education units at no cost.

Wolf is an author and performance poet living in Asheville. He spent 15 years as the educational director of “Poetry Alive!” and is considered one of the founding fathers of the National Poetry Slam movement. Wolf’s books showcase his love of history, research and poetry. His latest verse novel, “The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic,” was awarded the prestigious Claudia Lewis Poetry Award for the best poetry book of the year by Bank Street College. With literally hundreds of poems committed to memory, Wolf travels the country presenting author visits, poetry shows and inspirational talks for all ages. Learn more

Gratz is the author of “Refugee,” “Prisoner B-3087,” “Ban this Book” and “The League of Seven” series, as well as several other novels for young readers, short stories for magazines, plays and a few episodes of “City Confidential,” a television documentary series. His books have been listed on The New York Times best-seller list and are frequently selected for the North Carolina Middle and Elementary School Battle of the Books competitions. Gratz’s writing has won several American Library Association (ALA) Top Ten Best Books awards, two YALSA awards and eight state-sponsored awards. He will present programs in Watauga and Wilkes County schools on Oct. 26 and 27. Gratz will also present a free program for the public on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 3 p.m. at the Watauga County Public Library. Learn more

Bouwman is the author of two children’s middle grade novels, “The Remarkable & Very True Story of Lucy & Snowcap” and “A Crack in the Sea.” Bouwman’s latest book, “A Crack in the Sea,” is speculative fiction and takes readers on dramatic and poignant journeys between worlds where fantasy and history intersect. She will present programs in Watauga County Schools and at Appalachian. Bouwman lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she is an associate professor of English at the University of St. Thomas. Learn more

Washington is a nationally known, award-winning storyteller. Her CD, “A Tureen of Tales,” won the 2013 Parents’ Choice Gold Award, and her seven other CDs have been recognized with similar awards. She is also the author of books, “A Pride of African Tales,” “A Big, Spooky House” and “Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa.” Washington performs at schools, storytelling festivals and libraries across the country, and offers workshops in storytelling, writing, education and creative drama. Learn more

Margaret Gregor, a librarian in Belk Library and Information Commons Instructional Materials Center, notes the importance of encouraging children and young adults to read. “Reading well-researched fiction and poetry can inspire children to explore their history, learn about current events and become more aware of the world around them. We hope that the teachers and librarians attending the symposium will discover new ways to incorporate fiction, poetry and storytelling in their teaching,” she said.

Beth Frye, an associate professor of reading/language arts in the Reich College of Education added, “This symposium invites participants to personally experience the power of stories and poems. These award-winning children’s book authors offer educators opportunities for imaginative entry into the worlds of fantasy, historical fiction and poetry where curricular content and creativity intersect.”

The symposium is sponsored by Chuck and Pauletta Parker, Mary Helen Ridenhour, Charles and Elaine Graham, and the Martha and Nancy Lee Bivens Distinguished Professorship for Children and Reading.

For more information, contact Margaret Gregor at [email protected].

Registration is free, and individuals can register for the symposium online at https://imc.library.appstate.edu/symposium.

About the Reich College of Education

Appalachian State University offers one of the largest undergraduate teacher preparation programs in North Carolina, graduating about 500 teachers a year. The Reich College of Education enrolls more than 2,000 students in its bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist and doctoral degree programs, with offerings that span multiple fields — from teacher preparation, counseling, and therapy, to higher education, school and student affairs administration, library science, educational leadership and more. With over 10,000 alumni employed in North Carolina public schools, there is at least one Reich College graduate in every county in the state. Learn more at https://rcoe.appstate.edu.

About University Libraries

University Libraries at Appalachian State University serves the students, faculty and staff of App State’s Boone and Hickory campuses, contributing to the university’s mission of learning, teaching, advancing knowledge, engagement and effectiveness. Belk Library and Information Commons, the Erneston Music Library and the Hickory Library and Information Commons provide academic resources for all App State students and faculty. Within Belk Library, students and faculty find group and quiet study spaces, digital devices to check out, the Digital Media Studio, the Makerspace, the Virtual Realty Studio, the Special Collections Research Center and more. Learn more at https://library.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.