This book presents state-of-the-science research on the components of successful literacy learning and how to target them in contemporary classrooms. The volume builds on and extends the work of Steven Stahl, whose pioneering contributions encompassed the key areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and assessment. Ten classic papers by Stahl are accompanied by 16 new chapters by other leading experts, who highlight Stahl's theoretical, methodological, and instructional innovations; describe how knowledge about each domain continues to evolve; and discuss implications for helping all children become better readers.

It is truly rare that research is grouped and explained in this way. Researchers, graduate students, professors, and teachers will appreciate this volume's common sense and personal explanations of such important topics as instructional trends, reading acquisition, fluency, comprehension, and assessment. The contributors do an excellent job of unifying Steven Stahl's diverse insights and drawing connections to many current educational dilemmas and opportunities. A 'must read' for literacy professionals.--Mark Conley, PhD, Department of Teacher Education and Literacy Achievement Research Center, Michigan State University

Reading Research at Work is an important book in several regards. First, it is a model for how to situate seminal research studies within a historical context. Second, it is a model for how to trace the impact these studies have on subsequent lines of inquiry. Finally, the book is a fitting tribute to Steven Stahl's many insightful contributions to the literacy field.--Linda D. Labbo, PhD, Department of Language and Literacy Education, University of Georgia

This book has been organized into sections on literacy instruction trends, reading acquisition, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and assessment, with each section featuring a selected published article by Steven Stahl matched with closely related scholarly articles. Literacy researchers and graduate students will find this text to be an invaluable resource for information on all of these topics. It will also be a superb text for graduate literacy courses.--Mary Alice Barksdale, EdD, Department of Teaching and Learning, Virginia Tech

This volume will compete with other research handbooks and texts as one of the finest collections of classic and contemporary scholarship on the most crucial and controversial issues in reading. It is one of the foundational texts that I will keep handy above my desk for teaching my reading graduate courses and seminars.--David O'Brien, PhD, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- The book could serve as an excellent text for graduate literacy courses as well as a useful resource for reading researchers and reading professors....Compelling reading, for its insights into both reading and the politics of reading. --PsycCRITIQUES, 4/22/2006

Katherine A. Dougherty Stahl, EdD, is a literacy consultant and author who focuses on translating literacy research into practice. Formerly, she was Clinical Professor of Literacy at New York University (NYU), where she taught graduate courses and served as Director of both the Literacy Program and the NYU Literacy Clinic. Before entering academia, Dr. Stahl taught in public elementary and middle school classrooms for over 25 years. She is the coauthor or coeditor of several books, and her articles have appeared in the leading journals of research and practice. Dr. Stahl specializes in reading acquisition, comprehension instruction, reading intervention, and literacy assessment. Currently, she partners with educators as a consultant to support their efforts to improve reading achievement, especially for students with reading difficulties.

Michael C. McKenna, PhD, was Thomas G. Jewell Professor of Reading in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia until his death in 2016. He authored, coauthored, or edited more than 20 books, including Assessment for Reading Instruction, Third Edition; How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction, Second Edition: Resources for Grades K-3; and Organizing the Early Literacy Classroom; as well as over 100 articles, chapters, and technical reports on a range of literacy topics. Dr. McKenna also served as Series Editor, with Sharon Walpole, of The Essential Library of PreK-2 Literacy. His research was sponsored by the National Reading Research Center and the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement. He was a corecipient of the Edward B. Fry Book Award from the Literacy Research Association and the Award for Outstanding Academic Books from the American Library Association, and a member of the Reading Hall of Fame.