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On Wednesday 15 March 2023, researchers, librarians, teachers, literary organisations such as Iedereen Leest, authors, illustrators, and children’s literature aficionados gathered for an afternoon filled with reflections on the theme of this year’s children’s book month: Happiness in Children’s Literature. The event was organised by Andrea Davidson, who recently defended… Continue reading An afternoon filled with happiness

Classics in children’s literature are often passed down from generation to generation. Just think of the fairy tale books you read at your grandparents’ house, which may have ended up in your own home by now as reading material for your children, nieces or nephews. The unfortunate thing about the… Continue reading Replacing body shaming with ageism

– Yu Peng Since joining the CAFYR team one year ago, time has passed quickly. I’ve had many new experiences in Antwerp and it’s wonderful to be a part of the CAFYR team. Before traveling to Belgium, I had little to no experience with in the fields of digital humanities… Continue reading Studying with the CAFYR team

– Emma-Louise Silva During November 2022, I conducted a research stay in Newcastle, UK. Not only was I invited to give a talk to the members of the Children’s Literature University Graduate Group (CLUGG) at Newcastle University, I also got the chance to visit Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books. Lucky… Continue reading Sipping tea with David Almond

– Michelle Anya Anjirbag In September 2021 I joined the CAFYR research project at the University of Antwerp as a postdoctoral research fellow on a six-month basis. I took on the appointment with the trepidation that comes with stepping out of many comfort zones at once – geographic, linguistic, and… Continue reading More than a career step: my time as a postdoctoral research fellow with the CAFYR team

On Tuesday 9 January 2023, the children’s literature team at the University of Antwerp gained a PhD. After a smart, eloquent and overall wonderful viva, Andrea Davidson was awarded with the title ‘Doctor in Literature’ for her 4-year research on the constructions of adolescence in the early genesis of Aidan… Continue reading Dr. Andrea Davidson’s Writing Talk

– Leander Duthoy Us academics are regularly reminded of the significance of being able to communicate our research in plain language to a lay audience. In Flanders, this is seen as so important that we have a whole competition/contest about it: the PhD-Cup, which – as shared with you in… Continue reading Okay… but why children’s books though?

From 19 until 27 November 2022, it is Read Aloud Week in Flanders. Some of the authors that are studied by the CAFYR team are included in the book tips, such as Bart Moeyaert with the wonderful winter story Morris, and Joke van Leeuwen with tantalising portraits in Beginnelingen. By… Continue reading Reading with your ears

“Climate change can be seen as presenting us with the largest collective action problem that humanity has ever faced, one that has both intra- and inter-generational dimensions.” This issue, brought forward by philosopher Dale Jamieson (2014, 61), forms the starting point for this year’s VAL symposium, which takes place at… Continue reading CAFYR at the VAL Symposium 2022

“Any adult who does not dare to read a children’s book on the train may not be a real adult yet.” These and other statements on age came up for discussion on Thursday 20 October, during the book launch of Vanessa Joosen’s new essay. At local bookshop De Groene Waterman,… Continue reading How old is young?

“Niet in één labjas te vangen” (“Not to be captured in a single lab coat”) – that is the title of the presentation with which postdoctoral researcher Frauke Pauwels shone on the stage of the final of the Flemish PhD Cup on Tuesday 18 October. Second out of eight candidates,… Continue reading Not to be captured in a single labcoat