For most children, library books capture their interests and motivate reading more than basal texts do. Choosing library books is highly informal, whereas textbook reading involves more formal, structured plans of teaching. There are a plethora of choices to make in types of literature available to children. These include folk tales, fairy tales, legends, and multicultural folklore. Folktales as well as children's literature across the curriculum involve the following learning opportunities: creatively dramatizing the contents; pantomiming the content; formal dramatization; reader's theater; seminar methods; art work; written book reports; oral book reports; and cassette or video tape discussion of literature read within a collaborative setting of students. Students should see illustrations presented by the teacher of imagery (metaphors and similes) used in literature. Idioms may be dramatized to show literal as well as figurative learning. There are necessary elements which appear in literature and at increasing levels of complexity as students progress through diverse schooling levels: characterization, story setting, plot, point of view, theme, and irony. Objectives to be achieved by students in children's literature will be developmental and will depend upon mental maturity, learning styles, and purposes. (NKA)