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)

Teachers must be sensitive to the needs of modern farm children to see themselves and their families reflected favorably and accurately in reading materials. (HOD)

Demonstrates that when children select library books, there is a generalizable routine or pattern learned and followed by most children--refinements or elaborations on that routine, however, are best demonstrated by "outlier" behaviors atypical to the basic routine. Shows that children typically select books based upon the book's…

Compares second grade and fifth grade students' recreational reading levels (when students self-select library books for recreation reading) in relation to independent, instructional, and frustration levels as determined with an informal reading inventory. Concludes that recreational reading levels should not be viewed as synonymous with…

Discusses poststructuralist theories and describes how they can be useful in explaining the phenomenon of children's gendered literature preferences. Offers insights into the complexities of gender and its connections with reading fiction. Discusses children's reading preferences in school, the publishing industry, the school curriculum, and…

Shares responses to two questions regarding visiting the homes of students and reading engagement. Notes a teacher's anxiety about visiting the home of a student where English is not the first language, and a paucity of responses about reading engagement. Closes with a review of past topics. (SC)

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is a national program that seeks to motivate children to read. Implemented by local sponsors and aimed at disadvantaged groups, it offers participating children a wide selection of attractive paperback books about interesting people, places, and events. The multisite evaluation summarized in this report studied…

This research report examines the effect of sexual orientation in reading material upon reading test scores of boys and girls. (MK)

Elementary school children were questioned about what and why they read. The 20 children, four each from kindergarten and grades one, three, four, and six, included 12 boys and 8 girls. The teachers were asked to send two good readers and two poor readers from each grade, without indicating which children were good or poor readers. During…

A study was designed to formulate a taxonomy of the literary response processes of children. Three fifth grade girls reading above grade level were asked to read two books that treated a common subject (the death of a child) in different ways. Interviews with the children were recorded so that their literary responses could be analyzed for…

After reviewing the evidence that boys in American elementary schools are far more likely than girls to have serious reading problems, this report considers two lines of investigation into this discrepancy. The first line of investigation is based on the hypothesis that the predominance of female teachers in elementary schools is responsible for…

This survey of children's reading interests in New Zealand, conducted in 1969, sought to discover which books, writers, magazines, and comics children read; what determines their choices; what they look for in a book; and where they obtain their reading material. A cross section of children was surveyed at four class levels from Standard II to…

Reports that librarians in Nebraska find the Golden Sower Award program to be a positive force in influencing children's reading habits and awareness of literature. (FL)

Describes activities designed to improve the critical reading skills of young readers. (FL)

Students should have ample time to read for enjoyment and pleasure. As a major goal of their instruction, teachers should seek to cultivate a liking for reading in their students. Reading materials available for students--library books and children's magazines--need to cover a wide variety of genres and be on different reading levels. This is…