ParentDish

Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

Elizabeth Humphrey — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Media, Health & Safety: Big Kids, Health & Safety: Tweens, Health & Safety: Teens

There are several steps to take to keep your child safe online. Credit: Getty Images

So, you're thinking of setting up your kids on a computer -- and possibly letting them invite thousands of strangers into your home. Do you have plans in place to protect your children from the criminal or bully who might be lurking in the Internet crowd?

If not, there are many resources available for parents, so, when you do decide to open your home to Internet strangers, you can take precautions to keep out unwelcome "guests."

Caroline Knorr, digital life editor with Common Sense Media, says there is no reason for children to get online until they are school-age, although a child as young as 3 might want to. Knorr recommends that parents closely guide children on the Internet.

"Little kids should not surf the Web unsupervised," she says.

At any age, parents should always preview sites, determining if they provide age-appropriate games. Common Sense Media rates websites and other media, making suggestions based on age.

Tech-savvy 7- or 8-year-olds start becoming more interested in social networking sites geared toward their age group: Webkinz and Disney's Club Penguin, for example. Parents should check to ensure sites comply with the government's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Besides imposing a suggested daily maximum of a one-hour limit on screen time, educating your child about Internet safety is essential. NetSmartz411, Enough is Enough, Carnegie Mellon's MySecureCyberspace and the U.S. government's OnGuardOnline sites offer resources and a starting point for online safety decisions for you and your family. Each site represents a wide range of information, online activities and approaches.

Computer manufacturers provide products specific to the young, tech-savvy learner. If a computer has Internet access, parents should play an active role by placing the computer in a room where the child can be monitored.

Enforce parental controls through setting Web browser preferences to "strict," Knorr advises. Although not "foolproof" and they sometimes may error on the side of blocking everything, Internet Explorer preferences are password-protected.

Many products are available for monitoring a child's use on the Internet. AOL offers a free service with parental controls that incorporates oversight for Web browsing, activity records, e-mails, IM and time limits.

Most importantly, Knorr says, "be involved in your kids' digital life so you know what they like to do online and are aware of good online behavior. Young kids need to develop healthy brains, bodies and social ability, so make sure your kid is getting a good balance of physical activity and real-world experience."

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Top 100 Books for Teens: ParentDish Picks

Elizabeth Humphrey — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Books for Kids, Gear Guides: Teens

Judy Blume is a favorite among teenage girls. Credit: Amazon

While your teen might have some idea of what to read, the 100 listed below might give her some new ideas. Regardless of whether your teen enjoys fantasy books or not, many books a teen may pick up mimic their lives with "coming-of-age" stories as they begin to explore more adult subjects.

1. "1984" by George Orwell (1949): Life in a totalitarian regime that, although dated, is thought-provoking.

2. "The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1)" by Jonathan Stroud (2003): In a country where magicians rule, Nathaniel has been sold by his parents to apprentice for a magician. The trilogy includes "The Golem's Eye" and "Ptolemy's Gate."

3. "Abhorsen" by Garth Nix (2003): The final of the Abhorsen Trilogy and a continuation of the stories of Sabriel and Lirael.

4. "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko (2004): Moose, who cares for his autistic older sister, is 12 years old when his family moves to Alcatraz.

5. "Alanna" by Tamora Pierce (1999): The adventures of a girl knight is the first in the quartet of the "The Song of the Lioness" novels.

6. "Annie on My Mind" by Nancy Garden (1982): A blossoming romantic love between two 17-year-old girls, Liza and Annie.

7. "Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson" by Louise Rennison (2000): A humorous, journal-entry inspired novel about Georgia, a 14-year-old British girl, coping with her adolescence, which includes the announcement that her family may be moving to New Zealand.

8. "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer (2001): In seven novels, Colfer follows the life a a teenage criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl.

9. "Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave" by Virginia Hamilton (1988): Set during the Civil War, this is a "historical reconstruction" of a common man's life.

10. "Art Attack: A Short Cultural History of the Avant-Garde" by Marc Aronson (1998): An introduction to the avant-garde for young adults, exploring its politics, culture and, of course, the arts.

11. "Big Mouth & Ugly Girl" by Joyce Carol Oates (2002): A prolific writer's first young adult novel, which explores the relationship between Ugly Girl (Ursula) and Matt through heavy high school tribulations.

12. "Birdland" by Tracy Mack (2003): What happens when 13-year-old Jed, who is making a documentary for school, meets a homeless girl and her dog.

13. "Bloody Jack" by Louis Meyer (2002): Orphaned in the 1790s, Mary transforms from a street-criminal into seafaring Jack.

14. "Buddha Boy" by Kathe Koja (2003): The novel's protagonist Justin navigates high school while trying to avoid Martin, also known as the Buddha Boy.

15. "Catalyst" by Laurie Halse Anderson (2002): Cross-country runner Kate keeps her focus on her running and off dealing with her mother's death and her father's ministering.

16. "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller (1961): The modern classic satire about the nonsense of war.

17. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier (1974): A boys' boarding school -- with a secret society that dictates the norm -- sets the stage for abuse of power, which the protagonist Jerry challenges.

18. "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon (2003): A mystery with an autistic 15-year-old who finds his neighbor's dog and is accused of killing it.

19. "Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter" by Adeline Yen Mah (1999): The autobiography of Mah, whose mother died shortly after she died. Blamed for her mother's death, she is treated poorly by her family, including her stepmother.

20. "Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare" by Darren Shan (2000): Set up as a true story, Darren and his friend go to see a traveling freak show with consequences.

21. "A Corner of the Universe" by Ann M. Martin (2002): During Hattie's quiet summer of 1960, the arrival of Hattie's uncle she didn't know existed stirs up the calm.

22. "Cut" by Patricia McCormick (2000): A 15-year-old is sent to a psychiatric hospital to deal with the guilt she feels over her brother's death.

23. "A Day No Pigs Would Die" by Robert Newton Peck (1973): A coming-of-age story of a 13-year-old Shaker living on a Vermont farm.

24. "Dogsong" by Gary Paulsen (1985): Paulsen's love affair with the natural environment continues in this coming-of-age novel about an Eskimo boy on his bobsled.

25. "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card (1985): Boy-wonder Ender must save the world. The first is followed by Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind.

26. "Eragon: Inheritance, Book I" by Christopher Paolini (2003): The first in the Inheritance Cycle about Eragon, a dragon rider, and his dragon Saphira in the fantasy world of Alagaësia.

27. "Eva" by Peter Dickinson (1989): A 14-year-old wakes up from a crash in a hospital in the future, where they decide to put her brain in a monkey's body.

28. "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury (1953): Set in the future, where books are burned by firemen and the books' owners are put away.

29. "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers (1988): A novel about Perry, a Harlem teen, who ends up on the frontlines of the Vietnam War.

30. "Fat: A Love Story" by Barbara Wersba (1987): Rita, an overweight 16-year-old, charts her way through romances.

31. "Fault Line" by Janet Tashjian (2003): Becky, a seemingly healthy and happy 17-year-old girl, finds herself in an abusive relationship.

32. "Feed" by M. T. Anderson (2002): A tale of the future about a boy living where computers and televisions are implanted in people's brains.

33. "Fire Bringer" by David Clement-Davies (1999): A young buck tries to survive and is chased by a cutthroat herd of deer that murdered his father.

34. "The First Part Last" by Angela Johnson (2003): New father Bobby is struggling at the age of 16 to deal with his increased responsibilities, as well as school.

35. "The Folk Keeper" by Franny Billingsley (1999): The only Folk Keeper in her town, Corinna is summoned to the estate of Lord Merton where she learns about her family.

36. "Forever" by Judy Blume (1975): Seniors in high school, Katherine and Michael struggle to determine if theirs is a love forever.

37. "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley (1818): Scientist Victor Frankenstein creates a being who has a likeness to man.

38. "Gingerbread" by Rachel Cohn (2002): Cyd is kicked out of boarding school and is sent to the other coast to live with a father she's barely met.

39. "Girlosophy: A Soul Survival Kit" by Anthea Paul (2000): A book to encourage girls to be true to themselves.

40. "Go and Come Back" by Joan Abelove (1998): Two anthropologists spend a year studying Alicia's Peruvian jungle village.

41. "The Gospel According to Larry" by Janet Tashjian (2001): While Josh pines away for Beth, he creates a website that becomes wildly popular.

42. "Green Angel" by Alice Hoffman (2003): Green decides not to travel with her family to the city and must deal with the repercussions of her decision.

43. "The Haunting" by Margaret Mahy (1982): A solid ghost story featuring Barney, who communicates with dead relatives.

44. "A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich" by Alice Childress (1973): The fictional life of a 13-year-old heroin user.

45. "Holes" by Louis Sachar (1998): Stanley Yelnats IV is sent to Camp Green Lake instead of jail and begins to adapt as he realizes there is something strange going on with the Warden.

46. "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer (2002): Set in the future in a land ruled by a feudal drug lord, Matt plots to escape.

47. "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff (2004): American Daisy and Edmond, her British cousin, deal with the invasion of England in this novel set in future years.

48. "I Am the Cheese" by Robert Cormier (1977): In this suspenseful novel, Adam Farmer deals with the shifting truth of his life.

49. "If There Would Be No Light: Poems from My Heart" by Sahara Sunday Spain (2001): Divided in three parts, this book of poetry is written by a youthful Spain.

50. "I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This" by Jacqueline Woodson (1994): This novel about the friendship between Marie and Lena confronts difficult subjects, including incest.

51. "In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer" by Irene Gut Opdyke with Jennifer Armstrong (1999): This autobiography tells a 17-year-old nursing student helping some Jews to escape from the Jewish ghetto.

52. "The Ink-Keeper's Apprentice" by Allen Say (1974): Post-World War II is the backdrop for this autobiographical novel about a young boy moving alone to Tokyo to apprentice with an illustrator.

53. "The Killer's Cousin" by Nancy Werlin (1998): Although David has been acquitted of killing his girlfriend, he finds himself trying to convince those of his harmlessness while finishing high school and living in his aunt's home.

54. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (2003): The story of the friendship of two Afghani boys from different classes as they live during peaceful and turbulent times.

55. "Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas: Further, Further Confessions of Georgia Nicholson" by Louise Rennison (2002): More journal-like entries about a British teen as she faces life as the girlfriend of Sex God.

56. "Learning to Swim: A Memoir" by Ann Turner (2000): Divided into three parts, this portrait tells of when the author was molested by a neighbor and the shame it brought.

57. "Life is Funny" by E.R. Frank (2000): The stories of 11 Brooklyn teens preparing to enter adulthood.

58. "The Life History of a Star" by Kelly Easton (2001): Kristin handles life as a 14-year-old, with her parents arguing and her brother who has returned from Vietnam, but now lives behind a locked door.

59. "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel (2001): Shipwrecked, 16-year-old Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a raft with wild animals as his companions.

60. "Looking for Alaska" by John Green (2005): Floridian Miles begins boarding school in Birmingham and falls for Alaska, a friend of his roommate's.

61. "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold (2002): Susie was 14 when she was murdered and now, from heaven, watches life on earth unfold.

62. "Lucy the Giant" by Sherri L. Smith (2002): A 15-year-old leaves her home, finding a job on a crabbing boat and pretending to be older than she is.

63. "Make Lemonade" by Virginia Euwer Wolff (1993): A single mom of two gets some help from a 14-year-old babysitter, which sets up the following two parts of this trilogy.

64. "Maus" by Art Spiegelman (1986): Interviews with the author's father, a Holocaust survivor, are the basis for this (and sequel) graphic novel about the experiences.

65. "The Middle Passage: White Ships, Black Cargo" by Tom Feelings (1995): A picture book that depicts the horrors of the slave trade and the passage of slaves to America.

66. "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers (1999): A 16-year-old faces murder charges when he participates in a robbery that turned deadly.

67. "The Moonlight Man" By Paula Fox (1986): That Catherine had to wait at her Canadian boarding school for weeks before her father picks her up is the beginning to this novel.

68. "My Sister's Keeper" By Jody Picoult (2004): Anna has spent her life literally helping to keep her sister Kate alive. At 13, Anna hires a lawyer to gain control over her own body.

69. "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich (2001): A nonfiction account of writer Ehrenreich as she sets out to discover what it means to earn a living wage.

70. "A Northern Light" by Jennifer Donnelly (2003): In 1906, 16-year-old Mattie is torn between what she wants to do with her life and the responsibilities she feels towards her family.

71. "Nothing but the Truth: A Documentary Novel" by Avi (1991): A ninth grader gets in trouble because he hums to the national anthem.

72. "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton (1967): A suspenseful novel depicting gang members, their lives and their relationships.

73. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky (1999): Charlie, a high school freshman, discloses his social awkwardness and difficulties in a series of letters in this novel.

74. "Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood" by Marjane Satrapi (2003): An autobiographical comic book about a young girl during the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

75. "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel (1968): Sophomores John and Lorrain are bored with their lives and play lots of pranks, until they meet Mr. Pignati.

76. "Pirates!" By Celia Rees (2003): Minerva and Nancy couldn't have come from more different backgrounds in this novel set in the 1700s. Yet, the pair sail off and become pirates.

77. "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji Li Jiang (1997): A teenager during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Jiang details a harsh life.

78. "Revolutions of the Heart" by Marsha Qualey (1993): Corey's sorting out difficulties in her life, including her mother's failing health, when she finds herself falling for a boy of a different race.

79. "Rodzina" by Karen Cushman (2003): In the 1880s, Rodzina is packed up and put on an orphan train, which takes her from Chicago to where she fears she will end up in servitude.

80. "Ruby in the Smoke: A Sally Lockhart Mystery" by Philip Pullman (1987): Sally's father has been murdered in this thriller set in Victorian England.

81. "Rules of the Road" by Joan Bauer (1998): High school sophomore Jenna isn't the strongest student, but she excels at selling shoes.

82. "Season Songs" by Ted Hughes, illustrated by Leonard Baskin (1975): Capturing the changes in life, this is a celebration of the seasons by one of the world's most well-known contemporary poets.

83. "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd (2001): It's the early 1960s and Lily is on the run, finding refuge with some ladies who let her work their bee hives.

84. "Shizuko's Daughter" by Kyoko Mori (1993): A Japanese coming-of-age story about a 12-year-old girl coping with her mother's suicide.

85. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" by Ann Brashares (2001): Four good friends spending a summer apart, sharing a pair of pants that seem magical. The first book spawned sequels.

86. "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson (1999): Melinda, a high school freshman, is dealing with the loss of her voice during the school year and she's not quite sure what might be causing it. Or does she?

87. "A Step from Heaven" by An Na (2001): The tale of the difficulties faced by Korean immigrants to the United States, told through the story of a young protagonist, Ju.

88. "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz (2001): Alex is the hero of this British spy thriller, in which his uncle is not who he claims to be. Readers will enjoy this novel into the next installments.

89. "Stranded in Harmony" by Barbara Shoup (1997): Lucas is a successful high school senior who seems to have his future figured out. But he's not too sure.

90. "Straydog" by Kathe Koja (2002): Rachel is a high school misfit, which doesn't bother her as long as she can keep up her volunteering at the dog shelter.

91. "Stuck in Neutral" by Terry Trueman (2000): Born with cerebral palsy, Shawn McDaniel is a 14-year-old whose father is now considering euthanasia.

92. "Talk to Me: Stories and a Novella" by Carol Dines (1997): Six stories and a novella creatively explore teenage subjects, such as romance and family.

93. "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor (1997): Visually-impaired Paul excels at intuiting the lies of others, including his parents and brother.

94. "Tiger Eyes" by Judy Blume (1981): After her father dies, Davey and her family visit family in New Mexico and she begins to slowly heal.

95. "Time Stops for No Mouse" by Michael Hoeye (2002): Hermux Tantamoq, a watch-making mouse, finds a new career as a detective trying to find what has happened to the light of his life.

96. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee (1960): This coming-of-age story features a feisty heroine who is growing up in the prejudicial South as her lawyer father works against injustices.

97. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (2005): Star-crossed love between a beautiful-yet-blood-thirsty vampire and Bella. This popular book sets the scene for "New Moon," "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn."

98. "Uglies" by Scott Westerfield (2005): In a future world, 16-year-olds get an operation that wipes out any nonconforming ugliness. Until then, the Uglies spend their time plotting against those who are not ugly. The Uglies is followed by "Pretties" and "Specials."

99. "Whale Talk" by Chris Crutcher (2001): High school senior T. J. Jones has had a tough life, but he doesn't like it when he sees someone treated unjustly.

100. "Whirligig" by Paul Fleischman (1998): Brent must pay the consequences after driving drunk and killing a young girl.

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Top 100 Books for Tweens: ParentDish Picks

Elizabeth Humphrey — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Books for Kids, Gear Guides: Tweens

Lois Lowry's "The Giver" won the Newbery Medal in 1994. Credit: Amazon

As much as counting and alphabet books stand out as the choices for young readers, tales of adventurous heroes and heroines pack the reading lists for kids in their tween years. More subjects are handled for the reader who is not yet a teen, although some deal with serious subjects, many such selections are reserved for their older peers.

1."The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain (1884): Huck Finn and an escaped slave make their way down the Mississippi, experiencing all sorts of dangers and adventures.

2."The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain (1876): The adventures of a 12-year-old mischievous boy who lives along the Mississippi River.

3."American Sports Poems" compiled by R.R. Knudson and May Swenson (1988): Arranged by sport, this books is an eclectic collection of writers.

4."And Then There Was One: The Mysteries of Extinction" by Margery Facklam (1990): A Sierra Club book ponders the extinction of species, including the dodo and dinosaurs.

5."Anne of Green Gables" by L.M. Montgomery (1908): The Cuthbert siblings decide to adopt a boy to help around Green Gables in Prince Edward Island, so when Anne turns up, she's not exactly welcomed.

6."Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume (1970): A rite of passage to read, as it is to ponder all that Blume's character Margaret Simon does as she struggles with the approach of puberty.

7."Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne (1873): Phileas Fogg attempts win a bet by traveling around the globe in a challenging amount of time.

8."The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)" by Lemony Snicket (1999): The lives of the the three orphaned Baudelaire children go from bad to worse in the opening book in this somewhat wacky series.

9."Behind the Attic Wall" by Sylvia Cassedy (1983): Maggie, a 12-year-old, is sent to live with an uncle and two great aunts in a spooky tale.

10."The BFG" by Roald Dahl (1982): The Big Friendly Giant takes an 8-year-old orphan to Giantland and then protects her against other giants who wish to eat her.

11."Black Beauty" by Anna Sewell (1877): The standard-bearer for horse stories, which follows the adventures of a black horse.

12."Black Whiteness: Admiral Byrd Alone in the Antarctic" by Robert Burleigh and Walter Lyon Krudop (1998): In 1934, one-man made a successful 6-month excursion to the Antarctic.

13."The Borrowers" by Mary Norton, illustrations by Beth Krush and Joe Krush (1953) Little people who live their lives tucked into the homes of big people.

14."The Bronze Cauldron: Myths and Legends of the World" by Geraldine McCaughrean, illustrated by Bee Willey (1998): An around-the-world look that includes more than two dozen tales, such as Faust and Cupid.

15."The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown" by Betsy Byars (1988): A sixth grader journals as he prepares to handle the upcoming time of transition.

16."Caddie Woodlawn" by Carol Ryrie Brink (1935): A story about living in Wisconsin during the 1860s.

17."Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction" by David Macaulay (1977): Although the French town in which the cathedral is built may be fictional, the descriptions of building the cathedral are nonfiction.

18."Catherine, Called Birdy" by Karen Cushman (1994): A 14-year-old in the Middle Ages keeps a journal and depicts all the ways she avoids suitors selected by her father.

19."The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis (1950): In seven books, readers follow the adventures of anyone entering the world of Narnia from the Wardrobe.

20."City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction" by David Macaulay (1974): For those who like to know the hows and whys, this book sets for the reasoning behind city planning.

21."The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau (2003): Living in a post-apocalyptic city underground, Lina and Doon manage to find something that should help them escape. More books follow this first in the Books of Ember.

22."The Dark Is Rising" by Susan Cooper (1973): The second in a series of fantasy novels where Will Stanton battles against evil.

23."Dear Benjamin Banneker" by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (1994): This book portrays the life of an 18th-century black scientist.

24."The Devil in Vienna" by Doris Orgel (1978): In 1938, Inge and Lieselotte try to continue their friendship although one is Jewish and the other is in the Nazi Youth.

25."The Devil's Storybook" by Natalie Babbitt (1984): Stories of how the devil tricks people into joining his "side."

26."The Doll's House" by Rumer Godden, illustrated by Tasha Tudor (1948): The lives of the dolls Tottie and Marchpane after their dollhouse is restored.

27."The Fledgling" by Jane Langton (1980): Georgie dreams about flying. When she meets a goose, this fantasy takes flight.

28."The Gathering Room" by Colby F. Rodowsky (1981): An aunt encourages her family to move from their home in a graveyard.

29."The Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln and Michael McCurdy (1995): This illustrated version of the battlefield speech creates an accessible entry for American history discussions.

30."A Girl Called Al" by Constance C. Greene illustrated by Byron Barton (1969): A nonconformist, Alexandra gives preteens a lot to identify with and think about.

31."A Girl from Yamhill: A Memoir" by Beverly Cleary (1988): The remembrances of one of America's best-loved authors, who grew up in Oregon.

32."The Giver" by Lois Lowry (1993): A preteen is chosen to be the conscience for his community and he wrestles with the dichotomy it presents.

33."The Goats" by Brock Cole (1988): Taunted, a boy and a girl are left on Goat Island during summer camp. Learning from the challenges they face, the two start to recognize their own strengths.

34."The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials, Book One" by Philip Pullman (1996): In the first of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy , Lyra is off on a mission to save the world.

35."The Golden Key" by George MacDonald (1967): Two children are on a quest to fit the rainbow's key into its hole.

36."The Golem: A Version" by Barbara Rogasky, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (1996): One of the many versions of the folktale of the golem, which was brought to life to protect the Jewish people from their enemies.

37."Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye (1997): Before relocating to Jerusalem, 14-year-old Liyana's Arab-American family had lived in St. Louis. The story follows the adjustments the young girl must make.

38."Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt (1981): Abandoned by their mother in the middle of Connecticut, four children journey to find a place to call home.

39."Homes in the Wilderness: A Pilgrim's Journal of the Plymouth Plantation in 1620" by William Bradford and Others of the Mayflower Company, edited by William Bradford and Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Mary Wilson Stewart (1988): Contemporary accounts of the Pilgrims' landing at Plymouth Rock.

40."Homesick: My Own Story" by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Margot Tomes (1982): A memoir of a woman who grew up in China during the 1920s.

41."Hoops" by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson (1997): Basketball and poetry celebrated together and accompanied by active illustrations.

42."A House Called Awful End: Book One of the Eddie Dickens Trilogy" by Philip Ardagh, illustrated by David Roberts (2002): A silly and absurd book about a boy who goes on a quest in England.

43."The House of Dies Drear" by Virginia Hamilton (1968): The Small family purchases a house in Ohio where Dies Drear and two slaves had been killed during the Civil War.

44."I Once Was a Monkey: Stories Buddha Told" by Jeanne M. Lee (1999): A half dozen birth stories are recounted in this book which also imparts Buddhist wisdom along with the engaging tales.

45."I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade" by Diane Wilson (1998): The story, set in Mongolia in the 14th century, tells of a girl equestrian who needs to disguise herself as a boy when her horse is taken."

46."I, Juan de Pareja" by Elizabeth Borton De Trevino (1965): A novel based on the life of a slave of Spanish artist Velazquez.

47."Ice Story: Shackleton's Lost Expedition" by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel (1999): The doomed 1914 Antarctica expedition of Sir Ernest Shackleton is recounted, along with the fate of the Endurance.

48."The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford (1961): A man travels to his new home 250 miles away and is followed by his loyal pets.

49."Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke (2003): Written in German, this is first of the Inkworld trilogy which follows Meggie Folchart who has discovered her father has the ability to bring characters from books to life.

50."It Came from Ohio!: My Life as a Writer" by R.L. Stine as told to Joe Arthur (1998): The author of the successful Goosebumps series tells his life story.

51."It's Perfectly Normal: A Book about Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health" by Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley (1995): A resource for the whole family with cartoon-like illustrations, which makes it accessible to children of a wide age range.

52."Joan of Arc" by Diane Stanley (1998): Stanley uses eyewitness accounts to create this portrait of Joan of Arc.

53."Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by John Schoenherr (1972): A lost Eskimo girl finds protection in a pack of wolves.

54."Just So Stories" by Rudyard Kipling (1902): Animal stories to delight readers of all ages, especially wonderful when read aloud.

55."Kennedy Assassinated! The World Mourns: A Reporter's Story" by Wilborn Hampton (1997): A young reporter working for UPI at the time of President Kennedy's assassination, the author recounts the events of the day.

56."King of Shadows" by Susan Cooper (1999): The time-traveling tale of a boy who visits Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 1599.

57."The Land I Lost: Adventures of a Boy in Vietnam" by Quang Nhuong Huynh, illustrated by Vo-dinh Mai (1982): Rembrances from a boyhood in a small village in Vietnam.

58."The Landry News" by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Brian Selznick and Salvatore Murdocca (1999): When Mr. Larson stops teaching his fifth graders, Cara Landry starts a newspaper which editorializes about the teacher.

59."The Lemming Condition" by Alan Arkin, illustrated by Joan Sandin (1976): A lemming named Bubber is not a conformist, which presents some interesting questions to ponder.

60."The Little Ships: The Heroic Rescue at Dunkirk in World War II" by Louise Borden, illustrated by Michael Foreman (1997): The evacuation of Dunkirk told through the eyes of a child.

61."Loser" by Jerry Spinelli (2002): Donald Zinkoff's inadequacies were largely ignored by his classmates until fourth grade, when he officially becomes a "loser."

62."Love that Dog" by Sharon Creech (2002): A free-verse novel written in the voice of a young boy who thinks poetry is for girls, but learns otherwise as he studies it in school.

63."Mermaid Tales from Around the World" by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Troy Howell (1993): This isn't your usual group of 12 mermaid tales accompanied by researched illustrations, as well.

64."The Misfits" by James Howe (2001): Through running for student council, a group of misfits decide to "get back" at those who have tormented them.

65."The Moon and I" by Betsy Byars (1992): As the author describes a run-in with a snake, she portrays her childhood and how she writes.

66."Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade" by Barthe DeClements (1981): Elsie, the overweight new student, and Jenny navigate the ups and downs of fifth grade where nothing seems fair.

67."Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens (1838): An orphan boy who escapes the workhouse finds himself facing a life of crime, until he is rescued.

68."Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse (1997): The book, exploring the Oklahoma Dust Bowls during the Depression, is written as a series of free-verse poems.

69."The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales" by Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon (1985): An award-winning book with two dozen stories explore various themes of slave folklore.

70."The Phantom Toolbooth" by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer (1961): A classic that depicts Milo driving through a tollbooth he thinks is normal, but then finds himself in other surroundings.

71."Pictures of Hollis Woods" by Patricia Reilly Giff (2002): An orphaned girl ends up at the foster home of a retired art teacher, who subsequently Hollis needs to take care of.

72."Pollyanna" by Eleanor H. Porter (1913): A happy girl, orphan Pollyanna's cheer is the basis for her creation of the Glad Game.

73."The Pushcart War" by Jean Merill, illustrated by Ronni Solbert (1964): Peddlers and truckers are at war on the streets of New York City.

74."The Railway Children" by E. Nesbit (1906): A family deals with the repurcussions of a father released from prison after being falsely accused of a crime.

75."Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" by Mildred Taylor (1976): A black family's struggles during the Depression, based on the author's family stories.

76."Sahara Special" by Esme Raji Codell (2003): Instead of completing homework, Sahara Jones spends her time writing to her father, who has left her family. This gets her in trouble!

77."The Seeing Stone" by Kevin Crossley-Holland (2000): The King Arthur legend told from his days as a teenager. This is the first volume in a trilogy, which follows him through his life.

78."Smoke and Ashes: The Story of the Holocaust" by Barbara Rogasky (1988): A steady and educational look at the Holocaust, which is strengthened by its photographs.

79."Soldier's Heart: Being the Story of the Enlistment and Due Service of the Boy Charley Goddard in the First Minnesota Volunteers" by Gary Paulsen (1998): Charley Goddard joins the Union Army during the Civil War. This novella is based on an actual soldier who joined at the age of 15.

80."The Story of King Arthur and His Knights" by Howard Pyle (1903): The legendary stories of King Arthur beginning in the days of the Sword in the Stone.

81."The Children of Green Knowe" by L.M. Boston, illustrated by Peter Boston (1954): Living in his ancestral home, Toseland discovers some spirits inhabiting the house. This is the first of a series.

82."Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome (1931): Youthful sailing adventures of the Blackett and Walker children around an island in England.

83."The Tale of Despereaux" by Kate Dicamillo, illustrated by Timothy B. Ering (2003): Four stories interwoven to tell the story of the mouse Despereaux and Princess Pea.

84."Tituba of Salem Village" by Ann Petry (1964): A slave, accused of being a witch, and her husband sold into a Salem home live through the witchcraft trials.

85."To Be a Slave" by Julius Lester, illustrated by Tom Feelings (1968): A compilation of original material about slavery, Lester adds educational commentary.

86."Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth (1911): Pirates abound in this adventure tale featuring Long John Silver.

87."The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" by Avi (1990): In 1832, Charlotte is setting sail to meet her family when pirates enter the scene.

88."The Trumpeter of Krakow" by Eric P. Kelly, illustrated by Janina Domanska (1928): With a backdrop of 15th century Poland, this is a tale of a boy and a jewel.

89."Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt (1975): Winnie, who is 10 years old, discovers the secret of a family who lives forever.

90."Victor: A Novel Based on the Life of the Savage of Aveyron" by Mordicai Gerstein (1998): Based on an event in 1800 when a boy was discovered in the woods of Aveyron and taken to Paris for "civilizing."

91."Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech (1994): Sal heads west with her grandparents in search of her mother.

92."The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963" by Christopher Paul Curtis (1995): A fictional account of the Watson family, which melds with the actual bombing at the Birmingham church in 1963.

93."The New Way Things Work" by David Macaulay (1998): Revised from the 1988 edition, Macaulay guides readers through various scientific innovations.

94."What Jamie Saw" by Carolyn Coman (1995): A boy witnesses domestic violence against a young sibling, which shifts his existence as his family works to restart their lives.

95."Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls (1961): Set in the Depression, a coming-of-age story about a boy in the Ozarks earns the money to buy a pair of coonhounds.

96."Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings" by Shel Silverstein (1974): Silverstein delivers another humorous book of poems and clever drawings.

97."The Whipping Boy" by Sid Fleischman, illustrated by Peter Sis (1986): Jemmy and Prince Brat are the characters in this book along the vein of the switched-identity device of the Prince and the Pauper.

98."Witness" by Karen Hesse (2001): A Klan appears in a town and Hesse bases this novel on the voices of 11 members of the community.

99."A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin, illustrated by Ruth Robbins (1968):The beginning book in the Earthsea saga, Le Guin pulls her readers into a fantasy world, which has been compared to those of C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkein.

100."The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" by Joan Aiken (1987): Cousins try to escape an evil governess who is set on taking over Willoughby Chase.

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Top 100 Books for Gradeschoolers: ParentDish Picks

Elizabeth Humphrey — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:13:00 EST

Filed under: Books for Kids, Gear Guides: Big Kids

Anne Frank's story is one that every child should read. Credit: Amazon

Books open up a universe to explore for grade school children, and they can still get away with reading books with pictures. Although there are 100 books listed below, there are always many quality books that didn't fit on the list. This is a great age to explore books together with your child, who will find dozens to read ... and re-read.

1."The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer's Life" by Sid Fleischman (1996): An autobiography of a writer who started life as a magician.

2."The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi (1925): The original story of the wooden boy who wishes to become real. Note that this parable is less sweet and kind than the the Disney version.

3."Abel's Island" by William Steig (1976): An artist mouse is swept away by rains, which strand him on an island.

4."Aesop & Company: Scenes from His Legendary Life" by Barbara Bader, illustrated by Arthur Geisert (1991): This book of 19 fables set against the backdrop of morals and Geisert's unadorned animals, also describes the history of Aesop's fables.

5."Afternoon of the Elves" by Janet Taylor Lisle (1989): The story of a the budding friendship between Sara-Kate and Hilary.

6."Alan and Naomi" by Myron Levoy (1977): Set in World War II, Naomi is a refugee from Paris who moves to New York and her friendship with Alan.

7."Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll (1865): Alice was bored when she followed a rabbit down into a hole with amazing adventures that followed.

8."All-of-a-Kind Family" by Sidney Taylor, illustrated by Helen John (1951): This story features a family of immigrants -- five daughters and a son -- living in New York in the early part of the last century.

9."Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon" by Paula Danziger, illustrated by Tony Ross (1994): Amber's best friend Justin is moving away.

10."Anastasia Krupnik" by Lois Lowry (1984): The first Anastasia book in the series that tells of the daily life of a 10-year-old.

11."And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?" By Jean Fritz, illustrated by Margot Tomes (1973): The ins-and-outs of Paul Revere's famous ride, including details of things he forgot to do.

12."Animal Fare: Zoological Nonsense Poems" by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Janet Street (1994): Colorful imaginary animals and a clever use of words make this a fun read-aloud book.

13."Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank (1958): Written by a young girl whose family hid in an attic during Nazi occupation, this is an amazing document of life during World War II

14."Author: A True Story" by Helen Lester (1977): A light-hearted treatment about Lester's path to writing children's books.

15."A Bear Called Paddington" by Michael Bond, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum (1960): This book sets in motion the hilarious adventures of a bear from darkest Peru who was found in Paddington Station by the Browns.

16."Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo (2000): A dog changes the lives of Opal and her preacher father.

17."The Black Stallion" by Walter Farley, illustrated By Keith Ward (1941): Shipwrecked, Alec and the horse learn to co-exist in this first of 19 in the popular series.

18."Bridge to Terabithia"by Katherine Paterson, illustrated by Donna Diamond (1977): This Newbery Medal winner tells of Jess and Leslie's friendship, which end when Leslie is accidentally killed.

19."Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis (1999): A foster child runs away, making his way to where he believes his father is.

20."A Child's Calendar" by John Updike, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (1999): Celebrating each month with a verse, this Caldecott Honor book is set in New England.

21."Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by Judith Barrett, illustrated by Ron Barrett (1978): Meals arrive from the sky in the enchanted land of Chewandswallow, according to Grandpa, but what will happen if the weather changes?

22."Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake (1963): Charlie Bucket wins a chance to visit Willy Wonka's factory. "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" is the sequel to this classic.

23."The Complete Fairy Tales" by Charles Perrault (1797): First published in 1797, these 11 French fairy tales, including Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty, are decidedly different from the modern-day adaptations. However, the morals are well worth a read.

24."The Conch Bearer" by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (2005): Anand, an Indian boy, leaves behind some terrible life challenges as he journeys to return a magical conch shell.

25."The Curious Garden" by Peter Brown (2009): Liam, a little boy, starts tending an unloved garden, which greens the gray world around him.

26."D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths" by Ingri and Parin D'Aulaire (1962): For children, this is the standard book about Zeus and other Greek deities. "D'Aulaire's Norse Gods and Giants" is a definite companion work to seek out.

27."Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney (2007): This comic "journal" of Greg Heffley's life has led Kinney to create a popular, funny series.

28."Diego" by Jonah Winter, illustrated Jeanette Winter, Spanish text by Amy Prince (1991): A vivid, accessible bilingual book about the life of the artist Diego Rivera.

29."A Drop of Water" by Walter Wick (1997): Wick, well-known as the photographer of the I Spy series, trains his lens on science experiments that will have children looking at water in a new way.

30."The Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen" by Hans Christian Andersen (1835): In 1835, Andersen started publishing these beloved tales, such as "The Little Mermaid" and "The Ugly Duckling."

31."Fairy Tales" by Wilhelm Grimm and Jakob Grimm (1812): Readers started enjoying the Grimm brothers' tales in the early 1800s and they have remained well-known with "Rapunzel" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses."

32."The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau" by Dan Yaccarino (2009): Colorfully illustrated and educational, this book about the life undersea and its famous explorer is sure to please any adventurer.

33. "Five Children and It" by E. Nesbit (1902): Five children discover It, which grants wishes. Two other books follow this one: "The Phoenix and the Carpet" and "The Story of the Amulet."

34. "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer (1998): The journeys of Nhamo, an 11-year-old Shona girl, who flees Mozambique for Zimbabwe.

35."The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein (1964): The meaning of this story about a boy and a tree grows deeper with each reading.

36."Granny Torrelli Makes Soup" by Sharon Creech (2003): A wise grandmother imparts her knowledge to her granddaughter while cooking soup.

37."Half Magic" by Edward Eager, illustrated by N. M. Bodecker (1954): After four children wished on an ancient coin, their summer vacation just became a lot more interesting.

38."Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh (1964): An endearing book about Harriet, who wants to grow up to be a writer. Successive books follow, such as "The Long Secret."

39."Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Mary Grandpre (1998): Boarding-school happenings of a boy-wizard. The first of a wildly popular series.

40."Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen (1987): A plane crashes, leaving a 13-year-old boy to survive in the wild. This is the Newbery Honor winner that sets the stage for the books Paulsen writes later about the same boy.

41."The Hatmaker's Sign: A Story of Benjamin Franklin" by Candace Fleming (1998): A retelling of a parable Benjamin Franklin told to Thomas Jefferson as the Declaration of Independence was being criticized.

42."Hawk, I'm Your Brother" by Byrd Baylor, illustrated by Peter Parnall (1976): A Caldecott Honor winner about Rudy, who captures a hawk, but later learns what it means to be free.

43."Henry Huggins" by Beverly Cleary (1950): Henry adopts Ribsy in this first of a series, "Henry and Ribsy" and "Henry and the Clubhouse."

44."A History of US" by Joy Hakim (2007): Any one of this 11-volume series is a solid addition to history-lover bookshelves.

45."The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien (1938): The story of Bilbo Baggins and the Hobbits, which serves as a launching off point for the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

46."Home Run: The Story of Babe Ruth" by Robert Burleigh and Mike Wimmer (1998): An enjoyable treatment of the legendary baseball player.

47."The Hospital Book" by James Howe, illustrated by Mal Warshaw (1981): In a no-nonsense way, this book and its later edition, introduce children to the hospital and various procedures.

48."The House with a Clock on Its Walls" by John Bellairs, illustrated by Edward Gorey (1973): The beginning mystery in a series of a dozen about an orphaned boy living with his uncle, who is a wizard.

49."How Many Days to America?: A Thanksgiving Story" by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Beth Peck (1988): A nice re-telling of the Pilgrims' arrival to America, with a reminder of the meaning of Thanksgiving.

50."How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have? And Other Tales" by Julius Lester and David Shannon (1989): A collection of a dozen folktales from African and Jewish traditions, re-told by an author of Jewish and African heritage.

51."The Hundred Dresses" by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin (1944): A Newbery Honor Book about Wanda Petronski, in a faded dress, claims to the classmates who taunt her when she said she had 100 dresses at home.

52."The Indian in the Cupboard" by Lynne Reid Banks, illustrated by Brock Cole (1981): When Omri, a little boy, puts a toy Indian in a magic cupboard, it comes alive and all sorts of adventures ensue.

53."The Ink Drinker" by Eric Sanvoisin, illustrated by Martin Matje (2002): A boy enlisted to watch his father's bookstore sees a customer drink a book, leaving its pages blank.

54."The Iron Giant" by Ted Hughes and Andrew Davidson (1968): A giant takes on a monster in this allegory written by the British poet laureate.

55."Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell (1960): This novel is based on the real life of a girl who spent 18 years on an island off the California coast.

56."It's Disgusting - and We Ate It! True Food Facts from Around the World - and Throughout History!" By James Soleheim, illustrated by Eric Brace (1998): A wacky yet informative book about past, present and ... what's that growing in your refrigerator?

57."It's Like This, Cat" by Emily Cheney Neville (1963): Dave, a 14-year-old who lives in New York City, gets a cat. The electric family relationships ring true, which is probably one reason this book won the Newbery Medal.

58."Jelly Belly" by Robert Kimmel Smith, illustrated by Bob Jones (1981): An overweight boy who is sent to a diet camp ends up learning much about life.

59."Johnny Tremain" by Esther Forbes, illustrated by Lynd Ward (1943): Set in Revolutionary America, a silversmith apprentice is pulled into the fray of the political situation.

60."Journey to America" by Sonia Levitin, illustrated by Charles Robinson (1970):Fleeing Nazi Germany, the Platts made their way to the United States. This fictional immigrant family reappears in "Silver Days" and in "Annie's Promise."

61."Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices" by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Eric Beddows (1992): Insects invade this award-winning collection of poetry about bugs.

62."The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling (1894): Mowgli joins a wolf pack and learns to live in the jungle in this exotic telling of the boy's journeys among the wild animals.

63."Kids on Strike!" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (1999): Children and their involvement in several of the American labor strikes.

64."Leonardo da Vinci" by Diane Stanley (1996): A well-told biography of a fascinating artist.

65."A Light in the Attic" by Shel Silverstein (1981): An award-winning collection of rhymes from the master of fun rhymes. Kids will have trouble putting this one down and will probably enjoy reading them aloud.

66."Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder, illustrated by Garth Williams (1953): This autobiographical tale is the starting point for Wilder's continuing series of adventures and survival on the frontier.

67."The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1943): A French tale about a prince who arrives from outerspace.

68."A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1963): By the author of "The Secret Garden," this is a classic tale of Sara Crewe adjusting to shifting fortunes.

69."Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott (1868): The story of the March sisters growing up during the Civil War.

70."A Long Way From Chicago" by Richard Peck (1998): Annual visits to grandmother's, where amazing things seem to keep happening.

71."The Magic School Bus Inside the Human Body" by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen (1989): Another trip on the magic bus with Mrs. Frizzle, who takes her students along for the exploration of the body.

72."Mary and the Mouse, the Mouse and Mary" by Beverly Donofrio, illustrated by Barbara McClintock (2007): A gentle, simple story of Mary and the Mouse living alongside each other.

73."Mary Poppins" by P.L. Travers (1934): The lovable British nanny with magical qualities. The successful first novel hatched the succeeding sequels.

74."The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood" by Howard Pyle (1883): Episodes in and characters from the life of the British legend known for his stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.

75."Misty of Chincoteague" by Marguerite Henry, illustrated By Wesley Dennis (1947): The wild horses of Chincoteague Island, along with the Beebe children, inhabit this novel about the horse Misty.

76."The Moffats" by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin (1941): Daily activities of the four Moffat children and their widowed mother.

77."Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien, illustrated by Zena Bernstein (1971): This novel about rats of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and a mouse won a Newbery Medal.

78."Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle" by Betty MacDonald, illustrated by Hilary Knight (1957): A good book for those learning to read, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is the kindly woman who seems to delight and handle many a child's mischief. MacDonald wrote several sequels.

79."Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie (1911): Various illustrators have depicted Peter Pan and the rest of the Lost Boys, along with the Darling family, in this adventurous tale.

80."Pippi Longstocking" by Astrid Lindgren (1944): This is the story of a lovable, wacky Swedish girl who has a generous heart and a fun outlook on life.

81."The Princess and the Goblin" by George MacDonald (1871): Goblins threaten the home of a young princess.

82."Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl who Floated" by Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Lane Smith (2009): What do you do with a princess who floats? Try to keep her grounded.

83."The Quicksand Book" by Tomie dePaola (1977): Jungle Boy sets about to rescue Jungle Girl from quicksand, from the author of "Strega Nona."

84."Rabbit Hill" by Robert Lawson (1944): This award-winning book about Rabbit Hill and the creatures -- big and small -- that inhabit it.

85."Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe (1719): A fictional account of a man stranded on an island for nearly three decades. It's considered to be the first English novel.

86."Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr and Ronald Himler (1979): Coerr recounts the true story of a victim of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, who is told about healing the sick by folding a thousand paper cranes.

87."The Secret Garden" by Frances H. Burnett (1912): Mary, an orphan sent to live in the Yorkshire countryside, discovers a secret garden.

88."The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" by John Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith (1992): Fairy tales set on their, well, tails. For instance, the ugly duckling doesn't become a beautiful swan.

89."Stuart Little" by E. B. White, illustrated by Garth Williams (1945): The Littles love their son, even if he does look a lot like a mouse. Stuart has impressive adventures, sure to capture your child's imagination.

90."The Sun" by Seymour Simon (1986): One in a series of books with breathtaking photos of the natural world, which Seymour deftly explains without dumbing down the subject for kids.

91."The Twenty-One Balloons" by William Pene Du Bois (1947): Professor Sherman lands on Krakatoa, learning about all sorts of balloon inventions.

92."The Trumpet of the Swan" by E. B. White, illustrated by Edward Frascino (1970): A swan born without the ability to trumpet, befriends Sam who takes him to school.

93."A Wave in Her Pocket: Stories from Trinidad" by Lynn Joseph (1991): Rich in West Indies lore, this is a collection of stories.

94."The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame (1908): Captivating adventures among Rat, Mole, Toad and Badger -- friends who live along a riverbank. Many editions are available with delightful illustrations.

95."Winnie-the-Pooh" by A. A. Milne, illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard (1926): Winnie-the-Pooh, the bear belonging to Christopher Robin, has lots of adventures with his friends, including Piglet and Tigger.

96."The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (1900): Select an illustrator for this classic read and don't forget to pick up one of the 13 sequels to the Oz story, including "Ozma of Oz" and "The Patchwork Girl of Oz."

97."A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle (1962): "It was a dark and stormy night" when a visitor comes calling to the Wallaces.

98."The Yearling" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth (1938):The winner of a Pulitzer Prize, this novel tells of Jody, a boy in Florida, who wants to save the animals he loves.

99."You Read to Me and I'll Read to You: 20th Century Stories to Share" by Janet Schulman (2001): A compilation of many well-loved stories and books is perfect for the bookshelves of those learning to read while still loving the possibilities of being read to.

100."Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories" by Isaac Bashevis Singer, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (1966): A read-aloud collection of traditional folk stories.

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Top 100 Books for Preschoolers: ParentDish Picks

Elizabeth Humphrey — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Books for Kids, Gear Guides: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Who doesn't love Amelia Bedelia? Credit: Amazon

Even though children are preparing to go to school, parents are encouraged to keep reading to their kids during the preschool years. Letter recognition and other important reading skills start during this time and help lay the foundation for learning to read. Here are 100 books, in alphabetical order, that will keep your preschooler busy.

1. "10 Minutes Till Bedtime" by Peggy Rathmann (1998): Rathmann's book illustrates the boisterous adventures of a large family of hamsters during a family's bedtime ritual.

2. "101 Things to Do With a Baby" by Jan Ormerod (1984): Older siblings will enjoy this story about a family's active day with a baby.

3. "The Accident" by Carol Carrick, illustrated by Donald Carrick (1976): Part of a trio of books, this one deals with a grieving boy whose dog was struck by a truck and killed.

4. "The Balancing Girl" by Berniece Rabe, illustrated by Lillian Hoban (1981): Wheelchair-bound Margaret has a singular ability to balance, and, in the end, her talent helps her in school.

5."A Birthday for Frances" by Russell Hoban (1976): Follow a badger named Frances as she deals with an upcoming birthday, not hers. From a series of Frances books, this is an age-old struggle for youngsters dealing with jealousy.

6. "The Book of Pigericks: Pig Limericks" by Arnold Lobel (1983): Pigs are everywhere in this collection of original limericks celebrating all things porcine.

7. "A Chair for My Mother" by Vera B. Williams (1982): This is the first book in a series about Rosa, her mother and grandmother. Due to a fire, the family is relocated and starts saving for a comfortable chair.

8. "A Child's Garden of Verses" by Robert Louis Stevenson (1885): This classic reminds both parents and children what a joy childhood can be. First published in 1885, many versions are available with illustrators capturing the childlike fun.

9. "A Cow, a Bee, a Cookie and Me" by Meredith Hooper, illustrated by Alison Bartlett (1997): Where do cookies come from? A variety of elements from nature provide the ingredients for the cookies Ben bakes with his grandmother.

10. "A Fine, Fine School" by Sharon Creech, illustrated by Harry Bliss (2001): See what happens when a well-meaning principal decides his school should stay open for weekends, holidays and summers.

11. "A Firefly Named Torchy" by Bernard Waber (1999): A firefly, whose tail burns brightly, finds that the city might appreciate Little Torchy's bright light more than his forest friends.

12. "A Letter to the King" by Leong Va (1987): A Chinese folktale about a young girl who saves her father by writing to the king.

13. "A, My Name Is Alice" by Jane E. Bayer, illustrated by Steven Kellogg (1984): Rhymes and fun games are played by costumed animals.

14. "Aardvarks, Disembark!" By Ann Jonas (1990): The floods have finished, the animals are released from Noah's ark and the names of 125 animals are called, many of which are now extinct.

15. "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (1972): Ever have one of those days when anything that could go wrong did? Well, welcome Alexander's day, which makes us all feel better in the end.

16. "Alfie and the Birthday Surprise" by Shirley Hughes (1998): A cat dies, which sets in motion Alfie's idea to throw a surprise party involving baking a cake and hiding a new kitty. Alfie appears in a series of books.

17. "Alphabet City" by Stephen T. Johnson (1995): The recipient of a Caldecott Honor award, the paintings of New York City become the canvas for 26 letters, which are hidden within the cityscape.

18. "Amelia Bedelia" by Peggy Parish, illustrated by Fritz Siebel (1993): If Amelia Bedelia wouldn't take words so literally, she'd probably do a better job as a housekeeper, but the series based on her wouldn't be nearly as humorous.

19. "Amelia's Fantastic Flight" by Rose Bursik (1992): Amelia builds her own plane and takes off, introducing young readers to countries around the world.

20. "Animal Crackers: A Delectable Collection of Pictures, Poems, Songs and Lullabies for the Very Young" by Jane Dyer (1996): For the child listener, these familiar and contemporary poems are sure to please, as are the lovely illustrations.

21. "Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing" by Judy and Ron Barrett (1970): This book that encourages some silly ideas of animals wearing clothing, along with its companion title, "Animals Should Definitely Not Act Like People," will have children giggling.

22. "Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner" by Amy Schwartz (1988): Lucy, Annabelle's big sister, gets her all ready for school -- unfortunately, not all the lessons she teaches are useful in the classroom.

23. "Baby Beluga" by Raffi, illustrated by Ashley Wolff (1990): Baby Beluga introduces children to the undersea life and creatures living there in a fun, memorable song.

24. "Bat Jamboree" by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (1996): This book is filled with performing bats and a nod to counting.

25. "Born to Read" by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Marc Brown (2007): This is the rhyming story of Sam -- he's born to read, which allows him to conquer whatever he wishes. Sierra and Brown also collaborated on "Wild About Books."

26. "Brave Irene" by William Steig (1988): Irene, the dressmaker's daughter, helps her mom by delivering a dress through a major blizzard in time for a ball.

27. "Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain" retold by Verna Aardema (1981): An East African story of Ki-Pat bringing rain to the Kapiti Plain with repetition that insists on being read aloud.

28. "Caps for Sale" by Esphyr Slobodkina (1947): A classic tale that has entertained generations, this is the story of a hat seller who falls asleep and has his caps swiped by monkeys.

29. "Catch Me & Kiss Me & Say It Again" by Clyde Watson, illustrated by Wendy Watson (1978): These are short, fun verses children and parents will enjoy repeating.

30. "Chester's Way" by Kevin Henkes (1997): Chester and Wilson are best friends, but the arrival of Lilly into their neighborhood shakes things up.

31. "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Lois Ehlert (1991): Colorful, lively illustrations carry parents through the fun, read-aloud alphabet-laden text.

32. "Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes (1991): It's the perfect name for a perfect baby, until Chrysanthemum arrives at school and is subjected to not-so-nice classmates, who soon learn to be more considerate.

33. "Coyote: A Trickster Tale From the American Southwest" by Gerald McDermott (1994): A Zuni folktale about Coyote, who wants to fly with the crows.

34. "Curious George" by H.A. Rey and Margaret Rey (2001): This classic, written in the early 1940s, is about a curious monkey captured by a man in a yellow hat who takes him to live in the city. Dozens of books have followed since this original title, including this 60th anniversary collection.

35. "Days with Frog and Toad" by Arnold Lobel (1984): A celebration of friendship, set up in small chapters, this heartwarming book contributes to the "I Can Read" series.

36. "The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins" by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Brian Selznick (2001): Although Waterhouse Hawkins is hardly a household name, this book recounts his life's story about his passion for dinosaurs.

37. "Each Orange Has 8 Slices" by Paul Giganti Jr., illustrated by Donald Crews (1992): A book that ingeniously introduces math concepts, such as addition or multiplication: An orange has eight slices with two seeds in each slice.

38. "Each Peach Pear Plum" by Janet and Allan Ahlberg (1979): An afternoon in the countryside is the setting for this book that places nursery rhyme characters throughout the illustrations.

39. "Fiddle-I-Fee: A Farmyard Song for the Very Young" by Melissa Sweet (1992): Follow a boy around a farm, meeting all the animals and joining in the parade!

40. "Frederick" by Leo Lionni (1967): In this classic 1967 Caldecott award-winning book, Frederick is a daydreaming mouse. A series of Frederick books follows.

41. "George and Martha" by James Marshall (1974): Read about two best friends, who happen to be hippos, and all the sticky situations they find themselves in. This is the beginning of a series celebrating the friends.

42. "Ginger" by Charlotte Voake (1997): A rivalry between a family's orange cat and the new little gray kitten, this story is illustrative of a young child dealing with a new baby coming home.

43. "Go, Dog. Go!" by P.D. Eastman (1961): Simple, rhyming sentences and a possible romance are part of this classic early-reader.

44. "Gobble, Quack, Moon" by Matthew Gollub, illustrated by Judy Love (2002): A cow dreams of becoming a dancer and wearing a tutu.

45. "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" by James Marshall (1988): Adorable illustrations are seen in this version of the childhood favorite.

46. "Goodbye House" by Frank Asch (1986): A perfect book for helping a child understand moving, a father and child say goodbye to their house after it's emptied.

47. "Grandpa's Corner Store" by Dyanne Disalvo-Ryan (2000): A young girl gets the neighborhood behind her in support of her grandfather's store, which is threatened by the opening of a supermarket.

48. "The Graphic Alphabet" by David Pelletier (1996): Not your standard ABC book, instead of A is for apple, Pelletier shows an avalanche. Parents will appreciate the clever graphics.

49. "Harriet and the Promised Land" by Jacob Lawrence (1968): Using rhyming text and colorful paintings, Lawrence tells the story of Harriet Tubman, who lead slaves to freedom.

50. "Honey, I Love" by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist (1995): Poetry just begging to be read and celebrates what a child loves.

51. "I Like Me!" by Nancy Carlson (1988): A pig with a healthy self-image and her enthusiasm will have young readers excited about themselves, too.

52. "I Want to Be an Astronaut" by Byron Barton (1988): Bright colors and chunky illustrations, along with a very simple text, make this a great book for kids getting interested in space.

53. "I'd Really Like to Eat a Child" by Sylviane Donnio, illustrated by Dorothee de Monfreid (2007): Achilles, a young alligator, decides that instead of eating bananas (or delicious chocolate cake) he wants to eat a child -- until he actually meets a child.

54. "If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World's People" by David J. Smith, illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong (2002): This book will get kids thinking about people in the rest of the world and includes facts and figures about the world's people.

55. "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura J. Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (1985): As everyone knows, if you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to want a glass of milk ... And so starts this book that builds on actions and consequences. Several books have spun off from this original.

56. "I'll See You When the Moon Is Full" by Susi Gregg Fowler, illustrated by Jim Fowler (1994): A family's life and love, along with a father's business trip, intersect with the cycles of the moon.

57. "Imogene's Antler's" by David Small (1985): Imogene wakes up and faces the world after growing antlers.

58. "In the Night Kitchen" by Maurice Sendak (1970): An award-winning book, Mickey finds himself in a busy night kitchen filled with bakers.

59. "Is Your Mama a Llama?" by Deborah Guarino, illustrated by Steven Kellogg (1989): Read delightful rhyming riddles about animals and their mamas.

60. "Jamaica Tag-Along" by Juanita Havill, illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien (1990): Jamaica's brother won't let her come along with him while he plays with his friends. This is the second book in a series and follows "Jamaica's Find."

61. "January Rides the Wind: A Book of Months" by Charlotte F. Otten, illustrated by Todd L.D. Doney (1997): Twelve poems accompanied by lush watercolors help guide young children to learn about the months and seasons.

62. "Jumanji" by Chris Van Allsburg (1981): Life just became a little more interesting for two children who find a board game and unleash the jungle in their home.

63. "Lazy Jack" by Tony Ross (1986): The familiar tale of Jack, who is lazy, gets modern twists that include a hot dog factory.

64. "Leo the Late Bloomer" by Robert Kraus, illustrated by Jose Aruego (1971): This book reassures later bloomers when Leo catches up with his friends in reading and writing.

65. "Little Folk: Stories from Around the World" by Robert Paul Walker, illustrated by James Bernardin (1997): Lush illustrations for eight stories convey the lives of little people, both familiar and unfamiliar, from around the world.

66. "M is for Majestic: A National Parks Alphabet" by David Domeniconi, illustrated by Pam Carrol (2007): Although presented with rhyming couplets, this book has information about the national parks, which makes it a great introduction for kids.

67. "Madeline" by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939): This wonderful rhyming story is about Madeline, one of 12 little girls, and their headmistress Miss Clavel. The winner of a Caldecott Medal, it's the first in a series.

68. "The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks" by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen (1986): Students take a trip to explore the reservoir system with their unique teacher Mrs. Frizzle. This is one of a series of scientific-based adventures that start on a magic school bus.

69. "Martha Speaks" by Susan Meddaugh (1992): In the first of a series, Martha the dog eats some alphabet soup and, instead of hitting her stomach, the letters go to her head. Now she can speak.

70. "Millions of Cats" by Wanda Gag (1928): In this ageless Newbery Honor award-winning book, a little old man sets off to bring home a cat to please the little old woman and he finds millions. Gradually the couple are left with one kitten.

71. "Minerva Louise at School" by Janet Morgan Stoeke (1988): This story of a curious chicken who thinks a school is a barn, is not lost on the young. Several variations of her environment-confusion follow in successive books.

72. "Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride" by J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh, illustrated by J. Otto Siebold (1993): Mr. Lunch, a computer-generated dog, takes a ride in an airplane's luggage compartment to appear on late-night television.

73. "Mommy Exchange" by Amy Hest, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan (1988): Preschoolers are convinced their friends have it better, so they swap places for the weekend.

74. "My Mom Travels a Lot" by Caroline Feller Bauer, illustrated by Nancy Winslow Parker (1981): This book handles the idea of Mom's work travel in a light manner.

75. "Nothing Ever Happens on My Block" by Ellen Raskin (1966): Chester Filbert complains his block lacks excitement. Meanwhile, he is surrounded by mayhem. Bringing a child into the discussion of what's happening around Chester is half the fun.

76. "Nursery Tales Around the World" by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Stefano Vitale (1996): Sierra has grouped these read-aloud folk tales by theme, which makes it interesting to all to see similarities of the 18 stories from a variety of countries.

77. "Old Turtle and the Broken Truth" by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Jon J. Muth (2003): This is an allegorical fable about what happens when a truth falls from the sky and humans find it.

78. "Owl Babies" by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson (1992): Find graceful illustrations and a simple story of baby owls awaiting their mother's return.

79. "Pelle's New Suit" by Elsa Beskow (1929): This gentle story is about Pelle, whose sheep's wool grows longer while he grows out of his clothes.

80. "Pig Pig Grows Up" by David McPhail, illustrated by Peter Fernandez (2001): A pig insists on behaving like a child, until forced to exhibit some maturity.

81. "The Quiltmaker's Gift" by Jeff Brumbeau, illustrated by Gail de Marcken (2005): A wealthy woman finds a world beyond her town's walls and opens her eyes to other's needs.

82. "Rain Talk" by Mary Serfozo, illustrated by Keiko Narahashi (1990): Read rainy day adventures of a girl and her dog exploring the lush world of rain.

83. "The Real Mother Goose" illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright (1993): Find familiar best-loved Mother Goose rhymes with classic illustrations.

84. "The Red Balloon" by Albert Lamorisse (1957): The Parisian adventures of a little boy and his red balloon are illustrated with photos from the film of the same name.

85. "Rootabaga Stories: Part One" by Carl Sandburg (1936): Nonsense stories are written for the author's children by the famous poet. The stories appear in different editions and some stories may be found in a standalone format.

86. "Seven Blind Mice" by Ed Young (1992): Illustrated using bright paper collages, in this variation of an old fable, seven mice try to figure out what large animal is among them.

87. "Shrinking Mouse" by Pat Hutchins (1997): A mouse goes on a journey to warn animal friends, such as the owl, who appears to shrink as he flies away.

88. "The Story of Babar" by Jean De Brunhoff (1933): An orphaned baby elephant becomes civilized in the city and then returns to the jungle to become king.

89. "The Story of Ferdinand" by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson (1936): The bull, Ferdinand, does not want to go into the bullring and fight.

90. "Stories to Solve: Fifteen Folktales from Around the World" by George Shannon, illustrated by Peter Sis (1985): These read-aloud folktales make children ponder.

91. "Sunshine" by Jan Ormerod (1981): Follow along on a wordless trip through the daily routine of a young girl.

92. "Swimmy" by Leo Lionni (1963): Little Swimmy finds himself alone in the sea, but figures out a way to survive.

93. "Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs" by Alan Katz, illustrated by David Catrow (2001): Silly lyrics replace the real ones in this zany collection of more than a dozen songs.

94. "Tambourine Moon" by Joy Jones, illustrated by Terry Widener (1999): Granddaddy shares his story of an Alabama night long ago, when he first met Grandma.

95. "Three Cool Kids" by Rebecca Emberley (1995): Paper collage illustrations are seen in this updated version of the "Billy Goats Gruff."

96. "Tikki Tikki Tembo" by Arlene Mosel, illustrated by Blair Lent (1968): This Chinese folktale recounts the way the culture started to give children shorter names.

97. "Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day" by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by Laura Cornell (1998): A whirlwind of emotions illustrate in this book, which tackles 13 moods and includes a wheel at the back for youngsters to discuss their own moods.

98. "Wake Up, Sun!" by David L. Harrison, illustrated by Hans Wilhelm (1986): A dog can't find the sun when he wakes up during the night, so he goes out to find it, waking others along the way.

99. "The Water Hole" by Graeme Base (2001): The illustrations in this book draw in the reader, who will linger to find more in each picture, and, at the same time, count from one to 10.

100. "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak (1963): A classic with only 338 words and amazing illustrations, Max manages to will a forest into his room after he's sent to bed without dinner. The Wild Things inhabit his forest and he enjoys a romp, until he becomes homesick.

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Top 100 Books for Toddlers: ParentDish Picks

Elizabeth Humphrey — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Books for Kids, Gear Guides: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Pop-up books like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" are a fun way to get toddlers excited about reading. Credit: Amazon

As an infant moves into toddlerhood, books become a great companion. A young child reacts more, beginning to better understand what a book is. Preferences for one book to be read more than another may come into play at this age. Here are 100 great books, listed alphabetically, to help instill a love for reading in your little one.

1. "17 Kings and 42 Elephants" by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Patricia McCarthy (1987): Funny rhyming verse about elephants and kings and their journey through the jungle.

2. "A Boy, a Dog and a Frog" by Mercer Mayer (1967): A fun, almost wordless book about a boy who takes a bucket and a dog for a walk in the woods and they come upon a frog.

3. "A Hole Is to Dig: A First Book of Definitions" by Ruth Kraus, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (1952): A classic, detailing a world for children to explore.

4. "Abuela" by Arthur Dorros, illustrated by Elisa Kleven (1991): A little girl gets her wish when she wonders what would happen if she could fly.

5. "All About Alfie" by Shirley Hughes (1997): A classic tale about the adventures of Alfie and his little sister, Annie Rose.

6. "Amos & Boris" by William Steig (1971): A whale and a mouse carry on a friendship that is wonderful for teaching teamwork and cooperation.

7. "Angela's Wings" by Eric Jon Nones (1995): Angela wakes up one morning with a pair of wings and no one quite knows what to make of her.

8. "Angry Arthur" by Hiawyn Oram, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura (1989): Arthur refuses to go to bed and, in resisting his mother's request, throws a ferocious tantrum -- and doesn't remember why once it is over.

9. "Annie Bananie" by Leah Komaicko, illustrated by Laura Cornell (1997): A lively girl (and her pet porcupine) come to terms with a friend leaving town.

10. "Anno's Journey" by Mitsumasa Anno (1978): Arriving at the shore, a man sets off on travels through a rich countryside.

11. "Ape in a Cape: An Alphabet of Odd Animals" by Fritz Eichenberg (1952): Animals not normally represented take over in this book that captivates children.

12. "Applebet: An ABC" by Clyde Watson, illustrated by Wendy Watson (1982): A farmer and her daughter embark on an alphabetic journey to bring apples to the county fair.

13. "Are You My Mother?" by P.D. Eastman (1960): When a baby bird falls out of a nest he goes to find his mother, mistaking a few farm animals for her along the way.

14. "B is for Bethlehem: A Christmas Alphabet" by Isabel Wilner, illustrated by Elsa Kleven (1990): The story of the Nativity told in rhymed couplets accompanied by lush illustrations.

15. "Baboon" by Kate Banks, illustrated by Georg Hallensleben (1997): Meet a baboon as he explores the world, learning what a big and varied place it is.

16. "Baby Says" by John Steptoe (1988): A baby and an older sibling begin a gentle game.

17. "Bamboozled" by David Legge (1995): Grandfather's place has a few things out of order. Children delight in noticing that water from an elephant's trunk washes dishes.

18. "Bark, George" by Jules Fieffer (1999): What happens when George the dog can oink, moo and make other animal sounds, but cannot bark?

19. "The Bear and the Fly" by Paula Winter (1988): Children delight in the chaos that ensues when three bears eating dinner encounter one fly.

20. "The Beauty of the Beast: Poems from the Animal Kingdom" compiled and illustrated by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Meilo So (2006): Arranged in zoological fashion, discover 200 poems celebrating animals.

21."The Biggest Boy" by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Nancy Tafuri (1995): Billy's parents tell him about being a big and little boy.

22. "Bibs and Boots" by Alison Lester (1997): A delightful book that considers all the different clothes a baby wears for a day out and about. Other Lester books to consider include traveling around in "Bumping and Bouncing," noise-making in "Crashing and Splashing" and a child's emotions in "Happy and Sad."

23. "Blackboard Bear" by Martha Alexander (1969): A little boy who wants to join the big kids' play invents an imaginary friend, his blackboard bear.

24. "Blueberries for Sal" by Robert McCloskey (1948): Set in Maine, this 1948 classic illustrates the parallel blueberry picking excursions of a little girl and a baby bear.

25. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Bill Martin Jr. (1962): A classic with bright, colorful Eric Carle collages and sing-songy questions that delight children.

26. "Brown Cow, Green Grass, Yellow Mellow Sun" by Ellen Jackson, illustrated by Victoria Raymond (1995): Colors play a starring role in this story that starts with a brown cow and ends with yellow butter on brown pancakes.

27. "Building" by Elisha Cooper (1999): Breezy watercolor illustrations bring a vacant lot to life as construction of a building moves through its paces.

28. "Can't Sleep" by Chris Raschka (1995): A dog and a moon take turns being protective during the day and night, respectively.

29."The Carrot Seed" by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson (1945): The simple story of a boy who plants a seed, takes care of it and, one day, grows a carrot.

30. "Clap Your Hands" by Lorinda Bryan Cauley (1992): An inviting book that encourages everyone to join in, rubbing your tummy and clapping your hands.

31. "Color Zoo" by Lois Ehlert (1989): Watch shapes and animals reshuffle from page to page, hidding and reappearing on brightly illustrated pages.

32. "Come Away from the Water, Shirley" by John Burningham (1977): A child visits the seashore with her parents. While they snooze, she finds adventures with pirates and treasures.

33. "Corduroy" by Don Freeman (1968): A stuffed bear living in a department store finally leaves to live with a little girl.

34. "Dear Zoo" by Rod Campbell (1996): A repetitive story of a child who is writing to the zoo for the right pet, with flaps for young readers to discover the animal sent by the zoo.

35. "Dial-a-Croc" by Mike Dumbleton, illustrated by Ann James (1991): Vanessa wants to make some money, so she catches a crocodile and rents him out to all sorts of places.

36. "Don't Take your Snake for a Stroll" by Karin Ireland, illustrated by David Catrow (2003): A "what if" tale of a boy figuring out which exotic animals he shouldn't take on a walk.

37. "Everywhere Babies" by Susan Meyers, illustrated by Marla Frazee (2001): Rhyming verse about babies everywhere doing everyday things.

38. "Feelings" by Aliki (1984): A thorough catalog of emotions that can help children start learning how to explain their own.

39. "Fire Truck" by Peter Sis (1999): Bold illustrations take the reader along with a little boy as he wakes up one day as a fire truck. Companion books include "Trucks, Trucks, Trucks," "Ship Ahoy!" and "Dinosaur!"

40. "Flappy Waggy Wiggly" by Amanda Leslie (2000): A peek-a-boo book with a flap and animal sound twist to it.

41. "Flora McDonnell's ABC" by Flora McDonnell (1997): Introducing young readers to uppercase and lowercase letters, McDonnell displays some unusual, memorable and colorful items to connect to each letter.

42. "Fortunately" by Remy Charlip (1993): Ned's invitation to a party gives Charlip occasion to introduce good luck ... and bad luck, too.

43. "From Head to Toe" by Eric Carle (1997): As toddlers are learning their body parts, they'll wiggle their way through this characteristic Carle collage book.

44. "Good for You: Toddler Rhymes for Toddler Times" by Stephanie Calmenson, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (2001): A thoroughly active book highlighting all the skills and actions a toddler can get into, such as learning "please" or "thank you" or drinking from a cup.

45. "Good Night, Gorilla" by Peggy Rathmann (1994): As a zookeeper makes his rounds, a gorilla follows and releases the other animals along the way. A fun book that is sure to be a child's favorite.

46. "Happy Birth Day!" by Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley (2002): For those parents who want to answer the inevitable childhood question "What was it like the day I was born?"

47. "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson (1955): Harold can't sleep one night, so he takes his purple crayon, drawing various places along his walk.

48. "Harry the Dirty Dog" by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham (1956): In this childhood favorite, Harry enjoys his outings, getting dirtier and dirtier along the way, finally having to beg for a bath to convince his family who he is.

49. "Here Come Poppy and Max" by Lindsey Gardiner (2000): Kids enjoy imitating a variety of animals, along with Poppy and her dog Max.

50. "How I Became a Pirate" by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon (2003): Jeremy is recruited by some pirates who admire his digging skills and soon the boy is off on high adventures. However, the life of a pirate is not all wonderful and Jeremy starts to miss his parents.

51. "I Heard a Little Baa" by Elizabeth MacLeod, illustrations by Louise Phillips (1998): A flap book for children to learn more about animals and the sounds they make.

52. "I Love You More" by Laura Duksta, illustrated by Karen Keesler (2007): Love from a child's and a parent's perspectives are presented as a flip book.

53. "I Went Walking" by Sue Williams, illustrated by Julie Vivas (1990): Accompanied by watercolor illustrations, the text follows a simple statement, followed by a question and a response that will have young children looking ahead.

54. "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands: A Pop-Up Book" by David A. Carter (1997): This well-liked book offers a twist on the popular song, which leads children through a variety of movements along with pop-up animals.

55. "Inch by Inch" by Leo Lionni (1962): By an award-winning author, this book trails an inchworm who spends time measuring the world around him.

56. "Is That an Elephant Over There?" by Rebecca Elgar (1998): Enjoy simple text as jungle animals hide in this lift-the-flap book.

57. "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" by Charles G. Shaw (1988): Basic text with repetition, shape recognition and a nod to the changing shapes of clouds.

58. "Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?" by Nancy W. Carlstrom, illustrated by Bruce Degen (1986): Rhymes follow the decisions a young child makes during the day.

59. "Jump Like a Frog!" by Kate Burns (1999): This fun activity book encourages children to mimic animals.

60. "The Lady with the Alligator Purse" by Nadine Bernard Westcott (1990): A silly story about a mother who calls the doctor, the nurse and the lady with the alligator purse.

61. "Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story" by Fran Manuskin, illustrated by Robin Spowart (1990): The traditional Hanukkah dinner of latkes and applesauce is impossible when a blizzard appears, as well as two strays.

62. "The Adventures of Lowly Worm" by Richard Scarry (1981): A memorable Scarry story, complete with common, familiar items with simple text.

63. "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey (1941): A family of ducklings on its way to the park, stop traffic in Boston.

64. "The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate" by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Margaret Chamberlin (1986): A read-aloud book about a mother who was a pirate and now wishes to return to the sea.

65. "Max's First Word" by Rosemary Wells (1979): The first in a series of books featuring rabbits, meet independent Max and his talkative sister, Ruby.

66. "Mouse Paint" by Ellen Stoll Walsh (1989): Pots of paints give three white mice plenty to dive into, allowing children to see delightful colors as the mice traipse through paint puddles.

67. "Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present" by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (1962): In a overly commercial world, this book is a testament to the simple act of generosity between a girl and her mother.

68. "The Napping House" by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood (1984): A bedtime book about a house where everyone is asleep.

69. "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" by Glen Rounds (1989): Unique illustrations for this standard childhood favorite will encourage children to participate in the song.

70. "On Mother's Lap" by Ann Herbert Scott, illustrated by Glo Coalson (1992): Michael enjoys his mother's lap, especially with all his toys, however Baby makes the lap a little too crowded for Michael.

71. "One Sun: A Book of Terse Verse: by Bruce McMillan (1990): An introductory rhyming book using paired words to match images at the seashore.

72. "Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm" by Alice and Martin Provensen (1974): Re-issued in 1992, this book follows the adventures of the authors' animals on their farm.

73. "Over the Moon" by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Scott Nash (1998): Dive in to this sort of backstage look at the nursery rhyme as the reader is introduced to cows who jump under, through and next to the moon.

74. "Peek-a-Moo!" By Marie Torres Cimarusti, illustrated by Stephanie Petersen (1998): Kids will enjoy the simple, repetitious question with a different answer under each flap.

75. "Peter's Chair" by Ezra Jack Keats (1998): An older sibling comes to terms with the birth of a little sister in this classic book by an award-winning author.

76. "Pete's a Pizza" by William Steig (1998): How to turn a frown into a smile? Turn the sulking child into a pizza.

77. "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg (1985): The magic of a master children's book author meets a steam train as it chugs along, bringing children to see Santa Claus. An annual favorite read.

78. "Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young" by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Marc Brown (1986): More than 200 rhymes to get in the habit of reading to children.

79. "Red, Blue, Yellow Shoe" by Tana Hoban (1986): Vibrant photos of familiar objects for toddlers to enjoy.

80. "Richard Scarry's Biggest Word Book Ever" by Richard Scarry (1963): Overrun by Scarry's usual busy animals, this book is chock full of interesting and engaging activities and words for kids to delight in. This updated version includes Spanish words, as well.

81. "Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day?" by Richard Scarry (1968): A busy book with animals showing all sorts of activities -- from baking to paving roads.

82. "Sam's Cookie" by Barbro Lindgren, illustrated by Eva Eriksson (1982): Action ensues when Sam's cookie is pilfered by the dog and each gets angry at the other. Mom saves the day!

83. "Sheep in a Jeep" by Nancy Shaw, illustrated by Margot Apple (1986): A compact text introduces the fun as a flock of sheep take a drive in a Jeep.

84. "Sleepy Bears" by Mem Fox, illustrated by Kerry Argent (2002): Read about the active dreams of six hibernating bear cubs.

85. "Snow Music" by Lynne Rae Perkins (2003): Familiar footprints across the snow get children accustomed to the magic of snowfall.

86. "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats (1962): Dressed in his red snowsuit, Peter goes to explore the snowy city landscape in this bold 1962 Caldecott Medal winning picture book.

87. "Spots, Feathers and Curly Tails" by Nancy Tafuri (1988): Identify animals by a part of their bodies in this question-and-answer-formatted book.

88. "Stella, Fairy of the Forest" by Marie-Louise Gay (2006): Join an engaging girl and her dog, Sam, as they journey in the forest, with Stella imparting her wisdom of fairies.

89. "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter (1902): Peter just won't listen to his mother, heading into the MacGregor's garden, with fearful consequences. With the original watercolors, it is a beloved, ageless first story that continues along in a series and is available in numerous formats.

90. "The Tree" by Dana Lyons, illustrated by David Danioth (2002): Amazing illustrations and a celebration of the sacred earth are shown through the Douglas fir's life cycle in the Pacific Rain Forest.

91. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle (1969): A very hungry caterpillar, depicted in Carle's colorful collages, sets out to eat throughout his life cycle.

92. "Toddlerobics: Animal Fun" by Zita Newcome (1999): Rhyming and active illustrations will get any toddler up and moving.

93. "Town Mouse, Country Mouse" by Jan Brett (1994): Brett's exquisite, detailed style illustrates this classic changing-places story.

94. "We Have a Baby" by Cathryn Falwell (1999): Introducing the idea of a new baby to an older sibling, this books tells the child that a baby is to love.

95. "We Were Tired of Living in a House" by Liesel Moak Skorpen, illustrated by Joe Cepeda (1999): Three children, who are tired of living in a house, gather up their belongings and test out alternative accommodations, such as trees and caves. The sister and two brothers gather more possessions as they march along, eventually returning to where they started.

96. "When Sophie Gets Angry -- Really, Really Angry" by Molly Bang (1999): This story is a good conversation starter for talking about tantrums, as Sophie loses her temper.

97. "Where Does It Go?" By Margaret Miller (1998): This fun question book ("Do crayons go in the cat's dish?") might get the kids giggling, but adults might not always find its reality humorous.

98. "Where's Spot?" By Eric Hill (1980): Nonsensical fun as a dog goes in search of her puppy, Spot.

99. "Who Hops?" By Katie Davis (2001): A colorful book that asks silly questions and prompts for serious answers.

100. "Wooleycat's Musical Theater" by Dennis Hysom, illustrated by Christine Walker (2003): Ten Mother Goose rhymes with a twist -- and a few morals.

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Maternity Fashion Tips for the 3rd Trimester

Elizabeth Humphrey — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Just For Moms, Your Pregnancy

Fashion can be a challenge for third trimester mommies. Credit: Getty Images

Fashion doesn't stop -- even when you're in your third trimester and must wear a maternity support band.

But even when you're at your biggest, by keeping in mind some of the basic rules of fashion, you might actually look forward to getting dressed during those last few months.

Some tips to looking great late in your pregnancy:

Whether it's summer or winter, if possible, buy natural fabrics, which allow your skin to breathe.
If you are hoping not to look as pregnant as you are feeling, try black and dark colors. Avoid pale colors and pastels, and pass on horizontal lines and patterns.
Don't just shop in maternity departments. Clothing found in plus-size women's departments might be just what you need to tide you over until parenthood, especially if you're keeping an eye on office fashion.
Accessorizing is key, so don't skimp on colorful scarves or jewelry when getting dressed up.
In the winter months, if you don't want to buy a bulky coat, try layering your clothes. Also, a wide scarf or wrap can provide versatility and warmth that can carry you through your final trimester and into parenthood.
If you are experiencing feet swelling, besides staying off them as much as possible, you may need to purchase shoes that are slightly larger than you normally wear. The increase in shoe size may be a temporary gain, but you won't know until well after your labor. Invest in practical and comfortable shoes with low heels, even shopping for them when your feet are at their worst to help find the most comfortable styles for the rest of your pregnancy.

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Top 100 Books for Toddlers: ParentDish Picks

Elizabeth Humphrey — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Books for Kids, Gear Guides: Babies

"I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them Sam-I-am!" - Dr.Suess. Credit: Amazon

Setting up a routine to read to your infant is a great way to bond. While many of the 100 books listed below, in alphabetical order, are for infants, some are stories your child will happily grow into and enjoy for years to come.

1. "All Fall Down" by Helen Oxenbury (1987): One of a series of board books by Oxenbury, "All Fall Down" is adorned with adorable children and simple text. Many believe this series, including companion books "Clap Hands," "Say Goodnight" and "Tickle, Tickle," are a must for babies and toddlers.

2. "American Folk Songs for Children" by Ruth Crawford Seeger, illustrated by Barbara Cooney (1980): This book holds a collection of classic folk songs to sing to your baby.

3. "Arlene Alda's 1 2 3: What Do You See?" by Arlene Alda (1998): Using innovative photographs instead of illustrations, this is a counting book that surprises children.

4. "Arthur's Nose" by Marc Brown (1976): The first installment of the Arthur series begins with the now-famous aardvark learning about handling various aspects of life, such as his distinctive nose.

5. "Baby Dance" by Ann Taylor, illustrated by Marjorie van Heerden (1999): With gentle verse, a father dances with his baby girl.

6. "Baby Faces" by Margaret Miller (1998): As babies grow and become more fascinated by faces, this book serves them well with many faces, reactions and emotions represented.

7. "Baby's First Words" by Lars Wik (1985): Uses photos to acquaint a baby with items in his world.

8. "Black on White and White on Black" by Tana Hoban (1993): Featuring silhouettes of familiar shapes and household items, these books take advantage of how well an infant responds to the contrasts of black and white.

9. "The Baby's Word Book " by Sam Williams (1999): Children involved in daily activities, with actions, emotions and objects.

10. "A Book of Sleep" by Il Sung Na (2007): With its exquisite illustrations, this is a story of night and everyone going to sleep, except for the watchful owl.

11. "Cat is Sleepy" by Satoshi Kitamura (1996): It's the tale of a cat, searching for a boy and a girl, settling in for a nap.

12. "Clown" by Quentin Blake (1996): This is the journey, without words, of tossed-out toys and the clown who escapes from the garbage to find someone to rescue him and his play friends.

13. "Count with Maisy" by Lucy Cousins (1997): Using basic text and energetic colors, this book focuses on counting and Maisy the mouse. Practical and colorful, this story -- along with its companion books -- have become modern-day classics.

14. "Counting Kisses" by Karen Katz (2001): Counting down from the number 10, this delightful book suggests different ways to show a baby love, affection and, of course, kisses.

15. "Do Not Feed the Table" by Dee Lillegard, illustrated by Keiko Narahashi (1993): A boy's day, along with everyday utensils, receive special, poetic treatment in this witty book.

16. "Duck and Goose" by Tad Hills (2006): The first book in a humorous series follows two friends as they muddle (and disagree) through hatching an egg, which is actually a ball.

17. "Freight Train" by Donald Crews (1978): A freight train speeds through the pages of this colorful, bold book with simple text.

18. "The Gingerbread Boy " by Richard Egielski (2000): A classic folk tale brought into contemporary Manhattan, complete with bus and subway travel.

19. "The Going to Bed Book" by Sandra Boynton (1982): Many of Boynton's books are great picks for learning about opposites, counting and so forth. Her endearing animals and silly rhymes are popular with parents and children alike.

20. "Going to the Zoo" by Tom Paxton, illustrated by Karen Lee Scmidt (1996): A sing-song, joyous story of a father taking his three children to the zoo.

21. "Good Dog, Carl " by Alexandra Day (1985): The beginning of this silly book, has Mom leaving Carl, the family's lovable pet rottweiler, to babysit. The baby jumps on Carl's back and the adventures begin and continued in successive books.

22. "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (1947): Truly an American classic, this is the story of a rabbit settling her bunny into the quiet of bedtime in a familiar, comfortable world.

23. "Goose" by Molly Bang (1996): A gosling hatches and finds itself in a home with woodchucks. Away we go on its eventful journey to discover why it feels different.

24. "Grandfather and I" and "Grandmother and I" by Helen E. Buckley, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (1994): These two books express the warmth and special bond between a child and her grandfather or grandmother.

25. "Grandfather Twilight" by Barbara Helen Berger (1984): A fairy tale old man hangs the moon in this peaceful and beautifully illustrated book.

26. "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss (1960): The playful rhyme in this book tells a fun and zany story about disliking -- and then liking -- green eggs and ham, in typical Seuss fashion.

27. "Guess How Much I Love You " by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram (1994): Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare compare their love for one another in a sweet parental love story perfect for bedtimes.

28. "The Guinea Pig ABC" by Kate Duke (1983): Guinea pigs display true acrobatic -- and alphabetic -- skills.

29. "Hand Rhymes" by Marc Brown (1993): This fun book overflows with rhyming and hand-play games for adults to enjoy with children. Everyone ends up giggling, just as they do with "Finger Rhymes."

30. "Happy Birthday, Moon" by Frank Asch (1982): A colorful, simple story about a little bear and the moon.

31. "Have You Seen My Duckling?" by Nancy Tafuri (1984): A Caldecott Honor award-winning book about a mother goose who cannot find one of her many ducklings.

32. "Hello Toes! Hello Feet!" by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott (1998): Read about one busy little girl and her feet as they move through the day.

33. "Hippety-Hop, Hippety-Hay: Growing Rhymes from Birth to Age Three" by Opal Dunn, illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert (1999): Dunn selected these rhymes and divided them into different age groups specifically for parents to interact with their babies.

34. "Humpty Dumpty and Other Nursery Rhymes" by Lucy Cousins (1996): Part of a series of Cousins' bright, colorful, childlike illustrated books of classic nursery rhymes.

35. "Hush, Little Baby" by Marla Frazee (2003): Besides this warmly illustrated version, several variations of this classic lullaby exist on the market, including ones by Sylvia Long, Caroline Cooney and Aliki.

36. "I Am a Bunny " by Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry (2004): Originally published in 1967, this classic follows the four seasons in the life of a bunny. Companion stories include "I Am a Kitten" and "I Am a Puppy."

37. "I Lost My Bear" by Jules Feiffer (2000): A household searches for a child's treasured bear gone missing.

38. "I Love You as Much ..." by Laura Krauss Melmed, illustrated by Henri Sorensen (1993): Animal (and a human) mothers telling their offspring how strong their love and bonds are.

39. "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat " by Simms Taback (1999): This Caldecott Medal winner is an adaptation of a Yiddish folktale about a tailor who uses and re-uses an overcoat until a button remains.

40. "The Kingfisher Nursery Rhyme Songbook" by Sally Emerson, illustrated by Colin and Moira Maclean (1992): Rhymes and action, along with watercolor illustrations, accompany familiar songs such as "Row, Row Your Boat" and the less familiar songs like "Duke of York."

41. "Knock at the Door and Other Baby Action Rhymes" by Kay Chorao (2000): Twenty well-known action rhymes for the very young feature a flowery motif.

42. "Lentil" by Robert McCloskey (1940): A timeless story of Lentil, a little boy who saves the day.

43. "Little Blue and Little Yellow " by Leo Lionni (1959): The 50th anniversary edition of this story was released in 2009. It tells the story of Little Blue and Little Yellow who are such good friends that they become green and their parents don't recognize them. What are they to do?

44. "Little Elephant " by Miela Ford, illustrated by Tana Hoban (1994): Told in photographs, this is a simple adventure story of a baby elephant.

45. "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper, illustrated by George and Doris Hauman (1930): The original story that sticks to the basics has led generations of American children to say "I think I can, I think I can."

46. "The Little Fur Family" Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Garth Williams (1951): A softly illustrated story about the little fur child's daily activities, even down to the bedtime lullaby.

47. "Little Gorilla" by Ruth Bornstein (1976): A baby gorilla, Little Gorilla, grows up to be a big gorilla.

48. "The Little House" by Virginia Lee Burton (1942): This Caldecott Medal-winning book depicts the little house built long ago with life and a city encroaching upon it. The house appears as a smiling face.

49. "The Maggie B" by Irene Haas (1975): It's the story of a child with a simple fantasy of being away on a boat with her baby brother and wonderful, child-like amenities.

50. "Mama, Do You Love Me?" by Barbara M. Joosse, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee (1991): An Alaskan child challenges her mother with naughtiness.

51. "Mooses Come Walking" by Arlo Guthrie, illustrated by Alice M. Brock (1995): A soothing book written by the folksinger with verse that's rather silly and cartoon-like moose illustrations.

52. "More, More, More Said the Baby" by Vera B. Williams (1996): Three babies enjoy different tickly games with adults -- fun for everyone.

53. "Mother Goose Remembers " by Clare Beaton (2000): These 46 Mother Goose rhymes are depicted using clothwork art, which makes this standard childhood collection stand apart from others.

54. "Mouse Tales " by Arnold Lobel (1972): Papa Mouse tells a story to each of his seven sons at bedtime.

55. "Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?: Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises " by Dr. Seuss (1970): The wordplay in this book easily becomes a favorite with children and the sounds are fun, too.

56. "Mr. Gumpy's Outing" by John Burningham (1971): Countless children and animals plan to pile into Mr. Gumpy's boat for an outing and they don't all fit.

57. "My First Baby Games" by Jane Manning (2001): Babies and adults move to the simple, familiar rhymes this board book invites babies to play.

58. "My Very First Mother Goose" edited by Iona Opie, illustrated by Rosemary Wells (1996): Activities within this selection of 68 Mother Goose rhymes move from dawn to dusk. One of many fine Mother Goose compilations.

59. "The Nativity" illustrated by Julie Vivas (1988): A contemporary illustrated version of the story of the Nativity with a sweet baby Jesus.

60. "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Anita Lobel (1984): This version of the priceless Christmas poem is set in a Brooklyn brownstone.

61. "No, David!" by David Shannon (1998): Chaos ensues when David misbehaves and hears his mother, in all sorts of ways, tell him "No," while letting him know she still loves him.

62. "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" by Frances Cony, illustrated by Iain Smyth (1999): Pop-ups and other active pages illustrate the well-loved song.

63. "Old Mother Hubbard" by David A. Johnson (1998): The traditional rhymes are told in a version that includes a mutt and a Victorian lady.

64. "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" by Dr. Seuss (1960): This Seussian rhyme that introduces colors and numbers is popular with children of any age.

65. "One Gorilla: A Counting Book " by Atsuko Morozumi (1990): A counting book involving a gorilla who journeys through a house, the sea and a garden, all the while trying to reach the number 10.

66. "Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale" by Karen Katz (1997): A sweet book about an adoptive mother telling the story of parents going to meet their new baby.

67. "Owly" by Mike Thaler, illustrated by David Wiesner (1982): A gentle bedtime story about an inquisitive owl whose mother kindly suggests he find answers.

68. "Pat the Bunny" by Dorothy Kunhardt (1940): Baby's first touch and feel book features a furry bunny.

69. "Pat-a-Cake and Other Play Rhymes", compiled by Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson, illustrated by Alan Tiegreen (1992): Classic rhymes are incorporated into this interactive volume.

70. "Peter Spier's Rain" by Peter Spier (1981): The magical qualities of rain are discovered by a boy and his sister.

71. "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" by Bill Martin Jr., illustrated by Eric Carle (1991): The text is in a similar vein to the "Brown Bear, Brown Bear: What Do You See?" book, with collage zoo animals and questions that lead from one page to the next.

72. "Quacky Quack-Quack!" by Ian Whybrow, illustrated by Russell Ayto (1992): Find out what happens when a baby takes bread to feed the ducks, eating it along the way.

73. "The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister (1992): The main message of this shimmering book is that beauty is not the main component to friendship.

74. "The Random House Book of Fairy Tales" by Arnold Lobel (1986): Arnold Lobel illustrates this major collection of 306 Mother Goose poems.

75. "The Relatives Came " by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Stephen Gammell (1985): Family visitors abound, creating fun chaos in this Caldecott Honor award-winning book.

76. "The Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd (1942): A bunny, hiding in all sorts of places, takes comfort in always being found by his mother, whether the bunny is spied in the garden, on a mountain or at a circus.

77. "The Snow Bear" by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Wendell Minor (1999): A snowy frolick with a young child and a bear.

78. "Snow" by Uri Shulevitz (1998): A boy and his dog think it is really going to snow -- and what happens when it does is wonder-filled.

79. "The Snowman" by Raymon Briggs (1978): A boy builds a snowman who then comes to life in his dreams.

80. "So Say the Little Monkeys" by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by Yumi Heo (1998): Jibba, jibba, jibba say the small monkeys in this book that begs to be read aloud.

81. "Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born" by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by Laura Cornell (1996): The child-like narrator lets the reader know about the excitement of the child's birth and adoption.

82. "A Teeny Tiny Baby" by Amy Schwartz (1994): This story follows the busy life of a baby, as seen from the baby's perspective, which is quite a different view from the child's sleep-deprived parents.

83. "Ten, Nine, Eight" by Molly Bang (1983): Follow along as a little girl gets ready for bed, counting along the way.

84. "The Three Little Pigs" by Margot Zemach (1988): Many editions of this classic tale exist -- this one includes a wolf in a frock coat.

85. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Jan Brett (1986): The holiday favorite with lush illustrations.

86. "The Wheels on the Bus" by Paul Zelinsky (1990): The familiar bus journey song with lots of activities.

87. "The Winter Bear" by Ruth Croft, illustrated by Erik Blegvad (1975): Children find a bear in the wintry woods, bringing him home to get him warm and dry.

88. "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" by Simms Taback (1997): Come along as the old lady swallows the fly...and everything else in this old folk song with die-cut holes to see the various animals she swallows.

89. "Tickly Under There" by Debi Gliori (1998): A bear points out the fingers, toes and other body parts of the cub bear, inviting human parents to imitate the parent bear.

90. "Time for Bed" by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jane Dyer (1993): A variety of animals and their young are falling to sleep for a perfect bedtime book.

91. "Time to Sleep" by Denise Fleming (1997): A bear senses winter and tells a friend who tells another forest animal until the news is relayed back to a sleeping bear.

92. "Voyage to the Bunny Planet" by Rosemary Wells (1992): One of three in a series, this tale of taking a trip to the Bunny Planet to have a better day than you had.

93. "Waving: A Counting Book" by Peter Sis (1988): An urban counting book with Mary and her mother waving at folks and objects in their neighborhood.

94. "Wendy Watson's Mother Goose" by Wendy Watson (1990): A variation on the Mother Goose books with this one set in snowy New England.

95. "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (1989): Going to catch a bear on a family outing with entertaining actions through rivers, forests and mud.

96. "Whatever Happened to the Dinosaurs?" by Bernard Most (1987): Big dinosaurs inhabit this book detailing the probable -- and improbable -- things that brought dinosaurs to extinction. "If the Dinosaurs Came Back" is one to consider as well.

97. "When I'm Sleepy" by Jane R. Howard, illustrated by Lynne Cherry (1985): A little girl wonders what it would be like to sleep with various animals in a cave or a swamp, and ends up in her own bed.

98. "Where's the Bear?" By Charlotte Pomerantz, illustrated by Byron Barton (2003): Seven words of text tell the story of a bear and villagers who set about to chase him.

99. "Who Said Red?" By Mary Serfozo, illustrated by Keiko Narahashi (1988): Two children banter about colors.

100. "Where Is Baby's Belly Button?" By Karen Katz (2000): Heavy flaps reveal the body parts as a baby learns to answer the questions like where are baby's eyes? Ears? Belly button?

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Subscribe to the ParentDish Newsletter Now!

Elizabeth Humphrey — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:25:00 EST

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U.S. Schools Are Just Average, International Study Says

Elizabeth Humphrey — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Education: Teens

U.S. students still lag behind kids in other nations, but American girls still rock when it comes to reading. Credit: Getty

Want your child to get a better-than-average education? It might be time to consider moving to Korea or Finland.

In comparison to those countries, America's schools are just average, according to a new international study.

Up against 34 other countries, American schools ranked 25th in math and 17th in science. The highest ranking for U.S. 15-year-old students in the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment? Just above average in reading, coming in 14th place.

Maybe, you say, American students just didn't test well. Actually, the rankings are higher now than when U.S. schools were tested in 2003 and 2006. And, still, the 2009 numbers are well below South Korea, Finland, Singapore, Canada and China's Shanghai or Hong Kong.

In a 1,000-point measure, this year's results of reading at 500, science at 502 and math at 487, showed U.S. student scores hovering at or around the 500 mark. Reading has dipped slightly since the 2000 results, whereas math and science show increases from previous years.

The 2009 PISA study indicates that even after nearly 10 years since America started tackling educational reforms with programs such as No Child Left Behind, American schools are still not testing as well as their international counterparts, The Washington Post reports. And, with some poorer nations excelling on the tests, the study seems to endorse that economic prosperity is not tied to academic strength.

Seeing educational measurements in terms of future economic advancement, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development oversees the PISA. If the United States improves its test scores by 25 points in 20 years, a Stanford University and OECD study shows, that could mean more than a $40 trillion increase to the nation, strengthening America's economic bottom line.

The PISA results could be used to encourage more educational reforms in the United States, the Globe suggests.

Testing nearly a half-million students in Europe, Asia and the Americas, the report looks at the abilities of each 15-year-old's knowledge and abilities at problem-solving. According to the OECD website, PISA also studies the "results between girls and boys, as well as the influence of class size, teacher pay and the degree of autonomy schools have in allocating resources."

Additionally, the testing found that girls outranked boys in reading in most countries by as much as a year's worth of schooling or 39 points. The study also found that the more emphasis on a teacher's pay (and less priority on a small class), the better the schools' results.

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Gay Teens Receive Harsher Penalties From Schools, Law Enforcement, Study Reveals

Elizabeth Humphrey — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Research Reveals: Tweens, Research Reveals: Teens

A study has found that U.S. gay and lesbian teens -- especially girls -- are more likely to be punished by schools and the criminal justice system. Credit: Getty

During a year when gay bullying and suicides are increasingly gaining media attention, a new study indicates gay and lesbian teens are more likely to be thrown in jail or expelled from school than their straight peers.

The Washington Post reports gay and lesbian teens are almost 40 percent more likely than heterosexual teens to receive punishment. Lesbian teens are particularly at risk for unequal treatment from schools and the criminal justice system, the newspaper says, and researchers have found gay, lesbian and bisexual students face a higher number of expulsions, police stops or arrests.

The study, which finds "non-heterosexuality consistently predicted a higher risk for sanctions," appears in the journal Pediatrics. Focusing on information collected from 15,000 middle and high school students, Yale University researchers found gay and lesbians "were roughly 1.25 to 3 times more likely to be sanctioned than their straight peers," the Post reports.

Meanwhile, the newspaper adds, gay girls faced "50 percent more police stops and reported more than twice as many juvenile arrests and convictions as other teen girls in similar trouble." The study found about a 10th of the students in the study consider themselves to be gay, lesbian or bisexual, the Post reports, and more than 800 stated they were in same-sex relationships.

The data was compiled in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, matching teen behaviors including drinking, shoplifting, lying to parents and other, more serious, infractions, to a half-dozen penalties as it interviewed students from the 1994-'95 school year through the 2001-'02 school year.

The study doesn't explain why the disparity exists in the punishments, but, experts tell the Post, the harsher punishments can have lasting repercussions, ranging from a teen's decision to stay in school to increased contact with the criminal courts system, which can impact everything from qualifications for housing to college funding.

The disparity is not surprising, Andrew Barnett, executive director of the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League in Washington, D.C., tells the Post.

"This is a symptom of school administrators, teachers, court officials, police officers -- anyone who works with youth -- not necessarily being equipped to handle the challenges" faced by the teens in their care, he tells the newspaper. "It's much easier to punish the youth than to work with them and figure out why they may keep getting in fights and what is leading to this behavior."

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Vending Machines at School Impact Students' Nutrition, Study Says

Elizabeth Humphrey — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Research Reveals: Tweens, Research Reveals: Teens

Selections in school vending machines have a direct impact on whether a student's daily food intake is balanced, a new study shows. Credit: Paul J. Richards, AFP / Getty Images

The saying "you are what you eat" may need to be changed to "you are what you eat ... depending on what's in your school's vending machine."

Based on research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, students are more likely to get their required nutritional daily intake when a school offers healthy options in its vending machines. The study, which examined data from a 2005-2006 survey, was conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health.

Despite the legislative step Congress took this week to remove greasy fries and not-so-healthy alternatives from lunch menus, it doesn't look good for students who want to supplement healthy lunchroom meals with non-nutritional vending machine staples.

Looking at the daily habits of nearly 6,000 students, the study underscores the suggestion that vending machines offering chips, cookies and sugary-sweet drinks negatively impact the bodies of the school's student body.

Students in younger grades are particularly susceptible to the offerings and, research indicates, a student's overall daily dietary intake is directly impacted by the school's vending machine food choices. According to the research, schools with vending machines stocked with fruits or vegetables do more to improve students' nutritional intake versus the ones stocked with chips and cookies.

However, the researchers found more than 80 percent of 152 schools in the study had vending machines with choices of "minimal nutritional values." According to the report, schools play a major role in affecting a child's eating habits. While lunchroom meals are federally regulated, foods and beverages sold in vending machines have not had such oversight.

Vending machines are found in 97 percent of the nation's high schools and 82 percent of middle schools, according to the report. Other studies have also shown a correlation between the body mass index and school-wide practices, including a study cited in this report that found for "every additional unhealthy food practice that was permitted in the school, body mass index of the students increased by 10 percent."

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Maturity Plays Role In Talking to a Child about Death

Elizabeth Humphrey — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 19:52:00 EST

Filed under: Preschoolers, Big Kids, Tweens

Death can be hard to discuss with a child. Credit: Getty Images

No matter your religious beliefs, death is a subject that, at some point, a parent will need to discuss with a child.

Maturity plays a part in a child's understanding of death, and a few suggestions may make it easier to let a child know about the death of a friend, family member or even a family pet.

According to Earl A. Grollman in his book "Explaining Death to Children," because young children see their parents leave and return, they often may equate death with this temporary departure. Slightly older children, between the ages of 5 and 9, start understanding death better, but tend to deny it can happen to them or people they know. Whereas, after the age of 9, children have a much greater understanding of death and its permanence.

If someone close to the family dies, be prepared to share your grief with your children. A child should be made aware that death can make people sad. Death, however, is a subject that should be handled with truth. An untruth -- that a dead person is just in a deep sleep, for instance -- creates difficulties when a child tries to equate an everyday event, in this case, sleep, with the tragedy that has occurred.

If possible, try to bring a child to a graveyard to facilitate a discussion of life and death, or try to bring this sometimes taboo subject into regular conversation. Seeing a grave helps to explain the question children often ask: Where does someone go when they die?

Although one should openly discuss death, the cause may not be appropriate. While a young child may be brought to understand that a person is not returning, if that person has committed suicide or faced a violent death, the child need not be told all the details.

Some experts believe that children as young as 7 should be given the opportunity to attend funerals to become a part of the family's rituals of healing and mourning. If the child does not want to attend the funeral, perhaps visiting the funeral home with a caring, compassionate adult who is able to answer questions might provide a compromise. Or, as the child moves through the mourning process, arrange a visit to the deceased's favorite spot or the grave.

Discussing death with a child is important, as is ensuring that the child has an opportunity to ask questions. Children should be free to express emotions and crying, if necessary.

There are three phases of a child's grief: Protesting a person's death; despair or pain; and hope. Keep in mind that life and death are two certainties, which can be used to explain each other. However, if you -- or your child -- are having difficulties surrounding someone's death, seek out counseling services or pastoral care. Utilize services that will help you and your child comprehend death, which is one of the most difficult elements of life.

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Amazing Kids: Sweet Sisters Tend Honey Hives for Lives

Elizabeth Humphrey — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Amazing Kids

Carly and Molly Houlahan started Hives for Lives following their paternal grandfather's death from cancer. Credit: Hives for Lives

With a big assist from thousands of bees, two suburban Philadelphia sisters have created a super sweet business that has allowed them to donate more than $170,000 to help fund cancer research.

When Carly Houlahan was 5, and her sister, Molly Houlahan, was 7, the sisters started learning about bees and honey-making from their maternal grandparents and hobbyist beekeepers, Andrew and Susan Jampoler.

"They taught us all we know about bees," Carly, now 16, tells ParentDish in a phone interview.

In 2004, Mike Houlahan, the sisters' paternal grandfather, died at the age of 63 from cancer of the esophagus. Carly and Molly had just spent part of the summer with the Jampolers and, Carly says, they were discussing what to do about excess honey from a recent harvest. The girls decided to honor their grandfather's memory by selling the extra honey and donating the money.

After they watched their grandfather struggle with the disease, the sisters knew they wanted to fund cancer research, Molly, now 18, tells ParentDish during a phone from Yale University, where she is a first-year student.

In its six years, Hives for Lives (H4L), the company the girls started, has donated more than $170,000 to various cancer research organizations. H4L honey can be found on many Whole Foods grocery store shelves nationwide, and also is sold by H4L Helper Bees, the name given to youth who help H4L and whose lives may also have been impacted by cancer.

To keep up with the volume needed for H4L, the Jampoler-Houlahan honey is combined through partnerships with a Pennsylvania company, Dutch Gold, other beekeepers and honey wholesalers.

"We have 23 beehives of our own that we tend to," says Carly, a high school sophomore at the Agnes Irwin School in Philadelphia, who tends to H4L business on the weekends. Susan Jampoler, the sisters and Helper Bees tend to H4L and their own beehives located in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

"Originally, we were at a Whole Foods farmers' market down the street from us. Every Sunday, we would sell honey at the farmers' market," Molly says, adding that meeting Whole Foods staff at the market led to Hives for Lives honey appearing in nine of the national retailer's 11 regions.

As the honey business started to grow, the girls say they learned some important business lessons and had to determine their vision for the company's growth.

Molly laughs as she tells the story of meeting with her sister about H4L's expansion. Molly wanted to hire adults to help grow the business and Carly didn't. When the then 12-year-old Molly told her younger sister she was fired, their dad interceded and helped the girls negotiate.

"It's definitely a family business and our parents and grandparents really have given us a lot of advice along the way," Molly says. "I've learned about compromising and trying to come to terms and finding a middle ground."

The final outcome was a company expansion.

"But kids run the business," Molly says. The sisters decided to keep it personal, and H4L involves volunteer kids, from ages 4 to 18, every step of the way.

Two dozen kids run the H4L executive board. During production months, the volunteer numbers can balloon to upwards of 100 students.

"We're serious," Molly says of the work involved. "If you are the head of operations, we're not going to hold your hand."

She says adults often don't understand how capable and giving kids can be.

"They are donating time, effort, hearts and energy," Molly says. "No money, just totally because they want to."

And it helps to be able to socialize while volunteering, as well.

"Community service is not a punishment," Molly says. For example, if H4L had a booth at a fair, she would work an hour and get to ride the rides for an hour. A bottling event? Hold a barbecue and a pool party.

Molly says the sisters will find a way to hand off H4L to a younger generation when the time comes.

"This belongs to them," she says. "It would be a dishonor to everything we've done so far. Maybe we'll be on an executive board long-term."

Carly says running H4L has taught her a lot about business and entrepreneurship. However, tending bees also has sparked an interest in biology and science, which could lead her into the medical field, she says, adding that working to raise money to fund cancer research has opened up a whole new world.

"We've taken tours inside medical centers and it's amazing. That has sparked an interest in me. I would love to take an internship in some of these places. Hives for Lives has enriched my life," she tells ParentDish, minutes before running off to an after-school soccer practice.

The business also has helped perpetuate the memory of their late grandfather. Molly, who is planning to be a theater major at Yale, says that, through H4L, "he is alive to me."

Molly says she believes H4L has helped her figure out a "way to live my life" to get up every day and "make a difference and be a world citizen to help someone else." She says she hopes to find a way to mix theater with making a social impact.

The Houlahans have goals for the company, including appearing on "Oprah" and reaching $1 million in sales, Molly says. In the meantime, Molly says she is learning to cope with being away from home and the bees.

But she says, "It's never about us, it's about us trying to fix the world that we live in."

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10 Questions to Ask - or Avoid - at Your Next Parent-Teacher Conference

Elizabeth Humphrey — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Your Kids, Big Kids, Health & Safety: Big Kids, Development: Big Kids, Behavior: Big Kids, Nutrition: Big Kids, Education: Big Kids, Activities: Big Kids, Gear Guides: Big Kids, Research Reveals: Big Kids, Expert Advice: Big Kids, Education: Tweens, Education: Teens

Asking questions is the first step to better parent-teacher communication. Credit: Getty Images

Sweaty palms, cotton mouth, the fear of raising your hand ... if teachers and classroom settings made you nervous as a kid, the thought of your next parent-teacher conference might still cause anxiety. Take a deep breath. Knowing what to ask -- and which questions to avoid -- can help calm your fears.

In one of her more memorable fourth grade parent-teacher conferences, Lily Eskelsen, an elementary school teacher from Utah and vice president of the National Education Association, says a mother gave information and then asked questions.

Eskelsen says the mother explained that her child was a struggling reader, but an excellent artist.

"The mother asked 'Is there a way to use his strength in art to help in reading?' " Eskelsen tells ParentDish in a phone interview. "She saw the whole child: He needs extra help here, but how are we going to use that strength over here?"

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Simple Steps to Help With Homework

Elizabeth Humphrey — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST

Find a quiet spot for your child to do homework. Credit: Getty Images

As early as kindergarten, kids start bringing home worksheets, projects and other assignments. Homework quickly becomes a way of your child's school life, and, as a parent, there are steps you can take to help make learning at home fun and (at least sort of) enjoyable.

Select a space. Create a quiet, uncluttered area that can become a regular, but special, place for your kids to work. Organize pencils, crayons, scissors and other items that your child may need nearby. Often, children perform better when there is a consistent, established schedule. Determine a routine: Do you allow the kids to play before settling down at the books? Should you serve snacks before they break out their spelling lists?

Talk to the teacher. When homework starts trickling in, check with your child's teacher to confirm what help to offer. While you want to be helpful, keep from completing any assignments. Teachers assign homework to assess a child's level of understanding, as well as to give them extra practice.

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How to Volunteer at Your Child's School

Elizabeth Humphrey — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Work Life, Day Care & Education, Education: Big Kids, Education: Tweens

Some schools require parents to volunteer. Credit: Chris Hondros, Newsmakers / Getty Images

Parents offering their services in the classroom may not be a new idea, but things have changed since your mom joined the PTA.

Volunteering is now a requirement at some schools, but don't fret: There are painless and fun ways to volunteer, even if you missed signing up early during the back-to-school orientation.

Open the lines of communications. Call, e-mail or write a note to your child's teacher or an administrator to find out how you can best volunteer. While you might explain some of your talents at this time, you should definitely ask if your school has a volunteering requirement.

Attend the school's PTA meetings. If you still aren't sure where to share your time, going to these meetings shows your school support and lets you network with other parents while learning about the school's needs.

Take stock of your skills and what you might be able to offer the school. Can you help out in the computer lab or accompany classes on field trips? Can you design posters or newsletters? Are you a successful fundraiser ready to spearhead a drive for much-needed cash?

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Want to Change Your Child's Classroom? Talk to the Teacher First

Elizabeth Humphrey — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Education: Big Kids, Education: Tweens, Education: Teens

Your child might not like the teacher as much s the other kids, but is it time to move her to another classroom? Credit: Getty Images

"I don't want to be in this teacher's class this year." "I like my teacher from last year better -- why can't I have her again?" "But all my friends are in the other class." Are these common complaints heard in your household each new school year? Well, you may want to teach your kids a new refrain before insisting the school pull a switcheroo on any seating charts.

It seems like just when you get the hang of your child's homework and class party policies, it's time for summer vacation. And it's only natural to feel out of sorts the first couple of days or weeks of a new school year -- there is a lot to get used to, after all. But before you spend the second day of school lobbying for your daughter to be in the same class as her BFF, take some time to understand that the school has put some thought into where your child will succeed.

Moving a child around after starting with one teacher can cause disorder not only in your child's class, but in other classrooms in the school, as well.

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Back to School: Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids

Elizabeth Humphrey — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Big Kids, Tweens

Healthy lunches can be tasty, too! Credit: Craig Kohlruss, Fresno Bee / MCT

When it comes to healthy lunch ideas for kids, stick to the basics. Because, while the Internet may be full of lunch box suggestions, says Melinda Johnson, a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, "simple is usually better."

Johnson says you should get kids involved in the lunch-making process early on.

"Make a list of acceptable 'entrees,' 'veggies,' etc.," she says. At least three food groups should make the list and parents should keep any treats to a minimum. Remind your child to eat the entrees and vegetables before any candy or cookie treat.

Keep the healthy lunch list lively by adding new foods as your child learns about them or expresses interest in trying something new. Spend some time reviewing the list of foods together when meals seem to be getting old, boring or not eaten. Try introducing unusual vegetables such as jicama or edamame.

When you talk to your child about nutrition, Johnson suggests using the time to motivate them to make healthy choices.

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New Jersey Teen Creates Book Program for African Girls

Elizabeth Humphrey — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: In The News, Amazing Kids

Shannon McNamara, back row, far right, stands with some of the original 2008 SHARE girls from the Kiteyagwa Primary School in Bukoba, Tanzania, East Africa. Credit: Megan McNamara

Shannon McNamara's passion for books is being felt from New Jersey to Africa.

For several summers, McNamara, 17, and her family have volunteered to teach English to primary school children in Costa Rica, Guatemala, China and Peru. So, by the time McNamara arrived in Tanzania in 2008, volunteering in a foreign country was nothing new.

But the trip to East Africa coincided with McNamara's need to focus on earning a Girl Scout Gold Award, which encourages the development of a project that empowers others, creates change and fulfills a need in a community.

And that's when the Basking Ridge, N.J., teen decided to develop a reading program in Tanzania where she's able to spread her love of books and learning.

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