Discusses a literature-inspired model of teaching writing and two scenarios of reading and writing connections in the classroom. Presents several reading and writing lessons drawn from the children's book "The Bat Boy and His Violin" by Gavin Curtis. Discusses Curtis' craft and demonstrates how to use this book to teach writing. Includes brief…

Describes the sketch-to-stretch strategy, in which students show what a story means to them by sketching lines, colors, shapes, symbols, or pictures. Suggests the strategy is effective in encouraging a diversity of perspectives about a story, and in using it, many potential at-risk readers as well as stronger students become valued literary…

Discusses a master class (conducted at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English) that focuses on supporting student responses to literature within the context of an undergraduate or graduate course in children's literature. Notes that at the conclusion of this successful session, participants generated numerous strategies…

Designed to supplement the actual reading of children's books, this book provides an introduction to children's literature. It focuses on general trends and patterns rather than plot summaries. The two-part organization of the third edition explores first the foundations and contexts, then the various genres of children's literature. Discussion…

This paper analyzes the curriculum materials of the California Literature Program, a distinctive literature curriculum for grades K-6, in terms of how it addresses the critical/aesthetic approach. The paper notes that although a sequence of concepts, skills, and attitudes about literature in parts of the program can be identified, the organizing…

Points out that children's growth in response to literature is not assessed by existing standardized tests or by progress from one textbook to another. Suggests guidelines for teacher observation of children's responses and provides a checklist for assessing oral and written reactions. (FL)

Describes how the educational experience of sixth grade remedial readers was revitalized and enriched through a project that grew out of reading "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes." Suggests using "real" books (literature) to liberate remedial students from skill drills and reading games. (NH)

Reflects upon rekindled enthusiasm by teachers for children's literature and upon the lean years when teachers stressed reading skills and disdained the use of literature in class. (EL)

Discusses the theory that reading is more than the searching for meaning within a text. Argues that the meaning of a text actually is in the interaction between reader and text. (FL)

Demonstrates how peer interaction during writing helps children experience connections between reading and writing. Describes children's responses to unfinished pieces, a peer's "published" piece, other students' published books (read aloud by a student other than the author), and to books written by professional authors. (HTH)

This teacher's resource guide capitalizes on the appeal of fantasy literature to children to create activities that address the 12 Standards of the English Language Arts sponsored by National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. The guide contains practical ideas that enable grade 4-8 teachers or librarians to…

This book's purpose is to assist school library media specialists in incorporating specific learning objectives into a storytime format, thus extending the storytime experience into standards-based reading and writing lessons. The book is intended for veteran and beginning school library media specialists and teachers who collaborate with them.…

Discusses the many different versions of "Little Red Riding Hood" and the extended classroom discussions they provoked, especially about what foodstuffs were in her basket. States that teachers should encourage their students to read in different ways at different times in their lives. Includes questions for stimulating student response.…

Reviews several theoretical perspectives and presents data pertinent to what makes a story likable. Examines the contribution of two story characteristics to adults' and elementary students' ratings of story liking and storyhood: the importance of the goal the protagonist pursues and the difficulty of attaining that goal. (JAD)

Discusses critical aspects of literary literature-based classrooms, including the following: reading literature is a form of play; readers respond to their reading; everything shared is accepted as honest and meaningful; teachers push for rigor in their children's readings; children are provided with opportunities to read and respond; children…