Children's own stories and drawings as well as data on children's choices for reading material were analyzed by race, sex, and age for preferences in settings, actors, and need representation. Books for children chosen by literary critics and by persons who buy books for children were also analyzed for what children and adults look for in these books in terms of settings, actors, and needs. Children's creative writing and children's and adults' book choices were compared to ascertain similarities and differences in depiction of social behavior. The children in the study were 540 first, third, and fifth graders in six racially integrated schools in New Orleans. Many of their stories and drawings are included. Appendices contain lists of book choices of children and for children, adult reviewer book choices for children in 1971-1972, best-selling children's books for 1971-1972, and a comparison of early American, modern Russian, and Chinese books for children. (BRT)