Many reading programs today overlook an essential component of literacy instruction--helping children develop an enduring love of reading. This authoritative and accessible guide provides a wealth of ideas for incorporating high-quality children's books of all kinds into K-6 classrooms. Numerous practical strategies are presented for engaging students with picture books, fiction, nonfiction, and nontraditional texts. Lively descriptions of recommended books and activities are interspersed with invaluable tips for fitting authentic reading experiences into the busy school day. Every chapter concludes with reflection questions and suggestions for further reading. The volume also features reproducible worksheets and forms. Contents include: (1) Engaging Teachers and Their Use of Children's Literature; (2) Reading Aloud, Independent Reading, and Response in the Classroom; (3) Exploring Narrative Genres; (4) Exploring Nonfiction/Informational Genres; (5) Exploring Qualities of Text; (6) Exploring Qualities of Visual Representation; (7) Children's Views of Children's Literature; (8) Learning about Illustrators and Small Text Sets; and (9) Learning about Authors and More Extensive Text Sets. An Epilogue is also included.