Abstract
The book, now in its third edition, is aimed primarily at beginning teachers but is also written for more experienced colleagues and those developing CPD, helping them to explore the role of children’s literature in promoting reading for pleasure. The intention of this text is to support teachers in developing a deep and extensive knowledge of children’s literature in order to promote reading for pleasure and purpose. The book starts with exploring and building on our own personal knowledge of books; it moves on to examine children’s response to, and understanding of, what they have read, and analysis of narrative structures and a wide range of genres to reviewing book provision in the classroom.
Each chapter is clearly structured, giving many opportunities for teachers to develop teachers’ knowledge, understanding and teaching practice to encourage children’s development as informed and enthusiastic readers. Practical suggestions and activities are clearly linked to a wide range of relevant theory and research. These readings are analysed and explained, offering the reader suggestions for further research. There are many practical, and manageable, suggestions for projects within the school setting, such as improving book provision and reading environments, focused on meeting the needs of the learners. The book also provides lists of suggested children’s books, not just within genres, but which support consideration of narrative voice and narrative structure. Concepts and terminology are explained through a variety of examples. There is a wealth of suggestions for increasing one’s own knowledge of children’s literature, these being likely to encourage trainee teachers to read beyond the texts that they remember from childhood. There are many suggested teaching activities to engage and motivate children in their reading from a broad range of genres.
For those involved in teacher education there are many suggestions and activities to support trainees in developing their understanding and pedagogy in relation to the teaching of reading. The book provides very practical activities to support and encourage the understanding of relevant theory and how it underpins effective practice. However, although there are short sections on working with parents and families to support children’s reading development, the book would benefit if these important issues had been developed further. The author of this review would also have welcomed expansion of both theory and practice in supporting children who are learners of English as an additional language in their reading for pleasure.
In conclusion, this book covers significant areas in developing teachers’ understanding and knowledge of children’s literature and its role in developing confident experienced readers. It will be an invaluable resource to support teachers in meeting the stated intentions of the new Primary Curriculum 2014 to encourage all pupils ‘to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world in which they live, to establish an appreciation and love of reading’. This book provides much to inspire teachers to engage and motivate children in reading for pleasure and purpose.