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Reviews of books
and journals for professional reading
of interest to those involved in promoting
reading of fiction to children and
young adults.
CALLIL, Carmen
and TÓIBÍN, Colm
The Modern Library: The Two Hundred
Best Novels in English Since 1950
London : Picador, 1999. 259 p.
ISBN 0 330 34182 0
SCIS No: 971991
Senior students, teachers of English,
librarians and anyone with an interest
in modern literature will welcome
this fascinating annotated bibliography.
The underlying premise is that 'the
novel survives and flourishes' despite
the prevailing view that the book
is passé. The authors' purpose is:
...to
celebrate the writers we have loved
best and to proselytize on behalf
of their novels: sources of entertainment
and enjoyment as satisfying as any
Hollywood movie, football match,
computer game or rock video.
Their aim is also
to inform readers about the hidden
treasures of English language fiction.
Included are books from many countries,
from both male and female novelists,
who have written in the English language
during the last fifty years. Writers
from Australia, Africa, Canada, the
Caribbean, England, Hong Kong, Ireland,
India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland
and the USA are represented.
A full page is devoted to each main
entry incorporating a plot summary,
a discussion of style and theme and
short biographical information about
the author. Australia is well represented.
However, it is the inclusion of less
well-known writers from other parts
of the world, that will send readers
to their library shelves and bookstores
to expand their literary diet.
Rita Blackburn, CMIS, Department of
Education (WA)
Extract from Fiction Focus Vol.
13 No. 2 1999
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Back
to Books: Creating a Focus on Fiction
Edited by Susan La Marca.
Richmond, Vic : School Library Association
of Victoria Inc, 1999. 2 v.
ISBN 0909978204
SCIS No: 993820
Published late in 1999 and aimed in
particular at secondary teacher-librarians,
these two volumes are already recognised
as indispensable references for school
library staff and English teachers.
The editor's purpose is to draw attention
back to a fundamental role of the
teacher-librarian, that is 'to promote
a love of literature and reading'.
Designed to be complementary, the
two volumes provide a rationale for
introducing students to literary experiences,
background information on the wealth
of children's and young adult literature
currently available and practical
strategies for incorporating literature
into the curriculum.
Volume 1 contains an examination of
why students should be given opportunities
to read and explore literature, and
an indication of what to include in
the school library collection. Chapters
written by teachers, librarians, authors
and experts in the field of children's
literature include:
The Essential Luxury of Literary
Experiences, Susan Clancy;
The Reading Environment and the
Teacher-Librarian, Susan La Marca;
Twinning History and Literature:
the New Young Adult Fiction, Hermina
Burns;
Cultural Diversity and ESL,
Judy Blyton;
Reading our Culture, Stella
Lees;
Boys and Reading, Warwick Barry;
Popular Fiction: Catering for the
Culture, Margaret Clark.
Volume 2 intended to help teacher-librarians
and teachers put their knowledge into
practice, is divided into three sections:
Promotion, Lists and Directions, and
Organisations. Each section is packed
with practical and interesting strategies
for fostering a love of literature
in your students. Included are guidelines
for author visits and other ways of
connecting readers with authors; sample
literature programs; quizzes to encourage
students and teachers into the library;
genre and thematic lists; pathways;
book clubs; picture books for older
readers; plus a comprehensive list
of useful Australian and International
literature-related web addresses.
Prepared for the members of the School
Library Association of Victoria (SLAV)
there is a Victorian bias, notably
in the second volume. Whole chapters
are devoted to the Children's Book
Council of Australia, Victorian Branch;
The State Library of Victoria Children's
Literature Collections and Services;
Dromkeen; Victorian Regional Public
Library Services and The Victorian
Association for the Teaching of English.
Furthermore, Victorian teachers submitted
most examples of literature programs
and strategies.
Nevertheless, there is enough generic
information to make the purchase of
these books worthwhile for Western
Australian school libraries. Teacher-librarians
and teachers will be motivated to
reflect upon and debate issues raised.
They will be encouraged to review
the promotion of literature in their
schools and, when searching for ideas
to revitalise their programs, will
find Back to Books an essential
reference. Unfortunately, the high
cost of $150.00 may put this useful
resource out of the reach of some
school libraries.
Rita Blackburn, CMIS, Department of
Education (WA)
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol.
14 No. 1 2000. p. 9.
Available
from: School Library Association of
Victoria (SLAV)
Ph: 03 9428 4173
Fax: 03 9427 8270
Email: slav@netspace.net.au
Books
Up Front: Investing In the Value of
Reading
Edited by Susan La Marca.
Richmond, Vic : School Library Association
of Victoria Inc, 2001. 264 p.
Book & 1 computer disk.
ISBN 0 9099978 22 0
SCIS No: 1051688
- Are you are a primary
school teacher, teacher librarian,
resource teacher or administrator?
- Is student literacy
a high priority in your school?
- Do you want students
to develop their creative and
critical thinking skills?
- Are you seeking
practical, easy-to-implement ideas
to help and inspire children to
read with confidence and for enjoyment?
- Do you need a rationale
for incorporating literature into
the curriculum when there are
pressures to invest time and money
in other areas?
- Are you constantly
looking for theme lists for fiction
and useful literature-related
websites?
- Do you want reading
to be valued throughout the whole
school community?
If any of these
questions are relevant then you will
find Books Up Front: Investing
in the Value of Reading, an invaluable
resource. It complements Back to
Books: Creating a Focus on Fiction,
an earlier School Library Association
of Victoria, publication, which is
aimed at teacher librarians and English
teachers in secondary schools.
Books up Front will help you
affirm the importance of providing
your students with opportunities to
sample literature in all its diversity.
With contributions from teacher-librarians,
librarians, classroom teachers, experts
in the field of children's literature
and teacher educators the arguments
and suggestions proffered are both
valid and useful.
This readable book is divided into
three sections: Inspiration,
Conversation and Direction.
Section one provides background information
on the enduring merit of integrating
literature into the curriculum in
this technological age; the role of
the teacher librarian in the literacy
development of students and the use
of picture books to foster children's
visual literacy skills. There are
chapters on using Australian stories
to build a sense of identity and on
reading and writing poetry. A very
practical chapter provides ideas on
how to set up attractive library and
classroom displays and another lists
useful literature-related Internet
sites.
Section two comprises interviews with
a highly respected group of writers
and illustrators: Paul Jennings, Morris
Gleitzman, Elizabeth Honey, Dyan Blacklock,
Ann James, and Boori Pryor and Meme
McDonald.
The final section contains extensive
genre lists relevant to primary school
students. As well, there are classroom
activities and programs, which have
been used successfully by teachers
and teacher librarians to bring students
and books together to help children
move towards the achievement of learning
outcomes in many areas. The inclusion
of a computer disk containing the
genre/theme lists and the web addresses
is a timesaving and useful addition
to the text, allowing you to modify
the lists to suit your particular
needs, to print them without trouble
and to access the websites with ease.
While the cost of $75.00 may seem
prohibitive, in a time when student
literacy is a primary concern of all
educators Books up Front is
a worthwhile resource. Not only is
it practical, incorporating useable
ideas and highlighting links between
library and classroom, but it is also
motivational. The contributors draw
attention back to the importance of
nurturing a love of reading in young
children to ensure, as teacher Sarah
Mayor Cox declares, that our students
'not only can but choose to read...and
continue to read and write long after
they have left school.' (p. 230).
Books up Front, with its emphasis
on reading and literature, without
ignoring the usefulness of the new
technologies, will help you in your
endeavour to encourage students to
become confident, multi-skilled, life-long
learners.
Rita Blackburn,
CMIS, Department of Education (WA)
Reviewed
in School Matters, Edition
16 October 17, 2001
Available
from: School Library Association of
Victoria (SLAV)
Ph: 03 9428 4173
Fax: 03 9427 8270
Email: slav@netspace.net.au
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MOLONEY,
James.
Boys and Books: Building a Culture
of Reading.
Sydney : ABC Books, 2000. 224 p.
ISBN 0 7333 0846 5
SCIS No: 1023498
James Moloney being a male, a father
of two young boys, an ex-teacher and
teacher librarian offers some very
convincing insight into boys and masculinity
and ways of nurturing a positive attitude
to books and reading. His straightforward
writing, contains practical ideas
and examples, many from his own experiences
growing up as a male, and as a teacher
and teacher-librarian.
Moloney begins by explaining why boys
need to read books and how reading
fiction can enhance future careers
and even relationships. He stresses
the importance of encouraging literacy
skills in children from birth. Moloney
believes that early language and reading
experiences/activities such as listening
to stories being read, encouragement
and positive male parent role-modelling,
all help to make boys feel comfortable
with the printed word.
He says that literacy skills in early
childhood are greatly enhanced by
parents maintaining 'their half of
the under-recognised partnership between
home and school.' In the middle and
upper primary years, Moloney explains
that boys although becoming more independent
in regard to reading, still need encouragement
from home. Teacher-librarians also,
with their specialist knowledge can
help boys to access appropriate reading
material.
The remaining chapters cover adolescent
male readers and reluctant readers
and the ways that parents and teacher-librarians
can continue to encourage and support
them through positive practices and
approaches. Types of teenage male
readers and the reading materials
that appeal to them are also covered.
Suggested fiction and nonfiction titles
for boys from a range of age levels,
are listed in the appendices.
Teacher-librarians as well as parents,
will find Boys and Books an
interesting and worthwhile guide to
developing and maintaining positive
reading experiences for boys.
Carol Townsing, CMIS, Department of
Education (WA)
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol.
15 No. 1 2001
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HUNT, Peter
Children's Literature
Oxford : Blackwell, 2001. 334 p.
ISBN 0 631 21141 1
SCIS No: 1036977
Written by Peter Hunt, Professor of
English at Cardiff University and
expert in the field of children's
literature, this is a very approachable,
balanced and useful introductory text.
Hunt discusses English language children's
literature, including Australian examples,
from the eighteenth century to 2000.
The concise preliminary chapters cover
theory, definition and history. There
is a chronological list of books organised
under headings such as Early Australian,
Canadian and New Zealand Landmarks;
Fairy-tales and Folk-tales in English;
Key Translations; Commercial Publishing
for Boys; and The First Golden Age.
The bulk of the book is devoted to
key writers and key texts, selected
not only for their individual importance
but also because they are exemplars
of genres, modes, types and so on
(p. x). These include authors from
Louisa May Alcott, Enid Blyton, Lewis
Carroll and Mary Grant Bruce to Robert
Cormier, JK Rowling, Dr Seuss and
Patricia Wrightson. Classic texts
such as The Magic Pudding, Charlotte's
Web, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,
The Hobbit and Seven Little Australians
among many others, are placed in their
historic context. Topics fundamental
to the study of children's literature
are also raised, for example censorship,
gender, literacy, picture books, fantasy,
school stories and war.
English teachers, teacher librarians,
librarians and anyone interested in
the field of children's literature
will find this an engrossing read.
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Critical
Literacy: A Collection of Articles
from the Australian Literacy Educators'
Association.
Edited by Heather Fehring and Pam
Green.
Newark, Del : International Reading
Association, 2001. 174 p.
ISBN 0 87207 286 X
SCIS No: 1039296
I have always believed that one of
the most important skills a teacher
of English can give to students is
the ability to deconstruct a text.
In doing so students are empowered
by their ability to see how they are
being positioned, what groups are
marginalised, what ideology is being
favoured, what aspects of gender are
being constructed and adfinitum.
This collection of articles is timely
in that the 'Literacy debate' has
in some ways shifted the focus, yet
it would seem imperative that being
literate means being critically literate.
The articles show how important it
is to continually refresh one's knowledge
of what critical literacy is and how
it can be used to make your students
better interrogators of texts rather
than just receptors.
There are twelve articles and a review
section. Pam Green's Critical Literacy
Revisited does just that and provides
a concise look at in part 'What a
critical literacy perspective entails.'
Writers such as James Paul Gee, Ann
Kempe, Carolyn Baker, Peter Freebody
and Pam Gilbert are featured just
to mention a few. The credentials
of those writing are above question
and the editors have excelled in providing
theoretical, practical and cross cultural
perspectives. Articles range from
1993 through to 2000, the most recent
being Literacy and New Technologies
in School Education: Meeting the L(IT)eracy
Challenge by Cal Durrant and Bill
Green. Even if you are a member of
ALEA this compilation of articles
is an important resource, if you are
not a member then this is a must.
It made me revisit my teaching practice,
challenged me and in many ways affirmed
what we are trying to do for our students
to ensure they are not manipulated
by texts but can 'read' for all the
voices present and missing.
Every English Faculty should have
a copy of Critical Literacy.
The Bibliographies for each article
are invaluable as is the Review section.
It is a great text to give to your
student teachers, easily read in an
afternoon and will show them what
informs your practice.
Marie Evans, Casuarina Senior College
(NT)
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol.
15 No. 2 2001
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The
Dromkeen Book of Australian Children's
Illustrators
Compiled by Susan Scobie.
Sydney : Scholastic, 1997. 176 p.
ISBN 1 86388 695 8 pbk
SCIS No: 899826
Teachers and students interested in
children's book illustration will
be delighted with this exquisite publication;
full of arresting illustrations in
a diversity of styles and mediums
supported by a concise, informative
text.
Featured are seventy-nine illustrators
from the early 1900s to the present
day, providing a useful historical
perspective. Included are Ida Rentoul
Outhwaite, Pixie O'Harris, Norman
Lindsay, May Gibbs, Jeannie Baker,
Bronwyn Bancroft, Ron Brooks, Alison
Lester, Craig Smith and Julie Vivas.
Two to four pages are devoted to each
illustrator. The pages are dominated
by the illustrations showing the characteristics
and range of the artist's work. A
short biography, photograph of the
illustrator and interesting comments
explaining how the illustrator approached
the text and/or the techniques used,
provide valuable insight into world
of picture book illustration.
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MATTHEWS,
Stephen
The Eye of the Soul: Interviews
with Seventeen of the Younger Generation
of Australians Writing for Children
and Young Adults.
Grange, Qld : Magpies, 1998. 223 p.
ISBN 1875249 02 8
SCIS No: 935917
How the current crop of young Australian
authors writing for children and young
adults view the state of children's
literature and reading today, forms
the basis of this compilation. Authors
such as Isobelle Carmody, Brian Caswell,
Sonya Hartnett, James Moloney, Garth
Nix and Glyn Parry talk openly and
candidly about the creative process,
imagination, their own personal journeys
on becoming writers and how they write.
They also reflect on the state of
children's literature in Australia
today, the responsibilities of authors
to their audience and the perception
that technology is taking over from
the book.
The Eye of the Soul is recommended
for all teachers and parents who may
be feeling superceded in the wake
of the technological revolution. It
reaffirms the belief that the book
will always have a special place in
the way we communicate with each other,
and as a medium for exploring the
boundaries of our humanity and ingenuity
- or in other words, our imagination.
Barbara Combes, CMIS, Department of
Education (WA)
Extract from Fiction Focus Vol.
12 No. 3 1998
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Kids
Best: Australian Books for Children
and Young Adults 1996-2000
Newtown, NSW : Primary English Teaching
Association, 2000. 208 p.
ISBN 1 875622 36 5
SCIS No: 1006729
This useful
reference contains a list of the notable
books from the Children's Book Council
Book Awards from 1996 to 2000. A compilation
of the CBCA annual Notable Book List
based on the judges comments, the
book is organised into the Book Award
categories: Fiction for Older Readers,
Fiction for Younger Readers,
Picture Books and Information
Books.
Bibliographic details are given for
each title plus a succinct paragraph
which outlines plot and theme, and
provides apt evaluative comments about
the author's style, characterisation,
accessibility and illustrations where
applicable. Shortlisted, honour and
winning books are noted. Kids Best
is a valuable selection tool for teachers
and librarians and is also an accessible
reference for young readers wanting
find something to read next.
Available
from: Primary English Teaching Association
(PETA)
PO Box 3106 Marrickville, NSW 2204
Fax: (02) 9565 1070
Ph: (02) 9565 1277
Email: info@peta.edu.au
Learning & Leading
with Technology
Eugene, Oregon : International Society
for Technology in Education
ISSN 1082-5754
SCIS No: 1000446
Available from: EBSCO Australia
$140.39 [journal]
$196.50 [journal & membership of ISTE]
Note: It may be worthwhile to join
as a member of ISTE because you then
have access to all sections of the
website, including supplementary information
for teachers.
Published by the International
Society for technology in Education,
this journal aims to help K-12 classroom
teachers and administrators share
effective methods for enhancing student
learning through the use of new classroom
technologies.
- Every issue includes
articles about using technology
in specific areas of the curriculum
with lesson plans and reproducible
worksheets.
- Most issues have
articles designated as Language
Arts, and many of the Multidisciplinary
articles are also of interest
to English teachers although they
are not necessarily literature
based.
- Many journal articles
have online supplements that are
only available if your subscription
includes membership of the association.
Examples of
Useful Articles
- Teach a Novel
Without the Internet? Never Again!
Elaine Insinnia [English teacher],
Eileen Skarecki [Technology coordinator],
and Jarnail Tucker [Student]
in Learning & Leading with
Technology, Vol 27, No 8, May
2000, p. 28-35
Early to Late Adolescence.
While reading a novel set in Auschwitz
during the Holocaust, students
were encouraged to use the Internet
for background research. They
soon turned up information about
the author, including a recorded
interview, maps and photos of
the death camps, and stories of
other survivors. The teacher found
that interaction with this information
enriched the reading of the novel.
As a response to reading the book
and working with the related online
information, the class developed
a website containing student's
thoughts about the book, a poem
written by a student and a link
to the website of the author.
Ideas in this article could be
applied to many novel studies,
especially those where there is
a mass of historical background
readily available in digital form.
- Technology Takes
on Fairy Tales and Folktales
Rose Reissman and Elizabeth Gil
in Learning & Leading with
Technology, Vol 27, No 5, February
2000, p. 18-21
Middle Childhood to Late Adolescence
Using short fairy and folk tales
as a source, students who otherwise
might not participate in reading
discussions or writing activities,
were engaged by translating a
familiar tale into a digital version
using Storybook Weaver
and Kid Pix Studio Delux.
- The Dreaded
Book Report
Jessica Kahn
in Learning & Leading with
Technology, Vol 28, No 1, September
2000, p. 18-21
Early Childhood to Early Adolescence
Kahn suggests a number of alternatives
to the handwritten book report
using familiar programs such as
PowerPoint, Inspiration
and Student Writing Center.
- Electronic Texts
in the Classroom
Glen Bull, Gina Bull, Laura Blasi
and Paula Cochran
in Learning & Leading with
Technology, Vol 27, No 4, December/January
1999/2000, p. 46-56
Middle Childhood to Late Adolescence
The authors propose imaginative
ways of using some of the thousands
of literary texts now available
online.
For full article
see Fiction Focus Vol. 15 No.
1 p. 6-7
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DAWSON, Darelyn and FITZGERALD,
LEE
Literature Circles: Reading in Action.
Wagga Wagga, NSW : Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt
University, 1999.
90 p. (Occasional Monographs)
ISBN 0 949060 92 5
SCIS No: 997833
Published in 1999 and aimed at upper primary and secondary students,
this resource will be valuable to both teachers and teacher
librarians in their quest to promote the love of reading.
The first two chapters elucidate the many benefits of Literature
circles. Following on from this, chapters cover areas such as
putting them into practice, a step by step guide to designing
your own and some excellent examples of Literature circles in
operation at Trinity Grammar School (NSW).
Literature Circles: Reading in action emphasises the
important relationship between teachers and teacher librarians.
It illustrates links to the information process as well as learning
outcomes. Literature circles involve the principles of higher
thinking skills, student-centred learning and Bloom's taxonomy.
The circles adapt to suit multiple intelligences and learning
styles, role play and cooperative learning. There are also suggestions
in the book for incorporating technology into Literature circles
and how to adapt them into other learning areas. In theory,
Literature circles cover a large spectrum of modern teaching
styles, although the authors state that there appears to be
little research as yet on the use of Literature circles in education.
Text is well spaced, easy to read and information is concise.
Examples of Literature circles at the end of the book provide
lots of ideas on how to get started. Upon reading this reference,
teachers and teacher librarians may be inspired to revitalise
the promotion of literature in their school.
Vanessa Rankin-Hume, Allanson PS.
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol 14 No. 2 2000 p 9
Available
From:
Centre for Information Studies
Charles Sturt University
Locked Bag 660
Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678
Ph (02) 6933 2325, Fax (02) 6933 2733
Email: cis@csu.edu.au
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DANIELS,
Harvey
Literature Circles: Voice and Choice
in the Student-Centred Classroom
York, Maine : Stenhouse, 1994. 200
p.
ISBN 1 57110 000 8
SCIS No: 843033
Students, not the teacher, pick their
reading materials and set assignments
when they use the literature circle
strategy.
This useful book, written for teachers
of all Phases of Development from
Early Childhood to Late Adolescence,
explains why and how literature circles
work. The theoretical base stems from
the author's observation that readers
love, and need to talk about what
they are reading. Literature circles
combine the two approaches of independent
reading and cooperative learning.
Each circle is a small, temporary
discussion group whose members have
chosen to read the same piece of text.
They set discussion questions, take
responsibility for particular aspects
of the discussion and, when they have
finished their reading and discussion,
present the highlights of their reading
to a wider group such as the rest
of the class.
Many aspects of the strategy are not
new, but Harvey Daniels provides an
easy-to-implement, structured approach
through twelve features that have
been identified as making the process
successful.
The text is very easy to read and
provides practical support, including
photocopiable sheets, so that teachers
can implement the strategy. The first
five chapters cover theoretical background
and implementation. Of the remaining
chapters, one outlines five secondary
case studies, and the others deal
with record keeping and evaluation
as well as problems, questions and
variations. A final brief segment
on teaching teachers about literature
circles could be used as the basis
for a professional development session.
Jill Midolo, CMIS, Department of Education
(WA)
Reviewed in Resource Focus English
Secondary. 1997. p.9-10.
Available
From: Eleanor Curtain Publishing
906 Malvern Rd, Armadale VIC 3143
Ph (03) 9822 0344, Fax (03) 9824 8851
Email: ecurtain@ozemail.com.au
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ANSTEY,
Michele and BULL, Geoff
Reading the Visual: Written and
Illustrated Children's Literature
Sydney : Harcourt, 2000. 278 p.
ISBN 0 7295 3602 5
SCIS No: 1011625
If you are involved in helping students
to achieve Viewing outcomes and developing
their broader critical thinking skills,
or interested in your own professional
development then Reading the Visual
is an essential reference.
Written by two Associate Professors
in the Faculty of Education at the
University of Southern Queensland,
the book is comprehensive, academic
and practical. Although aimed at tertiary
students, it is equally relevant to
practising teachers, especially those
in English and The Arts Learning Areas
and all library specialists.
There is a good balance between theory
and practice. Discussion ranges from
an examination of the evolution of
the picture book, focusing on the
changes in the role of the illustrative
and written text to a detailed analysis
of the illustrative process. The final
section explains how to develop multiple
and critical readings of the illustrations
followed by practical suggestions
on how to use picture books in the
classroom.
The emphasis throughout is constructing
meaning from the illustrative text.
Hundreds of examples from familiar
picture books are used to demonstrate
how the pictures can be analysed and
interpreted from various perspectives.
Elements of the illustrative text:
shape, line, colour, perspective,
media, layout and texture are described
in detail. As well, important concepts
such as symbolism, intertextuality,
point of view and context are all
explored. Together, these provide
the reader with the tools needed to
become analytical and critical viewers.
While the final chapter, Pedagogy
and Picture Books: Using Picture Books
in the Classroom is of particular
interest to teachers, the preceding
chapters are also useful in helping
teachers to hone their own visual
and critical literacy skills.
The layout and overall design of this
text caters for different reading
styles and purposes. Each chapter
contains a graphic overview; questions
for reflection; activities, suggestions
or comments in highlighted boxes which
help the reader clarify concepts;
tables or diagrams, an extensive reference
list and a multitude of black-and-white
illustrations. A detailed glossary,
bibliography and four pages of coloured
reproductions are included at the
end of the book.
Highly recommended, Reading the
Visual will inspire and assist
teachers to use picture books more
effectively with their students.
Rita Blackburn, CMIS, Department of
Education (WA)
Reviewed in Fiction Focus Vol.
15 No. 1 2001.
Available
from: College Division
Harcourt Australia
Reply Paid 65, St Peters NSW 2044
Ph: 1800 263 951
Fax: (02) 9517 2249
Email: service@harcourt.com.au
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