Emily Aguiló-Pérez

Emily Aguiló-Pérez

Associate Professor
Main Hall 116
EAguilo-Perez@wcupa.edu
She/Her/Ella

Education

  • Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University
  • M.A. University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
  • B.A. University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

Interests

  • Children’s and Youth Literatures and Cultures
  • Childhood Studies
  • Representation and Diversity in Children’s Literature and Media
  • Toys and Media Studies
  • Girlhood Studies
  • Latinx Identities and Representation
  • Children’s Rights
  • Popular Culture
  • Disney Studies

Courses Taught at WCU

Undergraduate

  • Something Wicked: Witches in Youth Literature and Media (ENG 400)
  • Examining Girlhood Studies through Barbie (ENG 400)
  • Special Topics in Children’s Literature: Latinx Youth Literatures and Cultures (LIT 360)
  • Special Topics in Children's Literature: Awards for Youth Media (LIT 360)
  • Literature for Young Children (LIT 219)
  • Children’s Literature (LIT 220)
  • Critical and Research Writing (WRT 200)
  • Critical Writing: Approaches to Pop Culture- Disney Themed (WRT 204)
  • Effective Writing (WRT 120)

Graduate

  • Topics in Literature for Young Children (ENG 592)
  • Finding Writing Mentors: Grades 6-12 (PWP 521)
  • Finding Writing Mentors: Grades K-5 (PWP 520)

Selected Publications

Books

Aguiló-Pérez, E.R. (2022). An American Icon in Puerto Rico: Barbie, Girlhood, and Colonialism at Play. Series: Transnational Girlhoods. NY: Berghahn Books. https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/Aguilo-PerezAmerican

Articles, Book Chapters, and Reviews

Aguiló-Pérez, E. R. (2022). Creating, Collecting, and Curating: Mothers Pass Down Barbie Traditions. In J. Camlot, L. Morra, and M. Langford (Eds.), Collection Thinking: Within and Without Libraries, Archives and Museums. Routledge.

Aguiló-Pérez, E. R. (2021). Commodifying Culture: Mattel’s and Disney’s Marketing Approaches to “Latinx” Toys and Media. In R. C. Hains and N. A. Jennings (Eds.), The Marketing of Children’s Toys: Critical Perspectives on Children’s Consumer Culture. Palgrave Macmillan.

Vanfosson, J., & Aguiló-Pérez, E. (2021). Keep It Short: Anthologies and Collections of Diverse Voices in Youth Literature. Pennsylvania Reads: Journal of the Keystone State Literacy Association.

Lacayo, S. & Aguiló-Pérez, E. (2020). Nerds, Goths, Geeks, and Freaks: Outsiders in Chicanx and Latinx Young Adult Literature, edited by Trevor Boffone and Cristina Herrera (2020). The Lion and the Unicorn, 44(3).

Aguiló-Pérez, E., & Vanfosson, J. (2020). Resistance and Activism in Youth Literature: #OwnVoices. Pennsylvania Reads: Journal of the Keystone State Literacy Association, 19(1), 12-15.

Aguiló-Pérez, E. (2019). Leaving Home: Stories about Immigration, Migration, and the Diaspora Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures, 11.2 : 297-311.

Aguiló-Pérez, E. R. (2017). Tweens. In H. Montgomery (Ed.), Oxford Bibliographies in Childhood Studies. New York: Oxford University Press.

Aguiló-Pérez, E.R. (2017). Dolls Studies: The Many Meanings of Girls’ Toys and Play, edited by Miriam Forman-Brunell and Jennifer Dawn Whitney (2015). Children & Society 31(1), 84-85.

Aguiló-Pérez, E.R. (2016). Princess Cultures: Mediating Girls’ Imaginations and Identities, edited by Miriam Forman-Brunell and Rebecca C. Hains (2015). American Journal of Play 8(3), 397-399.

Aguiló-Pérez, E. R. (2016). “I—I’m a little girl”: The New Adult in Film Adaptations of Alice in Wonderland. In S. Helff and N. Butt (Eds.), Tantalizing Alice: Approaches, Concepts and Case-Studies in Adaptations of a Classic, (pp. 101- 114). Germany: Trier Publisher.

Aguiló-Pérez, E. R. (2015). Appearing Otherwise: Changing Alice into the Woman of Wonderland. The Looking Glass: New Perspectives on Children’s Literature 18(1).

Awards

  • 2020 Research and Creative Activities Grant (RACA), College of Arts and Humanities, West Chester University
  • 2020 Honors College Outstanding Faculty, West Chester University
  • 2015 Strong Research Fellowship, The Strong National Museum of Play, Rochester, NY

Children’s Books Award Committees Served 

  • 2022 (John) Newbery Award
  • 2018 – present A Baker’s Dozen: The Best Children’s Books for Family Literacy (Pennsylvania Center for the Book)
  • 2018 Pura Belpré Award
  • 2017 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

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