Reviews ERIC materials pertaining to the reading interests of children. (FL)

The pros and cons of using literature in an ESL classroom are examined. It is argued that if literary texts are used, they must be carefully selected and approached in a manner promoting an aesthetic interaction between reader and text. An example of this technique is given. (Author/MSE)

Reveals that there are definite factors fifth- through eighth-grade students consider when choosing books for personal reading, including (1) peer recommendations, (2) movie and television tie-ins, and (3) information provided on the book jacket. (FL)

Presents the pros and cons of including teen romances in the English curriculum. (JL)

Lists and appraises books favored by middle school readers as revealed in the most recent "children's choices" poll conducted by the International Reading Association. Proposes a similar poll for older students. (JL)

In attempting to define what constitutes a good children's book, the author looks at attitudes of those who have set standards in the past, such as Caroline Hewins, a Hartford, Connecticut, librarian of the late nineteenth century. Points that must be considered in evaluating children's books are made. (PP)

Award-winning author Madeleine L'Engle discusses issues concerning censorship and relates her own views about the role of children's literature in a rapidly changing world. Fiction should help make children aware of inward as well as outward change and should stress the individual's ability to make a difference. (PP)

Various contributors recommend "The Odyssey,""Julius Caesar,""A Dog's Tale,""Ivanhoe,""Star Wars,""The Red Badge of Courage,""Demian,""Antigone,""Children of Crisis," and "Frankenstein" for use in literature classes and justify their recommendations. (JL)

Discusses research related to the relationship between interest in reading materials and reading achievement. (FL)

Forty-two experienced teachers rated a set of reading passages by the SEER and the Rauding procedures. Findings indicated that the two procedures resulted in significantly different ratings, that teaching experience did not affect the rating, and that the SEER ratings agreed substantially with readability formula estimates of the same passages.…

Evaluates five basal reading series used in Australia according to the criteria set forth by R. Brimble in the preceding article. (HTH)

Outlines American Library Association recommendations for writing policies and procedures covering the selection of instructional materials. (JM)

Discusses various ways, with illustrative detail, of teaching poetry in the classroom. (HOD)

Annotates nine new adult books of interest to high school readers. The books include autobiographical accounts by survivors of the Holocaust, books of short stories, and books about Shakespeare, the Cuban literacy struggle, and early Chinese explorers. (GT)

Formulas for assessing the appropriateness of printed material for a disabled reader are criticized, and guidelines for selecting a high-interest/low-reading-level book are offered. (Author/SBH)