Arguing that reading and writing in school should be natural and enjoyable for children, this book is based on the Piagetian theory that knowledge is constructed by each individual and the psycholinguistic view that learning takes place best when viewed as holistic and when instructional materials for children are authentic and purposeful. The book describes the constructive nature of children's thinking, reading, and writing, and the natural development of these processes. Chapter 1 discusses a model of literacy learning and the role of teachers in creating sound literacy programs for their pupils. Chapters 2 and 3 present instructional practices, consistent with the whole-language approach, that support natural literacy development of young children. The last chapter presents final comments. (Appendixes list children's books: favorite books, poetry collections, big book publishers, books used for cooking as an extended activity, and predictable books. A 26-item bibliography and a 17-item annotated bibliography are attached.) (RS)