The author describes his approach to retelling Arthurian legends, where he wrote two stories in tandem: one a historical novel in which a boy, eager to serve as a squire and to go on crusade, is given a piece of obsidian, the other of stories, the Arthurian legends, that this boy sees in the obsidian. These became a trilogy. He states that while…

The author of this article states that, as a fiction writer, he is reluctant to discuss process, yet, at war with a mystical stance about writing fiction, is the belief he imparts to his students that writing is a craft that can be taught, mastered, and understood. This article describes the seemingly subconscious approach to the writing of "The…

Presents an interview with Janet Hickman. Notes that she is a highly respected scholar in children's literature and a recognized and much lauded author of novels for children. Discusses disparate topics from her earliest encounters with print to mandates surrounding scientifically based reading research (SBRR). (SG)

Describes a Master Class held at the 2002 meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English focusing on the teaching of children's literature. Includes an opening speech that moved participants to confront issues surrounding the need for sharing books from all cultures, countries, and continents. Presents shared thoughts by three university…

Focuses on children of the 21st century and their books, both of which have changed dramatically over the past decade. Suggests that teachers and librarians need to recognize and understand the implications of these changes in children and their books in order to provide a reading environment to which children will readily relate and in which they…

Describes the author's interactions with prospective teachers' resistances to books in the "Harry Potter" series and how she dealt with these situations. Recognizes that her role as a teacher educator includes honoring her students' beliefs, upholding the integrity of the academic discipline of children's literature, and adhering to the…

Shares the responses of children to an initial exploration of books with gay and lesbian characters. Intends to learn from this experience in order to plan future curriculum engagements that encourage conversation around such a critical and controversial issue, and to use differences to take some sort of action against discrimination. (SG)

Considers the resistance of preservice teachers to address sociopolitical dimensions within the context of children's literature. Presents an account of an incident, a description of the research that the author conducted, theoretical explanations, strategies which she has utilized for countering the resistance, and reasons why research such as…

Examines the author's discovery of elementary students' science misconceptions derived from the books she chose to share as read-alouds. Identifies three intertwining elements that might have led intelligent, curious young learners to create impossible science from these read-aloud sessions. Uses these three elements to organize personal…

Presents an interview with Chris Raschka that explores his creative process. Notes he is the author of over 20 picture books. Focuses on controversial children's books. (SG)

Discusses the author's experiences in controversial and non-controversial children's and adult literature. Describes how he developed and shaped a line of books for teenagers that would explore many kinds of edges/borderlines - from family to world, self to others, native to immigrant, familiar to forbidden. (SG)

Notes that the selections in this cluster of books, intended for students in the intermediate and middle school grades, portray youth as they courageously take strands for environmental protection or against societal injustice. Summarizes 10 titles including nonfiction, fiction, and picture books. (SG)

Examines questions that the author believes are pertinent to the subject of this special issue on feminist approaches to children's literature. Suggests that children, young adults and college-age students all need feminist teachers to help them "see" gender. Discusses fathers and daughters in children's literature. Urges everyone to encourage the…

Discusses the importance of using picture books to encourage development of gender role equity. Provides guidelines for selection of children's literature with capable female characters. Includes examples from recently published picture books. Presents discussion questions that teachers might use to help students focus on female character…

Illustrates how preservice teachers in a children's literature class grapple with issues of gender and gender equity through reflective journal writing and literature discussions in one semester of an undergraduate elementary education children's literature class. Describes preservice teachers' movement toward development in their awareness of…