In the past few years, there has been increasing demand from school librarians for books for "reluctant readers"--despite the impressive offering of children's literature published each year and the success of blockbuster series like "Harry Potter, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Twilight," and "Hunger Games," among others. This is also in addition to all…

The author has identified three kinds of readers: (1) resistive and struggling; (2) apathetic and reluctant; and (3) effective and motivated. The resistive and struggling reader is often the reader who needs help building reading competency and confidence while creating ample opportunity for practice. These readers often respond to relationships…

Relates anecdotes and vignettes that demonstrate the role of relationships in learning to read. Makes the point that learning to read, and learning to love reading, owe a great deal to the nature of the human relationships that occur around and through books. (SR)

Discusses how instructors can begin to understand aliterates--students who can, but do not, read. Asserts that instructors can reach students who seem aligned against literate culture by reflecting on their own early reading experiences and helping students to reflect on theirs. (EV)

Describes efforts to promote the desire to read and the availability of materials for Nigerians who have already been introduced to reading. (FL)

Elaborates on problems in the book industry. Describes current trends in publishing and future possibilities for the book industry. (EL)

Recounts a childhood experience that helped develop a sense of delight in an author's choice of diction. (EL)

Enumerates reasons why parents should read aloud to their children. (SR)

Award-winning short-story writer talks about her own reading and writing, censorship, young adult novels, and ways teachers can increase students' interest in reading. (ARH)

Discusses the great role that nonfiction plays in the leisure reading habits of today's teenagers and suggests that teachers should provide recommendations of this material. Describes several works of contemporary nonfiction appropriate for the young adult audience. (JD)

In 2001, the Australian Centre for Youth Literature released "Young Australians Reading," a report on the reading attitudes of Australia's 10- to 18-year-olds prepared by Woolcott Research, that suggests there is a large body of young people who are waiting for guidance, support, and inspiration if they are to become lifelong readers.…

Advises principals to fit reading into their busy schedules by rethinking their reading interests, carrying a book everywhere, keeping a book in different locations, learning to scan, underlining, finding a reading buddy, using file cards, trying audio books, exercising patience with interruptions, and sprinkling conversations with insights gained…

Discusses factors related to reading motivation. Offers suggestions to enhance students' motivation to read for enjoyment and information. (SR)

Maintains that teachers must encourage the lifetime reading habit at school in independent reading. Discusses several ways to do so, including cluttering up the classroom with reading materials, providing time for reading, and encouraging the reading habit throughout the year. (SR)

Presents a set of questions that are offered as suggestions to help students think and define themselves as readers. Notes that to encourage thoughtful, well developed responses, the questions should be spread out over a number of days or weeks. (RS)