These two teaching guides, one for the novel "Summer Song," (appropriate for grades 5 through 8) and one for the novel "Libby Bloom" (appropriate for grades 3 through 6) are designed to help teachers use these children's books in interdisciplinary classroom settings. The "Summer Song" guide offers thematic links on…

This book shows parents and teachers how to play learning games based on classic children's books. The book features 14 picture books, from "Harold and the Purple Crayon" to "Blueberries for Sal" and 14 chapter books, from "Winnie the Pooh" to "Charlotte's Web." It provides a summary for each book and then…

This annotated bibliography describes 52 current works of literature for children which have characters who inspire character development. The bibliography is divided into sections on: (1) Respect for the Self; (2) Respect for Others; (3) Respect for the Earth; (4) Responsibility; (5) Honesty; and (6) Caring. The bibliography concludes with a…

Examines the lack of information about how children evaluate what they read and why they select particular reading materials. Offers approaches to understanding reading preferences and ways to encourage evaluative skills. Suggests six criteria for selecting good children's literature and ideas about using children's magazines to help express…

Discusses the four major concentrations that can form the framework for a childrens literature program: children's interests, literary types, literary elements, and creators of children's literature. (DD)

Based on Louise Rosenblatt's transactional theory of reader response, the studies collected in this book present findings and recommendations that contribute to the understanding of how children create meaning from stories, how they acquire literacy skills to express that meaning, and what role educators play in these literary processes. The book…

Designed to assess children's preferences for story settings, the instrument requires children to indicate their preference for a story setting in each of 36 pairs of contrasting pictures, 12 pairs in each of the following categories: (1) fantasy versus realism, (2) past versus contemporary, and (3) geographically remote versus the near-at-hand.…

Explains how read-aloud sessions can be developed in ways that help children deal with common concerns. Offers an example. (FL)

This book aims to show parents how to instill the love of reading in their children and how to nurture that love throughout their lives, even in the face of television, video, and computer entertainment. The book is based on the concept of "reading pathways," developed after more than 20 years of classroom observation and interviews. It…

Often regarding the "great books" as too difficult for elementary school age children to comprehend, teachers have given students reading assignments that are less than challenging and have risked causing them to dislike reading because it is relatively uninteresting. However, it is possible to expose very young children to works such as…

This resource book contains reviews, written by children, of 375 "can't put down" children's books. Reviews were selected from over 10,000 submissions, the results of a national survey in which children reviewed their favorite books. The book makes it easy to locate books by listing: (1) title; (2) author; (3) number of pages; (4) genre…

Maintains that pictures are one constant aspect of children's books. Reviews research on whether pictures hinder or facilitate the development of reading skills in young children. Provides suggestions on when and where pictures might provide instructional support. (CFR)

This guide contains detailed and thoughtful descriptions of 175 recommended books that teachers and parents can read to children--this revised and expanded edition carries a new section on reading aloud from infancy to kindergarten. Following a foreword by "Mister Rogers," chapters in the guide are entitled: (1) Why Bother? The Case for Reading…

Noting that a creative approach to early childhood education allows teachers to reinforce the foundation of achievement by encouraging and expanding upon children's play activities, this book provides teacher-developed ideas and strategies for creating learning communities in the early childhood classroom. The beginning chapter introduces creative…

This comprehensive guide is based on the premise that books and reading are an essential part of every child's development. The guide lists and describes more than 2000 books for children from birth to age 14; from stories that babies can literally chew on, to the best choices for bridging the critical gap between listening and reading, to the…