In today's developing view of education, a disquieting trend looms--the erosion of students' right to choose what they read. This erosion, fueled by an alarming surge in censorship attempts, casts a shadow over the very essence of intellectual exploration. Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented number of challenges aimed at restricting…

Each of these outstanding selections defies the traditional image of a child "curling up with a good book." Yes, they can be a source of great personal reading, encouraging students of all ages to stretch their skills and their imagination as they interact with the printed page. But these journeys of the scientific imagination seldom end with the…

School Library Journal book review editors have selected and annotated their choices for the best children's and young adults' books from those books that were submitted for review during 1977 by general book trade book publishers. Included in the annotations are: author, title, publisher, price, and recommended reading and interest levels. (JPF)

Increasing censorship activities and their sources are discussed. Strategies to respond to book banning include: (1) establishment in schools of a written selection policy; (2) development of a role for educational organizations in counteracting unnecessary censorship; (3) provision for parents to examine textbooks before purchase; and (4)…

This article explains to parents how school book clubs operate and the benefits which accrue to students, parents, and teachers. These clubs allow students to purchase low cost books by mail. A review of four major school book clubs is included. (IAH)

Discusses five issues involved in selecting books for independent reading. (SR)

Lists 91 sources, most of which are journal articles, for identifying notable materials for children and young adults, including books, multicultural materials, nonprint materials, special features and noteworthy bibliographies, reference books and electronic sources, free and inexpensive materials, and periodicals. (KRN)

An annotated list of 45 books for children and young adults.

Features annotations of 13 outstanding nonfiction books that the 2002 Orbis Pictus Award Committee designated as the award winner, honor books, and books of distinction. (SG)

Politics and children's literature would seem to be two areas of thought which are incompatible; politics being the administration of power, control, government, and regulation, and children's literature embodying the freedom of the imagination at a period in life described as "literary innocence." Embedded political perspectives,…

Offers brief descriptions of 20 outstanding nonfiction for children, including the 1999 Orbis Pictus Award winner, and four Orbis Pictus honor books as well as a number of other outstanding nonfiction titles dealing mainly with history and biography. (SR)

This report presents an overview of the nature and uses of bibliotherapy. The concept is defined in complex as well as simplistic terminology within its historical context; and its dynamics, principles and objectives, and particular applications are discussed. The requisite qualities and skills of the bibliotherapist are analyzed and bibliotherapy…

Offers annotations of 26 illustrated books and chapter books for children and adolescents that the writers of this column consider too good to miss. (SR)

Offers brief annotations of 45 children's books inspired by children's curiosity. Presents the books in six categories: question and answer books, whodunit mysteries, mysteries of history, mysteries of nature, myths and legends, and mysteries of life. (SR)

A simple, new method for determing the readability level of prose passages in reading material for children is described and discussed. The method, which assigns a value to each noun in selected passages on the basis of its frequency level on standard word-frequency charts, correlated highly in a number of studies with independent estimates of the…