Teachers often wonder how to add social justice and care for the environment to an already packed curriculum. Books and the ensuing conversations with children are a way to re-imagine the curriculum, rather than adding to it. Fiction and nonfiction books allow children to travel beyond what they know and live into the lives of others. This article…

Considers role of multicultural literature in stimulating children's language and cognitive development. Argues that a well-balanced multicultural literature program includes literature that depicts people with a variety of aspirations, from different socioeconomic levels and occupations, and with a range of human characteristics. (DST)

Focuses on three interrelated issues: (1) developmental theories of humor (2) variables that facilitate children's responses to amusing literature, and (3) strategies for the evaluation and more effective use of humorous children's books. Provides examples of books, an overview chart of the general chronology of children's humor development, and…

Lists games and play activities for toddlers through 10-year-olds that can be linked to specific children's books. (CI)

Lists activities to encourage children to use language to validate their experiences. The activities provide opportunities for children to write expressively, guide children to read and respond to literature, help children reflect on their own reading and writing, teach children to respond to each other's writing, and integrate drama into literary…