Discusses the kinds of texts that are appropriate for students at various stages of their reading development and shares criteria for determining the difficulty levels of early reading materials. Lists five general considerations: vocabulary, size and layout of print, predictability, illustration support, and complexity of concepts. (SG)

Outlines specific criteria for selecting intermediate literature that portrays characters with disabilities. Includes criteria such as plot, character development, and tone. Provides an annotated list of 46 novels published between 1990 and 1999 that feature such characters. Concludes that educators may be able to use this genre as a means to…

Corrigan remembers well the angst and conflict of adolescence, as well as how important the right book at the right time could be in helping kids understand themselves and others. That ability to identify closely with teens permeates her story in verse, "Splintering," several verses of which are included here.

What are adolescents choosing to read? This is an important question because of potential divergence between school students' reading interests and reading expectations in school. This article considers the findings from a study of the reading over one week in May 2002 of 707 school students aged between 11 and 15, undertaken in 30 schools in the…

In this article, we report on grade-one children's preferences for narrative and/or information books, and their perceptions of what boys and girls like to read. Data include responses on two book preference tasks by 40 children in four schools. Children chose books and explained the reasons for their choices. One task was a closed, force-choice…

While strongly endorsing a multi-pronged approach to vocabulary instruction, Moen takes pains to include and even emphasize work with English Language Learners. By adhering to the principles of A.C.T. (Access to texts, individual Choice of reading material, and Time to read), Moen finds myriad ways to make learning words a creative and social…

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…

Sixteen students, randomly selected from a pool of 91 fourth-graders in a midsize elementary school, were interviewed about their reading choices. The interviews revealed that children had different degrees of motivation, following several patterns. Children chose narrative literature for these reasons: (1) The books related to their personal…

This paper argues that the essential task of English Teachers, since the debut of the National Curriculum English, is not to make qualitative distinctions between literary and media texts nor to place them on some form of hierarchical scale. Media reading should be on equal footing with written literature reading; both involve active engagement…

Compiled by Bob Keeshan, TV's "Captain Kangaroo," this book is a reference guide for books appropriate for children through age eight. Books are organized alphabetically, according to children's age group, and include Bob Keeshan's comments as well as author, publisher, publishing date, and price. Each entry also lists values the book teaches,…

Arguing that children's books play a significant part in transmitting a society's culture to children, this Digest discusses how gender roles are portrayed in children's books. It begins by discussing how the genders are portrayed in children's literature, and then addresses the question of why gender-representation in children's literature is…

The Teachers as Readers (TAR) Project is a national program which helps teachers encourage children to become lifelong readers. TAR began as a pilot program in the state of Virginia in Spring 1992 as the Reading Initiative sponsored by the American Association of Publishers and the Virginia State Reading Association. The first TAR Project in…

The stated objective of "The Norton Anthology of American Literature" (NAAL) is to present a thorough selection from the literary tradition along with new or lesser-known works to exemplify multi-cultural America. The first edition of the NAAL emphasized traditional pieces. Poetry selections in the second edition were greatly shortened.…

Three readability formulas are described, evaluated, and applied to selected textbook passages. However, the present state of the art indicates that, at best, teachers can gain only a very rough estimate of readability level from the existing diagnostic measures. (Author/NHM)