Reiterates some of the major tenets of reader-response theory. Describes the "writerly" text as a source of activity rather than of meaning, and examines Gary Paulsen's "The Winter Room" as an example of the active writerly text. (SR)

Considers the stories that children read, hear, and make part of their lives. Focuses on the text with the understanding that texts live only when read by a person in a particular context. (MG)

Describes the folk tale "Iron John" and the attraction it held for the author as a boy. Discusses the author's own reforming of the tale in a picture book version. (SR)

Argues that historical understanding requires historical thinking--taking a critical stance toward what is read and assuming a questioning attitude. Identifies numerous trade books that deal with sources (showing how evidence is acquired and evaluated), conflicting interpretations, and powerful concepts and generalizations. Describes how to help…

Describes one second-grade student's interaction with the picture books of Gerald McDermott. Describes the classroom context, and discusses McDermott's work. Describes the child's thoughtful and creative responses to McDermott's picture books in a classroom that supported students' explorations. Notes the importance of engaging children in…

Discusses one seven-year-old girl's responses to three feminist folktales. Finds that for each tale, the girl was drawn to the female protagonist and named her as her favorite character, but the girl did not wish to emulate the female protagonists because of their unconventionality. Suggests that such tales may offer alternative models of female…

A study examines three eight-year-olds' responses to fairy tales, and their perceptions of the tales' meanings. Finds many unique and deeply personal responses, but also finds patterns of response which suggest that adult interpretations of fairy tales are not necessarily the interpretations that children make. (RAE)

Relates how one kindergarten student's interest in the chronology of books published by a single author sparked an enthusiasm that was contagious for other students. Notes that this student was sparked by a concept which had not occurred to the teacher, which underlines the importance of leaving room for students' own decisions about what to…

Discusses the controversial work of Maurice Sendak, a popular, yet controversial children's author and illustrator. Examines the oral responses of a class of first graders to "We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy," with the purpose of demonstrating that children can act as their own agents in constructing meaning through complex…

Describes 12 successful practices for literature programs which evolved as students and teachers talked about books. Finds that these practices minimize the basalization of literature and maximize the analysis of and dialogue about literature. (MG)

Shares the author's experiences as a third-grade teacher facing the dilemma of not having multiple copies of good literature available. Tells the story of how she developed effective instructional strategies for using the limited resources she was able to find. Describes how, despite less than ideal resources, children engaged in rich, thoughtful…

Centers on the power of words (words from literature) that have woven themselves into the lives of the author's two daughters. Examines the children's response to literature as they became writers of prose and poetry in elementary school, showing how, when, where, and why the children use literary language to enhance and express their own verbal…

Demonstrates through five examples that censorship is an act of both negation and affirmation because at the same time that censors are removing information, values, and language from children's consideration, they are confirming knowledge they think is valid, valuable, and virtuous for school curricula and library shelves. (RAE)

Describes one teacher's experiences with helping seventh graders become lifelong readers. Discusses the importance of reading aloud to students and how reading, listening, and discussing can help improve writing through the use of reading journals. (MG)

Describes the emotional link to the text that an author and an illustrator must create for the reader. Traces the development of that link while the author illustrated "Very Last First Time," by Jan Andrews, a rite-of-passage tale about a young Inuit girl. (RAE)