Looks at three books for young adults by Brock Cole: "The Goats" (1987), "Celine" (1989), and "The Facts Speak for Themselves" (1997). Discusses common elements in these stories: young people who rise to the occasion; adults who often do not; characters readers can empathize with; an honest treatment of sexuality; and a wonderful use of humor. (SR)

Describes the teaching strategies used in a university summer study trip to England to investigate British primary- and preprimary-education practices. Strategies include readings, meetings, questions, observations, journals, and a culminating project. Focuses on the strategy of searching for "Miss Read," the pen name of Dora Saint, an…

Offers an interview with artist and author Javaka Steptoe, winner of the Coretta Scott King award for his book "In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers." Discusses his background in the arts, the variety of media he uses, how he begins thinking about his illustrations, his work with children's art, and aspects of his work.…

Summarizes 24 authors' attitudes and experiences in electronic authorship: its challenges, advantages, and disadvantages. Offers suggestions to guide authors who want to publish electronically. (SR)

Discusses motivation for writing young adult horror books. Gives examples of where and how the author gets ideas. Illustrates several suggestions for classroom application. Suggests paying special attention to puns and other wordplays that flit through the mind. Suggests writing a random list of words and phrases given by brainstorming students…

Discusses how literature (especially African-American) affected and shaped the author all her life. Explores how her writing drew on her own experiences and memories. Discusses her experiences writing historical fiction further exploring African-American history. Portrays a spirit of freedom that will show her readers confidence and self-esteem…

Interviews author Jim Murphy, two-time winner of the Orbis Pictus award for children's nonfiction. Discusses his writing processes, finding subjects, his fascination with first-hand accounts of history, his use of visual displays that extend text, and ensuring accuracy. (SR)

Offers a biographical account of Helen Gardner's life and work in art history. Addresses the influence her book entitled "Art through the Ages" had on art education after its first publication, discusses why the book has been in print for 70 years, and considers Gardner's role in the success of her books. (CMK)

Explores changes in the introductory psychology textbook market through an analysis of edition, author, length, and content coverage of the volumes that comprise the current market. Finds a higher edition average, a decrease in the number of authors, an increase in text pages, and a focus on developmental psychology and sensation/perception. (CMK)

Offers reflections (by Nicholasa Mohr, writer of children's, young adult, and adult literature) upon how she learned to read and how reading gave her a sense of freedom, as well as pride in her own Puerto Rican heritage, in spite of the nonacceptance and contempt she experienced in school. (SR)

This interview with Christopher Paul Curtis, an award-winning author of novels for young readers, discusses combining elements of the author's own family heritage with American history; writing about race that appeals to black and white readers; the history of race relations; the use of humor; and thinking about the audience. (LRW)

Addresses a course entitled "Culture and Technology" specifically focusing on one aspect of this course, "The Conquest of Time and Space." Summarizes the role of technology in the transformation of society's perception of time and space and how this affected artists and writers. Highlights resources on this course topic and provides a…

Profiles writer David Haynes, and discusses his four novels (an award-winning young adult book and three novels for the adult market). Concludes that Haynes' success as a novelist is due to his characters, a healthy dose of humor, and his realistic depiction of a wide range of African American characters without resorting to sensationalism or…

Discusses the life and works of acclaimed writer Walter Dean Myers. Describes his struggles growing up, his time in the army, his decision to become a writer, and the father/son relationships in his books. Discusses how Myers' concern for African-American heritage, identity, and pride led to biographies of Sarah Forbes and of Malcolm X. (SR)

This study analyzed the lifespan development of 80 women who are contemporary creative writers. Themes in the women writers' lives were characterized by developmental events, including nurturing of talents by both male and female teachers and mentors; professional situations; and core personality/personal attributes that were similar to men…