The articles in this focused issue draw attention to works of contemporary literature with classroom potential. Four articles suggest new approaches for the reading and teaching of such established writers as Robert Frost; Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.; Eudora Welty; and Saul Bellow. Two other articles examine the bestsellers "Ordinary People" and "The Color Purple." Literature for the adolescent is represented by "Halfway Down Paddy Lane," a novel that can serve as the basis for a tri-level analysis demonstrating in detail how the elements of fiction can be effectively introduced using a teenage book. Reviews and suggestions for teaching two fantasy writers--Lloyd Alexander and Ursula Le Guin--are presented. Finally, Theodore Strugeon's "More Than Human" is discussed as a classic of modern science fiction. (HOD)