Literacy educators, spurred by curricular standards requiring increased attention to reading nonfiction, are compelled to consider text-specific reading instruction. As research supports the connection between motivation and reading achievement, these mandates beg the question, "Are children equally motivated to read fiction and…

Doing national program so called School Literacy Movement (GLS), classes are expected to do 15-minute regular reading activity every day; including English classes in elementary schools. Witnessing that some classes are having limited English story books to read as well as ready-to-use follow-up activities, this article proposes reading activities…

Print in the environment is typically posted in early childhood classrooms. However, the print that exists is often not meaningful to children, and teachers rarely engage children in using the print. This is a missed opportunity to support children's writing. This article presents research-based ideas for engaging children with meaningful print in…

Everyone agrees that reading is important, but kids today tend to lose interest in reading before adolescence. In "Raising Kids Who Read", bestselling author and psychology professor Daniel T. Willingham explains this phenomenon and provides practical solutions for engendering a love of reading that lasts into adulthood. Like…

Reading comprehension requires thoughtful interactions between the reader, the text, and the author. The author may assist the reader in building meaning by creating purposefully crafted conversations that are organized into predictable patterns also known as patterned books. In this article, three predictable patterns found within children's text…

Every adult who reads to a child has seen what happens when a book speaks. For a time, the book becomes the child's beloved friend. It is asked for repeatedly and learned by heart. But books do more than speak to a child. Children use books to speak to adults. If one wants to understand a child's deepest emotions, take a look at the books they…

This article introduces various writers, including Laurie Halse Anderson, Linda Sue Park, Richard Peck, James Patterson, and Charles R. Smith, Jr., who will give their presentations at the 2009 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National Conference & Exhibition in Charlotte. This November the AASL National Conference and…

This article illustrates how the use of the basic elements of a story can help create an event that will stimulate imagination and encourage further reading. Margaret Robison, the librarian at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind (VSDB) in Staunton, Virginia, decided that for Teen Read Week she would use a popular series as a bridge to…

A central goal of most library media programs is to inspire lifelong readers, who recognize and value the cognitive, affective, and even physical experiences they obtain through reading. Unfortunately, national surveys have reported that reading for pleasure is on the decline, especially among children and young adults. Many young people are…

Ten years ago, in 1996, poet and children's book author, Pat Mora began celebrating "book joy" by founding a children's book and reading day, El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros or Children's Day/Book Day. Dia is modeled on National Children's Day Celebrations in Mexico held since 1925 when it was launched in conjunction with a…

One of the best gifts one can give to children is a lifelong love of reading, and that begins by reading out loud to them every day. It is the single most important thing one can do to help build literacy skills. This article presents some guidelines to help make reading time in the classroom a richer experience.

Describes how the innovative children's librarian, Katherine Watson, of the Denver (CO) Public Library surveyed famous American men and women in 1929-1930 about their favorite children's books to inspire young readers. Discusses Watson's idea that became children's book week, a book talk with local children's authors, a traveling collection of…

This article discusses how registered therapy dogs can motivate and support children as they practice reading aloud in the company of the dog and with the support of the dog's handler. It also offers practical advice to educators, librarians, administrators, and community members seeking to implement such a program in their communities.

CD-ROMs and Web sites that have logical links to books on appealing topics can entice boys to read for fun and information. Research and professional experience tells us that boys are more enthusiastic technology users and less avid readers than girls are. The software and books listed are appropriate for children from kindergarten through high…

Describes the eight-week "Reading is Fun" summer program, one of several ways the Metropolitan Library System serves Oklahoma County's at-risk youth. A lesson plan was developed that called for borrowing library books that related to a weekly theme, reading aloud to children, and hands-on activities. Other projects for at-risk youth are…