Wendy J. Glenn

Wendy J. Glenn is a Professor of Literacy Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research explores literature for youth and its capacity to foster connection while challenging power and privilege in educational contexts. She has served as President of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English (ALAN) and Senior Editor of The ALAN Review.

• PhD in Curriculum and Instruction in English Education (Arizona State University, 2001)
• MEd in Secondary Education (Arizona State University, 1994)
• BA in English (Arizona State University, 1992)

Her scholarship centers on young adult (YA) literature, analyzing how texts shape understandings of identity, place, and embodiment. She applies critical theories to examine YA narratives and collaborates with teachers to address societal biases in classrooms. Recent work includes environmental values in rural youth fiction and gendered portrayals in sports literature.

Dr. Glenn’s recent publications highlight trends in YA and children’s literature, particularly focusing on ethnic and gender studies, immigration narratives, and speculative fiction’s role in bias intervention. Her collaborations with Elizabeth Caasi challenge stereotypical representations of marginalized communities.

• President's Teaching Scholar (2023)
• Those Who Can Teach Gold Award (2019)
• University Teaching Fellow (2009)
• Fulbright Scholar to Norway (2009-2010)
• Nilsen-Donelson Award for Best Article (2022)

As a former middle and high school English teacher in Phoenix, Dr. Glenn bridges academic research and classroom practice. She co-chairs the Faculty Athletics Fellows Program and leads initiatives like the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Committee, emphasizing equity in education.