The Child as Critic

This essential guide for educators demonstrates how to transform reading instruction by treating students as genuine literary critics rather than passive recipients of texts. Sloan provides practical frameworks for developing reading programs that engage students' analytical abilities while maintaining the joy of discovery. The updated edition incorporates contemporary literary theories adapted for classroom use and expands on storytelling techniques that bring literature to life.

What distinguishes this approach is its fundamental respect for children's capacity to form sophisticated judgments about literature when given proper guidance and vocabulary. The new assessment strategies help teachers measure deeper comprehension beyond basic recall, while the storytelling section offers concrete methods for building narrative understanding. Educators seeking to move beyond standardized testing and foster authentic literary appreciation will find this methodology transformative for both their teaching practice and their students' relationship with reading.