Lucy Pearson
@lrpearson.bsky.social
Scholar of children's and YA literature, Newcastle University UK.
As a parent, I find social media terrifying and want to keep my child off it as long as possible. However the calls for a ban for under 16s continue a long pattern of seeking to shrink young people's presence in the public realm rather than tackling other issues.
January 23, 2026 at 10:03 AM
As a parent, I find social media terrifying and want to keep my child off it as long as possible. However the calls for a ban for under 16s continue a long pattern of seeking to shrink young people's presence in the public realm rather than tackling other issues.
This is a super awesome opportunity!
We’re thrilled to share this AHRC-funded PhD opportunity from Swansea University @swanseauni
“Serious about Play: Childhood, Play and Policymaking in Wales, 1945 to present” explores how Wales developed its own distinct stance of child’s play through the examination of postwar Welsh childhoods.
“Serious about Play: Childhood, Play and Policymaking in Wales, 1945 to present” explores how Wales developed its own distinct stance of child’s play through the examination of postwar Welsh childhoods.
January 20, 2026 at 9:41 AM
This is a super awesome opportunity!
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
ah well at least we restructured the entire contemporary university, the product of many centuries of slowly accumulating human ingenuity, to boost this
“One notable MIT study found that 95 percent of companies that integrated AI saw zero meaningful growth in revenue. For coding tasks, one of AI’s most widely hyped applications, another study showed that programmers who used AI coding tools actually became slower at their jobs.”
AI Completely Failing to Boost Productivity, Says Top Analyst
AI may or may not excel at a lot of things, but from an economic standpoint, it's definitely not making us more productive.
futurism.com
January 20, 2026 at 3:24 AM
ah well at least we restructured the entire contemporary university, the product of many centuries of slowly accumulating human ingenuity, to boost this
Really struggling with the idea that multiple people at Darlington Memorial have been wasting time over manufactured shit about changing rooms. Anyone who has experience of that hospital knows there are many many issues relating to patient care that deserve this kind of energy
January 16, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Really struggling with the idea that multiple people at Darlington Memorial have been wasting time over manufactured shit about changing rooms. Anyone who has experience of that hospital knows there are many many issues relating to patient care that deserve this kind of energy
I’ve been to two of these conferences and they’re very lovely! They’re also super welcoming to children’s literature so if you don’t think of yourself as a historian don’t automatically count yourself out!
The @histchild.bsky.social conference is coming to the @sheffielduni.bsky.social in July 2026. Call for papers has been extended until Monday 22nd December. Please share - especially with research students and ECRs! www.histchild.org/pages/sheffi...
Fifth Biennial Conference | Children's History Society
University of Sheffield, 1-3 July 2026
www.histchild.org
December 18, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I’ve been to two of these conferences and they’re very lovely! They’re also super welcoming to children’s literature so if you don’t think of yourself as a historian don’t automatically count yourself out!
I realise this is too niche to be cost effective, but I wish academic books were available as audiobooks. Increasingly find that this is a good way for me to really take in information
December 18, 2025 at 11:57 AM
I realise this is too niche to be cost effective, but I wish academic books were available as audiobooks. Increasingly find that this is a good way for me to really take in information
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
December 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
On #HumanRightsDay we reiterate that human rights cannot be applied selectively.
#OurEverydayRights are also the rights of Palestine Refugees. What is at stake are the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law.
Human Rights must be upheld without exception.
#OurEverydayRights are also the rights of Palestine Refugees. What is at stake are the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law.
Human Rights must be upheld without exception.
December 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM
On #HumanRightsDay we reiterate that human rights cannot be applied selectively.
#OurEverydayRights are also the rights of Palestine Refugees. What is at stake are the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law.
Human Rights must be upheld without exception.
#OurEverydayRights are also the rights of Palestine Refugees. What is at stake are the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law.
Human Rights must be upheld without exception.
This is a very very good show and if you haven't watched it you should
CATASTROPHE is now on DisneyPlus in the UK🇬🇧. Please watch it 3-8x over the holidays. www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse...
Watch Catastrophe | Full episodes | Disney+
Sharon and Rob's fling leads to pregnancy, love, marriage, and family life in London.
www.disneyplus.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:58 AM
This is a very very good show and if you haven't watched it you should
Feeling quite emotional as I read through the many submissions for our special issue of Children's Literature in Education on Aidan Chambers. What a testament to his enduring legacy all over the world. It's going to be incredibly hard to choose from these!
December 8, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Feeling quite emotional as I read through the many submissions for our special issue of Children's Literature in Education on Aidan Chambers. What a testament to his enduring legacy all over the world. It's going to be incredibly hard to choose from these!
This. I’m so sickened by the whole narrative that ‘oops we just have to go with the SC ruling’. The courts don’t make the law: Parliament does.
The Labour Party is literally in government right now. They have a clear majority and could legislate to ensure trans folks are treated according to their gender, and ensure equality law does not fix people to their sex assigned at birth. They actively choose not to — it’s institutional transphobia.
EXCLUSIVE: Labour's NEC finds compromise position that enables women's conference to return in 2026. And Labour will campaign on NHS, Families and Pride in Place in May.
December 6, 2025 at 9:44 PM
This. I’m so sickened by the whole narrative that ‘oops we just have to go with the SC ruling’. The courts don’t make the law: Parliament does.
Thanks to the 'gender critical' lot trans girls will now be excluded from being Girl Guides, despite their desire to be inclusive and the fact that's been working brilliantly for them www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-...
Statement for members on our equality and diversity policy
An update on our equality and diversity policy following the Supreme Court decision of April 2025
www.girlguiding.org.uk
December 2, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Thanks to the 'gender critical' lot trans girls will now be excluded from being Girl Guides, despite their desire to be inclusive and the fact that's been working brilliantly for them www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-...
Last chance to submit your proposals for our special issue of Children's Literature in Education on the late, great Aidan Chambers! link.springer.com/collections/... Deadline 1 December!
Aidan Chambers Memorial Issue
Aidan Chambers was a pioneering figure in children’s and young adult literature. He passed away on 11th May, 2025, but his life’s work continues to impact ...
link.springer.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Last chance to submit your proposals for our special issue of Children's Literature in Education on the late, great Aidan Chambers! link.springer.com/collections/... Deadline 1 December!
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
newsGP - Australia set for world-first cervical cancer elimination
Vaccination programs have played a key role, and GPs remain ‘instrumental’ in boosting screening rates to reach the 2035 target.
www1.racgp.org.au
November 27, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Australia recorded ZERO cases of cervical cancer in women under 25 for the first time since they started tracking the cancer in the 80s.
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
This is the power of vaccines.
The HPV vaccine is extremely effective at preventing cancer.
Viruses can be oncogenic. Get your vaccines and protect yourself!
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
Cannot imagine what these families must be going through. This road is so dangerous but it doesn’t seem to matter how many times parents complain of this, cars come first. Hope some people in Newcastle City Council are taking a long hard look at their priorities and working out how to change this.
The collision occurred shortly after 3.30pm on Wednesday
Teen girl suffers life threatening injuries after being hit by car near school
Teen girl suffers life threatening injuries after being hit by car near school
www.chroniclelive.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Cannot imagine what these families must be going through. This road is so dangerous but it doesn’t seem to matter how many times parents complain of this, cars come first. Hope some people in Newcastle City Council are taking a long hard look at their priorities and working out how to change this.
I submit that even if it’s true that refugees are more attracted to Britain, if they’re attracted by things that recognise their basic human dignity that’s not actually a bad thing
This contribution to the volume of human misery is yet another policy from Labour based on a false premise, in this case that refugees are overly attracted to Britain. It will increase bureaucratic limbo, thus making worse the problem of "cohesion" it purports to solve.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays
Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I submit that even if it’s true that refugees are more attracted to Britain, if they’re attracted by things that recognise their basic human dignity that’s not actually a bad thing
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
A permanent Lecturer position in Children's Literature and Creative Education is available at Goldsmiths, University of London. Please consider applying and/or sharing with others. As the Head of the MA Children's Literature, I'll be working closely with the successful applicant! Deadline: 4 Dec.
Jobs system, Goldsmiths, University of London
jobs.gold.ac.uk
November 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A permanent Lecturer position in Children's Literature and Creative Education is available at Goldsmiths, University of London. Please consider applying and/or sharing with others. As the Head of the MA Children's Literature, I'll be working closely with the successful applicant! Deadline: 4 Dec.
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
Did you take part in a mock election at your UK school or college between 1983 and 2001?
Share your memories for a research project on young people and democracy in modern Britain!
Write to us about your experiences here: forms.office.com/e/FNAwjfFR7f
Share your memories for a research project on young people and democracy in modern Britain!
Write to us about your experiences here: forms.office.com/e/FNAwjfFR7f
October 24, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Did you take part in a mock election at your UK school or college between 1983 and 2001?
Share your memories for a research project on young people and democracy in modern Britain!
Write to us about your experiences here: forms.office.com/e/FNAwjfFR7f
Share your memories for a research project on young people and democracy in modern Britain!
Write to us about your experiences here: forms.office.com/e/FNAwjfFR7f
The fundamental problem with the shift to team teaching is that universities see it as a way to save money. Team teaching can be amazing but in my experience it's at its best when it represents additional resource compared to solo teaching.
Compulsory team teaching on every module is perhaps the biggest ever threat to the quality of teaching in UK universities.
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
It causes chaos on the ground for timetabling, ruins course coherence and turns lecturers into permanent supply teachers. It is pedagogically incoherent… 1/
November 6, 2025 at 10:15 AM
The fundamental problem with the shift to team teaching is that universities see it as a way to save money. Team teaching can be amazing but in my experience it's at its best when it represents additional resource compared to solo teaching.
Is it just me, or have spellchecks gotten worse? I've repeatedly had the experience of getting a word slightly wrong and then having spellcheck offer me either entirely the wrong word, or the root of the word I was searching for. I feel like Word etc used to be better at this sort of thing?
November 3, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Is it just me, or have spellchecks gotten worse? I've repeatedly had the experience of getting a word slightly wrong and then having spellcheck offer me either entirely the wrong word, or the root of the word I was searching for. I feel like Word etc used to be better at this sort of thing?
Just fund school libraries. Just fund school libraries. Just fund school libraries.
November 1, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Just fund school libraries. Just fund school libraries. Just fund school libraries.
A mess. One thing that would be super helpful is abandoning the dog eat dog marketisation of HE which results in massive uncertainty over student numbers year to year, and returning to capped recruitment which would allow for more planning. Of course this would require funding HE properly...
NEW on Wonkhe: Jim Dickinson exposes the disconnect between student housing needs and the systems meant to meet them, explaining how fragmented policymaking and market-driven development fuel the crisis in university towns buff.ly/LpLyOTD
October 30, 2025 at 9:42 AM
A mess. One thing that would be super helpful is abandoning the dog eat dog marketisation of HE which results in massive uncertainty over student numbers year to year, and returning to capped recruitment which would allow for more planning. Of course this would require funding HE properly...
Oh, this is terrible news. They have published such great stuff and been a brilliant force in children's publishing. It's so tough out there for independents.
Oh this is such sad news. Knights Of have been such a force for good in this industry - we need more companies like them, not fewer. www.thebookseller.com/news/indepen...
Independent children's publisher Knights Of set to close
Award-winning inclusive children’s publisher Knights Of is set to close, The Bookseller understands, with accountancy firm Hart Shaw instructed to place the company in liquidation, pending a vote of t...
www.thebookseller.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Oh, this is terrible news. They have published such great stuff and been a brilliant force in children's publishing. It's so tough out there for independents.
Reposted by Lucy Pearson
Oh this is such sad news. Knights Of have been such a force for good in this industry - we need more companies like them, not fewer. www.thebookseller.com/news/indepen...
Independent children's publisher Knights Of set to close
Award-winning inclusive children’s publisher Knights Of is set to close, The Bookseller understands, with accountancy firm Hart Shaw instructed to place the company in liquidation, pending a vote of t...
www.thebookseller.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Oh this is such sad news. Knights Of have been such a force for good in this industry - we need more companies like them, not fewer. www.thebookseller.com/news/indepen...
Solidarity to BL workers. I know from experience that going on strike is pretty horrible and (despite the fact it looks like a 'holiday') exhausting. Wishing them success in the fight.
British Library workers are sick of poor pay, overwork, and feeling the fallout of a cyber-attack which left them vulnerable to identity theft and blackmail. Now, they are going on strike for a fortnight.
tribunemag.co.uk/2025/10/from...
tribunemag.co.uk/2025/10/from...
From National Treasure to National Scandal
British Library workers are sick of poor pay, overwork, and feeling the fallout of a cyber-attack which left them vulnerable to identity theft and blackmail. Now, they are going on strike for a fortni...
tribunemag.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Solidarity to BL workers. I know from experience that going on strike is pretty horrible and (despite the fact it looks like a 'holiday') exhausting. Wishing them success in the fight.