Katie Sciurba, an assistant professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education, recently received a 2026 Outstanding Book Award honorable mention from the Society of Professors of Education for her book, “Reading and Relevance, Reimagined: Celebrating the Literacy Lives of Young Men of Color.”
Founded in 1902, the Society of Professors of Education (SPE) is a professional and academic organization focused on teacher preparation, curriculum studies, educational foundations, and other related activities.
SPE’s primary goal is to provide a forum for educators to consider major issues, tasks, and challenges confronting professional educators.
“I am so grateful to receive this recognition from SPE and for my book ‘Reading and Relevance, Reimagined’ to join a list of such noteworthy academic titles,” said Sciurba. “It’s especially exciting to follow my esteemed language and literacy education colleague, Dr. Donna Alvermann, who received the SPE Outstanding Book Award in 2022.”
Reviewers for the award consider how well each text assists readers in understanding the relationship between education and social complexities in schools and in fostering questions on the history, status, and future alternatives of teaching, learning, and education.
“It took decades and an incredible amount of support from family, friends, and colleagues—not to mention the young men who participated in this project—for me to write the book,” said Sciurba. “I am truly uplifted by this honorable mention.”
Based on case studies of six young Black, Latino, and South Asian men and their reading experiences, “Reading and Relevance, Reimagined” reconceptualizes the term “relevance” as it applies to literacy education at the middle school through college levels.
By framing relevance from a student-centered perspective, Sciurba helps educators support the reading experiences of their students while simultaneously recognizing the complexities of their lives.
The Outstanding Book Award ceremony was held earlier this month in Los Angeles during the annual American Educational Research Association Convention.