We are delighted to announce that we will be writing a book based on our research and some of our blog posts, to be published by Routledge education!

Cognitive linguistics, and specifically cognitive poetics, is a relatively new discipline within the field of language and linguistics. The last fifteen years have brought huge advances in our understanding of reading and the mind, not just in terms of basic language acquisition and literacy development, but the fundamental tenets of what it means to read and engage with fiction. Current work in the field is beginning to understand why a text can make a reader grieve for a character they know was never real, physically increase their heart rate and prompt genuine fear responses, even make them look at the world differently and affect their real-world behaviours. We believe that this research is of huge potential value to English education practitioners and researchers alike, working across the full range of provision from Early Years to Higher Education.

Our book will offer an academic, accessible and applied overview of the latest work in cognitive linguistics in the context of studying fiction. Chapters will include exploration and discussion of

• Reading and the mind
• A history of literature teaching in schools
• Reading, attention and cognition
• Re-reading
• The roles of readers and writers in creating meaning
• Empathy and social justice
• Choosing fiction: children’s and YA literature in education

We’ll also be keeping updating this blog regularly as we work on the manuscript – watch this space for more details!