SLIDING MAG

We invite you to join us in exploring the vast world of biographical children’s literature and media in SLIDING’s first issue of 2026. 

EXPLORE THE FULL ISSUE

Highlights from the issue

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  Jan 21

  I Swear: depictions of life with Tourette’s Syndrome on the big screen

  I Swear (2025) explores the life of John Davidson, a Scottish man who, in his teenage years, developed Tourette’s Syndrome. This motor disorder was widely unknown in the 1980s, and so he had to endure the consequences of ignorance and lack of social and structural support. Through an emotional lens, the movie invites the audience to reflect on the importance…

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  Jan 20

  Read Aloud: Swan. The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova (2015)

  In this read-aloud we share with you the story of the legendary ballerina Anna Pavlova. Laurel Synder and Julie Morstad brought Anna’s story to life with their poetic words and beautiful illustrations in the picturebook Swan (2015). Come join us in learning about a young girl determined to share the beauty of ballet with the whole world.

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  Jan 9

  Out of The Pit: Reflections on ‘It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth’ (2023)

  Content Warning: This article discusses depression and suicidal ideation.  It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (2023) is an autobiographical comic by Zoe Thorogood that made her a 6-times nominee for an Eisner Award. In this review, I discuss the relevance in her depictions of mental health and selfhood within her autobiography. I have […]

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  Jan 2

  Puppets, summery Christmas and critical comments from the south: 31 Minutos and its Calurosa Navidad

  Spending the festive season in the northern or southern hemisphere (or near the tropics) has its differences. A bright sun, water balloons and watermelons are part of a non-hegemonic characterisation of Christmas that 31 Minutos, a children-oriented puppet show from Chile, depicts in its special episode. Here we explore the idea of their very hot Christmas along with other festive…

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  Dec 24

  12 Days of Sliding: Day 12

  12 Days of Sliding Day 12

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  Dec 23

  12 Days of Sliding: Day 11

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  Jan 26

  Republic Day and the Promise of Innocence: Reading the Indian Constitution Through Childhood

  As India celebrates Republic Day, this article reflects on the Constitution not merely as a legal document, but as a lived promise experienced first through childhood—through festivals, stories, and everyday freedoms. Tracing the making of the Constitution under Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the piece explores democracy, religious freedom, caste-based inequality, and the growing fear around cultural expression. It concludes by…

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  Jan 14

  Breaking the Waves: Child Agency and Film Literacy with Ne Zha 2

  This essay uses the Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 to explore how children read films as actively as they read books. Through concrete viewing activities – from using posters and trailers to analyzing sound, emotion, and “what if?” rewriting – it shows how families and educators can nurture children’s agency and critical film literacy in everyday settings.

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  Nov 27

  The Forest of Fear: Teaching Kids to Read Fear (Gently)

  Fear shows up all across children’s culture—from picturebooks to audio books and games. This piece argues that fear can be taught as a literacy, using the forest motif in folktales to model safe, critical, and inclusive ways in which children can name, regulate, and discuss intense feelings.