Book excerpt: Informational kinds of reading are crucial in every lesson. This book looks at how we can encourage children from the very beginning to think of themselves as young researchers using skills and strategies for clear purposes. It argues that the creative practitioner nurtures children's sense of wonder and curiosity about the world and all its phenomena. Packed full of advice on how to use the most stimulating and exciting texts and the liveliest approaches, the book celebrates the good practice of teachers and student teachers in a large number of classroom case studies. The content includes: * a summary of the recent developments and a framework of principles to inform good practice in this challenging aspect of literacy * chapters concentrating on particular age groups - beginning with the nursery and ending with the later primary years - and thus taking up an essentially developmental approach * an assessment of recent research and how findings can be put to practical and creative use in the classroom. A central message is that children benefit from collaborating with teachers and peers at every stage of finding out. The spoken language energises informational reading and writing, making the sharing of the fruits of children's research highly enjoyable. This book will inspire you and lead to the very best practice.