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Helping Your Child Learn Responsible Behavior

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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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