Presents brief annotations of 100 children's books published in 1998 and voted by children as the books they liked best in the categories of beginning, young, intermediate, and advanced readers. Offers tips for parents, primary caregivers, and educators regarding book activities. (SR)

Describes how a 4th-grade and a 6th-grade class meet to discuss books in a shared reading experience called "Hooked on Books," aimed at encouraging a reading lifestyle and helping students learn to articulate reactions to reading. Discusses getting started, helping students respond to reading, reading together, students' perspectives, and program…

Describes how the author introduced journal writing in her kindergarten classroom and discusses how children's writing took on new dimensions when they were offered opportunities to engage in authentic dialogue. (SR)

Describes and discusses six recent books for teachers that illuminate, from different perspectives, aspects of the reading-writing connection for struggling readers, and how to teach reading and writing effectively. (SR)

Describes a veteran teacher's (the author's) childhood memories of learning to read and of the enduring value of literature. Shares the path she has taken as a first and second grade teacher, and a teacher educator, using quality literature and experiences to lead children to reading and writing. (SR)

Describes the plight of the Roma (the preferred word for "Gypsy") in Romania, and the Roma Tutoring Project, intended to help Roma children succeed in school. Discusses the project's activities to sponsor the writing of children's books in Romania based on Roma children and culture, and with a tutor training project based on the language…

Presents brief descriptions of 42 illustrated children's books, and notes how these books can provide support and demonstration to guide, inspire, and even instruct young writers. Presents the books in groups called: Igniting Ideas, Offering Perspectives, Revealing Self and Discovering Surroundings, Mixing Genres, Falling in Love with Language,…

Offers descriptions of successful volunteer programs in two schools: one a school-wide program using parents as volunteers to increase student achievement, and the other a literacy program that depends on volunteers in one 1st-grade classroom. Notes that it takes time and effort to organize and involve volunteers productively, but that they can…

Offers brief descriptions of 30 recently published outstanding trade books for children and adolescents that teachers find to be exceptional in curriculum use. Groups the books into primary, intermediate, and advanced levels, and offers suggestions for curriculum use for each one. (SR)

Discusses what the term "High-Stakes Testing" means; concerns about high-stakes testing; whether testing is an important part of good educational design; why using tests for high-stakes decisions causes problems; whether test scores improve when high-stakes assessment is mandated; and ways to help states monitor student success in the curriculum.…

Describes how the authors worked with five groups of second and fourth graders using picture books written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco in a project that involved reading Polacco's books aloud to the children, encouraging their aesthetic engagement with books, valuing children's questions, and culminating in a session in which children…

Describes the work of two literacy educators who volunteered for Language to Literacy in Belize, a program of teacher education. Shares journal entries about teachers helping make connections between their lives and books when they talked about stories; conceptual and language growth children experienced when they read and responded to literature;…

Relates how the author, a White teacher, discovered how to teach her African American students by learning to understand their culture. Discusses how she became aware of the cultural discontinuity in her classroom, and began a dialog with African-American friends, fellow teachers, children, parents, and multicultural literature to change her style…

Investigates why children are attracted to scary books, and what they find scary. Addresses children's fears through scary books and the instructional value of scary books. Discusses successful classroom experiences with scary books and notes selection considerations. Offers literature study ideas and a 100-item bibliography of scary books. (SR)

Describes how the authors have facilitated student-led literature discussions in their second- and third-grade classrooms. Outlines the basic organizational structure that fosters response-driven conversations about books. Illustrates the various ways students speak meaningfully with each other about the literature (including inferential…