Describes how the author of "Molly's Pilgrim" struggled to retain the religious references in her story when it was adapted for a grade school reading textbook. (KH)

The problem with textbooks reflects the deeper uncertainties in our culture. As a society, we have lost sight of what it is we want our children to learn. (Author/GC)

Basal reading, science, and social studies textbooks for elementary school students are too often stilted, boring, inaccurate, and/or confusing. If the children are to enjoy learning, textbook content and quality must be improved. (GC)

Presents a fictionalized account illustrating the process by which willful states, misguided experts, cunning marketeers, and overworked teachers and administrators produce textbooks that are ill-written, confusing, misleading, and boring. (BJV)

Publishers are compelled by public policies and practices to produce textbooks that confuse students with non sequiturs, mislead them with misinformation, and bore them with pointlessly arid writing. Recommendations for textbook policy are proposed. (BJV)