The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" is filled with objectives that are mostly unobjectionable--and that would have been just as applicable in the twentieth century. Who, after all, would oppose the idea of "organizing knowledge so it's useful"? Who's going to deny the value of effective…

A proprietor of a children's bookshop describes the unique characteristics paperbacks possess for motivating children's interest in reading. (MKM)

Relates an anecdote illustrating the variety of ways people can approach reading and suggests that young readers are frequently much more aware of the reading experience than parents suspect. Offers suggestions for parents to encourage their children's literary response. (HTH)

Describes how a love of reading paperbacks led to a love of literature and makes a plea for quality children's paperback books. (MKM)

Suggesting that children's books have become more adult in content and tone, this essay addresses problem of organization of children's library materials to provide access to adult readers. Extent of adult appeal in children's books, examples of "adulterated" nonfiction and fiction, and questions concerning organizational and attitudinal changes…

Discusses poststructuralist theories and describes how they can be useful in explaining the phenomenon of children's gendered literature preferences. Offers insights into the complexities of gender and its connections with reading fiction. Discusses children's reading preferences in school, the publishing industry, the school curriculum, and…

This study collected data via a three-page questionnaire administered to active readers 8 to 12 years old and half-hour taped interviews. Questionnaire findings (general information, interests, recent reading, information network), interview findings (book experience, reading taste, libraries, help in reading material selection, lists, reviews,…

Explains ways that juvenile science fiction has changed and improved during the last decade. Includes a bibliography of titles popular with children and adolescents. (MKM)

Summarizes research on reading preferences of boys and girls, the relationship of these preferences to reading ability, the availability of materials for boys, and the notion of a female versus a male morality. The implications of these factors for building a well-balanced children's collection are also considered. (nine references) (MES)

The 14 articles in this theme issue are divided into five categories: Youth and Literature--Issues and Opportunities; Portrayals of Children and Youth in Literature; Youth and Their Parents in Literature; Death and Bereavement in Young People's Literature; and Epilogue. The final section focuses on Literature and Youth Development--Implications…

Contrasts world of the 1970s with that of today with special reference to publications for children and young adults. Discussion covers adult and adolescent best sellers, librarian selection and review of new materials by librarians, trends in juvenile publishing, use of paperback books, reading interests, minority representation, and the…

Describes observations of recreational reading material selection by kindergarten and first-grade boys and girls. Discussion covers gender-related preferences in choices of recreational library materials, fiction and non-fiction choices, flexibility in reading choices, and gender roles. Observations made in 1983 and 1984 are appended. Five sources…

Often regarding the "great books" as too difficult for elementary school age children to comprehend, teachers have given students reading assignments that are less than challenging and have risked causing them to dislike reading because it is relatively uninteresting. However, it is possible to expose very young children to works such as…

Papers presented at a roundtable session on research on reading at the 1985 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference provide an international and historical perspective on reading. They include: (1) "Research on Reading in Czechoslovakia" (H. Kolarova-Palkova, Czechoslovakia), a historical account of the development of…

"The Brownies' Book," a periodical for Black children created and edited by W. E. B. Du Bois and published for 2 years, from 1920 to 1921, was a radical departure from traditional children's publications. It challenged the "selective tradition" in children's literature that negatively depicted Afro-Americans and Afro-American…