Books to Parks

Center for Children’s Books (CCB) Director, Dr. Sara Schwebel, and CCB research assistants Joshua Altshuler, Mia Walter, Christina Sallis, Helen Salkheld, Melina Hegelheimer, and Emma Hartman have been in collaboration with the National Park Service to produce research and curriculum resources through the Books to Parks project .

“The Books to Parks project links widely-recognized works of children’s and young adult literature to the natural, cultural, and historical resources protected by the US government. By connecting young people to parks via literature, Books to Parks encourages youth to develop appreciation for and stewardship of NPS sites. Simultaneously, the project encourages critical engagement with literature, providing readers with carefully curated resources that facilitate deep contextualization of texts.”¹

Series: The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963
The CCB’s 2023-2024 programming focused on the Civil Rights Movement in children’s literature in connection to The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963 and the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. Learn more about this series and the research and curriculum resources associated with it here.

Series: Island of the Blue Dolphin
Dr. Sara Schwebel and CCB research assistants also conducted research that contributed to online resources for teachers, scholars, and children to learn more about the Channel Islands National Park in connection with Island of the Blue Dolphin. Learn more about the islands, the stories of the Lone Woman, and more here.

1. “Series: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963,” National Park Service, Books to Parks Project. Series: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 (nps.gov)
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