(Re)Thinking the Borders of Children’s Nonfiction: WONDRE in Thessaloniki
At the (Re)Thinking the Borders of Children’s Nonfiction conference in Greece, the WONDRE team presented multiple strands of our research, exploring cross-cultural knowledge and the emotional impact of nonfiction reading.
The (Re)Thinking the Borders of Children’s Nonfiction conference at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) in Greece provided a rare opportunity for the WONDRE team. At this international event, several disciplinary strands of our ERC research were showcased together to a single audience, offering a comprehensive look at how child readers engage with informational texts.
During the conference, post-doctoral researchers Sarah Caré and Karolína Šimková explored what counts as relevant knowledge about peers living elsewhere in the world. By examining this question through the lens of both children’s books and children’s own reflections, their empirical findings revealed curious and thought-provoking clashes. Additionally, Anežka Kuzmičová shared our latest data on the wide range of emotional responses afforded by nonfiction, highlighting the spectrum between hedonistic enjoyment and deeper, more meaningful (eudaimonic) pleasures.
We extend our gratitude to the conference organizers: Rosy-Triantafyllia Angelaki, Nina Goga, Georgia Grilli, Chrysogonus Siddha Malilang, and Krzysztof Rybak for facilitating such an inspiring platform for international dialogue.
