Books Received

Abstract

Books Received Mark I. West Allyn & Bacon Anthology of Traditional Literature. Ed. Judith V. Lechner. Boston: Pearson Education/ Allyn & Bacon, 2004. This anthology includes a wide variety of fables, folktales, myths, legends, hero tales, and epics from around the world. The concluding chapter provides advice on how these tales can be used in classroom and library settings. Imagination and Literacy: A Teacher's Search for the Heart of Learning. By Karen Gallas. New York: Teachers College Press, 2003. Drawing on her thirty years of experience as an elementary and preschool teacher, Karen Gallas makes a convincing argument that "imagination is a critical part of the educational process" (3). In the sections of this book that deal with children's literature, Gallas provides guidance on how teachers can encourage children to respond to stories in ways that tap into their imaginations. Looking Closely and Listening Carefully: Learning Literacy through Inquiry. By Heidi Mills, Timothy O'Keefe, and Louise B. Jennings. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, 2004. The authors of this study conducted an intensive field research project in which they followed one child through second and third grades, paying particular attention to how this child responded to teaching activities related to literacy learning. This book will especially appeal to readers who are interested in a detailed examination of the use of children's literature in a classroom setting. Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Ed. Joseph Tobin. Durham, NC: Duke UP, 2004. The contributors to this volume provide thoughtful explanations to account for the popularity of Pokémon among children in Japan, America, Israel, and France. Although these essays focus on Pokémon, many of the insights found in this book are also applicable to other examples of children's popular culture that have Japanese origins. Regarding Children's Words: Teacher Research on Language and Literacy. Ed. Cynthia Ballenger. New York: Teachers College P, 2004. This book grew out of research presented as part of a forum known as the Brookline Teacher Researcher Seminar. Since this seminar provides [End Page 127] veteran teachers with opportunities to share their experiences and research findings, the essays in this book are geared toward teachers. All of the essays address literacy, but the two that focus specifically on children's literature are Steve Griffin's "I Need People: Storytelling in a Second-Grade Classroom" and Cynthia Ballenger's "Reading Storybooks with Young Children: The Case of The Three Robbers." South Africa in English-Language Children's Literature, 1814-1912. By Elwyn Jenkins. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2002. This scholarly study provides a detailed history of South African children's books published during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Among the books that Jenkins discusses are Priscilla Wakefield's The Traveler in Africa (1814), Eleanor Stredder's Jack and His Ostrich (1890), and Bessie Marchant's A Girl of Distinction (1912). Although most of the books covered have long since gone out of print, they provide a glimpse into the values associated with this period in British and Dutch colonial history. Strategies for Engaging Young Adult Readers: A Social Themes Approach. Ed. Jacqueline N. Glasgow. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon, 2004. The contributors to this volume discuss how young adult literature can be used to teach adolescents about various social issues, such as homelessness, poverty, and violence. Among the young adult authors whose works are discussed are Laurie Halse Anderson, Walter Dean Myers, Lois Lowry, and Linda Rice. [End Page 128] Copyright © 2004 Children's Literature Association