This guide to the best books for children published in Australia in 2001 represents the choice of the judges of the Children's Book Council of Australia. The guide presents a shortlist of books in all award categories except that of Older Readers. It provides discussion points for exploring each book, enabling teachers and learners to focus on…

This pack of materials is a tool to help older people who have had few or negative past learning experiences begin to value themselves and what they have to offer. The activities, aimed at promoting confidence, participation, new interests, and friendships, are intended for self-organized groups with no professional experience--part of Better…

The bookmobile of Lancaster County Library (Pennsylvania) provides library services to the home schooled children of isolated, rural communities. Home schooling and bookmobile usage have increased proportionally, and bookmobiles act as "library periods" for the home schooled, provide materials to support curricula, and supply…

Discusses building fluency in reading and writing and teaching students to read and write for pleasure. Highlights include multimedia storyboards; bilingual instruction; writing programs for building fluency; CD-ROM storyboards; student-created storyboards; and an annotated bibliography of CD-ROM storyboards, poetry collections, and composing…

Examines the content of the pamphlet "What Works: Research about Teaching and Learning." Asks (1) what it means to say it is "drawn from""Becoming a Nation of Readers"; and (2) whether the editors are guilty of political chicanery with reading research, as some have argued. (RS)

Describes over 20 picture books that motivate beginning readers to become more proficient at reading and to develop a love of reading. Discusses the role of illustrations in engaging the reader and contributing to story development. Recommends parental assistance to help children enjoy the books' humor and subtitles. (JB)

Describes how a student managed and operated book store put inexpensive, high-quality literature into the hands of students at 61 middle and junior high schools in Indiana. (MG)

Discusses reading with pre-teens Francine Pascal's "Sweet Valley Twins: Best Friends," one of a series of pre-romance novels featuring identical twin sisters. Interviews six girls using the Symbolic Representation Interview (SRI) about the good girl/bad girl dichotomy in novels and other media. Provides comments by Tom Romano and Diana Mitchell.…

Investigates the effects of reading mystery novels on Hong Kong adult learners studying English for the purposes of pleasure or career development. Results show that novel readers made substantial proficiency gains, and that there were important motivational benefits as well. (Author/VWL)

A practicum addressed the problem of 8 second and third grade nonindependent readers (students at a small private school) who were not choosing to read library books. The literature review disclosed using sustained silent reading, sharing responses to reading and planning for more available time to read in the classroom and at home as viable ways…

Serving as a resource for students, teachers, librarians, and parents, this seventh edition of the National Council of Teachers of English's bestselling booklist for adolescent readers contains over 300 concise annotations. A group of teachers looking specifically for high interest books chose the titles from hundreds published in 1993 and 1994.…

By analyzing the survey responses of almost 600 fifth and sixth graders, this study points to existing discrepancies between what most public librarians consider a young adult and what the youths consider themselves. Building on past research in the field of education, the writer points out that schools have done much to examine the phenomena of…

Bringing together the home, school, and community in the task of developing children's abilities to read and appreciate literature, this book presents annotations of over 400 books suitable for children ages two through seven. Titles annotated in the book represent classic and contemporary picture books, story books, and concept books, as well as…

Intended for adolescent readers, this award-winning book is the first in a time travel trilogy that blends ancient Sinagua and present-day Hopi Indian life with archaeology, social awareness, and adventure. The books relate the story of Walker Talayesva, a contemporary Hopi teenager who travels back in time 800 years to take his place as the…

Focusing on the cooperative role of parents and public libraries in stimulating reading interests in children of all ages, this booklet addresses the following issues: (1) getting children interested in reading (reading aloud to children; encouraging children to read to you; starting a home library; showing children that you enjoy reading;…