Argues against providing children only with reading materials which offer happy endings. Argues for literature which depicts life as both happy and sad, difficult and joyful. (RAE)

The "Little Books" are a set of books designed for interactive book reading between parents and children or teachers and students. The books use thematic topics familiar to children. They are written with high-frequency words and use simple phrases and sentences. They also have strong links between illustrations and text. One study of…

Over the past decade in the United States, levelled texts, or "little books" with finely graduated levelling of text difficulty, have regained their status as a literacy staple for beginning readers. Despite their resurgence, questions remain regarding the reliability and quality of these books. In this study, we conducted a detailed…

In this article, the author recommends a certain criteria for selecting Spanish-language books for elementary students such as cultural factors, setting, time, age, language and visuals. She also enumerates some authors and a listing of their many bilingual texts, which can be used to enrich a school or classroom library.

U.S. Department of Education Secretary Spellings admonished PBS for having produced an episode of "Postcards from Buster" because it included children with lesbian parents. A college professor describes how this incident and children's literature was a learning opportunity for future teachers.

Sixteen students, randomly selected from a pool of 91 fourth-graders in a midsize elementary school, were interviewed about their reading choices. The interviews revealed that children had different degrees of motivation, following several patterns. Children chose narrative literature for these reasons: (1) The books related to their personal…

In this article, we report on grade-one children's preferences for narrative and/or information books, and their perceptions of what boys and girls like to read. Data include responses on two book preference tasks by 40 children in four schools. Children chose books and explained the reasons for their choices. One task was a closed, force-choice…

While strongly endorsing a multi-pronged approach to vocabulary instruction, Moen takes pains to include and even emphasize work with English Language Learners. By adhering to the principles of A.C.T. (Access to texts, individual Choice of reading material, and Time to read), Moen finds myriad ways to make learning words a creative and social…

Passages from three selected samples of textbooks are used to show what requirements are made of textbooks in the social sciences. Some hints are given to the teacher for converting reading suggestions into instructional material. Short texts from Karl Marx are also suggested. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

A discussion of criteria for selection of science books by teachers and librarians, given the limitations of space, funds, and time. (LS)

Special issue on sex education in France. (HW)

BEFORE SELECTING MATERIALS TO TEACH READING, A SET OF CONSISTENT AND APPROPRIATE CRITERIA MUST BE DEVISED AND USED TO OBJECTIVELY ANALYZE AVAILABLE MATERIALS. A KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND OBJECTIVES AND PATTERN OF THE READING PROGRAM IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AIDS THE DETERMINATION OF THE CRITERIA. JUDGMENT MUST THEN BE USED IN SELECTION…

This bibliography of children's books is intended for use by librarians and teachers. Each entry is annotated and contains complete bibliographic and ordering information. A total of 770 entries are included. (CK)

A compilation of children's books intended as a buying guide for teachers and librarians is presented. A total of 802 annotated titles are included. Each entry provides complete bibliographic and ordering information, with prices current at the time of original review. (Author/CK)