Thinking and Learning through Children's Literature

Miriam G. Martinez teaches reading and children’s literature courses at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is actively involved in the Children’s Literature Assembly, the National Council of Teachers of English, the International Literacy Association, and the Literacy Research Association. Her research and publications have focused on the nature of children’s literary meaning-making, children’s responses to literature, and their understanding of various literary genres and formats. She also conducts content analyses of children’s books. ?Junko Yokota directs the Center for Teaching through Children’s Books and is a professor emeritus of National Louis University in Chicago. Her research focuses on visual narratives in picture books, multicultural and international literature, digital storytelling, and literacy instruction through quality literature. She has held research fellowships at the International Youth Library in Munich, the Prussian Heritage Foundation at the Staatsbibliothek in Berlin, and a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Wroclaw in Poland. She has served on numerous awards committees such as the Caldecott, Newbery, and Batchelder; and she has served on international juries such as Bologna, Nami, and the Hans Christian Andersen. She lives in Evanston, Illinois with her husband William Teale. Charles Temple teaches children's literature, storytelling, writing for children, and international education at Hobart & William Smith Colleges in upstate New York. He is active in the International Literacy Association, the National Storytelling Network, the Society of Children's BOOKWRITERS and Illustrators, and the Comparative and International Education Society. Besides works for children, he has co-authored many books in the literacy and children's literature fields. He promotes children's book development and teaching for critical thinking in many countries AROUND THE WORLD, currently in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania. HE lives with his wife Codruta Temple in Geneva, New York. They have five children, two grandchildren, and a spirited Springer Spaniel named Jackie.

• DedicationPrefaceAcknowledgementsChapter One: Children and ReadingChapter Two: How Literature WorksChapter Three: Inviting Children into Literature: Classroom Libraries, Read-Alouds, and StorytellingChapter Four: Let’s Talk about LiteratureChapter Five: Literary and Content UnitsAbout the Authors

This succinct text offers preservice and practicing teachers a worthy overview of the importance of making thoughtful use of children’s literature in daily instruction and directions for doing so. Divided into five chapters, the book begins with a summary of research on children’s literature, including the goals of 21st-century reading and perspectives on the ways in which students make meaning from what they read. The authors then detail various literary genres, subgenres, formats, and elements. The remaining three chapters focus on engaging students with literature in the classroom and present practical strategies for fostering a culture of reading, building classroom libraries, reading aloud, incorporating storytelling, and exploring literature in depth. There are sample activities, discussion questions, graphic organizers, and ideas for lessons and units. Lists of references, resources, and reflective prompts follow each chapter, along with a thorough recommended reading list. These extensive booklists include both classic and contemporary titles in a variety of formats and genres; diverse cultures are also represented. Full-color picture book excerpts and technology tips and expert interviews are featured throughout.Verdict: While much of the content is likely to be a review for practicing teachers and school librarians, this selection is an excellent resource for those preparing for student teaching and a useful addition to many professional collections serving elementary school educators.