This bibliography lists articles, dissertations, and books released from 1889 through 1974 that deal with children's reading interests. The publications address such topics as children's preferences in reading textbooks and in recreational reading, the reading preferences of children in various age groups, children's poetry preferences, and…

A survey was conducted to determine the reading and library use patterns of adults 18 years of age or older. One hundred subjects chosen by a random sample technique were individually questionned by the researcher and data were tabulated by computer using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). A profile of the respondent was…

Information concerning the reading interests of gifted students in a secondary school composed only of students of above average intelligence is provided in this study. Specific areas discussed are: subject areas for which the students expressed like, dislike, or indifference; growth and change of reading preferences; students' responses to…

Recognizing the relationship between interests and tastes that exists in the reading selection process, studies concerning either interests or tastes or a combination of both are included in this bibliography. However, taste as an inherent factor in the selection process was rarely treated in the research. The major concern was an emphasis on…

Describes a study designed to assess students' reading maturity, involving such factors as achievement, interests, attitudes, and leisure reading habits. (MKM)

Describes how prominent teachers and community members were invited to read and speak on books related to their subject of interest during school lunch breaks and records the success of the program. (CRH)

Investigates the applicability to upper primary school children of a multidimensional conceptualization of attitude toward reading that previous research has shown to be useful for characterizing the reading attitudes of secondary school students. (FL)

A dozen recommended steps for organizing and running book fairs that develop student reading habits and reading interests. (RL)

Reviews ERIC documents concerned with the use of comic books in the classroom. (FL)

Seven scholars respond individually to these questions: Do you read many contemporary novels? If you do, whose novels do you read and for what reasons? If you no longer read many contemporary novels, why have you ceased to do so and what kinds of reading have supplanted them? (Editor/SJL)

Explores the enormous attraction for young readers of series books (such as Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and currently "The Baby-Sitters Club"). Discusses what children might learn from such reading, often thought of as pap literature by adults. (SR)

Explores the mystery of why readers choose to read texts. Considers the psychology of reading for pleasure and the figures of speech linking reading with love. Discusses a wide array of books and the reasons that readers have felt such a strong attachment to them. (HB)

Describes what some fifth-grade students read in the summer and why. Discusses 39 children's books in the following categories: summer experiences, trips and journeys, family experiences, and the lives of children in troubled times. Offers an excerpt from a discussion of middle school readers in response to reading the books on children in…

This paper contains excerpts from a report by the National Endowment for the Arts, issued by its Office of Research, headed by Mark Bauerlein, a contributor to "Arts Education Policy Review." The excerpts do not include the report's tables, figures, or appendices, but numbers have been retained in their original sequence (see notes).

Reading for pleasure is associated with numerous educational and social benefits. For example, it has been associated with increased reading attainment and writing ability, greater breadth of vocabulary and greater general knowledge (e.g. Cox and Guthrie, 2001). Children who read very little do not reap these benefits, and studies show that when…