This manuscript explores the trends of the American Library Association's (ALA's) Rainbow Book List Top Ten Titles for Young Readers for 2023. It provides an overview of the titles and curricular connections. The authors discuss how the 2023 Rainbow Book List offers a diversity of genres and topics and also delves deeply into portrayals of queer…

This article explores how selfies and shelfies on the digital platforms Instagram and TikTok contribute to the dynamics of intermediation for Australian teen readers by presenting two contrasting case studies. The first features Australian Bookstagrammer @BookBookOwl whose social media accounts feature aspirational content in which identity…

This paper documents the impact of home libraries on academic achievement, economic success, and health. It summarizes research that shows how children without access to reading materials at home are more likely to suffer learning losses when out of school and how home libraries are one of schools' and communities' best tools to combat learning…

Decades of research have focused on the impact of summer learning loss and effective tools in stemming the flow of knowledge lost during summer break. While reading lists have become a standard practice for addressing students' needs to maintain learning levels over the summer months, very little research has been conducted on the book lists…

Access to books is key to learning to read and sustaining a love of reading. Yet many low- and middle-income countries struggle to provide their students with reading materials of sufficient quality and quantity. Since 2008, RTI International has provided technical assistance in early reading assessment and instruction to ministries of education…

The purpose of this study is to better understand the reading patterns and preferences of rural teen readers and the cultures of reading that do or do not exist in the rural communities in which the teens reside. In addition, the researchers sought to discover, by conducting a series of focus groups, whether rural teen readers felt connected to…

This article aims to present an annotated bibliography of paired books--one fiction and one informational--about multiple topics in history and social studies that, when read together, can help support students' learning through experiencing the topic from multiple perspectives and voices. It begins with a brief rationale for pairing fiction and…

The use of electronic reading devices has proliferated in the last few years. These reading devices appear to be particularly popular with young readers. A generation of students that has grown up with computers, cell phones, iPods, and other high-tech devices is more likely to embrace electronic book technology for both their educational and…

Today's classrooms have no real walls! Students explore the world on field trips, during virtual journeys on the world wide web, and through the books they read. These pathways help them fly to the ends of the universe to satisfy their scientific curiosity. Again this year, the professionals of the NSTA/CBC Review Panel for Outstanding Science…

Many people consider books to be one of life's treasures and often embark on pleasurable and transformative literary journeys. Unfortunately, struggling readers' journeys are often arduous, if not painful. Recent reading mandates under No Child Left Behind often limit the scope of literary resources purchased with federal funds and appear to alter…

The purpose of this action research project report was to increase engagement during independent reading for 32 fourth-grade students and 26 seventh-grade science students. At Site A, data was collected from August 27, 2012 through December 14, 2012. At Site B, data was collected from September 24, 2012 through December 14, 2012. Students'…

The children's literature market has experienced enormous growth in recent years, providing teachers with an abundance of resources with which to teach reading. High-quality informational texts abound. Yet, teachers often are uncertain about how to select appropriate informational texts to use with younger readers when including them in…

The author queried thirty-eight children's publishers and compiled a table of sixteen criteria categories. He also includes various pertinent comments offered by the editors who responded. (AF)

Examines 49 recent children's books that highlight some aspect of the unexpected: (1) mysteries; (2) unanticipated life experiences; (3) gifts of love and life; (4) stereotypes about race and culture; (5) unusual writing styles; (6) unusual illustrations and book formats; and (7) surprise story endings. (SR)

Outlines some of the many confusions about young adult literature. Sheds some light on what young adult literature is (defining it as all genres of literature published since 1967 that are written for and marketed to young adults). Discusses briefly how it can be used in schools. Offers a list of the author's 20 favorite books for teenagers. (SR)