Books for the Youngest Readers

Parents are advised to read to their children frequently and to begin when the children are quite young. The following books are some recent offerings that are especially appropriate for sharing with pre-school readers

Wordless Books for All Ages

Wordless books are plentiful and vary widely in their presentation of concepts and plot complexity. Below are some recent wordless books appropriate for a wide range of age/grade levels

Informal Children\u27s Literature Inventory: Test Yourself

Educators are frequently advised to familiarize themselves with children\u27s literature. Knowledge of books at a wide range of interest and ability levels will assist teachers in providing books for recreational reading in the classroom, recommending books to students, setting up individualized reading programs, and reading aloud to students. based on Huck\u27s (1966) Inventory of Children\u27s Literary Background, which evaluated children\u27s knowledge of well-liked literature, the following instrument was developed for teachers to assess their knowledge of children\u27s books

Students as Storytellers in the Classroom

Engaging students in storytelling activities develops communication skills and encourages shared learning experiences. Telling stories enhances oral language and sharpens listening. Speaking ability is improved through attention to articulation, clarity, and volume. Poise and confidence in speaking before a group are acquired in the accepting environment of the classroom. Students experiment with various intonations and reflect a range of emotions in their voices. They are faced with the need to select just the right word to convey a thought. As they manipulate language, they also listen to, evaluate and appreciate the expression of others

Using Children\u27s Books to Develop Reading Skills

Numerous children\u27s books are available to enhance language growth and to develop reading and writing skills. These books can be coordinated with basal reader programs and are appropriate for use with both small and large groups and with individual students. We will discuss ideas in these categories: multiple meanings, skills reinforcement, repetition of sounds, patterned language, and interest in words. A number of the recommended books, however, are representative of more than one area. A bibliography, by category, is included at the end of this article

Enliven History with Books

Students often consider history to be dull and the textbooks difficult. Because of the many trade books available, however, history can be brought to life. These books create characters, both real and fictional, within settings of actual historical events. Not only are authentic details given, but the motivations underlying a chronology of causes and effects are presented in readable fashion that may be quite different from textbook material

How Students Make Book Choices

In an effort to learn the extent and variety of factors that influence students\u27 book selection, the study reported here was undertaken. The researchers also questioned students regarding what they liked to read about, what authors they liked, and books they had recently read and enjoyed. A total of 688 fifth through eighth grade students enrolled in public schools in two small cities in Nebraska and California responded to a questionnaire. Numbers of respondents from both sexes were fairly evenly distributed across four grades