This book presents ideas for more than 350 booktalks to use with children in grades 1-8. It is written in a conversational style and is divided thematically into the following seven high-interest chapters: (1) "Great Disasters," including shipwrecks and disasters at sea, fires, floods, diseases and other natural disasters; (2) "Fun…

Describes the use of six children's poems by the poet Shel Silverstein to encourage children to read. (HTH)

Cites materials in the ERIC system dealing with the importance of using good literature for children's reading materials, as well as suggestions to help teachers bring children and good books together. (HTH)

Children, ages 8-9 and 11-12, rated fiction they had just read. Boys preferred supernatural, adventure and mystery stories while girls rated fairy and pony stories highly. Both preferred characters of their own sex. Sex differences were smaller in the 11-12 age group (f=fiche number). (CP)

An instrument designed to measure reading attitudes in elementary school students is described and its validity discussed. (JD)

Research indicates that reading aloud to children significantly improves their vocabulary knowledge and their reading comprehension while affecting reading interests and language development. (DD)

The article reviews findings in research about gifted readers, instructional materials, and curriculum. Promising teaching strategies are examined including interest assessment, learning styles evaluation, curriculum compacting, and enrichment. Innovative current programs and practices are briefly described. (Author/DB)

Relates how a child's love of Yoko Kawashima Watkins's book, <IT>So Far from the Bamboo Grove <RO>led to a friendship with Watkins. Considers the repercussions of this friendship on the child's reading motivation and development. (MM)

Suggests that, rather than ignoring the enormous interest of children for joke and riddle books, educators can take advantage of humor's natural attraction by using it to involve children in reading and to provide worthwhile learning experiences. Discusses humor as an instructional tool, classroom use of joke and riddle books, and teacher…

Examines poetry preferences of young children from a historical perspective and from a recent study conducted by the authors. Makes recommendations for building bridges to lasting poetry interest. (SR)

Considers the relationship between hobbies and hobby-related reading to evaluate a common instructional assumption about using hobbies as a basis for recommending reading. Supports: (1) the potential for recommending authentic, non-traditional hobby-related reading materials in home and instructional settings; and (2) the potential for tapping the…

Indicates that pictures serving to increase reading interests do not contribute significantly to the child's ability to decode. (RB)

The study investigated reading attitudes and interests of 30 fourth through ninth grade gifted and talented students. The data were gathered through the use of a questionnaire, which included statements with Likert type scale responses, multiple-choice, and short answers. Methods used to analyze the data were individual item analysis, analysis of…

Contends that many supposedly factual nature stories either present animals in situations where they would not ordinarily be found or with phenomenal powers of reasoning and Christian ethics. (TO)

Discusses the current controversy about too much realism in children's literature and concludes, by citing several examples of recent children's and adolescents' books, that literary quality together with realistic plots and characters makes good books. (TO)