This paper draws upon several decades of literacy research in schools in high-poverty environments to explore what matters in young people's education. In dialogue with themes from Kevin Marjoribanks' work, such as student aspirations, family environments and teacher expectations, key insights are summarised. Referring to longitudinal…

This article explores the possible relationships between geography, literacy, pedagogy, and poverty. It characterizes poverty as a wicked problem, which sees economic inequality escalating in a number of neoliberal democracies. Key insights from theorists of economic inequality are summarized. The enduring nature of poverty in particular places is…

This article examines the resources, tools, and opportunities children enact as they engage with teacher-devised writing experiences within their classroom space. We begin with discussion about classroom writing time from the perspective of both the teacher and children of one Grade 1/2 composite class. We also reveal resources within the…

Given the global escalation of gaps between rich and poor, contemporary work in critical literacy needs to overtly question the politics of poverty. How and where is poverty produced, by what means, by whom and for whom and how are educational systems stratified to provide different kinds of education to the rich and the poor? Yet rather than…

This paper argues that teachers' recognition of children's cultural practices is an important positive step in helping socio-economically disadvantaged children engage with school literacies. Based on 21 longitudinal case studies of children's literacy development over a 3-year period, the authors demonstrate that when children's knowledges and…

Outlines the authors' ideas on reviewing books for young adults. Discusses including multiple reviews of the same texts, "internationalizing" texts for review and reviewers and opening up the objects of reviews to multimedia texts and formats. Offers eight brief reviews of a single book (William Taylor's "Jerome") for young readers, which opens up…

Outlines the rise of "young adult" books, and discusses issues related to the appropriateness of books for adolescents. Discusses and reviews 10 books for adolescents and young adults. Notes briefly three books for teachers with ideas for improving the reading and writing skills of students in various content areas. (SR)

Notes that while many adults seem to be rejoicing in the fact that the Harry Potter books have brought the pleasures of book reading to a new generation of young readers, Harry Potter is also entering the realm of popular media culture. Discusses and analyses the effect Harry Potter books have on children and on society. (SG)

Offers an overview of what is "hot" in fiction for young Australians currently (year 2000) from the point of view of an Australian educator with a long history in children's literature. Introduces contemporary key authors and emergent trends. Describes briefly 26 recent popular Australian books of young adult fiction. (SR)

Explores fiction for adolescents and young adults published by Longacre Press, New Zealand, a small independent publishing house founded in 1994. Notes teenage fiction is a specialist area of this publisher although they also publish general nonfiction, historical, and art books. Discusses works published in the themes of clashes and coping,…

Reflects on the value of supplementing the reading of print fiction with the viewing of film and video in the English curriculum. Discusses intertextuality, media convergence, and multiliteracies. Notes use of the film "The Matrix" to bridge popular and classroom cultures. Explores the use of popular cultural texts in the contemporary…

Looks at literature that deals with the experiences of adolescents who are seen by their peers to be living on the fringe of dominant adolescent culture. Presents reviews written by a group of university students enrolled in a children's literature course at American University's School of Education in Washington. (SG)

As part of the Commonwealth's drive to enhance Australia's competitiveness in the global economy, Australia is five years from implementing "National Benchmarks" to leverage measurable literacy outcomes from schools. This "back to basics" agenda is in tension with another drive to foster advanced thinking skills in children. Teachers are being…