During the past three years, the author has been exploring Grade 5 students' processes of reading and understanding contemporary picturebooks with Radical Change characteristics and metafictive devices, and examining how students use their knowledge of these characteristics and devices to create their own texts. "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other…

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…

Describes a Master Class held at the 2002 meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English focusing on the teaching of children's literature. Includes an opening speech that moved participants to confront issues surrounding the need for sharing books from all cultures, countries, and continents. Presents shared thoughts by three university…

Considers the ways in which the discourses available to children influence their responses to children's literature. Examines boys' and girls' responses after reading to questions focusing on major characteristics of a nontraditional protagonist. Concludes that change will occur gradually as an apathetic attitude is reduced if educators…

Considers how literature can showcase the essence of relationships that enable and support characters as they develop voice, introspection, and the inner strength needed to transcend cultural and societal expectations. Presents a cluster (a group of novels, poetry, picture books, and nonfiction on the same theme) that provides readers with models…

Presents a "conversation" with Penny Colman (adapted from her remarks at a panel discussion at a recent convention). Considers that nonfiction is dominated by male writers, especially for young adults and adults, and by true stories that feature boys and men. Discusses her exploration of the world of nonfiction by women. (SG)

Describes Ashley Bryan who is a scholar, a storyteller, a poet, an artist, an illustrator, a folklorist, and a humanitarian. Examines the layers of his work one at a time in order to hear the story of Ashley Bryan--through his own words and what others have written about him. (SG)

Describes the oral, written, and visual arts responses of a group of Grade 1 children. Discusses first grade children's understandings of and responses to several Radical Change characteristics and metafictive techniques found in David Wiesner's "The Three Pigs" (2001), the 2002 Randolph Caldecott Medal winner. Explores the nature of the literary…

Presents annotations of 30 titles and 4 "related literature" titles for each of the 30 main selections. Selects titles that deal explicitly with language, such as plays on words, word origins, or the history of language; demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or in style; or invite child response or participation. (SG)

Discusses a literature-inspired model of teaching writing and two scenarios of reading and writing connections in the classroom. Presents several reading and writing lessons drawn from the children's book "The Bat Boy and His Violin" by Gavin Curtis. Discusses Curtis' craft and demonstrates how to use this book to teach writing. Includes brief…

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…

Describes part of a project of correspondence between a group of eighth graders and pre-service teachers in an attempt to prepare all students to work with diverse people and ideas. Hopes to enlarge the worlds of the students by putting them in contact with literature from diverse groups and joining them with diverse people from whom they could…

Examines the genre of "Myth" in children's books. Discusses 38 titles focusing on mythology in children's books. Considers myths in Africa and Ancient Egypt, Asia and the Pacific, Canada and the United States, and Spanish-speaking America. Discusses story collections from around the world, original creation stories, and Genesis, the Biblical…

Discusses how at the National Council of Teachers of English conference, the Children's Literature Assembly sponsors a Master Class focusing on the teaching of children's literature. Presents an overview of the insights shared by each of the three presenters during the Master Class in the year 2000, which focused on illustration in children's…

Discusses the use of literature clusters (8 to 12 children's books on a particular topic) to enhance learning and instruction. Concludes that the process of developing a literature cluster on intergenerational relationships will result in a cluster that expresses both the participants' experiences and their understanding of the intended audience.…