Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

The Looking Glass: New Perspectives on Children's Literature is an electronic journal about children's literature. The journal was launched April 2, 1997 -- International Children's Book Day. As our name suggests, we combine an interest in the traditional with an eye to the modern. Our readers and contributors are academics, librarians, teachers, parents and anyone else fascinated by the world of children's literature.
Articles are published in a range of formats and styles, from the formally academic (peer-reviewed), through more general analysis and commentary, to light and quirky observations. The key sections are:

  • Alice's Academy - formal academic papers

  • Emerging Voices - academic papers from previously unpublished critics and students

  • Jabberwocky - more general commentary

  • Picture Window - articles dealing specifically with illustration and presentation

  • Curiouser and Curiouser - light and quirky pieces

    • In addition, conference announcements, paper calls and similar notices may also be publicised in The Caucus Race.

    This journal is published by a small group of volunteers. Our expertise includes writing, editing, teaching, publishing, librarianship -- various aspects of the children's book trade. In the beginning, our parent organization was the Toronto Centre for the Study of Children's Literature (TCSCL), then housed at the Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto, now at York University. From 1 July 1998, however, The Looking Glass was independent of any institutional support. In July 2007, La Trobe University, Australia began providing hosting and enabled the transfer to an open access online journal format.

     

    Section Policies

    Frame of Reference

    Editors
    • David Beagley, La Trobe University
    Unchecked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

    Alice's Academy

    Editors
    • Caroline Jones, Texas State University - San Marcos
    Unchecked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Checked Peer Reviewed

    Emerging Voices

    Editors
    • Michelle Abate, Hollins University
    Unchecked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

    Jabberwocky

    Editors
    • David Beagley, La Trobe University
    Unchecked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

    Picture Window

    Editors
    • Kathryn Shoemaker, University of British Columbia
    Unchecked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

    Curiouser and Curiouser

    Editors
    • David Beagley, La Trobe University
    Unchecked Open Submissions Checked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed

    The Caucus Race

    Editors
    • David Beagley, La Trobe University
    Unchecked Open Submissions Unchecked Indexed Unchecked Peer Reviewed
     

    Peer Review Process

    Submissions to Alice's Academy will be peer-reviewed by at least two qualified reviewers, and a compiled report will be emailed to submitters. If revisions are required, a revision schedule with individualized deadlines will be established by the editor.

    Alice's Academy accepts submissions year-round, though the review process operates to the publication schedule of issues in January/February, April/May and September/October. In occasional issues of The Looking Glass a special topic is featured in Alice's Academy and the other columns. Please see The Caucus Race for more information on these special topics. The deadline for submissions to Alice's Academy for a specific issue is usually 3 months of the year preceeding that issue's publication.

    Submissions to Emerging Voices from college/university students must be submitted by a supervising academic staff member, with the student's permission. Submissions should also include general suggestions (by the academic, the student, or both in tandem) on areas for expansion and/or revision for its published format. Papers will be reviewed editorially, and may be returned with suggestions for revision by the student, working under the guidance of the academic. Final acceptance of papers is contingent upon the quality of the completed draft. Papers will be considered year-round, in the cycle of publication noted above, and revisions must be made expeditiously.

     

    Publication Frequency

    The Looking Glass aims to be published in three issues each year, in January/February, April/May and September/October.

     

    Open Access Policy

    This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

     

    The Staff

    Editor
    David Beagley is Lecturer in Children's Literature at La Trobe University in Victoria, Australia.

    Section Editors
    Alice's Academy: Caroline Jones (Texas State University-San Marcos, USA)
    Emerging Voices: Michelle Ann Abate (Hollins University, USA)
    Jabberwocky: David Beagley (La Trobe University-Bendigo, Australia)
    Picture Window: Kathryn E. Shoemaker (University of British Columbia, Canada)

     


    The Looking Glass: new perspectives on children's literature

    ISBN 1551-5680