Children’s Literature Reviews: No Child Left Behind: Literature That Captures What Standardized Tests Can’t Measure

Because young people are the protagonists in their stories, and because they are written to give a sense of hope and inspiration for the possibilities life holds, children’s literature challenges the prevailing idea that it is success on reading tests that will determine success in life. The books that are reviewed in this section are selected because they focus on characters, young and grown, human and fantastic, who exhibit characteristics that cannot be measured on tests: courage, humanity, ingenuity, a sense of humor, and kindness. They tell readers of the power of family, of friendship, of most especially, of story, in their lives.