Jim Cipielewski explores cultural diversity in Cinderella tales at IBBY International Congress

Jim Cipielewski, SEHS Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Reading and Language Arts, will present at the 33rd IBBY International Congress in August, at London’s Imperial College.

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is a worldwide, non-profit organization with 77 national sections, dedicated to bringing children and books together. Its mission is to:

• promote international understanding through children's books
• give children everywhere the opportunity to have access to books with high literary and artistic standards
• encourage the publication and distribution of quality children's books, especially in developing countries
• provide support and training for those involved with children and children's literature
• stimulate research and scholarly works in the field of children's literature

IBBY's biennial congress hosts international children’s literature scholars and professionals who attend the lectures, panel discussions, seminar sessions and workshops on current congress themes. The IBBY Congress also serves as a frame not only for the General Assembly and other meetings, but also for the presentation of different exhibitions and celebrations such as the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, the most prestigious medal in children’s literature, and the IBBY Honour List.

Cipielewski will be presenting “Cinderella: Exploring a Tale’s Migration to the American South.” While there are numerous Cinderella variants, many are closely linked while others show greater cultural diversity. This paper examines what happened to the Cinderella story as it migrated from the British Isles to the Appalachian region of the United States. What did tellers keep, and what did they change?

In the Department of Reading and Language Arts, Cipielewski has taught many courses including those related to children’s literature and children’s literacy education, including a special summer course, RDG 570 – Authors’ and Illustrators' Art and Craft.

To learn more about IBBY, please visit: http://www.ibby.org/