The Literary Half-Dozen

So many websites, so little time! Did you ever get overwhelmed by lists of recommended websites? Do you really remember what you stashed in your Favorites? Here is a little list of quality websites to help you integrate technology in the English Language Arts Classroom.

Reading Rockets - http://www.readingrockets.org/
Reading Rockets will blast you to the moon with wonderful, research-based resources aimed at parents, but extremely helpful for teachers. Supported by PBS station WETA, the site hosts wonderful video interviews with your favorite children’s authors (see Podcasts & Videos), links to strategies to help struggling readers and free reading guides that a classroom teacher could share with parents.

Children’s Literature- http://www.childrenslit.com/

Children’s Literature has an extensive list of links to authors’ websites – ranging from authors who write for the pre-school crowd to those who write for mature, young adult readers. In addition to noting the monthly “What’s New at Children’s Literature,” don’t miss the blue drop down menus at the top of the home page – full of resources that are maintained and updated regularly. The site also offers a subscription to a useful, fully searchable database of children’s and young adult books, with reviews. However, the numerous FREE resources make this a site you will not want to miss.
Authors4Teens – http://Authors4Teens.com Likewise a subscription site, Authors4Teens offers extensive information about young adult authors. Read Don Gallo’s informative article in this issue which fully describes the site he originated!

Cynthia Leitich Smith Children’s and Young Adult Literature Resources - http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/cyalr_index.html
In addition to interviews, Cynthia Leitich Smith provides links to author and illustrator websites, bibliographies and award lists. Diverse Reads is especially valuable for links to multicultural literature.

Kay Vandergrift’s Children’s and Young Adult Literature Pages - http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/ChildrenLit/index.html and http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~kvander/YoungAdult/index.html
Both of these links, created by Kay Vandergrift, support the study of children’s and young adult literature. There are numerous list, bibliographies, and links to full text articles for students of literature.

Database of Award-Winning Children’s Literature (DAWCL)- http://www.dawcl.com/introduction.html and ABC-Lit: An Index to Children’s Literature Scholarship - http://www.abc-lit.com/
I know it may seem that I’m cheating by slipping in yet two more paired links, but Lisa R. Bartle, the creator of these two searchable databases, believes the Internet and the wealth of its resources and collaborative power should be free. The DAWCL is a searchable database of 6000 titles that have been awarded one or more of 77 awards originating in six English-speaking countries. Inclusion in the database virtually guarantees quality choices for the classroom and library. ABC-Lit provides a searchable database of annotations of articles for those studying children’s literature.

Overbooked: Children’s Lit - http://www.overbooked.org/genres/youth/index.html
This site is dedicated to providing reader support for children’s and young adult literature according to various audiences. Links are provided for “kids” as well as parents and it is updated regularly (sadly, many of the “classic” sites are not and have many frustrating dead links). If you didn’t find your favorite children’s or young adult literature site in the half-dozen, it is more than likely a link on this site.

Disclaimer: Didn’t find your favorite site? Remember, this is a “little” list for you to explore. You can also find this list in a clickable format on the OCTELA website at http://www.octela.org/newoctela/newresources.html.

While you’re there, explore the other resources for English Language Arts teachers maintained by our grade level liaisons. Do you have a suggestion for a great resource? Email Marge Ford at camp_mf@access-k12.org and the editorial team will evaluate it for inclusion on the resource page.