The importance of parents reading to their preschool age children is stressed.

Describes the experiences of one recipient of a teacher researcher grant from the National Council of Teachers of English as her research began to inform her teaching and her teaching influenced her research. (SRT)

Discusses four issues relating to the use of controversial books in schools: (1) self-censorship; (2) policy; (3) parents' roles, teachers' roles, administrators' roles; and (4) impact of controversy. Offers suggestions on how parents, community members, administrators, and teachers can contribute to the selection and evaluation of texts in…

Presents annotations of 29 outstanding trade books published in 1993 (chosen by the Language Arts Committee of the Children's Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English) for enhancing language awareness among students in grades K-8. (RS)

Presents brief descriptions of 25 children's books that will engage teachers and children in: appreciating cross-cultural and multicultural families; understanding nontraditional families; meeting intergenerational and extended families; dealing with cultural conflict through humor and realism; and enjoying feasts of language play and…

Reviews 43 recently-published collections of poetry for children that were considered by the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Committee. Groups them in terms of: evoking an image or idea; visual poetry; word play; and the voice. (SR)

Offers a profile of Ann Turner. Examines her background, her approach to writing, and to writing historical fiction. Looks at aspects of Turner's historical writing and aspects of her style. Considers if there is a place for poetic language in historical fiction for children. (SR)

Recounts efforts by the author and others to shift reading instruction from dependence on basals to the use of trade books and a greater range of choice for students in selecting reading materials. (HTH)

Presents an annual list of outstanding books that need an introduction by a teacher or other knowledgeable adult in order to be fully appreciated by children. (HTH)

Reviews 23 recently published works of multicultural literature (African-American, Asian and Asian-American, Native American, and Hispanic literature). Discusses some issues related to multicultural literature, and includes a 58-item list of other multicultural literature. (RS)

Reviews 7 picture books and 15 chapter books that should appeal to readers in the intermediate grades. Discusses how the skills and interests of readers of this age are changing. (MG)

Reviews 17 recent young adult books that might appeal to the late elementary/middle school/junior-high-age children. Discusses the use of corollary text to help readers make connections between recent young adult literature and older, often classic literature. (MG)

Describes 33 books that give children insight into living in the great Midwest and into westward expansion, including books by and about Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the nature of the prairie, famous figures of the Midwest, picture books, and novels. (SR)

Looks at the characteristics of outstanding historical fiction including its literary qualities and criteria associated with authenticity. Discusses how teachers invite readers to approach their experiences with these novels. Looks at the role of historical fiction in today's classrooms. Presents brief annotations of 25 outstanding works of…

Finds that the 35 middle-school language-arts teachers studied agreed that Self Selected Reading (SSR) is an important way to improve students' reading attitudes and achievement, but that their schools rarely provided funds for buying student-preferred materials, and that finding time for SSR was difficult because of the pressure to prepare for…