This valuable book is written for preservice and inservice teachers who are searching for best practices with which to promote fluency in reading and writing. Fluency is one of the primary building blocks for creating successful readers and writers, and the practical discussions and activities found here will help teachers develop effective ways to promote fluency and to engage and motivate children, while always remembering that the essential purpose of reading is to gain meaning from text and that of writing is to convey meaning through text.

With contributions from over 100 scholars, the Encyclopedia of American Poetry: The Nineteenth Centry provides essays on the careers, works, and backgrounds of more than 100 nineteenth-century poets. It also provides entries on specialized categories of twentieth-century verse such as hymns, folk ballads, spirituals, Civil War songs, and Native American poetry. Besides presenting essential factual information, each entry amounts to an in-depth critical essay, and includes a bibliography that directs readers to other works by and about a particular poet.