James Blasingame focuses on young adult literature, Indigenous education, secondary writing instruction, preparing pre-service teachers, and cowboy poetry. He is the executive director of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English (ALAN). He has been president of ALAN (2010) and was co-editor of The ALAN Review, a journal devoted entirely to young adult literature and sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English (2003-2009). He also created the Books for Adolescents pages of the Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literacy for 14 years, which is sponsored by the International Literacy Association.
Blasingame is the author or coauthor of "John Green: Teen Whisperer," "Stephenie Meyer: Into Twilight," "Using Mentor Texts: Middle School," "Books That Don’t Bore ‘Em: Young Adult Literature for Today’s Generation "(Scholastic, 2007), "Gary Paulsen (Teen Reads: Student Companions to Young Adult Literature)" (Greenwood Press 2007), "Teaching Writing in Middle and Secondary Schools" (Pearson, Prentice-Hall 2004), and "They Rhymed with Their Boots On: A Teacher’s Guide to Cowboy Poetry" (The Writing Conference, 2000). He has also published more than 60 interviews with poets and authors of young adult literature and over 100 book reviews in VOYA, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, The ALAN Review and English Journal. Blasingame creates the annual Honor List of young adult literature for English Journal along with Professors Alleen Nilsen and Don Nilsen. He has given presentations performing cowboy poetry at the National Council of Teachers of English convention, the International Literacy Association, and the Western States Conference on Rhetoric and Composition.
Blasingame is the 2017 Arizona Humanities Dan Shilling Public Scholar Award winner. He was the 2014 ASU Doctoral Mentor of the year, and the 2008 ASU Professor of the Year. He is the 2008 International Reading Association Arbuthnot Award winner for outstanding professor of children's and young adult literature. He was the recipient of the 2007 ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award for the Humanities and one of 11 ASU professors to be given the 2007 Arizona State University Parents’ Association Professor of the Year Special Recognition Award.
Before coming to ASU in 2000, Blasingame spent 24 years in secondary education including: three years in high school administration at Interstate 35 High School (Truro, Iowa), and Bishop Miege High School (Shawnee Mission, Kansas); 18 years in English education at Girls and Boys Town High School (Boys Town, Nebraska); American Fork High School (American Fork, Utah); and Dowling High School (West Des Moines, Iowa). He also spent two years coaching college athletics at Western State College (Gunnison, Colorado) and Simpson College (Simpson, Iowa).
He teaches the courses ENG 471: Literature for Adolescents, ENG 540: Theory and Practice in Teaching Young Adult Literature, ENG 480: Methods of Teaching English: Composition, and ENG 482: Methods of Teaching English: Language.
Ph.D. Kansas University
Books
Kathleen Deakin, Laura Walsh and James Blasingame. John Green: Teen Whisperer. Lanham,
MD: Rowman & Littlefield. (2015).
Nilsen, Alleen, and James Blasingame. Literature for Today’s Young Adults. Ninth Edition.
Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn Bacon (2012).
Blasingame, James. Stephenie Meyer: Into the Twilight. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
(2012).
Culham, Ruth, and James Blasingame and Ray Coutu. Using Mentor Texts. New York:
Scholastic, 2010. 128 pp. 33% contribution
Blasingame, James. Gary Paulsen: Teen Reads Student Companions to Young Adult Literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing, 2007. 184 pp.
---. Books That Don’t Bore ‘Em: Young Adult Books That Speak to This
Generation. New York: Scholastic, 2007. 272 pp.
Blasingame, James, and John H. Bushman. Teaching Writing in the Secondary Schools. Columbus, Ohio: Pearson, Prentice, Hall, 2004. 256 pp.
Refereed Articles
Blasingame, James. ““Knowledge, Passion, and Compassion.” Urban Middle School English Language
Arts Teachers—What’s Your Story?” Voices from the Middle. (March 2018): in press.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, Don L. F. Nilsen, and James Blasingame, Jr. “The 2016 Honor List.” English
Journal, 107.2 (November 2017):11-18.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, James Blasingame, and Don L. F. Nilsen. “The 2014 Honor List: A
Medley of Cultures and Characters.” English Journal, 105.2 (November 2015). 08-116.
Nilsen, Don, James Blasingame, and Alleen Nilsen. “2013 Honor List: Filled with Real
Information.” English Journal, 104.2 (November, 2014): 105-112.
Blasingame, James Jr., Alleen Pace Nilsen, and Don L. F. Nilsen. “2012 Honor List in a
Digital Age.” English Journal, 103.4 (March, 2014): 90-96.
Serafini Frank,and Hanes Blasingame. “The Changing Face of The Novel.” The Reading Teacher, 66.2 (October
2012):145–148.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, James Blasingame, Jr., and Ken Donelson. “The 2009 Honor List: Timely
and Timeless.” English Journal, 100.3 (January, 2011): 82-90
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, James Blasingame, Jr., and Ken Donelson. “The 2008 Honor List: A
Shifting of Paradigms.” English Journal 99.2 (November, 2009): 80-86.
Nilsen, Alleen, and James Blasingame. “Getting Up Close and Personal with Living Authors.”
English Journal 98.3 (January 2008): 15-21.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, James Blasingame, Jr., and Ken Donelson. “The 2007 Honor List: A Harvest
from the World at Large.” English Journal 98.1 (September, 2008): 73-80.
Blasingame, James, Jr. “From Wellpinit to Reardan: Sherman Alexie’s Journey to the National Book Award.” The ALAN Review 35.2 (winter 2008): 69-74.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, James Blasingame, Jr., and Ken Donelson. “From A to Z: The 2006 Honor List.” English Journal 97.1 (September, 2007): 94-100.
Blasingame, James, Jr. “‘What a Man Do.’ Coe Booth and the Genesis of Tryell.” The ALAN Review, 34.2 (winter 2007): 29-33.
---. “Nothing Beats a Good Story. Using Louis L’Amour with Reluctant Readers.” RHI: An Annual Magazine for Educators. 1.1 (2006): 56-61.
Donelson, Ken, James Blasingame, Jr., and Alleen Pace Nilsen. “2005 Honor List: A Wealth of Books to
Compare.” English Journal 96.1 (September, 2006): 90-96.
Blasingame, James. “Venturing into the Deep Waters: The Work of Jordan Sonnenblick.” The
ALAN Review 33.2 (Winter 2006): 60-64.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, James Blasingame and Ken Donelson. “The 2004 Honor List—An Encouraging Illustration of Extended Horizons.” English Journal 95.1 (September 2005): 103-108.
Nilsen, Alleen and James Blasingame. “The Mouse that Roared: A Vocabulary Lesson from Strength Trainers.”
English Journal 94.4 (March 2005): 59-64.
Blasingame, James. “Educational Reform and Its Connection to Art Instruction: Art and Writing.” National Art
Educators’ Translations: From Theory to Practice 14.1 (Spring 2005): 1-5.
---. “How Will Life Be in 3003. “Visions of the Future in Young Adult Literature.” SIGNAL Journal XXVII.1
Fall 2004): 5-11.
Donelson, Ken, Alleen Pace Nilsen, and James Blasingame. “2003 Honor List—A Book for All Reasons.” English Journal 94.1 (September 2004): 88-94.
Blasingame, James, and Alleen Nilsen. “Books, Audience, Action! Dramatizing Popular Titles is a Terrific Way to Attract Teens.” School Library Journal 50.1 (January 2004): 35.
Blasingame, James, Ken Donelson, and Alleen Pace Nilsen. “2002 Honor List: Signs of the Times.” English Journal 93.1 (September 2003): 80-86.
Blasingame, James. “The Ken Donelson Special Collection of Juvenile Literature.” The ALAN Review 30.3 (Summer 2003): 58-59.
Nilsen, Alleen Pace, James Blasingame, and Ken Donelson. “2001 Honor List: A Vote for Diversity.” English
Journal 92.2 (November 2002): 128-134.
---. “Seven Poets Answer Seven Questions for the Classroom Teacher.” English Journal 91.3 (January, 2002):
109-113.
Book Chapters
Blasingame, James. “Young Adult Fiction in 20th and 21st Century America.” In Christopher Bigsby (ed) The
Cambridge History of American Popular Culture. Cambridge University Press. (Solicited.)
Williams, Wendy, and James Blasingame. “Celebrating All Voices: Assuring Diversity in Young Adult
Literature.” In Judith Hayn & Jeffrey Kaplan, (eds.) Teaching Young Adult Literature, Second edition.
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. (2016). 223-250.
Blasingame, James. 2016. “Foreword.” Textual Analysis Made Easy: Ready-to-Use Tools for Teachers, 5-8
Grade New York; Routledge. 2016.
Blasingame, James. “YAL in Cyberspace: How Teachers are Following their Students into New Literacies.” In
Judith Hayn & Jeffrey Kaplan, (eds.) Teaching Young Adult Literature. Rowman Littlefield. (2012)
Blasingame, James. Introduction. You Don’t Have a Clue: Latino Mystery Stories for Teens. Ed. Sarah Cortez.
Houston: Piñata Books Arte Público, 2011.
---. Foreword in Reading Ladders: Leading Readers from Where They Are to Where We like
Them to Be, by Teri Lesesne. (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann), 2010. v-viii.
---. “Young Adult Literature and the Teaching of Writing.” In Pam Cole (ed.) Young Adult
Literature in the 21st Century. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 597-621.
---. “Exemplary Young Adult Literature: The Best Books for Adolescents.” In Barbara Guzzetti
(ed.) Literacy for the New Millennium. Westport, CT: Praeger/Greenwood Publishing, 2007, pp. 137-153.
---. “Parents, It’s 10:00—Do You Know What You’re Children are Reading?” In Neal H. Lester
(ed) Once Upon a Time in a Different World: Issues and Ideas in African American
Literature. New York: Routledge, 2007. 187-194
Blasingame, James, Mary Erickson and Larry Woodson. “Art and Writing: Interdisciplinary
Inquiry, Discovery and Meaning Making.” In Mary Stokrocki (ed.) Interdisciplinary Art
Education: Building Bridges To Connect Disciplines & Cultures. Reston, Virginia:
National Art Educators’ Association, 2005. 182-195.
Blasingame, James, and John H. Bushman. “Sharon Creech.” In Ted Hipple (ed.) Writers for Young Adults
Supplement I. Ed. Ted Hipple. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2000. 29-36.
Invited Columns
Durand, E. Sybil, and James Blasingame. The ALAN Review, 43.3 (Summer 2016): 90-95.
Durand, E. Sybil, and James Blasingame. “Embracing Difficult Truths of Adolescence through
Young Adult Literature.” The ALAN Review, 43.2 (Winter 2016): 77-82.
Durand, E. Sybil, and James Blasingame. “The Books That Will Never Be Read.” The ALAN
Review, 43.1 (Fall 2015): 94-100.
Invited Radio Interviews
KJZZ “What Does 2017 Have In Store For Young-Adult Literature?” With Mark Brodie: January 24,
2017. http://kjzz.org/content/426092/what-does-2017-have-store-young-adult-literature
KJZZ “School Shootings in Young Adult Literature.” With Mark Brodie: September 6,
2016. http://kjzz.org/content/360880/young-adult-authors-taking-school-shootings
Interviews
Blasingame, James. “An Interview with S.C. Gwynne. Print-Based Texts. Journal of
Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(8) (May 2015): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jaal.408/suppinfo
Blasingame, James. “An Interview with Jack Gantos. Print-Based Texts. Journal of
Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(7), (April 2015):
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jaal.399/suppinfo
Blasingame, James. “An Interview with Joseph Bruchac.” Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy 58.4 (December 2014/January 2015): 341-343.
Book Reviews
Blasingame James. (2015). Rev. of Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-eight Days. Print
-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(6), 734–736.
Blasingame James. (2015). Rev. of The Big Dark. Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent &
Adult Literacy, 59(6), 734–736.
Blasingame James. (2015) Rev. of My Fight/Your Fight. Print-Based Texts. Journal of
Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(5), 603–605.
Blasingame, J. (2015). Rev. of Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.
Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(1) 106-107.
Blasingame, J. (2015). Rev. of Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of
Stonewall Jackson. Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(8), (May 2015): 692-693.
Blasingame, James. Rev of Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation. Print-
Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(7), (April 2015): 609. .
Blasingame, James. Rev. of Rumble (2015). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent &
Adult Literacy, 58(7), (April 2015): 609-610.
Blasingame, James. Rev. of The Key that Swallowed Joey Pigza (2015). Print-Based
Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(7), (April 2015): 610-611.
Blasingame, James. Rev. of Sycamore Row.” Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent &
Adult Literacy, (58(5), (February, 2015). 429–431.
Blasingame, James, Jr. Rev. of Written in My Own Heart’s Blood. Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy 58.4 (December 2014/January 2015): 340–341
Blasingame, James, Jr. Rev. of Killer of Enemies. Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy 58.4 (December 2014/January 2015): 341.
Blasingame, James, Jr. Rev. of Muckers. Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy 58.3 November 2014): 258.
Blasingame, James, Jr. Rev. of Spider Woman’s Daughter. Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy 58.2 (October 2014): 170-171.
Blasingame, James, Jr. Rev. of Caged Warrior. Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy 57.8 (May 2014): 689.
Blasingame, James, Jr. Rev. of If I Ever Get Out of Here. Journal of Adolescent
and Adult Literacy 57.5 (February, 2014): 420-421.
Blasingame, James, Jr. Rev. of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Journal of
Adolescent and Adult Literacy 57.5 (February, 2014): 421-422.
Editing
Blasingame James. (2016). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(6),
734–736.
Blasingame James. (2016). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(5),
603–605
Blasingame James. (2016). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,
59(4), 479–481
Blasingame, James. (2015). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,
59(3), 343–344.
Blasingame, J. (2015). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(2),
233–235.
Blasingame, J. (2015). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 59(1),
110–112.
Blasingame, J. (2015). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(8),
693–694.
Blasingame, J. (2015). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(7),
605–607.
Blasingame, J. (2015). Print-Based Texts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(6),
521–524.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 58.4
(December 2014/January 2015): 340-343.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 58.3
(November 2014): 258-259.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 58.2
(October, 2014): 171-172.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 58.1
(September, 2014): 85-88.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 57.8 (May.
2014): 689-691.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 57.7 (April
2014): 597-600.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 57.6 (March,
2014): 506-508.
Blasingame James. “Print-Based Text.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 57.5
(February, 2014): 420-422.
PRESENTATIONS
International
“They Rhymed with Their Boots On: Poetry and Songs of the Cowboys.” Center for
Inter-American Studies Institute. Seggau Schloss, Austria, July 8, 2014
“Children and Imagination.” Association of Children’s Museum’s Annual International
Conference, Phoenix, AZ, May 14, 2014.
National
“Why Middle Matters Student Led Roundtables: Expanding Horizons/Increasing Awareness with Diverse
Books.” National Council of Teachers of English. St. Louis, November 21, 2017.
“Creating Advocacy through Mentorship: Mentoring in English Education.” National Council of
Teachers of English. Atlanta, November 21, 2016.
“El Día de los Niños, El Día de los Niños: Planning, Funding, and Implementing Your Winning
Celebration of Kids, Culture and Books.” National Council of Teachers of English. Washington, D.D., November 21, 2014.
“Are We Creating a Generation of Impatient Readers.” National Council of Teachers of English.
Washington, D.D., November 23, 2014.
Local or Regional
“This Class Always Goes By So Fast! Creating an Engaging Classroom.” Des Moines Area Community College
2017 Summer Institute. Ankeny, Iowa. July 8, 2017.
“Adolescent Meaning Making with Young Adult Novels.” With Aron Jones, Darby Simpson, and Mandy Luszek.
Arizona English Teachers Association. Chandler Gilbert Community College. September 23, 2017.
“The Power of Sequential Art Narratives.” With Dani Kachorsky. Phoenix Comicon. Phoenix, AZ. May 26, 2017.
“Doubling Down on the Resolution: How do the Best Young Adult Authors Create an Interior
and Exterior Conflict Resolution? American Night Writers’ Association Writers’ Conference. Mesa, Arizona, September 16, 2016.
“Boys Don’t Read.” Desert Nights, Rising Stars. Tempe, Arizona, February 22, 2014.
“Writing for Young Adults: It’s All about Voice.” Desert Nights, Rising Stars.
Tempe, Arizona, February 22, 2014.
“Writing for Young Adults: It’s All about Voice.” American Night Writers’ Association Writers’
Conference. Mesa, Arizona, February 21, 2014.
TEACHING
Spring 2017
ENG 471: Literature for Adolescents
ENG 484: Phoenix Union High School Internship
ENG 792: Research
ENG 599 & 593: Ongoing Registration and Applied Project
ENG 499 & 492: Honors Independent Studies
ILEP: Insights from the World’s Best Schools
Fall 2016
ENG 482 Methods of Teaching Language
ENG 471: Literature for Adolescents
ENG 792: Research
ENG 599 & 593: Ongoing Registration and Applied Project
GRADUATE STUDENT MENTORING
Anthony Celaya 2017-present Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Amanda Luszeck 2015-present Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Darby Simpson 2015-present Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Kristina Bybee 2014-present Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Jason Griffith 2014-present Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Alice Hays 2013-2017 Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Tracy Flores 2013-2017 Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Shelly Shaffer 2010-2016 Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Wendy Williams 2010-2015 Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Aron Jones 2011-201present Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Melissa Williamson, 2010-2015 Doctoral Dissertation Chair
Maria Hernandez Goff 2013-present Doctoral Dissertation Committee Member
Cynthia Kiefer 2009-2014 Doctoral Dissertation Committee Member
GRANTS/HONORS
2017 Arizona Humanities Project Grant for RED INK Indigenous Cultural Series for Teens ($5,000 awarded)
2017 Arizona English Teachers Association Award for Special Projects (with Tracey Flores)
2017 ASU Pitchfunder for El Día de los Niños, El Día de los Libros ($6100 raised)
National Endowment for the Humanities: Indigenous Identities Project: A Literary and Cultural Arts Exchange for Native Youth (unfunded) $276,072 requested
2017 Arizona Humanities Council Dan Shilling Public Scholar Award
2016 The ALAN Review Editors’ Award for Excellence in Writing and Contribution to the Field (with Sybil Durand)
2016 Arizona Humanities Project Grant for RED INK Indigenous Cultural Series for Teens ($5,000 awarded)
2016 ASU Pitchfunder for El Día de los Niños, El Día de los Libros ($6042 raised)
SERVICE
Spring 2021 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
TEL 493 | Honors Thesis |
ENG 584 | Internship |
Fall 2020 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
DCI 784 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
EDA 799 | Dissertation |
Summer 2020 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 540 | Tchng Young Adult Literature |
Spring 2020 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 484 | Internship |
ENG 584 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
Fall 2019 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
DCI 784 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
EDA 799 | Dissertation |
Summer 2019 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 540 | Tchng Young Adult Literature |
Spring 2019 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
ENG 584 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
Fall 2018 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
DCI 784 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
EDA 799 | Dissertation |
Summer 2018 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 540 | Tchng Young Adult Literature |
Spring 2018 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
ENG 584 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
Fall 2017 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
DCI 784 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
EDA 799 | Dissertation |
Summer 2017 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 540 | Tchng Young Adult Literature |
Spring 2017 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 484 | Internship |
ENG 584 | Internship |
ENG 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
Fall 2016 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 482 | Methods of Teaching: Language |
DCI 784 | Internship |
EDA 792 | Research |
EDA 799 | Dissertation |
Summer 2016 | |
---|---|
Course Number | Course Title |
ENG 471 | Literature for Young Adults |
ENG 540 | Tchng Young Adult Literature |