Each year 12,500 school children from different regions of the United States read and vote on the newly published children's and young adults' trade books that they like best. The Children's Choices for 2008 list is the 34th in a series that first appeared as "Classroom Choices" in the November 1975 issue of "The Reading Teacher" (RT), a…

Presents annotations of 30 outstanding trade books published for children and adolescents selected by teachers for primary, intermediate, and advanced readers. Notes that annotations include bibliographic data, price information, and suggestions for curriculum use. (SG)

Celebrates the power of literature and the joy it brings to readers' lives. Presents annotations of 30 children's books (most published in 2002 or 2003) that can be experienced orally, aurally, visually, dramatically, emotionally, and responsively. (SG)

Notes that there are certain books in children's literature that have stood the test of time. Explains that these books not only have artistic and literary merit, but also generate strong personal response and have universal appeal. Presents an annotated list of 17 such children's books, published between 1719 and 1985. (PM)

Presents 103 titles for the 2003 Children's Choice grouped by reading levels: beginning, young, intermediate, and advanced readers. Provides the title, author, illustrator, publisher, ISBN, and price for each title as well as a brief annotation prepared by a review team. (SG)

Notes that literature about people from the past allows readers to experience vicariously another time and place. Proposes that readers might discover that the actions of people in the past or present may influence the future. Presents annotations of 30 children's books which deal with special characters of the past or present in the categories of…

Notes the ability to imagine is considered the gift of authors and illustrators whose books inspire readers. Highlights 38 works of children's literature that show how imagination can inform and excite both readers and characters. Concludes that through creative envisioning, poets, authors, and llustrators propel readers to relate the familiar to…

Presents annotations of 32 works of children's literature that invite consideration of the wondrous possibilities of literature in the reading curriculum--from reading aloud to time set aside for independent reading, from focused instruction using paired and shared reading to engagement through book discussions, and from using literature to learn…

Explores children's books that serve as bridges for readers: bridges across places, time periods, cultures, generations, belief systems, and forms of expression. Annotates 31 books. (PM)

Suggests that literature can serve as "spectacles" for readers by inviting them to encounter real and imagined characters, events, and circumstances from long ago. Presents annotations of 32 books on the topics of living in the past, journeying across time, creating a legacy, transforming literature from old and new, and anticipating the future.…

Notes that children's books are a valuable source for teachers to bring topics before their students, begin discussions that promote the acceptance of special needs learners, and teach children about the differences that individuals bring to learning situations. Presents annotations of several books that deal with subjects that can be difficult…

Presents annotations of 30 trade books for children and adolescents that teachers find to be exceptional in curriculum use. Includes books for primary, intermediate, and advanced level readers. Describes how the books were chosen. (SG)

Presents annotations of 30 works of children's literature focusing on themes such as the creative process, dreams, hopes and goals, leadership, taking action, and the vision of self. Considers authors that began by taking a good, hard look at the world they live in, then considered how to make it a better place. (SG)

Presents annotations of 29 children's books that provide multiple perspectives that range from the viewpoint of the character to stories from a culture, information garnered from extensive research, insights from history, and interpretations of art. (RS)

Discusses approximately 25 instructional materials to give ideas for after school enrichment programs. Lists 10 resources for finding such literature. (SG)