Discusses five issues involved in selecting books for independent reading. (SR)

Discusses the merits of adolescent literature and recommends specific book lists compiled by professionals. (MKM)

Argues that collecting book reviews from local, regional, and national newspapers, categorizing them by literary genre, and regularly updating the collection can motivate developmental students in choosing books for oral or written reports. (RS)

Muses on the meaning of last month's column, chides instructional materials that include instructions on how and what to think about their contents, and lists a large number of books that the author recently enjoyed reading. (SR)

Provides an annotated bibliography of texts, periodicals, and tradebooks that focus on adolescent literature. (HOD)

Argues that reading teachers ought to pay as much attention to what students read as to how they read. Illustrates the state of children's publishing with the heavily revised and simplified Hardy Boys series and with sloppy books about dinosaurs. (RS)

Offers brief annotations of the 32 books (all trade books published in 1991) chosen with input from teenagers for the 1993 Young Adults' Choices list. (SR)

Clarifies the goal of reading instruction in the middle school and draws on the ERIC database for sources that complete the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Reports on the suggested emphasis on reading laboratories and the fostering of reading of expository texts. (JK)

Describes how series books such as "Nancy Drew,""The Hardy Boys," and Horatio Alger stories can be the basis for lessons on critical reading. (MKM)

Suggest that read-alouds model expressive reading, transmit the pleasure of reading, and invite listeners to be readers. Presents examples for secondary schools and for methods courses and inservice. Discusses locating great read-alouds. (RS)

Uses measures of readability and syntactic complexity to verify that U.S. teen books are easier for young people reading English as a Second Language than British ones. (SR)

Presents 12 points to consider before buying computer software and includes an annotated list of software for use at the secondary school level. (HOD)

Annotates 15 nonfiction books of interest to adults with fourth to tenth grade reading levels. Titles are arranged in five categories: biographies, self-development books, psychology, science, and education. (FL)

Suggests that adolescent literature should be credited with more substance and usefulness for pleasurable reading and literature instruction. (AEA)

Suggests that teachers use bibliotherapy (the use of books to help people solve problems) with those students who are struggling to cope with difficult situations. (AEA)