Extending the discussion of critical content analysis to the visual realm of picturebooks and graphic novels, this book provides a clear research methodology for understanding and analyzing visual imagery. Offering strategies for "reading" illustrations in global and multicultural literature, chapter authors explore and bring together critical theory and social semiotics while demonstrating how visual analysis can be used to uncover and analyze power, ideologies, inequity, and resistance in picturebooks and graphic novels. This volume covers a diverse range of texts and types of books and offers tools and procedures for interpreting visual images to enhance the understandings of researchers, teachers, and students as they engage with the visual culture that fills our world. These methods are significant not only to becoming a critical reader of literature but to also becoming a critical reader of visual images in everyday life.

The essays collected in this book highlight the important links among home, school, and global society that will help students understand one another and contribute to a cohesive community. They describe the work of educators and children, and the materials and strategies they use to explore values such as compassion, caring, sharing, respect, and appreciation of cultural differences. The contention is that literature, multimedia, and literacy events can be used to promote not only the language arts, but also student choice, cooperative learning, and critical thinking. After an introduction by the editors, under Section 1 (Student-Teacher Connections) are the following essays: (1) "Children Reading Meaning in Their Stories and Lives: Connecting with Student Response" (Cynthia Benton DeCorse); and (2) "Critical Media Literacy and Values: Connecting with the 5 Ws" (Ann Watts Pailliotet). Under Section 2 (Home-School Connections) are these essays: (3) "The ABCs of Cultural Understanding and Communication: Teacher Assistants Learn To Respect, Appreciate, and Apply Differences in Literacy Instruction" (Shelley Hong Xu); (4) "Connecting Home and School Values through Multicultural Literature and Family Stories" (Brigette B. Laier; Patricia A. Edwards; Gwendolyn T. McMillon; Jennifer D. Turner); and (5) "Beware of Literacy Software: Connecting with Home and School Values" (Cathy Leogrande). Under Section 3 (Content Area Connections) are these essays: (6) "Historical Fiction Picture Books and Values: An Author's Reflections" (Deborah Hopkinson); (7) "Technology and Values: Connecting with Classroom Literacy Learning" (Elizabeth A. Baker); and (8) "Inquiry and Literacy Learning in Science: Connecting in a Classroom Community" (Patricia Ruggiano Schmidt). Under Section 4 (Schoolwide Connections) is this essay: (9) "Schoolwide Approaches for Teaching Values through Literature and Multimedia: Connecting across Classrooms" (Matthew L. Davidson). Under Section 5 (Global Connect.

A selection of articles published in "School Library Journal," magazine between 1954 and 1995, discussing a variety of issues of importance to children's, young adult, and school librarians.

With the proliferation of visual technologies and the growing interest in media literacy, this book offers educators important new teaching skills. Rich in strategies and activities, it links outstanding children's literature to the development of critical-viewing and critical-thinking skills. Activities show students how to locate, identify, and interpret iconic information contained in illustrations - particularly those in picture books, where illustrations often contain ideas not addressed in the text. Understanding the concepts related to image, text, story setting, content, theme, technique, medium or style, design, composition, and page layout helps students discern pictorial communication in advertising, television, and motion pictures. Well-grounded in research and theory, this work not only offers educators essential training in teaching media literacy skills, it will also appeal to students and faculty in schools of library science and colleges of education.

Connect the curriculum of the classroom with the curriculum of the living room! This new edition of Considine and Haley's pioneering work helps you institute and maintain a viable program in visual (or media) literacy. Fascinating background information on the visual literacy movement is followed by dozens of effective strategies and classroom activities that are ready to implement, plus lists of resources for further exploration. The activities span the curriculum and teach your students the critical-viewing and media literacy skills they need in our media-oriented world. All activities are coded by grade level and curriculum area. This is a vital resource for an emerging area of study.

· What next for audience research in the 21st century?