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Helping Your Child Learn Responsible Behavior

(with activities for children)

 

Contents

 

Introduction

What Do We Mean By Responsibility?

How Can Parents Encourage Responsible Behavior?

Activities

Getting to Know Others

Magic Words, Caring Deeds

Gifts From the Heart

Honesty, the Best Policy

There's a Monster in My Room!

Bully

Helping Out

A Job Well Done

Our Heroes!

OOPS!

Will You Be My Friend?

Share a Story

Parents and the Schools

Bibliography

Acknowledgments

 

 

Introduction

 

Our children deserve to learn important lessons from us

and to acquire important habits with our help. They need help

in learning what matters to us. We want our children to grow up

to be responsible adults. We want them to learn to feel, think,

and act with respect for themselves and for other people. We

want them to pursue their own well-being, while also being

considerate of the needs and feelings of others.

Today, there is wide recognition that many of our children

are not learning to act responsibly while they are young.

Studies show that many children see nothing wrong with cheating

on tests. Some see nothing wrong with taking things that don't

belong to

If proper attitudes and behavior are not learned early,

problems can mushroom with even worse consequences when

children are older. As crime has increased, teen-age offenders

have shown less and less feeling for their victims. But even

for the youngsters who will never commit a crime, it is better

to learn responsibility when they are young, rather than when

they are older and they have to change bad habits.

 

 

This booklet focuses on practical suggestions for helping

young children appreciate the importance of acting responsibly

in their everyday lives. Further, it provides ideas on how to

help them make responsible choices, and stick with them, even

when doing so is hard and the material rewards are few.

Many parents will also want to share with their children

deeply held religious and moral convictions as a foundation for

ethical behavior. This booklet discusses habits of fairness,

respect, courage, honesty, and compassion that responsible

people share, and it can be used by parents with different

beliefs.

As parents, we can give our children the best in us by

helping them acquire habits and character traits that they can

rely on in their own lives. If we help them lean to take

pleasure in thinking and behaving well, they will have the best

chance to lead good lives as individuals and as citizens in the

community. This will be true no matter what unpleasant

situations or bad influences they come across.

 

 

What Do We Mean by Responsibility?

 

None of us is born acting responsibly. A responsible

character is formed over time. It is made up of our outlook and

daily habits associated with feelings, thoughts, and actions.

Responsible people act the way they should whether or not

anyone is watching. They do so because they understand that

it's fight and because they have the courage and self-control

to act decently, even when tempted to do otherwise.

We want our children to appreciate the importance of being

responsible. We also want them to develop the habits and

strength to act this way in their everyday lives. Learning to

be responsible includes learning to

* respect and show compassion for others;

* practice honesty as a matter of course;

* show courage in standing up for our principles;

* develop self-control in acting on our principles;

* maintain self-respect.

 

 

Respect and Compassion for Others

 

As part of bring responsible, children need to respect and

show concern for the well-being of other people. Respect ranges

from using basic manners to having compassion for the suffering

of others. Compassion is developed by trying to see things from

the point of view of others, and learning that their feelings

resemble our own.

 

 

Daddy, why was Grandma crying?

She is very sad. One of her closest friends just died.

Come and sit with me. Do you remember how you felt when your

gerbil, Whiskers, died?

I felt sad and lonely.

I'm sure Grandma feels that way, too. Maybe you can think

of a way to help her.

I could give her a hug...

That's a great idea! I'm really glad you thought of it.

Respect for others also includes the habit of treating

people fairly as individuals, regardless of race, sex, or

ethnic group. As we mature, respect includes realizing that not

all our obligations to others, such as caring for a family

member who is sick, are chosen freely. And it includes

tolerance for people who do not share our beliefs or likes or

dislikes, as long as they do not harm others.

These habits are especially important because many of the

wrongs people commit result from indifference to the suffering

they cause.

 

Honesty

 

Honesty means telling the truth. It means not misleading

others for our own benefit. It also means trying to make

decisions, especially important ones, on the basis of evidence

rather than prejudice. Honesty includes dealing with other

people and being honest with ourselves.

To understand the importance of being truthful to others,

our children need to learn that living together depends on

trust. Without honesty, trusting each other becomes impossible.

Honesty with ourselves involves faring up to our own

mistakes and biases, even when we have to admit them to others.

It includes self-criticism. The point is to learn from our

errors and to do our best to correct them, not to dwell on

them.

 

Courage

 

Courage is taking a position and doing what is right, even

at the risk of some loss. It means being neither reckless nor

cowardly, but faring up to our duties. It includes physical

courage, intellectual courage to make decisions on the basis of

evidence, and moral courage to stand up for our principles.

Courage does not mean never bring afraid. It can involve

trying to overcome our fears, such as a fear of the dark. But

our children also need to lean that sometimes it is all right

to be afraid.

 

 

Daddy, a man showed us money by the school playground

today.

What did you do?

We ran for the teacher.

Why did you do that?

We were scared. You and Mommy and our teacher Mrs. Jones

said never take anything from grownups we don't know. Run away.

Go and tell somebody we know.

Good for you. It was right to be scared. Lots of people

are nice, but some are very mean. They can hurt you. The mean

ones sometimes try to fool people by pretending to be nice.

Now, tell me, what did the man look like?

Courage becomes especially important by the time children

become teenagers. They often have to stand up against peer

pressure to do the wrong thing, such as using drugs.

 

Self-Control

 

Self-control is the ability to resist inappropriate

behavior in order to act responsibly. It relates to all of the

different aspects of responsibility mentioned so far, including

respect and compassion for others, honesty, and courage. It

involves persistence and sticking to long-term commitments. It

also includes dealing effectively with emotions, such as anger,

and developing patience.

 

 

Self-Respect

 

People with self-respect take satisfaction in appropriate

behavior and hard-won accomplishments. They don't need to put

others down or have a lot of money in order to respect

themselves. People who respect themselves also view

selfishness, loss of self-control, recklessness, cowardice, and

dishonesty as wrong and unworthy of them. As they mature, if

they have learned the lessons of responsibility, they will

develop a good conscience to guide them.

In addition, people who respect themselves respect their

own health and safety. Similarly, they are unwilling to be

manipulated by others. Patience or tolerance does not mean

allowing others to mistreat us.

While we help children have high standards for themselves,

we also need to let them know that failure is no embarrassment

when we have done our best. For example, losing a game when we

have played our best, and our opponents have simply played

better, is no disgrace.

 

How Can Parents Encourage Responsible Behavior?

 

Everyday Experiences

 

Especially when they are young, children learn best about

responsibility in concrete situations. What they do and what

they witness have lasting effects. Most of the activities

described in this book are for you and your child.

We are always teaching our children something by our words

and actions. They learn from seeing. They learn from hearing.

They learn from overhearing. They learn from us, from each

other, from other adults, and by themselves.

All of us acquire habits by doing things over and over

again, whether in learning to play a musical instrument, to

pick up after ourselves, to play games and sports, or to share

with others. The best way to encourage our children to become

responsible is to act as responsibly as we can in their

presence. We must genuinely try to be the sort of people we

hope they will try to become.

We can show them by our words and by our actions that we

respect others. We can show them our compassion and concern

when others are suffering. They need to see our own

self-control, courage, and honesty. They need to learn that we

treat ourselves, as well as others, with respect, and that we

always try to do our best. As they grow older, they should have

the chance to learn why we live as we do.

 

 

Daddy, why are you leaving that note on the garbage can?

There is broken glass inside, Matthew, and I don't want

the garbage collectors to get hurt because of me. I am warning

them about the glass.

Are they your friends?

No. I don't know them.

But you don't want them to get hurt...

As our children watch us daily, as we talk to them,

encouraging their questions and trying to answer them

thoughtfully, they begin to understand us--and we begin to

understand them. Understanding each other well is the best way

to teach our children respect for our ideals of good character.

 

 

Using Literature and Stories

 

Children learn about responsibility through many

activities, including reading stories. They learn by

identifying with individual characters or because the message

from a favorite story strikes a particular chord. Children can

be touched deeply by good literature, and they may ask to have

things read to them again and again.

Children can learn all sorts of lessons from stories.

They might learn about courage by reading about David standing

up to Goliath. Or they might learn the value of persistence

and effort from The Little Engine That Could.

When they are older, reading can help prepare children for

the realities and responsibilities of adulthood. It is usually

better for children to read a good book about such things as

war, oppression, suicide, or deadly disease before seeing these

things up close.

When our children grow up they often remember stories that

were told to them by family members when they were young. When

we tell stories to our children, we should remember old

favorites of ours, like The Three Little Pigs, not leaving out

a single time the wolf says, "I'LL HUFF, and I'LL PUFF, and

I'LL BLOW YOUR HOUSE IN!"

 

Developing Judgment and Thoughtfulness

 

Judgment on ethical issues is a practical matter. Children

develop their capacity for judging what is a responsible act,

just as they come to appreciate the meaning of responsibility,

through practice. Especially when they are young, children need

to see moral questions in terms that are meaningful to them.

We can also help our children develop good judgment by

talking through complicated situations with them. One way is to

help them understand the long-term consequences of different

choices. If they tell us about a story they have read, we might

ask them to imagine what the result might have been if a

favorite character had acted differently.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to know the difference

between acting bravely and acting recklessly or how to balance

duties when they conflict. As parents, we can help by making it

clear, through what we do as well as what we say, that it is

important in such situations to think carefully and honestly

about what should be done, as well as to keep in mind how

others will be affected by what we do.

Your child's ability to reason about different issues,

including ethical ones, will improve as your child matures.

Just as reasoning can lead to a more thoughtful understanding

of responsibility, or what actions to take in complicated

situations, it may also become easier to rationalize selfish or

reckless behavior. But if you have helped your young child

develop strong habits of considering the welfare of others,

honesty, courage, and admiration for worthy accomplishments,

your child will have a solid foundation on which to build.

 

 

 

 

Activities

 

As parents, sometimes we think that we must set aside

particular times or create special situations in order to teach

our children. But that is far from the truth when it comes to

learning about responsibility. While it is important to have

some times together when you won't be disturbed, the most

ordinary situations in everyday life are filled with

opportunities for sound teaching, if parents pay attention to

them.

This booklet contains activities to encourage habits of

responsibility in your child. Most of them are not, however,

the kind of activities that you can do together for half an

hour once a week. Instead, they are more like rules of thumb,

ideas to build on. They illustrate the concepts introduced in

the previous sections. They should stimulate your own thinking

and your own ideas.

Just remember one thing: teaching our children about

responsibility doesn't mean that we can't laugh or that we have

to be grim. Our children should see that we can be serious

about our principles, while still being able to play and have

fun.

 

 

Dad, can I show you what we did in ballet class today?

Sure.

It was hard. We had to get way up on our toes and then

twirl around like this.

Great. Let me try it. . .oops! Now, what's so funny about

that? Well, OK. I guess we aren't all as graceful as you are.

 

Getting To Know Others

 

Children need to be shown and taught respect for others.

Other people have feelings and hopes, just as we do. We have

much to learn from each other from people who live far away and

from those who lived long ago.

 

What to do

 

1. Set a good example by acting respectfully toward others.

Always make clear that prejudice is wrong and that all of

us are equals, no matter our color, gender, or background.

 

2. Show an interest in learning about and from others--from

neighbors and relatives, and from books about our own and

other civilizations. Tell your child interesting things

you have learned.

 

 

 

3. Encourage your child to learn about many different lands

and people, to learn more than one language, and to read

stories about children from all over the world. Show your

child how you try to see things from the point of view of

others.

4. Listen attentively when your child wants to tell you about

interesting things discovered about history, geography,

religions, art, and ways of life.

 

 

We can help our children understand that there are often

things to learn from those who lived in the past and from those

whose lives are different from our own. We can teach our

children to behave respectfully toward people and not pre-judge

them. Sometimes, however, we must make it clear that some

people behave in ways that are harmful, and such behavior

should not be tolerated.

 

 

 

Magic Words, Caring Deeds

 

The magic words are "please" and "thank you." There are

other manners we are constantly teaching our children as well.

 

What you'll need

Chairs

Table

Paper Pen

Crayons, markers

Plates, cups, forks, spoons

 

What to do

 

1. Show your children the manners you expect at home first.

The next time you eat dinner together, have the children

pretend they are eating in a restaurant. How should they

talk to each other? What should they say when the waiter

brings their food? Or have the children pretend they are

riding in a bus. What should they do if the bus stops

suddenly and they bump into someone? How should they carry

a large package on the bus?

2. The next time your children mention something nice that

another person did for them, suggest they write a thank

you note. It doesn't have to have a lot of words. It can

have pictures as well.

3. You, too, can write short notes to your child to indicate

your appreciation for something done right.

 

 

 

 

Children need to learn that little signs of appreciation

can be very important to other people. And manners are a part

of respecting and caring for the feelings of others. If we turn

the chore of learning manners into a game, children will get

the practice they need without embarrassing us or themselves.

As you teach the importance of manners, you may need to be

honest about what your child can expect form others.

Mom, why do you make such a fuss when I chew with my mouth

open?

Because it's ugly for other people to see. Good manners

show respect for other people.

What's respect?

It means caring how other people feel.

If I care about them, will they care about me?

Not always, Paul. Some people don't care and never will,

no matter how kind we are to them. But in our family, we do

care.

 

Gifts From the Heart

 

Have your child give a gift of himself at the next holiday

or any time he wants to do something nice for someone else.

 

What you'll need

 

Crayons, pencils, paints, or other art supplies

Paper

Packaging from around the house

Your child's special gift

 

 

What To Do

 

1. Talk to your child about gift giving. What does it mean to

give something to someone else?

2. Instead of buying a gift, have your child make a gift.

Does your child have a special talent? Maybe your child

would like to sing or write a song for a relative? Is

there a chore your child could do? Maybe wash the dishes

for a week. Is there a special toy that could be loaned to

a sister or brother for a week?

3. Use materials from around the house so that little, if

any, money is spent.

4. If the gift is an activity or chore, have your child

make a card with a note on it, telling what the gift will

be.

5. Have your child use imagination in making an inviting

package. Perhaps your child could paint a small rock and

wrap it in a big box. Or make an envelope out of the

comics from the Sunday newspaper.

 

 

 

 

Most young children don't have money to buy a gift for a

friend or relative. You can teach your child that a gift that

shows effort and attention can mean more than a gift from the

store.

 

Honesty, the Best Policy

 

Children need to learn that benefiting from manipulating

or lying to others is dishonest and unworthy of them.

 

 

What to do

 

1. Tell the story about the boy who cried "Wolf!" so many

times to get attention that when the wolf finally came, no

one believed him.

2. Ask your child if anyone has ever lied to her. How did

that make her feel?

3. Be careful to follow through on things you say to your

child. Commitments that may seem minor to you can mean a

lot to your child. Make promises and keep them.

 

 

Our children need to learn about the importance of

trusting each other in our everyday lives. Without honesty,

trust becomes impossible.

 

There's A Monster In My Room

 

 

Sometimes our children have needless fears that we can

help them overcome.

 

What to do

 

1. Listen when your child mentions a fear, even if it sounds

silly to you.

2. With your child, come up with a plan for facing up to the

fear.

3. Go through the plan together. Let your child take the step

that confronts the fear, although it may be helpful for

you to be there.

 

 

Children should learn not to allow others to mistreat

them. At the same time, we want them to learn how to reach

understandings peacefully, whenever possible.

 

Bully

 

Children should learn not to allow others to mistreat

them. At the same time, we want them to learn how to reach

understandings peacefully, whenever possible.

 

 

 

What to do

1. Listen to your child and find out if others are not

treating your child as they should. This will encourage

your child to trust you and come to you when there is a

problem.

2. Help your child consider various ways of dealing with a

particular problem.

3. If the problem is the way another child is behaving,

suggest working out the problem by talking with the other

child, or a responsible adult.

4. If the problem is another adult, however, or if your child

is seriously threatened by other children, you will need

to intervene directly.

 

 

A part of self-respect is not tolerating mistreatment by

others. Finding appropriate ways to deal with unpleasant

behavior by others is an important, if sometimes difficult,

part of growing up.

 

Helping Out

 

Our children need to learn that as they get older and can

contribute more, more will be expected of them.

 

What to do

 

 

1. As your child matures, consider additional ways your child

can contribute to the household.

2. Discuss the new duties with your child. Avoid describing

them in ways that seem like a punishment. Instead, you can

imply that they require a new level of ability, which your

child now possesses.

3. With younger children, it helps sometimes if you do the

chores together and talk or make it fun. But don't do your

child's work!

4. If possible, new tasks should stretch a child's abilities

and encourage satisfaction in good work. Praise something

done well, especially a new challenge.

 

 

Doing chores is a useful way to learn persistence and to

learn that when we live up to our responsibilities we enable

others to trust and rely on us.

 

A Job Well Done

 

We need to show our children that we take satisfaction in

acting properly and accomplishing difficult tasks.

 

What to do

 

 

1. Through your daily activities, show your children that you

care about a job well done.

2. Perhaps our children's most important tasks are to work

hard at school and do homework. When we check homework and

point out mistakes, we help them see how an error has

arisen. When we let them correct errors themselves, we

inspire self-confidence. It is also important for us to

show them that we appreciate their good efforts.

3. Teaching our children self-respect does not mean

complimenting everything they do. Our children also need

our honest criticism from time to time. When we do

criticize, it should be of things they have done, not them

personally.

4. Most of all, we should help our children form the

self-confidence and self-respect that come from

opportunities to do good work as students or as family

members.

 

 

 

 

Helping our children form self-respect is based on how we

treat them and our own example.

There are many opportunities to teach self-respect through

our actions:

Dad, nobody's going to see inside the model's wing. Why do

you work so hard with all those little pieces?

Because that's the right way to build the plane, Martha.

It makes the wing strong when the plane flies, and that's more

important than what people see. I want to make the best plane I

can. Do you want to help?

 

Our Heroes

 

Many children love to look at portraits or photographs,

especially if you can tell them stories about the people in the

pictures.

 

What you'll need

 

Family photo album (or a box or bag of pictures you've

been meaning to put in an album)

Portraits of impressive individuals from books or from

history

 

 

What to do

 

1. Select a photo of a person in your family with an

impressive quality or accomplishment. Tell your child

about the person and about what the person did. Perhaps

your grandparents had the courage to immigrate from

another country or your parents sacrificed in order to

support you in school. Talk about the results of these

actions.

2. Collect photographs from newspapers or magazines about

impressive people in your community. With your child, talk

about their actions that merit admiration or praise.

 

 

3. In addition to relatives or others, you may want to

display portraits of other people who deserve our

admiration and respect. A picture of Anne Frank, a young

girl who wrote a diary while she and her family lived in

hiding from Nazi Germans and who died in a concentration

camp, can inspire conversation about courage and

compassion for others. A portrait of Martin Luther King, a

great civil rights leader who believed in nonviolent

change, can lead to discussions of great accomplishment

despite prejudice. Choose people whom you admire and feel

comfortable talking to your child about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By stories we tell about the people we admire, we can

inspire children and remind them of those qualities we think

are important.

 

Oops!

 

Sometimes, as parents, we don't act the way we should in

front of our children.

 

What to do

 

 

 

1. Try to be honest with yourself and your child if you find

that you've done something that sets a bad example.

Sometimes we need to think a little about an event to

realize that we've done something inappropriate.

2. If your child has observed your behavior, it's especially

important that you be honest. A simple statement is

appropriate in most cases; there is no need to turn your

admission into a major event.

3. Follow up with an apology to anyone you have treated badly

and, if possible, by making up for what you have done.

 

 

It's important that our children, especially older ones,

see that we face up to our own mistakes.

 

Will You Be My Friend

 

Our children need to learn to choose their friends wisely.

 

What to do

 

 

1. Talk to your child about what is important in a friend. In

addition to bring fun, what other qualities are important?

What about honesty, dependability, a real interest in your

child's welfare?

2. Talk to your child about the type of friends to avoid. Ask

if your child can remember a friend who couldn't be

counted on.

 

 

Our children should learn that it is important to choose

friends and companions who care about others and act

responsibly.

 

Share a Story

 

One important way parents can help their children learn

respect for others, self-control, or other aspects of

responsibility is through the use of fables or stories. You can

read to your child, you can read with your child, and you can

encourage your child to read on his own.

 

What you'll need.

Good stories, either from books such as those listed in the

back of this book or from your own experiences

 

 

What to do.

1. Turn off the TV or other distractions.

2. Find stories that exemplify important aspects of character

and that your child might enjoy.

3. Talk to your child about the behavior of different

characters in the story. Ask your child how some of the

behavior might apply to your own lives.

4. Share some stories or books that you have found meaningful

with your child. (It is important for your child to see

you reading and enjoying stories as well.)

5. Come up with your own stories. These can be family

stories, such as baby stories (when your child was

little...) that can become a part of your child's personal

history.

 

 

 

 

Stories can be good ways to learn important lessons. Your

child can identify with characters in meaningful situations

without your having to lecture.

 

Parents and the Schools

 

Parents need to work with teachers and other parents to

ensure that children are brought up well. An African proverb

says, "It takes an entire village to raise one child." It is

important for parents and other adults to cooperate in order to

have common goals for them. Close communication is essential.

Parents can visit with teachers to discuss ways they and

the school can reinforce the same lessons about good character.

Children are less likely to do much homework, for example, if

parents let them watch television for hours.

 

 

Parents can learn from teachers what their children are

studying and what interests them. A teacher or school librarian

can provide good ideas for activities to do at home.

Parents can cooperate with each other, too. They can agree

on standards of supervision at parties and on entertainment.

Some parents may be free to escort children to museums,

libraries, athletic events, and extracurricular school

activities, when others are not. Taking turns can provide

better opportunities for all the children.

 

Bibliography

 

Introduction

 

Reading to and reading with children can help them learn

responsible behavior. Finding good books, however, requires

time and thought. Librarians and teachers can offer valuable

assistance.

This section is divided into three lists: Beginning (ages

1-6); Intermediate (ages 6-9); and Advanced (ages 9 and up).

The age levels overlap and are only rough guides. Please note

that some entries have annotations identifying specific habits

of character such as courage, self-control, and responsibility.

Art and music also can enrich the lives of parents and

children. Parents and children can enjoy the illustrations in

many of the books listed here. They can find inspiration in the

music on carefully chosen records, tapes, and CDs. Audio

recordings of the spoken word also can fascinate children and

include many dramatic readings, fairy tales, and even whimsy.

Magazines, encyclopedias, and a few movies are recommended as

well. Films can supplement lessons about responsibility found

in the many books listed below.

 

Beginning Ages

 

Aladdin. Retold by Andrew Lang. Illustrated by Errol Le Cain.

New York: Puffin, 1983. [Courage]

All Night, All Day: A Child's First Book of African-American

Spirituals. Selected and illustrated by Ashley Bryan. New York:

Atheneum, 1991.

Andersen, Hans Christian. The Emperor's New Clothes.

Illustrated by Anne Rockwell. New York: HarperCollins, 1982.

[Honesty]

Atwater, Richard & Florence. Mr. Popper's Penguins. Illustrated

by Robert Lawson. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1938. [Kindness;

Humor; Imagination]

Barrett, Judi. Animals Should Definitely Not Act Like People.

Illustrated by Ron Baffet. New York: Aladdin, 1988.

[Self-Control]

Baylor, Byrd. I'm in Charge of Celebrations. Illustrated by

Peter Parnall. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1986. [Respect

for Home and the Natural World; Imagination]

Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline & the Bad Hat. New York: Puffin,

1977. [Humor]

Brott, Ardyth. Jeremy's Decision. Illustrated by Michael

Martchenko. New York: Kane-Miller, 1990.

Burleigh, Bob. Flight. Illustrated by Mike Wimmer. New York:

Putnam, 1991. [Courage; Aspirational]

Burton, Virginia L. Choo Choo: The Story of a Little Engine Who

Ran Away. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1988.

______. Katy & the Big Snow. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,

1971. [Perseverance]

______. Little House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1978.

______. Mike Mulligan & His Steam Shovel. Boston: Houghton

Mifflin Co., 1987.

Caseley, Judith. Dear Annie. New York: Greenwillow, 1991.

Childcraft. The How & Why Library. 15 Volumes. Chicago: World

Book, 1991. [For ages 4-10, fine illustrations. Volumes 1-3

contain literature from all ages and around the world. Volumes

4-14 teach children about living things, machines, the world

and its people, and about themselves. Volume 15 is for

parents.]

Cleary, Beverly. Henry Huggins series. Various editions.

______. Ramona series. Various editions.

Climo, Shirley. The Cobweb Christmas. Illustrated by Joe

Lasker. New York: HarperCollins, 1982. [Kindness]

Cooney, Barbara. Miss Rumphius. New York: Viking, 1982.

De Brunhoff, Jean. The Story Babar. New York: Dragonfly Books,

1989.

Demi. The Empty Pot. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1990.

[Honesty]

De Paola, Tomie. The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard &

Her Dog. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1981.

Dr. Seuss. Horton Hatches the Egg. New York: Random House,

1940. [Dependability]

Dorros, Arthur. Abuela. New York: Dutton, 1991. [Family

Commitment]

Eastman, P. D. Are You My Mother? New York: Random House, 1986.

[Family Commitment]

Family Pictures--Cuadros de Familia. Illustrated by Carmen L

Garza. San Francisco: Children's Book Press, 1990. [Family

Commitment]

Flack, Marjorie. The Story About Ping. Illustrated by Kurt

Wiese. New York: Puffin, 1977.

Fox, Mem. Koala Lou. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,

1989.

______. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Illustrated by Julie

Vivas. New York: Kane-Miller, 1985.[Kindness; Helping Each

Other; Friendship; Careful Thinking]

Freedman, Florence B. Brothers. New York: HarperCollins, 1985.

[Family Commitment; Religious Faith]

Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats. New York: Coward, 1977.

Galdone, Paul. The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Boston: Clarion,

1981.

Gantschev, Ivan. The Christmas Train. Boston: Little, Brown &

Co., 1984. [Courage; Careful

Garfield, Leon. Fair's Fair. Illustrated by S.D. Schindler. New

York: Doubleday, 1983. [Friendship]

Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love: And Other Love Poems.

Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon. New York: HarperCollins,

1978. Includes a poem about Harriet Tubman.

Griffith, Helen V. Grandaddy's Place. Illustrated by James

Stevenson. New York: Greenwillow, 1987. [Family Commitment;

Respect for Home and the Natural World]

Grimm's Fairy Tales. Various editions. Includes "The Brave

Little Tailor"; "The Bremen Town Musicians"; "Cinderella"; "The

Elves & the Shoemaker"; "The Fisherman & His Wife"; "Hansel &

Gretel"; "Rapunzel"; "The Sleeping Beauty"; "Snow White & Rose

Red"; "Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs"; "The Twelve Dancing

Princesses"; and others.

Hendershot, Judith. In Coal Country. Illustrated by Thomas B.

Allen. New York: Knopf, 1987. [Work Well Done; Family

Commitment]

Henkes, Kevin. Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow, 1991.

[Courage; Self-Respect]

Hoban, Russell. A Baby Sister for Frances. Illustrated by

Lillian Hoban. New York: HarperCollins, 1976. [Love]

Hoffman, Mary. Amazing Grace. New York: Dial Books for Young

Readers, 1991.

The Hole in the Dike. Retold by Norma Green. Illustrated by

Eric Carle. New York: Crowell, 1975. [Courage; Perseverance]

Howard, Elizabeth F. Chita's Christmas Tree. Illustrated by

Floyd Cooper. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1989.

Jakes, John. Susanna of the Alamo: A True Story. San Diego:

Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1986. [Courage]

Joosse, Barbara M. Mama, Do You Love Me? Illustrated by Barbara

Lavallee. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1991.

Keats, Ezra J. The Snowy Day. New York: Puffin, 1976.

Lasky, Kathryn. Sea Swan. Illustrated by Catherine Stock. New

York: Macmillan Child Group, 1988. [Aspiration]

Leprince de Beaumont, Marie. Beauty & the Beast. Various

editions.

Lester, Helen. The Wizard, the Fairy, & the Magic Chicken.

Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,

1988. [Friendship]

Lionni, Leo. A Color of His Own. New York: Pantheon, 1976.

______. It's Mine. New York: Knopf, 1986.

______. Nicolas, Where Have You Been? New York: Knopf, 1987.

______. Swimmy. New York: Pantheon, 1968.

Lobel, Arnold. Fables. New York: HarperCollins, 1980.

______. Frog & Toad Are Friends. New York: HarperCollins, 1970.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Hiawatha. Illustrated by Susan

Jeffers. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1983.

Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China. Translated &

Illustrated by Ed Young. New York: Putnam, 1989. [Careful

Thinking Humor; Courage]

Luttrell, Ida. Three Good Blankets. Illustrated by Michael

McDermott. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1990. [Kindness;

Helping Each Other]

MacDonald, Betty. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. Illustrated by Hilary

Knight. New York: HarperCollins, 1957.

Martin, Bill, Jr. & John Archambault. Knots on a Counting Rope.

Illustrated by Ted Rand. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1987.

[Courage; Family Commitment]

McCloskey, Robert. Blueberries for Sal. New York: Puffin, 1989.

______. Make Way for Ducklings. New York: Puffin, 1991.

McGuire, Leslie. Baby Night Owl. Illustrated by Mary Szilagyi.

New York: Random House, 1989.

McKissack, Patricia C. Flossie & the Fox. Illustrated by Rachel

Isadora. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1986.

[Self-Reliance; Self-Knowledge; Careful Thinking; Humor]

______. Lost! Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1990.

McQueen, Lucinda. Little Red Hen. New York: Scholastic, 1985.

Miles, Miska. Annie & the Old One. Illustrated by Peter

Parnall. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1972. [Family Commitment;

Respect for Home and the Natural World]

Milhous, Katherine & Alice Dalgliesh. The Turnip: An Old

Russian Folktale. Illustrated by Pierr Morgan. New York:

Putnam, 1990. [Cooperation]

Milne, A. A. Winnie-the-Pooh. Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard.

New York: Dutton, 1988. [Friendship; Helping Each Other; Humor]

Mosel, Arlene. Tikki Tikki Tembo. Illustrated by Blair Lent.

New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1968. [Humor, Family Commitment]

Mother Goose. Various editions, for example:

The Just Right Mother Goose. Selected and illustrated by

Arnold Lobel.

Mother Goose. Selected and illustrated by Tomie De Paola.

The Real Mother Goose. Selected and illustrated by Blanche

F. Wright. Lakewood, Ohio: Smarty Pants.

Murphy, Jill. Five Minutes' Peace. New York: Putnam, 1989.

[Generous Understanding]

Olson, Arielle N. The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter. Illustrated

by Elaine Wentworth. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1987.

[Courage; Unselfishness; Dependability; Responsibility]

Piper, Watty. The Little Engine That Could. Various editions.

Polacco, Patricia. Babushka's Doll. New York: Simon & Schuster,

1990.

______. Chicken Sunday. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991.

[Family Commitment]

Porter, Sue. Little Wolf & the Giant. New York: Simon &

Schuster, 1990.

Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. London: Warne, 1902.

Rey, H. A. Curious George. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1973.

Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. New York: Crown Publishers Inc.,

1991. [Self-Reliance; Concern for Others]

Rylant, Cynthia. When I Was Young in the Mountains. Illustrated

by Diane Goode. New York: Dutton, 1985.

San Souci, Robert D. The Talking Eggs. Illustrated by Jerry

Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1989.

Scarry, Richard. What Do People Do All Day? New York: Random

House, 1968.

Schindel, John. Who Are You? Illustrated by James Watts. New

York: Macmillan Child Group, 1991. [Family Commitment; Concern

for Others; Humor]

Schwartz, David. Supergrandpa. New York: Lothrop, 1991.

Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. New York:

HarperCollins, 1988.

Singer, Isaac Bashevis. Why Noah Chose the Dove. Illustrated by

Eric Carle. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1974.

[Dependability; Justice]

Steig, William. Brave Irene. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux,

1986. [Perseverance; Courage]

______. Sylvester & the Magic Pebble. New York: Simon &

Schuster, 1988.

Steptoe, John. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale.

New York: Lothrop, 1987. [Kindness; Helping Each Other;

Justice]

Stevenson, Robert Louis. A Child's Garden of Verses. Various

editions.

Thayer, Ernest L. Casey at the Bat. Illustrated by Wallace

Tripp. New York: Putnam, 1980. [Self-Knowledge; Humor]

Watson, Jane W., et al. Sometimes I Get Angry. Illustrated by

Irene Trivas. New York: Crown, 1986.

Williams, Vera B. Cherries & Cherry Pits. New York:

Greenwillow, 1986. [Careful Thinking; Imagination; Kindness;

Helping Each Other]

______. More More More, Said the Baby. New York: Greenwillow,

1990.

Yashima, Taro. Crow Boy. New York: Viking, 1955.

[Responsibility; Self-Control]

Zemach, Margot. It Could Always Be Worse. New York: Farrar,

Straus & Giroux, 1990.

 

Intermediate

 

Ages 6-9

 

Aesop's Fables. Various editions. [Careful Thinking; Work Well

Done]

& the Pea"; "Thumbelina"; "The Little Mermaid"; "The Steadfast

Tin Soldier"; "The Ugly Duckling";"The Red Shoes"; "The Little

Match Girl"; "The Marsh King's Daughter."

______. Snow Queen. Illustrated by Susan Jeffers. New York:

Dial Books for Young Readers, 1989.

Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting. New York: Farrar, Straus &

Giroux, 1975. [Self-Respect; Careful Thinking; Generous

Understanding]

Barbour, Karen. Mr. Bow Tie. San Diego: Harcourt Brace

Jovanovich, 1991. [Generous Understanding; Compassion]

Blos, Joan W. A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's

Journal, 1830-32. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1979.

[Family Commitment; Friendship; Perserverance; Humor]

Blume, Judy. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Illustrated by

Roy Doty. New York: Dutton, 1972. [Family Commitment; Humor]

Bond, Carol Taylor. A Book of Famous Black Americans.

Illustrated by Joyce Beecher King With bibliography and

activities. Livonia, Michigan: Partner Press, 1989. Includes

Marian Anderson, Jesse Owens, Guion S. Bluford, Sojourner

Truth, Booker T. Washington, Althea Gibson, Martin Luther King,

Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Wilma Rudolph, George Washington

Carver, Phillis Wheatley, Shirley Chisholm, Ralph Bunche,

Jackie Robinson, Louis Armstrong.

Brink, Carol R. Caddie Woodlawn. Illustrated by Trina Schart

Hyman. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1973. [Family

Commitment; Respect for Home and the Natural World; Humor]

Burnett, Frances Hodgson. Little Lord Fauntleroy, New York:

Dell, 1986. [Generous Understanding; Justice]

______. The Secret Garden. Various editions. [Self-Knowledge;

Generous Understanding; Respect for Home and the Natural World]

Burnford, Sheila. The Incredible Journey. Illustrated by Carl

Burger. New York:bantam, 1990. [Perseverance; Friendship;

Self-Reliance; Courage]

Chaikin, Miriam. Exodus. Illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak. New

York: Holiday House, 1987.

Cleary, Beverly. Dear Mr. Henshaw. Illustrated by Paul O.

Zelinsky. New York: Dell, 1984. [Divorce]

Cohen, Barbara. Thank You, Jackie Robinson. Illustrated by

Richard Cuffari. New York: Lothrop, 1988.

Conrad, Pam. Pedro's Journal. A Voyage with Christopher

Columbus. Philadelphia: Boyds Mills Press, 1991. [Courage;

Self-Reliance; Work Well Done]

Dahl, Ronald. James & the Giant Peach. Illustrated by Nancy E.

Burkert. New York: Knopf, 1962.

Dalgliesh, Alice. The Courage of Sarah Noble. Illustrated by

Leonard Weisgard. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1986.

[Courage; Respect for Home and the Natural World]

D'Aulaire, Ingri & Edgar P. D'Aulaire. Book of Greek Myths. New

York: Doubleday, 1980.

DeJong, Meindert. The House of Sixty Fathers. Illustrated by

Maurice Sendak. New York: HarperCollins, 1987. [Kindness;

Helping Each Other; Courage; Family Commitment]

______. Wheel on the School. Various editions.

De Paola, Tomie. Bonjour, Mister Satie. New York: Putnam, 1991.

Du Bois, William P. The Twenty-One Balloons. New York: Puffin,

1986. [Courage]

Estes, Eleanor. The Hundred Dresses. Illustrated by Louis

Slobodkin. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974.

[Imagination; Courage]

Farley, Walter. The Black Stallion. Illustrated by Keith Ward.

New York: Random House, 1977. MOVIE: "The Black Stallion",

1979.

Field, Eugene. Poems of Childhood. New York: Airmont, 1969.

______. The Gingham Dog & the Calico Cat. Illustrated by Janet

Street. New York: Putnam, 1990.

______. Wynken, Blynken, & Nod. New York: Putnam, 1986.

Fisher, Aileen. Always Wondering: Some Favorite Poems.

Illustrated by Joan Sandin. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.

Fitzgerald, John. The Great Brain. Illustrated by Mercer Mayer.

New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1985. [Family

Commitment]

Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography. New York: Ticknor

& Fields, 1987. [Justice; Courage; Responsibility; Aspiration]

Fritz, Jean. The Great Little Madison. New York: Putnam, 1989.

[Careful Thinking; Aspiration; Justice]

______. The Double Life of Pocahontas. Illustrated by Ed Young.

Putnam, 1983. [Courage]

George, Jean C. My Side of the Mountain. New York: Dutton,

1988.

Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows. Various editions.

[Friendship]

Hahn, Mary D. Stepping on the Cracks. Boston: Houghton Mifflin

Co., 1991. [Generous Understanding]

Haviland, Virginia. Favorite Fairy Tales Told Around the World.

Illustrated by S. D. Schindler. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.,

1985.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. Wonder Book. New York: Airmont.

Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague. Illustrated by Wesley

Dennis. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1990. [Respect for

Home and the Natural World]

Homer. The Children's Homer; The Adventures of Odysseus and the

Tale of Troy. Retold by Padraic Colum. Illustrated by Willy

Pagany. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1982. [Careful

Thinking; Imagination; Perseverance; Respect for Home and the

Natural World; Family Commitment]

______. The Return of Odysseus. Adapted by I.M. Richardson.

Illustrated by Hal Frenck. Mahwah, New Jersey: Troll

Associates, 1984. [Family Commitment; Courage; Perseverance;

Love]

______. The Wooden Horse. Adapted by I.M. Richardson.

Illustrated by Hal Frenck. Mahwah, New Jersey: Troll

Associates, 1984. [Careful Thinking; Imagination]

Howe, Deborah & James. Bunnicula; A Rabbit Tale of Mystery.

Illustrated by Alan Daniel. New York: Macmillan Child Group,

1979. [Humor]

Jennings, Judi. Why Work? Lexington, Kentucky: University Press

of Kentucky, 1989. [Work Well Done; Self-Control &

Responsibility; Self-Knowledge]

Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. Various editions.

Kuskin, Karla. Dogs & Dragons, Trees & Dreams: A Collection of

Poems. New York: HarperCollins, 1980.

Lamb, Charles & Mary. Tales from Shakespeare. Various editions.

Lang, Andrew. The Blue Fairy Book. Various editions.

Lawson, Robert. Ben & Me. New York: Dell, 1973.

______. Rabbit Hill. New York: Puffin, 1977.

L'Engle, Madeleine. Time Trilogy: A Wrinkle in Time; A Wind in

the Door; A Swiftly Tilting Planet. New York: Farrar, Straus &

Giroux, 1979. [Family Commitment; Courage; Self-Reliance]

Lewis, C. S. The Chronicles of Narnia (Lion the Witch & the

Wardrobe) series. Various editions [Friendship; Courage;

Unselfishness; Self-Knowledge]

Little, Jean. Hey, World, Here I Am. Illustrated by Sue

Truesdell. New York: HarperCollins, 1989.

______. Stars Come Out Within. New York: Viking, 1991.

[Self-Reliance; Courage]

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Paul Revere's Ride. Illustrated by

Nancy W. Parker. New York: Greenwillow, 1985. [Courage]

Lovelace, Maud H. Betsy-Tacy. Illustrated by Lois Lenski. New

York: HarperCollins, 1966. A series: Betsy, Tacy & Tib; Betsy &

Tacy Go Over the Big Hill; Betsy & Tacy Go Downtown; Heaven to

Betsy; Betsy in Spite of Herself; Betsy Was a Junior; Betsy &

Joe; Betsy's Wedding. [Family Commitment; Friendship;

Self-Knowledge; Aspiration]

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,

1989. [Justice; Courage; Family Commitment; Self-Knowledge]

MacDonald, George. Princess & the Goblin and The Princess &

Curdie. Various editions. [Courage]

MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain & Tall. New York:

HarperCollins, 1985. [Courage; Family Commitment]

Maestro, Betsy & Giulio. A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our

Constitution. New York: Morrow, 1990. [Justice; Perseverance]

Mattingley, Christobel. The Miracle Tree. Illustrated by

Marianne Yamaguchi. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1986.

[Justice; Concern for Others]

McKissack, Patricia and Frederick. Frederick Douglass: The

Black Lion. Chicago: Children's Press, 1987. [Justice; Courage]

______. Mary McLeod Bethune: A Great Teacher. [Helping Each

Other; Aspiration]

Merriam, Eve. Fresh Paint: New Poems. Illustrated by David

Frampton. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1986.

______. Halloween A B C. Illustrated by Lane Smith. New York:

Macmillan Child Group, 1987. [Poems]

Montgomery, L. M., Anne of Green Gables. Series. MOVIE: "Anne

of Green Gables", also "Anne of Avonlea", Wonderworks.

My Book House. Illustrated. Edited by United Educators Staff.

Lake Bluff, Illinois: United Educators, Inc., 1920.12 Volumes.

[Contains a bibliography of character traits.]

Myers, Walter D. Now is Your Time! The African-American

Struggle for Freedom. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. [Courage]

O'Hara, Mary. My Friend Flicka (first of a trilogy;

Thunderhead, Son Flicka and The Green Grass of Wyoming). New

York: HarperCollins, 1988.[Courage; Loyalty; Family Commitment]

Osborne, Mary P. George Washington: Leader of a New Nation. New

York: Dial, 1991. [Careful Thinking; Aspiration]

Park, Barbara. Don't Make Me Smile. New York: Knopf, 1981.

Paterson, Katherine. The Great Gilly Hopkins. New York:

HarperCollins, 1978. [Generous Understanding; Serf-Knowledge]

______. The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks. Illustrated by Leo and

Diane Dillon. New York: Dutton, 1990. [Kindness]

Petry, Ann. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground

Railway. New York: HarperCollins, 1955. [Courage; Justice;

Self-Sacrifice]

Philip, Neil. The Tale of Sir Gawain. Illustrated by Charles

Keeping. New York: Putnam, 1987. [Courage; Loyalty]

Pyle, Howard. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. New York:

Dover, 1968. [Justice; Humor, Courage]

Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows. New York: Bantam,

1974. [Perseverance; Courage; Family Commitment]

Rockwell, Thomas. How to Eat Fried Worms. Illustrated by Emily

McMully. New York: Watts, 1973. [Humorl

Sandburg, Carl. Rootabaga Stories. Illustrated by Michael

Hague. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.

Selden, George. The Cricket in Times Square series. Illustrated

by Garth Williams. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1960.

[Friendship; Humor; Kindness]

Sewall, Marcia. The Pilgrims Plimoth. New York: Macmillan Child

Group, 1986. [Courage; Perseverance; Justice; Kindness; Helping

Each Other]

Shura, Mary F. Gentle Annie: The True Story of a Civil War

Nurse. New York: Scholastic, 1991.

Sis, Peter. Follow the Dream. New York: Knopf, 1991. [Courage]

Skira-Venturi, Rasabianca. A Weekend with Renoir. New York:

Rizzoli, 1992. [Careful Thinking; Imagination]

Speare, Elizabeth George. The Sign of the Beaver. Boston:

Houghton Mifflin, 1983. [Self-Reliance; Dependability; Generous

Understanding; Respect for Home and the Natural World]

Spyri, Jobanna. Heidi. Various editions. [Love; Respect for

Home and the Natural World; Generous Understanding; Kindness]

Stanley, Diane & Peter Vennema. Good Queen Bess: The Story of

Queen Elizabeth I of England. New York: Macmillan Child Group,

1991. [Justice; Self-Control & Responsibility]

 

Stevenson, Robert Louis. Black Arrow. Various editions.

[Friendship; Courage; Justice; Serf-Knowledge]

______. Treasure Island. Illustrated by N. C. Wyeth. New York:

Macmillan Child Group, 1981. [Justice; Courage; Generous

Understanding]

Stolz, Mary. Barkham Street Trilogy: Dog on Barkham Street;

Bully of Barkham Street; Explorer of Barkham Street. New York:

HarperCollins, 1989. [Self-Knowledge; Courage]

Taylor, Mildred D. Let the Circle Be Unbroken. New York:

Puffin, 1991. Sequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

______. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. New York: Dial Books for

Young Readers, 1976. [Family Commitment; Justice; Self-Respect]

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit.. Illustrated by Michael Hague.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1984. [Justice; Courage;

Kindness]

Tooze, Ruth. Our Rice Village in Cambodia. Illustrated by Ezra

Jack Keats. New York: Viking, 1963.

Viorst, Judith. Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good,

Very Bad Day. Illustrated by Ray Cruz. New York: Macmillan

Child Group, 1976. [Humor]

Vo-Dinh. Toad is the Emperor's Uncle: Animal Folktales from

Viet-Nam. New York: Doubleday, 1970.

Voight, Cynthia. Dicey's Song. New York: Macmillan Child Group,

1982. Sequel to Homecoming.

______. Homecoming. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1981.

[Self-Control & Responsibility; Careful Thinking; Family

Commitment]

Watkins, Yoko K. So Far from the Bamboo Grove. New York:

Lothrop, 1986. [Courage; Concern for Others]

White, E. B. Charlotte's Web. Illustrated by Understanding;

Imagination]

______. Stuart Little. Illustrated by Garth Williams. New York:

HarperCollins, 1945. [Self-Knowledge]

______. The Trumpet of the Swan. Illustrated by Edward

Frascino. New York: HarperCollins, 1973. [Family Commitment;

Respect for the Natural World; Humor]

Wiggin, Kate D. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. New York:

Scholastic, 1988. [Self-Knwoledge; Generous Understanding;

Aspiration; Work Well Done; Friendship; Family Commitment]

Wilde, Oscar. Stories for Children. Illustrated by P. J. Lynch.

New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1991.

______. Complete Fairy Tales. Afterword by Jack Zipes. New

York: Dutton, 1990.

______. The Happy Prince. Illustrated by Ed Young. New York:

Simon & Schuster, 1989.

______. The Nightingale & the Rose. New York: Oxford University

Press, 1981.

______. The Selfish Giant. Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. New

York: Scholastic, 1991. [Unselfishness; Generous Understanding]

Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House series. Illustrated by

Garth Williams. New York: HarperCollins, 1975. [Family

Commitment; Perseverance; Honesty]

 

Advanced

 

Ages 9 and Up

 

Alcott, Louisa May. Eight Cousins. Various editions.

______. Little Women. Various editions. MOVIE: "Little Women",

1933, 1949. [Family Commitment; Self-Control; Humor]

Avi. Nothing But the Truth. New York: Orchard Books, 1991.

[Justice; Resisting Peer Pressure; Self-Control &

Responsibility]

WolfRider: A Tale of Terror. New York: Macmillan Child Group,

1988.

Bauer, Marion D. On My Honor. New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1986.

[Courage; Honesty]

Brooks, Bruce. The Moves Make the Man. New York: HarperCollins,

1987.

Burroughs, Edgar Rice. Tarzan of the Apes series. Various

editions. [Careful Thinking; Self-Reliance; Self-Knowledge]

The Constitution of the United States of America. Especially

the "Preamble." Various editions. [Justice; Aspiration]

Crowe-Carraco, Carole. Women Who Made A Difference. Lexington,

Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 1989.

Danziger, Paula. The Cat Ate My Gymsuit. New York: Dell, 1980.

Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Various editions, including

abbreviated. [Self-Reliance; Careful Thinking; Imagination]

de Saint-Exupery, Antoine. The Little Prince. Various editions.

[Friendship; Self-Knowledge; Self-Control & Responsibility]

Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol. Various editions.

[Generous Understanding; Justice]

______. David Copperfield. Various editions. See also "David

Copperfield and Little Emily", in My Book House collection.

[Friendship]

______. Oliver Twist. Various editions. [Justice; Aspiration;

Self-Knowledge]

Dodge, Mary M. Hans Brinker: The Silver Skates. New York:

Puffin, 1985.

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick

Douglass: An American Slave. Preface by W. L. Garrison. New

York: Dutton, 1968. [Courage; Aspiration]

Doyle, Arthur Conan. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Various

editions. [Careful Thinking; Imagination; Honesty; Justice]

Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain. Illustrated by Lynd Ward. New

York: Dell, 1969. [Courage; Friendship; Self-Reliance]

Fox, Paula. One-Eyed Cat. Illustrated by Irene Trivas. New

York: Macmillan Child Group, 1984.

______. The Village by the Sea. New York: Orchard, 1988.

Frank, Anne. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. Various

editions. [Self-Knowledge; Justice; Family Commitment;

Aspiration; Friendship]

Franklin, Benjamin. Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Various

editions. [Careful Thinking; Self-knowledge; Aspiration]

Freedman Russell. Indian Chiefs. New York: Holiday, 1987.

[Justice; Careful Thinking; Generous Understanding]

______. The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane.

Photographs. New York: Holiday, 1991.

Frost, Robert. Poems. Various editions.

Glenn, Mel. Class Dismissed! High School Poems. Photographs by

Michael J. Berstein. New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1988.

Haggard, H. Rider. King Solomon's Mines. Various editions.

Hamilton, Virginia. Anthony Burns: The Defeat & Triumph of a

Fugitive Slave. New York: Knopf, 1988.

______. The House of Dies Drear. New York: Macmillan Child

Group, 1984. [Courage, Justice]

______. In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the

World. Illustrated by Barry Moser. New York: Harcourt Brace

Jovanovich, 1988.

______. M. C. Higgins, the Great. New York: Macmillan Child

Group, 1974.

______. The People Could Fly. Illustrated by Leo and Diane

Dillon. New York: Knopf, 1985.

______. The Planet of Junior Brown. New York: Macmillan Child

Group, 1986.

Henry, O. Stories. Various editions. See especially "Gift of

the Magi."

Heyerdahl, Thor. Kon-Tiki. Various editions. [Courage; Careful

Thinking; Imagination]

Ho, Minfong. The Clay Marble. New York: Farrar, Straus &

Giroux, 1991.

Irving, Washington. Rip Van Winkle & The Legend of Sleepy

Hollow. Various editions.

Janeczko, Paul B. Poetspeak: In Their Work, About Their Work: A

Selection. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1983.

Jones, Diana W. Dogsbody. New York: Greenwillow, 1988.

[Friendship]

Keller Helen. Story of My Life. Various editions. [Courage;

Friendship; Careful Thinking; Perseverence]

Kipling, Rudyard. Captains Courageous & Other Stories.

Including "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" and "The Maltese Cat". New York:

Dodd, Mead, and Co., 1959. MOVIE: "Captains Courageous", 1937.

Lasky, Kathryn. Pageant. New York: Dell, 1988. [Self-Knowledge;

Humor]

Lincoln, Abraham. The Gettysburg Address. Various editions.

[Courage; Aspiration]

Lincoln, Jack. The Call of the Wild. Illustrated by Karel

Kezer. New York: Macmillan Child Group, 1970. [Self-Reliance;

Self-Knowledge; Respect for the Natural World]

______. White Fang. Various editions. [Respect for the Natural

World]

McCord, David One at a Time. Illustrated by Henry B. Kane.

Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1986. Poems.

McKinley, Robin. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty &

the Beast: Pocket, 1985.

______. The Blue Sword. New York: Greenwillow, 1982.

______. Outlaws of Sherwood. New York: Greenwillow, 1988.

Merriam, Eve. If Only I Could Tell You: Poems for Young Lovers

& Dreamers. Illustrated by Donna Diamond. New York: Knopf,

1983.

O'Dell, Scott. Sing Down the Moon. Boston: Houghton Mifflin

Co., 1970.

Orczy, Emmuska. The Scarlet Pimpernel (first of trilogy).

Various editions. [Justice; Courage; Careful Thinking;

Imagination]

Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. Illustrated by Donna

Diamond. New York: HarperCollins, 1977. Frieland, Joyce and

Rikki Kessler. Bridge to Terabithia: A Study Guide. New, York:

Learning Links, 1982. MOVIE: "Bridge to Terabithia",

Wonderworks.

______. Jacob Have I Loved. New York: HarperCollins, 1980.

MOVIE: "Jacob Have I Loved", Wonderworks.

______. Lyddie. New York: Dutton, 1991.

______. Of Nightingales That Weep. New York": HarperCollins,

1989. [Self-Knowledge]

Sook, Nyul Choi. Year of lmpossible Goodbyes. Boston: Houghton

Mifflin Co., 1991.

Speare, Elizabeth G. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. New York:

Dell, 1972. [Generous Understanding;, Friendship; Resisting

Peer Pressure]

Twain, Mark. Various editions. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,

Huckleberry Finn, The Prince & the Pauper.

 

Magazines and Encyclopedias

 

Cricket. (Ages 6-12). Literary magazine for children. Well

known authors and artists.

Highlights for Children. (Ages 4-10). Includes "Guide for

Parents and Teachers," stories, poems, craft ideas, cartoons.

Kid City (Ages 6-10). For graduates of Sesame Street. Items

about popular culture as well as serious issues such as racial

inequalities and handicaps.

KidSports. (Ages 8-14). Contains advice from professional

athletes and stresses practice. Many articles focus on "When I

Was Your Age" (a column title).

Ladybug. (Ages 2-7). Literary magazine for younger children.

From the publishers of Cricket. Includes a parent's supplement.

National Geographic World. (Ages 8-13). A variety of subjects

including other children, games, projects, a large pull-out

poster.

Seedling Series: Short Story International. (Ages 8-12).

Contains short stories from around the world, often with a

moral or message.

Sesame Street. (Ages 26). Educational magazine that draws from

the television show. Emphasizes letters and numbers with games

to cut out. Every issue includes a read-aloud piece about a

serious topic such as starting school. Comes with a guide for

parents.

Zillions. (Ages 8-14). Consumer Reports for kids. Helps

children make wise judgments about the quality and value of

items for sale.

Compton's Encyclopedia. Illustrated. 26 volumes. Encyclopaedia

Britannica, 1992. Bound and on compact disc.

New Book of Knowledge. Illustrated 21 volumes. Grolier, 1992.

Written for elementary school children.

Oxford Children's Encyclopedia. Illustrated. 7 volumes. Oxford

University Press, 1991.

Random House Children's Encyclopedia. Illustrated. Random

House, 1991.

World Book. Illustrated. 22 volumes. World Book, Inc., 1991.

Appropriate for elementary school students and as a general

family reference.

 

Other Booklists

 

Best of the Best for Children. Reference book compiled by the

American Library Association. Gives titles with descriptions of

books, magazines, videos, and computer software. New York:

Random House, 1992. Available in many libraries.

Books for Children. List of more than 100 of the best

children's books recently published. Compiled by the Library of

Congress. Available for $1 from the Consumer Information

Center, Pueblo, Colorado 81009. Item 101Z.

Choosing Books for Children: A Commonsene Guide, by Betsy

Hearne. Revised, expanded, and updated. New York: Delacorte,

1990.

The Human Family...Learning To Live Together. Annual listing of

children's books that portray relationships among people of

different cultural backgrounds, races, and religions. Available

free from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, Inc.,

71 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1100, New York, New York 10003.

The New Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease. 2nd revised

edition. New York: Penguin, 1989.

The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for

Children. Edited by Eden Ross Lipson. New York: Random House,

1991. [Special subject indexes include such topics as "Family

Life and Problems"; "Friendship"; "Growing Up"; "Holidays";

"Immigrants"; "Manners"; "Myths"; "Religion"; "War and Peace";

and others.]

Timeless Classics. List of nearly 400 books published before

1960 for children of all ages. Compiled by the National

Endowment for the Humanities. Available for $.50 from the

Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colorado 81009. Item 419Z.

 

Acknowledgements

 

 

This booklet has been made possible with help from the

following people who reviewed early drafts, provided materials

and suggestions, and generously contributed from their own

experience: Ruth Pilsbury, Steven Tigner, Marty Sears, Miriam

Marecek, Anne Ilacqua, Lee Delattre, Julie Boothby, April

Supple, Judith Schickedanz, Joan Dee, Thomas Culliton, Scott

and Victoria Stripling, Roselmina Indrisano, Richard Chambers,

John Burkett, Roger Shattuck, Leon Kass, Maria Brisk, William

Bennet, Jayne Karsten, Myles Striar, William and Jan Russell,

Andrew Oldenqist, Edward Styles Peter Losin, Betsy Speicher,

Charles Glenn, Victor Kestenbaum, Charles Griswold, Jane

O'Hern, David Kahn, Sydney Eisen, Kevin Ryan, Carolyn Gecan,

Gary Edwards, Robert Fullinwinder, Charles Karelis, James

Herbert, Mary Minner, and many individuals within the Office of

Educational Research and Improvement.

Mark Travaglini and Mamie Brown copyedited this book with

production assistance from Torey Evans. Jaine Shattan reviewed

the bibliography and Michael Patrick Hearn advised on the use

of artwork that is in the public domain.

Edwin J. Delattre is Dean of Boston University's School of

Education, Olin Scholar in Applied Ethics, and Professor of

Philosophy in the College of Liberal Arts. He is President

Emeritus of St. John's College in Annapolis, MD, and Santa Fe,

NM, and the author of two books and numerous articles on ethics

in education, business, government, and law enforcement. He

holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. from

the University of Texas at Austin.

 

 

AliceB. Delattre has worked as a cataloguer at the

Tompkins-McCaw library of the Medical College of Virginia

Commonwealth University and in the Catalogue Department of the

Main Library, University of Texas at Austin, and she has served

as a volunteer in the Concord Free Public Library in Concord,

Massachusetts. She holds a B.A. from Longwood College in

Farmville, Virginia, and did graduate study in library science

at The University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio.

 

 

Nancy Ione Young drew the cover illustration.

Illustrations from classic children's books include: pages

3, 5, and 9 by W.W. Denslow in Thw Onderful Wizard of Oz and

pages 20, 26, 30, and 44 by Arthur Rackham in Sleeping BEauty.

The illustration of the book on the inside back cover is

by Brian A. Griffin.

 

What We Can Do To Help Our Children Learn:

 

Listen to them and pay attention to their problems.

Read with them.

Tell family stories.

Limit their television watching.

Have books and other reading materials in the house.

Look up words in the dictionary with them.

Encourage them to use an encyclopedia.

Share favorite poems and songs with them.

Take them to the library--get them their own library cards.

Take them to museums and historical sites, when possible.

Discuss the daily news with them.

Go exploring with them and learn about plants, animals, and

local geography.

Find a quiet place for them to study.

Review their homework.

Meet with their teachers.

 

 

 

Do you have other ideas?



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