Poet and essayist Gary Soto considers the senses while reading and the purpose of maintaining a reading life. According to the author, it's the pleasure of a story, and the intimacy of getting to know the characters well enough to exercise tenderness (or dislike) toward them. It's to weigh but not judge the behavior of characters, who are like…

Incarcerated adolescent girls can benefit from an English classroom where personal identities, roles, and relationships can be challenged, resisted, and confronted. Education in English can be a transformative experience allowing adolescent girls to reshape and rethink not only their literacy identities but also their lives. An analysis of the…

This article introduces a new framework for teaching adolescents to read: Connected Reading. By sharing instructional practices and describing digital tools, the authors argue that a mindful, social model of connected reading is a crucial part of any research activity. As teacher-researchers, the authors led teens through lessons on digital…

Describes the various responses to literary works that are possible; encourages wide reading. (DD)

Muses on whether a literature teacher's primary function is to instill an appreciation of literature in students or to involve students in the act of reading. (SR)

Elaborates on problems in the book industry. Describes current trends in publishing and future possibilities for the book industry. (EL)

Recounts a childhood experience that helped develop a sense of delight in an author's choice of diction. (EL)

Discusses the great role that nonfiction plays in the leisure reading habits of today's teenagers and suggests that teachers should provide recommendations of this material. Describes several works of contemporary nonfiction appropriate for the young adult audience. (JD)

Considers some of the satisfactions readers find in literature and suggests that teachers initially just share their students' involvement with literature and later begin to teach about literature. (TO)

Describes techniques for promoting reading in the middle school. (DD)

Offers a classroom lab approach for motivating students to read and for helping them to achieve higher levels of reading skill and enjoyment. (PRA)

Describes a survey of 340 high school students to determine their interest and involvement in books and other media. (DD)

Five librarians discuss ways of increasing the lines of communication between English teachers and librarians to promote reading as a lifelong learning habit. (RL)

Discusses a number of devices for motivating students to read both in and out of the classroom. (DD)

Examines the role of pleasure reading in the development of young readers and, more specifically, the role of series books, such as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Provides suggestions for teachers on their role in cultivating series books as a form of pleasure reading. (TB)