Finds that second-grade students of all reading abilities eagerly participated in posing and discussing questions in response to literature, asking more "why" questions than any other type. Offers recommendations for teachers interested in creating opportunities for students to discuss their own literature questions. (SR)

Describes classroom-based research on the use of reading logs with second and third graders. Discusses the range and character of student responses, student behavior about books, and the stories they tell the teachers and each other. (SR)

Describes how the authors worked with five groups of second and fourth graders using picture books written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco in a project that involved reading Polacco's books aloud to the children, encouraging their aesthetic engagement with books, valuing children's questions, and culminating in a session in which children…

Describes how the authors have facilitated student-led literature discussions in their second- and third-grade classrooms. Outlines the basic organizational structure that fosters response-driven conversations about books. Illustrates the various ways students speak meaningfully with each other about the literature (including inferential…