This article features the acceptance speech given by the author at the NCTE Elementary Section Get-Together on November 15, 2007, where she received the 2007 Outstanding Educator in the English Language Arts Award. In this speech, the author shares some of the observations she has made about the African American children's literature published in…

Immigrants currently make up over 12% of the U.S. population, with children of immigrants comprising more than 20% of the population. Consequently, English learners are the fastest growing group in U.S. schools today, accounting for 10.5% of the total public school student population in Pre-K through Grade 12 in 2004-2005, a 56.2% increase over…

The relative absence of nonfiction in literature for young readers may have serious implications because nonfiction literacy matters. Nonfiction material is the crucible within which readers can gain the knowledge and skills that enable them to reach sound decisions in all arenas of life, avoid gullibility born of ignorance, and participate in an…