This piece explores the instructional possibilities of picturebooks in middle grade classrooms, illustrating the central tenets of how to effectively introduce these resources to middle grade students. Through today's multiplicity of illustrated texts, students can discover the finest uses of language, as well as encounter images that inform,…

Looking backwards, discussions around sexual orientation and sexual identity have been noticeably absent at the middle grades. As a result, middle grade teachers may find it difficult to know how to effectively select age-appropriate materials that include LGBTQ issues and content. To move the field forward, the authors specifically highlight four…

Presents a short introduction by teacher Nancie Atwell to her eighth-grade student Joe Powning's annotated list of his nine favorite funny books. (SR)

Annotates 12 books for young adults including new releases, old standards, classics, and award winners--books that will appeal to readers and writers. (SG)

Presents 13 works of nonfiction (published between 1993 and 2001) with strong appeal to middle level students. Notes that the books range in form from the essay to expository text to memoir and biography and cover everything from politics to slavery, from athletes to art. (SG)

Provides an annotated list of 12 web sites to turn to for information concerning the ramifications of high-stakes testing. (SG)

Offers brief descriptions of 17 books of nonfiction that will inform and entertain, and that middle schoolers will enjoy when they want some information and want to know about the workings and wonders of the world and the people in it. (SR)

Presents an annotated list of 44 young adult books that represent the wide range of young adult literature available for teens. Represents a variety of genres from poetry to science fiction/fantasy to historical fiction and story collections. Lists the 2002 winners for six major awards. (SG)

Presents descriptions of 14 websites that are divided into two categories: sites to help teachers learn more about expository text structure and informational sites students might enjoy. (SG)

Considers how colleges and universities are turning their first-year composition courses into computer-intensive writing experiences, and sooner or later this momentum will push computers into secondary language arts classrooms. Presents annotations of seven websites that offer teaching ideas for middle school language arts. (SG)

Presents an annotated bibliography of nine books that kids think are great. Recommends the books on the basis of pure enjoyment. (SG)

Offers brief descriptions of 12 recently published books of young adult literature that offer voices from history, real kids with real problems, and whispers from the future. Discusses two simple guidelines for recommending books to students, and notes three suitable adult books as well as three resources for locating adult books that will be of…

Argues that educators must take responsibility for putting a stop to the hatred for and disenfranchisement of students who are seen as being different. Suggests doing that by making sure the expository texts are set within the context of themes--those ideas that matter to students. Presents an annotated list of novels and expository texts to help…

Offers short descriptions of 12 books for young adults that involve outsiders and that explore conflicting needs for identity and community. Argues that books may provide the spring boards for a dialog which has heated up since September 11th: how we as a nation can stand united yet retain our strength in diversity. (SR)

Shares some novels that can reinvigorate a "dormant reader." Presents annotations of nine titles and some additional titles related to the main nine titles. (SG)