Intended to encourage teachers and students to take a fresh look at children's literature, this practical collection of ideas offers plot summaries and suggests teaching strategies for 57 notable children's books. Books in the collection were chosen "outstanding trade books" by a National Council of Teachers of English committee on trade books. Selections in the collection include poetry, historical fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, folktales, picture books, biographies, and nonfiction. Included in the collection are works by Mary Hoffman, Ken Kesey, Arnold Lobel, Karen Lynn Williams, James Howe, and Avi. Each of the 57 response guides is composed of four sections: suggested grade levels, a plot summary, teaching suggestions, and a list of related books. Teaching strategies presented in the collection offer a wide range of possibilities, from dramatization to storymapping to journal writing--the focus is on stimulating critical thinking that leads readers to new insights. (NKA)