ABSTRACT
As a teacher in a multiage fi ft h/sixth grade classroom, Latosha Rowley knows that her students are well on their way to becoming critical readers. Many of them can describe the types of books they prefer and can talk about their favorite authors and why they like them. While this is a good start, Latosha also knows that being a critical reader entails more than being articulate about one’s reading preferences. Being a critical reader means that one is consciously aware of how authors use language to privilege certain perspectives and marginalize others. It also means that readers are able to recognize multiple perspectives and consider how they aff ect the meaningmaking process. Being aware that there are diff erent lenses for seeing characters and interpreting the actions they take makes it less likely that readers will accept the fi rst point of view they encounter.
