In the face of the worldwide ecological crisis, ecocriticism, "the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment" as "an earth-centered approach to literary studies" has become an important part of contemporary literary theory (Glotfelty in "The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary…

The four canonical gospels provide readers with few details of the life of Jesus as a boy. Many authors of children's bibles in America, however, have been happy to fill in some of the details. This article suggests that these retellings regularly create or adapt stories of Jesus' childhood to teach children virtues that serve to affirm…

This article provides a close reading of Meg Rosoff's award-winning novel "How I Live Now". It argues that an understanding of the text can be extended through an application of ideas found in contemporary spatial discourse concerning place. Reading the novel within this context allows a discussion of ways in which it draws on…

Online booksellers have done a terrific job of developing ways to let customers share their opinions about books with the goal of getting a person to buy more books. They have also made effective use of the bottom line, which is what a customer spends those hard-earned dollars on, to further entice people to add one more item to their cart. In…

Literature circles or book clubs are small, heterogeneous groups of students who have chosen to read and discuss the same book together. The research on literature circles suggests that they hold great promise for increasing students' enjoyment of reading and honing their literacy skills. When evidence-based strategies are embedded into a…

In May 2007, the faculty book club that the author facilitates read Chris Bohjalian's novel "The Double Bind" (Shaye Areheart: Harmony, 2007). Bohjalian, a local author, agreed to meet them in Burlington for drinks and conversation. When he arrived, the author and her class introduced themselves, passed around some nachos, and began their…

Deborah Ellis's "The Breadwinner" is a popular young adult novel about Muslim girls. In this paper, we offer an analysis of the representation of Muslim girls and women in the book as well as responses from undergraduate students enrolled in a children's literature course to these constructions. Building on the work of postcolonial feminism…

An investigation on the use of literature as part of the teacher preparation process probed the impact of book talks on teacher candidates' attitudes toward people with disabilities. Candidates in a 4-year undergraduate program participated in book talks reflecting subjects relevant to course work. Books reflected various effects of disability,…

In this article the author situates the analysis of two popular children's books in theoretical frameworks emerging from American Indian Studies. Using a new historicist lens, she discusses Anne Rockwell's (1999) "Thanksgiving Day" and Laura Ingalls Wilder's (1935/1971) "Little House on the Prairie" and suggests that these…

James Welch's "Winter in the Blood" (1974) and "The Death of Jim Loney" (1979) are excellent examples of work that remains essentially misunderstood throughout some three decades of interpretation. Attempts to define these two books in terms of mainstream modernism notwithstanding, they represent a phenomenon not unlike aspects of American folk…

Reviews 12 new books dealing with mystery, suspense, and adventure from several tried-and-true authors of adolescent literature. (PRA)

Discusses several books that make the point that readers do and should read stories that are judged to be truly different from stories that are made up. Argues that the responsibility of reading teachers is to help young readers become thoughtfully engaged in their suspension of disbelief. (RS)

Reviews and recommends nine books by Gary Paulsen, an author who writes for teenagers. (PRA)

Reviews four young-adult novels written by Chris Crutcher, whose characters provide an honest depiction of life. (PRA)

A COMMON PROBLEM IN ASSIGNING BOOK REPORTS IS HOW TO TEST WHETHER STUDENTS ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK OR WHETHER THEY RELY ON SOURCES BESIDES THE BOOK ITSELF. A SINGLE-BOOK APPROACH DEVISED TO GIVE SOME DEGREE OF CERTITUDE THAT STUDENTS READ THE BOOK BLENDS THREE ELEMENTS--(1) ACTUAL READING OF THE BOOK AS CHECKED BY AN OBJECTIVE TEST, (2) DEEPER…