Building on her groundbreaking work in "Writing Superheroes, Anne Dyson traces the influence of a wide-ranging set of "textual toys" from children's lives--church and hip-hop songs, rap music, movies, TV, traditional jump-rope rhymes, the words of professional sports announcers and radio deejays--upon school learning and writing. Wonderfully rich portraits of five African American first-graders demonstrate how children's imaginative use of wider cultural symbols enriches their school learning."

Read It Yourself - The Pied Piper Of Hamelin (Level 4)

Read it Yourself is a series of beautifully illustrated traditional tales and informative non-fiction, written with a carefully structured vocabulary to make them accessible to young readers. The four levels use a progressively wider vocabulary to challenge new readers as their reading abilities improve.

Level 4 is suitable for children who are ready to read longer stories with a wider vocabulary. The stories are told in a simple way and with a richness of language which makes reading a rewarding experience. Repetition of new vocabulary reinforces the words the child is learning and exciting illustrations bring the action to life.