I absolutely love this book. This was my bible when I taught fourth grade. Working with small groups and having your other students work independently is easier said then done-takes so much practice and patience! Great book and great review!

Guiding Readers and Writers-Teaching Comprehension Genre, and Content Literacy
Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell

Book Review

Guiding Readers and Writers written by Fountas and Pinell is a comprehensive language and literacy framework. The text is organized into a three-block framework that is a conceptual tool for organizing instruction. Throughout the entire text there are guidelines for arranging schedules and integrating the curriculum components of the framework. The three blocks are Language and Word Study, Reading Workshop, and Writing Workshop. In each block, the teaching/learning structure and the curriculum components are broken down and simplified. There are helpful and descriptive pictures that identify different components and depict exactly how a reading and writing workshop should look like.
This text is also organized into six sections. Each section is made up of at least four chapters. Each section and the corresponding chapters have a common theme. For example, Section One is Breakthrough to Literacy: Powerful Teaching For All Students and each chapter in the section completely relates to the theme. Guiding Readers and Writers is organized very well and is easy to read and understand. One of the most beneficial aspects of this text is that following each chapter a brief summary is provided along with a list of suggestions for professional development.
The main topics in the text are Independent Language and Literacy, Conventional Use of Written Language, Word Study, Independent Reading, Guided Reading, Literature Study, Independent Writing, Guided Writing, and Investigations.
The author's message is to help teachers engage, inform, and inspire readers and writers. Fountas and Pinnell explore all the essential components of a quality literacy program. Guiding Readers and Writers is very positive and always begins each chapter with a motivational quote.
I would highly recommend this text to any of my colleagues as a purchase for their professional collection. I strongly recommend Guiding Readers and Writers to any English or Language Arts Teacher. Whether you are seasoned or just beginning your reading or writing workshops in your classroom, this is a terrific resource. I especially enjoy all of the visual aids and examples the text provides. It is broken down and simplified so precisely that it is easy to follow.
I have tried many of the suggested activities in the text. I teach sixth grade reading and I still use reading workshops and guided reading on a daily basis in my classroom. Although, my favorite part of this book that I use more than anything is the Special Feature section on Struggling Readers and Writers-Teaching That Makes a Difference. From this section I used all of the suggestions. For example, I taught and continuously teach my students explicitly how to listen and use language as they discuss literature with other students. We also use graphic organizers to help analyze literary text. I also have directed my students' attention to the features of nonfiction text and taught them how to take information from them. The results were phenomenal. Most of my students comprehend text on a deeper level when they use graphic organizers. Guiding Readers and Writers is one of the best resources for fostering the success that will enable students to enjoy a future filled with literacy journeys.
This is a text that I truly use on a daily basis.

Amazon Website Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Guiding-Readers-Writers-Grades-Comprehension/dp/0325003106/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328663917&sr=8-1