The purpose of this study was to examine representations, discourses and constructions of gender in modern children'sliterature aimed at both girls and boys. By using Faircloughs critical discourse as method two discourses was identified, feminist discourse and queer discourse. By using theories by Yvonne Hirdman, Judith Butler and Norman Fairclough the study shows that despite the fact that children's literature contains feminist and queer discourse, prevailing dominant gender discourses are also made visible. This through stereotypical perceptions of gender and what is male or female. Furthermore, the study shows that there is an ambition to include more identities in modern children's literature which can be seen as a sign of a weakening of the dominant gender discourses. Finally, this study can contribute to increasing knowledge about prevailing discourses in children's literature.

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Thirteen assorted fairy tales by early 20th century Japanese poet/author Miyazawa Kenji, collected and translated with an analytical introduction by the translator. The introduction explores the presence of "the agent of the outside" in the majority of the author's work and how this literary concept serves to encourage the reader to escape subjective viewpoints.

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British speculative fiction writer, Diana Wynne Jones, has published over forty books for middle school to adult readers, and her work continues to receive many awards for its creativity and high quality. Jones is a prolific and talented writer who has contributed to and influenced speculative fiction. She uses magical contexts to comment on social situations in what she sees as an essentially non-magical world. Whether she is being humorous, drawing upon myths and legends, or using fantasy or science fiction, Jones reflects the contemporary unpredictable adolescent mind. Jones's unusual childhood has influenced her writing, and a brief biography of Jones's life provides insight into her work—why certain themes have greater interest to her over others. Recurring themes in her books include alienation, empowerment, and identification. Through often convoluted plots, she encourages her readers to think for themselves. From her stories, readers learn to appreciate and accept the complexity and inexplicability of life. While her themes are consistent, her work varies. Some of her work is humorous, some is based on myths, some leans more towards science fiction than fantasy, and some seems more like fantasy than science fiction. Despite this diversity, Jones consistently seeks to learn from her own work by questioning basic assumptions and endeavors to contribute wisdom to her readers through her fiction. Jones uses myth and the heroic ideal to encourage readers to question their motives and recognize the empowerment that comes from self-sacrifice.

Research has shown the value of using children's literature for reading instruction. As teachers incorporate more children's literature into their programs, questions arise as to the choices they are making about which books to use for literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of children's literature in two literacy activities, teacher read aloud and literature circles, in grade four through six classrooms in Central School District. Teachers from this group were asked to complete a survey for each children's literature book they used for teacher read aloud and literature circles during one school year. A descriptive analysis summarizing the characteristics of the information collected in the surveys was conducted. Results indicated there was variability in the number and titles of books the sample teachers used in their classrooms, some books were read in more than one classroom, fiction and chapter books were chosen more often than informational or picture books. The sample teachers selected books for a variety of reasons, with the greatest consideration being what they thought the students would like. Teachers selected books for literature circles from the schools' guided reading libraries most often, and teachers chose books for teacher read aloud based on their own likes and according to other teachers recommendations. The teacher's responses to the research questions reflected heavy reliance on the contents of the school guided reading library to support literature circle reading groups. While the development of the guided reading library in each of the sample schools has created a resource for teachers, the contents may limit the genres of children's literature that teachers use for literacy instruction. If, indeed, teachers depend upon the guided reading library for the majority of the books they use in literature circles, the quality and quantity of the books in the guided reading library may warrant further study.

Literature is a great resource for teaching valuable principles to children, including how to cope with bullying. However, no analyses exist regarding the appropriateness of these books. Children's books were identified as potential stories for bibliotherapy with elementary school children who face bullying. Information presented in selected books was compared to the current research literature on bullying. Each book's content was analyzed according to important variables, including the type of bullying behavior, gender of the perpetrator and target, presence of bystanders, adult involvement, and resolution of the problem. Verbal bullying was most commonly observed, followed closely by physical bullying. The majority of bullies were male, though targets were equally likely to be male or female. Many stories included bystanders and adults, who responded most often by supporting the target. Of the multiple types of resolution, the most commonly observed were for the target to receive support from others or to develop self confidence or other personal coping skills. While much of the information presented was in accordance with the current research literature on bullying, some was not. For example, the books were accurate in portraying the majority of bullies as male, but less accurate with regard to the gender of targets—in reality, the majority of targets are also male. The books were also correct in showing that verbal bullying is more commonly observed than physical or relational bullying. The sample included bullying occurring frequently on the playground, which is in line with the research, but also very often in the classroom, which is not supported by the research to date. Overall, the portrayals of bullying situations in the sample were generally in accordance with what has been reported in the bullying research. All of the collected information was consolidated into three charts to help practitioners select bullying-themed books to read with children who struggle with this common problem.

Newbery books represent quality literature that is likely to be used for bibliotherapy, yet these books have not been systematically evaluated for their portrayal of characters with disabilities. Thirty Newbery Award and Honor books from 1975–2008 were identified that contained 40 characters with disabilities. These books were evaluated using a rating scale that combines literary standards and standards relating to individuals with disabilities. The types of disabilities and personal characteristics such as gender, age, and race were documented and the personal portrayal of characters with disabilities and exemplary practices in these books were evaluated. This information was compared to the current school special education population. The most commonly found disabilities were orthopedic impairment, emotional disturbance, and mental retardation. The majority of characters were portrayed realistically and positively and the personal portrayal and depiction of exemplary practices and social interactions with others has improved over time. When comparing school age characters to students receiving special education services today, though, some discrepancies arise. While the most commonly portrayed disabilities for school-age characters in Newbery books were mental retardation, orthopedic impairment, autism, and multiple disabilities, the most common disabilities of students receiving special education services are specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, mental retardation, and other health impairment. Also, White school-age characters with disabilities were overrepresented while Black characters and Hispanic characters were underrepresented and other ethnicities were not represented at all. This study is relevant to parents, teachers, librarians, and school psychologists who are interested in selecting appropriate books to encourage understanding and acceptance of students with disabilities.

Social competence is needed for interaction among peers, teachers, and families in order for children to be successful in school. Children enter school with various levels of social competence. Social skills training is an effective method for building social skills; however, many programs fail to generalize these skills across settings and time. This study investigated the effects of a social skills training intervention for first and second grade students with emotional and behavioral problems. The intervention blended direct instruction, role-plays, and children's literature, with peers supporting both the acquisition and generalization of the social skills through positive peer reporting (PPR) in other school settings. Results indicate that four students, with or at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorder, in the first and second grade, produced an increased rate of the acquisition and generalization of the skills, How to Follow Directions, How to Ignore Distractions, and How to Ask for Help across various settings with the support of the social skills instruction paired with PPR. This demonstrates that elements of bibliotherapy paired with positive peer reporting may be effective in increasing the acquisition and generalization of social skills across multiple settings.

Commonly practiced in school settings, bibliotherapy promotes healing and problem solving. In schools, bibliotherapy should be utilized to educate and empower students and to enhance the classroom experience. In order to achieve this purpose, teachers need a variety of books to specifically target students' unique needs. Award-winning books, such as those receiving the prestigious Newbery Medal, are important resources for teachers. This study examined the portrayal of characters with disabilities in 249 Newbery Medal and Honor books published between 1922 and 1974. From this sample, 20 books featured a combined total of 21 characters with a disability, as defined by the 13 disability categories (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA). The majority of characters were portrayed with orthopedic impairment (43%; n = 9). Other disabilities represented in this sample of books included visual impairment (19%; n = 4); emotional disturbance (14%; n = 3); mental retardation (9%; n = 2); speech or language impairment (5%; n = 1); multiple disabilities (5%; n = 1); and other health impairment (5%; n = 1). Overall, according to the language and customs of the time period that reflected the settings of the books, characters with disabilities were sensitively portrayed. However, when judged by today's standards, these portrayals were considered insensitive.