Marilyn Nelson's book, "A Wreath for Emmett Till", (2005) was named a 2006 Coretta Scott King Honor Book and given the 2006 Printz Honor Award. "A Wreath for Emmett Till" tells the story of a 14-year-old African American boy who was lynched in 1955. Within 15 sonnets accompanied by illustrations by Philippe Lardy, Nelson…

Children's literature remains a primary vehicle for intellectual and imaginative maturation, and it is thus important to ask whether younger students have the opportunity to transact with books that represent and raise questions about shared experiences and cooperation across social, cultural, and linguistic boundaries. The authors examine three…

When readers of contemporary adolescent literature are encouraged to participate in conversations about what is considered canonical literature, the literary value of adolescent reading expands past narrowly defined borders. Several recent adolescent novels provide access to the classics and may generate interest among middle school students in…

Literature provides abundant examples of how to apply the wisdom of the past to today's problems. But literary examples are not enough. If children are to take an active part in questioning the past, they need to understand how to read history the way historians and even amateur historians do. In this article, the author provides examples of how…

Quality multicultural literature offers readers opportunities to read about characters from various cultures, lands, and background. There are many talented authors, such as Deborah Ellis, who have added to the wide range of multicultural literature available for today's youth. Through her books, Ellis immerses readers in cultures and societies…

In this article, the author interviews Minfong Ho, an award-winning Thai writer of children's and young adult novels. Ho was born in Burma to Chinese parents in 1951, raised in Singapore and Thailand, educated in Bangkok, Taiwan, and at Cornell University in New York. Ho's first novel, "Sing to the Dawn," won first prize from the Council of…

This article presents an interview with South Asian children's book and young adult fiction writer, Uma Krishnaswami. The interviewer states that "in all her creative endeavors Uma's keen sense of detail, narrative voice, and characterization complicate and humanize portrayals of multicultural peoples worldwide." In this interview, Krishnaswami…

While the past issues of the "Journal of Children's Literature" have shared many professional resources that support thinking about international children's literature, the field is continually refreshed by new titles such as the ones described in this article. Each title offers a unique consideration of how literature might be used or how…

The author of this article states that, as a fiction writer, he is reluctant to discuss process, yet, at war with a mystical stance about writing fiction, is the belief he imparts to his students that writing is a craft that can be taught, mastered, and understood. This article describes the seemingly subconscious approach to the writing of "The…

Discusses the author's experiences in controversial and non-controversial children's and adult literature. Describes how he developed and shaped a line of books for teenagers that would explore many kinds of edges/borderlines - from family to world, self to others, native to immigrant, familiar to forbidden. (SG)

Summarizes the presentations of Ginny Moore Kruse and Lois Lowry at a Master Class in the Teaching of Literature conducted at the 91st annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English (Baltimore, MD, November 17, 2001). Notes the class addressed censorship and intellectual freedom, challenge and choice, the right to read and the right…

Applies the reader response theory of literary critic Wolfgang Iser to the reading of Chris Crutcher's novel "Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes." Examines both the reader's engagement with the novel and Eric Calhoune's engagement with the world of Sarah Byrnes. (RS)

Offers five "images" (personal recollections) of reader response in the life of the author/educator. Suggests that while each image offers insight into the nature of response, each still supports the need for initial personal connections to the text whether the ultimate goal is motivating readers, enhancing reading ability, or creating…

Notes that the author was struck by the "self-centered" readers she encountered in her classroom and at professional conferences--readers who respond to reading by thinking of their own life and experiences. Argues that reading is so much more than a trip into the self. Presents two brief responses, by Lauren L. Wohl and Daniel Hade. (RS)

Describes the various definitions, characteristics, and aims that educators and researchers have considered when promoting the use of multicultural literature in classrooms. Considers the kinds of knowledge and understanding that adolescent students attain when they read such literature. Proposes a different way of understanding the term…