First Opinions, Second Reactions

Janet Alsup is a professor of English education at Purdue University, where she has been a faculty member since 2000. She is a former department head in Purdue’s College of Education as well as a former high school teacher. She has authored, coauthored, or edited six books, including A Case for Teaching Literature in the Secondary School: Why Reading Fiction Matters in an Age of Scientific Objectivity and Standardization. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in English and literacy education.

Christy Wessel-Powell is an associate professor of literacy and language education at Purdue University, where she has been a faculty member since 2016. She regularly publishes articles, book chapters, and book reviews focused on children’s literature, literacy, equity, and teacher education. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in literacy and elementary education. Prior to her career in academia, she was a K–2 classroom teacher.