You're no idiot, of course. You know that Samuel Clemens had a better-known pen name, Moby Dick is a famous whale, and the Raven only said,"Nevermore." But when it comes to understanding the great works of Mark Twain, Herman Melville, and Edgar Allan Poe, you'd rather rent the videos than head to your local library. Don't tear up your library card yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to American Literature teaches you all about the rich tradition of American prose and poetry, so you can fully appreciate its magnificent diversity.

Why Reading Literature in School Still Matters: Imagination, Interpretation, Insight explains how a reader's involvement with literary texts can create conditions for developing deep insight into human experience, and how teachers can develop these interpretive possibilities in school contexts. Developed from the author's many years of research, this book offers both a theoretical framework that draws from an interdisciplinary array of sources and many compelling and insightful examples of literary engagement of child, adolescent, and adult readers.

"The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar, and familiar things new." - Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

What do teachers need to know about children's literature? This book is based on the belief that deep subject knowledge of language and literature provides a foundation for effective teaching and learning. It provides a comprehensive guide to the range of genres and characteristic features of English language fiction written for children.

A large collection of Cliffs Notes. Most are in pdf, but some are html (view with any browser). This is a valuable resource for teachers of literature, philosophy, drama, and classical literature.