Three famous writers--Eudora Welty, Madeleine L'Engle, and Jack London--used their silent reading experiences to survive not only their childhoods, but also to become adult chroniclers of human lives. Pulitzer-prize winning author Eudora Welty credits an extended period of silent reading when she was 7 years old (and home from school for nearly a…

In response to the question "Aren't there any happy books anymore?" this column examines the work of Elizabeth Enright and how it contains trial and conflict but still manages to convey a sense of security, reason, and humor. (CRH)

This volume of a 1991 conference proceedings contains the conference's addresses and awards, a listing of the panels and workshops, and abstracts of those papers which were withdrawn from the proceedings to be published elsewhere. Among the papers in this document are: "Reading and Literacy: a Lifetime Work" (N. Bagnall); "The Image…

This guide outlines the suggested program for 1988 for the Texas Reading Club, an activity sponsored cooperatively by local libraries and the Texas State Library to encourage children and their parents to read and use the library. The general theme, "Trailblazers, Stargazers," focuses on people who do new things, go new places,…

The 11 articles in this publication discuss many topics regarding literature for children and adolescents, including the following: the major problems facing teachers and writers alike as they strive to communicate with the young; E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web"; two views of the American Revolution found in "Johnny Tremain" and "My Brother Sam Is…

Children quickly become bored with repetition requiring the library media specialists to vary their booktalk formats to sustain children's attention and promote recreational reading. This article discusses the four basic booktalk formats: plot summary, anecdote, character description, creation of mood, and a fifth to promote books with a common…

Focusing on children's books identified as "notable" for their rich use of language, this book presents essays that discuss literary genres and literary language, responding to the language of Notable Books, and developing an appreciation for language diversity. The book also presents brief essays by well-known children's authors…