Books

Connecting Themes, Characters, and Critical Issues across the Global Community by Janelle Mathis, University of North Texas, Denton, TX While I taught secondary English at both middle and high school levels during my early years of teaching, I soon focused more so on the middle school grades, and, in later graduate work with literature, elementary [...]

by Janelle Mathis, University of North Texas, Denton, TX Those who are familiar with the vast range of contemporary novels published today are aware of the diversity of topics, characters, and events that make these books significant and appealing to readers. However, as with the realm of picture books, many readers, adolescents and young adults, [...]

by Janelle Mathis, University of North Texas, Denton, TX Picture books have been defined over the past few decades with great integrity and attention to the complex interaction that occurs for the reader through the visual aspects of such books—text, illustrations, total design; a commercial product; a social, cultural, historical document (Bader, 1976). Still, when [...]

by Janelle Mathis, University of North Texas, Denton, TX At the beginning of each semester, many teacher educators are faced with the challenge of inviting secondary preservice teachers, as well as teachers already in classrooms, into the realization that picture books are not just for young readers and that many chapter books written for young [...]