The Best Graduation Gifts

By Holly E. Newton

The end of the school year connotes graduation time, celebrating many different levels of school completions. Books, as always, are the perfect gift and help commemorate this important event in a young person¹s life. Here is a list of some outstanding picture books celebrating the graduate.

For the younger reader celebrating a change in schools, here is a simple tale about judgment.

Zen Shorts, by widely acclaimed author Jon J. Muth, is a story that involves three tales. Three children become friends with a giant panda. He imparts a clever story for each child. One of the tales expertly demonstrates how we need to forgive. A young monk criticizes an older monk for carrying an unappreciative traveler over rain puddles, as he says, "She didn't even thank you!" The wise older man replies, "I set the woman down hours ago." The older monk was able to forgive and forget, while the young monk was still learning this lesson of forgiveness.

Another perfect book for the younger child is This Little Light of Mine. This picture book is based on the familiar song of the same title and is illustrated beautifully by the acclaimed E. B. Lewis. The words of the song describe how the light from within will shine on and on. But, the pictures tell much, much more. A young boy sees another youngster sitting alone, appearing dejected as he is slumped with his head in his hands. As the song progresses throughout the book, the boy invites the sad fellow to join his friends and before long a smile shines through the sad face. This book will surely strike a chord with all ages!

Sometimes it's the wordless books that seem to have the greatest message. Home, by Jeannie Baker, shows the progress of life through an open window. Ms. Baker has small remnants of a girl's life on the windowsill, displaying her growth though the years. For instance, the book begins with congratulations for the birth of a baby girl. Through the window, you see the proud parents in their back yard holding this new baby. There are older looking vehicles on the street beyond the yard. Several pages later, there's the girl as a teen putting makeup on in a mirror that's sitting on the windowsill. Beyond the yard is a full garden and beyond that newer looking cars on the street. There's much to observe and reflect on one's own growth throughout the years.

Sometimes biographies are the perfect inspiration for graduates. Walt Whitman: Words for America, by Barbara Kerley, is a look into the life of one of America's best and most famous poets. His poetry reflected the feelings of our country during the tumultuous Civil War. I found it fascinating that when Walt was young, he loved words and loved to read. He was always writing down feelings and expressions in his little notebook. In the Author¹s Note located in the back of the book, he states that when he was eleven years old, he was given a library card. Later he added, it was ³...the signal event of my life up to that time." Brian Selznick beautifully illustrated the pictures throughout the book, and he studied many historical documents and locations to accurately reconstruct this amazing poet¹s life.

Here is a perfect companion to Walt Whitman¹s biography. When I Heard the Learn¹d Astronomer is a wonderfully illustrated book by Loren Long, based on Walt Whitman¹s famous poem. This poem celebrates the amazing imagination that is budding in all of us. The incredible pictures take you to a young boy's experience as he ponders life and the stars, ³In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.²

Mother Teresa, by award winning Demi, is an inspirational account of one humble woman serving those much less fortunate and extremely poor. This incredible woman gave all that she had throughout her life. Included here is wisdom that we can glean from her: ³Life Is An Opportunity --Avail It. Life Is Beautiful --Admire It. Life Is A Challenge --Meet It. Life Is Costly --Care For It. Life Is A Promise --Fulfill It. Life Is Sorrow --Overcome It. Life Is Too Precious --Do Not Destroy It.²

And lastly, here's a book celebrating and exploring the endless possibilities of life. Imagine a Day, by Sarah L. Thompson, and creatively illustrated by Rob Gonsalves, will spark your imagination --beyond imagination. ³Imagine a day Š when a book swings open on silent hinges, and a place you've never seen before welcomes you here.² Give a great gift to your graduate. Give a book to inspire, motivate and celebrate!

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1. Celebrating the Success of AVCC
... team. He went on to graduate from Salem State College. He now works as a teacher. Mark Moloney ... ... and I were thrilled to be invited to the graduation ceremony to see our student receive his diploma ...
http://www.avcclisten.com ...he_success_of_avt.htm

2. The Simer Report
... Kuwaitis. Ali Al-Salem is an absolutely ... the law school graduation photo of his ... was my farewell ceremony. Its hard to ... poem of the State of Tennessee ... Foundation and College Hall of Fame ...
http://thesimers.com/blogs/

3. Pinkerton Acdemy Sports
... for the Awards Ceremony with Mr. Royce ... 18 starters to graduation last June, the ... state champion Salem Blue Devils. Led ... defend their state titles of a year ... and will receive college scholarships to ...
http://www.pinkertonacade ...t/ATHL_files/ATHL.HTM

4. Dover Area School District
... concerts, hosting college courses, and raising ... help make North Salem Elementary School a ... each season; an out-of-state senior trip; a ... a streamlined graduation ceremony. The Athletic ...
http://www.dover.k12.pa.u ...view.asp?A=3&Q=263126

5. :NCHE Statewide:
... John Codispoti Graduation Ceremony Asheboro ... Center Winston-Salem, NC June 13-14, 2006 ... February 18, 2006 NCHE State Home School Basketball ... Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, N.C ...
http://www.nche.com/region/statewide/

6. Harvard Gazette: Harvard Extension School awards its 2004 student prizes and...
... setting. At a recent ceremony, Sara Nabati A.L.B ... Since her graduation in 2000, she has ... at Boston University's College of General Studies ... of communications at Salem State College. Brown has ...
http://www.hno.harvard.ed ....10/36-extension.html

7. Lincoln Tribune - Opinion - The Post Office Ö No Way To Run A Business! - News
... 20:18:46 ( 825 reads ) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - BB&T Corporation (NYSE ... emergency medicine at Michigan State University. During his ... NC - Gaston College held the graduation ceremony for General ...
http://www.lincolntribune ...orytopic=0&start=1110

8. Barton College, Wilson, North Carolina 1-800-345-4973
... throughout the state. Hunt wrote about ... average. After graduation, Wilson put ... its annual ceremony at 1:30 p.m ... Mount Olive College Joshua Carter ... s Soccer Scarlett Salem, Women's Soccer ...
http://www.barton.edu/athletics/News/default.htm

9. The Hindu : Today's Headlines : Monday, April 17, 2006
... to be launched Graduation Day at ... Convocation ceremony City Cinema ... the true winner College teachers oppose ... Maharashtra to State New Delhi Lending ... experience Salem Be conscious of ...
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/99hdline.htm

10. SMAT News
... Missouri State > College of Health and Human ... into the Missouri State University sports hall ... athletic trainer at Salem High School in ... started after graduation from medical school ...
http://www.missouristate. ...portsmed/SMATNews.htm

11. Elegant Newsletter
... moments since graduation: Children and ... Young from Salem College about the ... in Winston-Salem. The senior math ... North Carolina State University ... Kappa awards ceremony. Math major s ...
http://math.elon.edu/assorted/mathnews2003f.html

12. Shore: Community - Parents - Meetings & Events
... Coffee, 8:00 a.m.; Flagpole Ceremony, 8:30 a.m.; R-K Orientation ... 12 Streetball Event at Salem State College, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Mon ... U.S. attendance) Thu., 6/15 Graduation, 4:00 p.m. (required U.S ...
http://www.shoreschool.or ...parents/meetings.html

13. Corsair Memory - Corsair Community: LAN Parties
... a high school graduation party and ... Community College paper, showed to ... 12 hours Location: Salem, OR Participants ... for the awards ceremony. French Gamers ... s with the cow? K-State Gamers (AKA the ...
http://www.corsairmemory. ...nity/LAN_parties.html

14. Commentaries
... The Medgar Evers College Auditorium reached ... Over-Reach' and a 'State-Capitalist' economy ... possibility in Dar-Es-Salem during the 1960's ... run' for their graduation ceremony. Again the ...
http://www.swagga.com/assegai.htm

15. Past and Future Programs
... NJ *9/17/93 - Salem Community College - 8:00PM ... NJ 5/23/96 -Garden State Arts Center SMART-T ... Ridgefield D.A.R.E. Graduation - 7:30PM ... Tree Lighting Ceremony ñ 6:30PM - Palisade ...
http://www.reachoutinc.com/programs.html

16. Mitchell's West Indian Bibliography
... on the Present State of our West India ... Address at the Graduation Ceremony at the Cave ... Coast, 1630-1730. (Salem: Marine Research ... 1986. (Kingston: Mico College) 100 pages pb, photos ...
http://www.books.ai/8th/Don-Dz.htm

17. Lensorama - The Contact Lens Site
... rowdy refugees from the farthest reaches of the state. Send these, the zealots of the rock, to Glens ... ... Century 21s Ruby Level Masters Award during a ceremony in Indianapolis. Tuesday March 21, 2006 (R ...
http://www.lensorama.com/index.php?m=200603

18. Past Events - A to Z Home's Cool Homeschooling
... up now for the Graduation Ceremony. The deadline ... Brookdale Community College in Lincroft New ... their guests. ("Out-of-state" teen homeschoolers ... Center, Winston-Salem, NC. Workshops by both ...
http://www.homeschooling. ...lendar/pastevents.htm

19. Barry Cassidy Rare Books - U.S. History
... Printer. 1855. Salem.. Wrappers. Signature ... the "Old Pine", etc. Graduation. Commencement ... Stanton, the Iowa State College of Agriculture and ... the dedication ceremony with an address ...
http://www.barrycassidyra ...&subject=U.S. History

20. cooking area Links
... halid al-Mihdhar, Majed Moqed, Nawaf al-Hazmi, Salem al-Hazmi, and the suicide pilot Hani Hanjour ... ... graduation) ceremony them." "Under the authority vested in me by the State of Iowa and the Trustees of Podunk College ...
http://www.cooking-area.com/links_1-3.html

21. UNM Public Affairs
... teaching at a ceremony recently. The 2004 ... for Research in the College of Arts and Sciences ... following her graduation in May. Ford will ... leadership at local, state and national levels ...
http://www.unm.edu/news/accomplishdept2004.htm

22.
http://chantilly.sportsco ..._featured_stories.asp

23. The Buzz: News Blog
... will be heading off to college this week. It's quite ... lot of fun! 6/21/05 In Salem this week visiting a ... entertaining one at graduation on Saturday, May ... on the west side of the state. My friend Linda let ...
http://levi.lbsites.com/newsblog.htm

24. Wake Forest MBA - Babcock Graduate School of Management
... by the U.S. State Department to ... in the American College of Healthcare ... its convocation ceremony on March 26 ... lives in Winston-Salem. Henry Franklin ... Buckstaff after graduation, June 18 in ...
http://www.mba.wfu.edu/apps/alum_notes.cfm

25. Obituary Forum
... to the Christopher McGuire College Fund at First National Bank ... High School. Following graduation, he joined the U.S. Army ... in housekeeping for the Nevada State hospital until her retirement ...
http://www.houstonherald.com/obit7-1-04.html

26. Pow Wow Calendar & Native American Events Calendar
... & 6, 2006 PowWow - Salem, WV (posted 9-25 ... Fun! Masters of Ceremony - Bo Limbaugh ... 2006 Fort Ancient State Memorial 6123 St ... posted 1-4-06) Graduation Powwow In ... from Bennington College, Bennigton, VT ...
http://www.3hawkstrade.com/powwowcalendar.html

27.
http://reston.sportscombi ..._featured_stories.asp

28. Ohio Car Shows, Cruise-in's, Car Clubs, And Events
... at Dragway 42 in Salem, Ohio Stick shift ... Swap Meet at the College Campus 2550 ... State Route 23 on State Route 53, We're ... their name and Graduation picture on the ... 4PM-10PM Awards ceremony at 9PM sharp ...
http://www.wyandotclassic ...car_show_calendar.htm

29. http://www.newkirkherald.com/honored.html
... Med Co. (AA), ALI AI Salem Air Base, APO AE 09855 ... School graduate. The ceremony was attended by his ... that was flown over the State Capitol by Gov. Brad ... to pay for college. After graduation from NHS ...

30. Features
... of Winston Salem, N.C. assault ... Professor and N.C. State Rep. Deborah Ross ... the Electoral College (more) James ... commencement ceremony (more ... week of graduation activities for ...
http://www.law.duke.edu/features/

31. Current News - WJBDRadio.com
... the test for the state has said that the ... Eighth grade graduation will be Thursday ... opens tonight at the Salem Theatre. Director John ... Niepoetter was a college student in 1947, and ...
http://www.wjbdradio.com/news_current.asp

32. Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.: Issues and Positions
... Speech at H.R. 4145 Ceremony 12/01/05 Congressman Jackson ... Locks O'Hare Project Into State Law (Chicago Tribune) 08/07/03 ... 05/04/03 Closing The College Graduation Disparity (Chicago ...
http://www.jessejacksonjr.com/issues/index.html

33. Lebanon County Historical Society: Annals (1940)
... of the first marriage ceremony. The contracting ... that log church (Old Salem) was to be used for a ... was granted by the state for the formation of ... members of the first graduation class." "There is ...
http://www.lebanonhistory.org/text/annals.html

34. Hypnotist
... milligan with graduation night stage ... san at master ceremony the hypnotist ... Serving Winston-Salem Greensboro High ... entertainers, college, website. stage ... ray hypnosis comic state your the college ...
http://sexual-relaxation- ...er.com/hypnotist.html

35. USTA Southern Section - Hall of Fame
... time with Winston- Salem Tennis, Inc. he ... Following his graduation Scarpa, was ... tennis camp on a college campus in 1970 ... and the Palmetto State was summed up ... with a special ceremony before his ...
http://www.southern.usta. ...84&icustompageid=9751

36. Marthas vineyard school district
... high school graduation ceremony jobs washington state chinook27s ... high school education verses college education poway high school ... services school jobs in winton salem north carolina new prague high ...
http://marthas-vineyard-s ...strict.dort.tychy.pl/

37. The Desert Oasis - About Me
... to my college graduation at the ... for the hooding ceremony, and had my ... a candidate for state legislature. I've ... Tucson to go to college, and have ... more witches than Salem, they're the ...
http://www.karensoasis.com/whoiam.htm

38. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans
... of the WIAA Division I State Tournament. Following graduation from Plymouth High School in ... ... NCAA) Division III athletics program. Williams College (Mass.) scored 1,068.25 points to win its ...
http://www.titans.uwosh.edu/GeneralNews/

39. 2002 Commencement Tip Sheet
... years after graduation. Dubin is one ... a dedication ceremony that the U.S ... the worldís or the stateís most ... in Winston-Salem. Johnson recently ... at University College in Dublin. The ...
http://www.unc.edu/news/n .../2002/comm_ts2002.htm

40. Snap2Action Search
... Newfound 09/10/05 College Plymouth State ... Rehearsals Graduation Individuals ... Hockey Plymouth State University Mens ... Hanover vs Salem NHIAA Hockey Div ... Olympics Opening Ceremony Junior Olympics ...
http://www.snap2action.com/acatalog/search.html

41. SportsCombine - Name of Program
... Turkey Bowl - Opening Ceremony Photos 11/12/2003 ... Hockey hit hard by graduation 9/27/2002 Hornets ... Hellenga 12/18/2001 College Bowl Broadcasts 12/16 ... Basketball State Championship: Salem wins 64-57 ...
http://www.sportscombine. ..._featured_stories.asp

42. Johns Hopkins Magazine -- April 1998
... to attend the ceremony due to a total ... in Maryland; College Station, Texas ... at Michigan State University. My ... in Winston-Salem, N.C. A faculty ... years after graduation, I have ...
http://www.jhu.edu/~jhumag/0498web/alumnote.html

43. Recent Class News
... about 14,000, west of Salem, the State Capitol. I ... obit from The Wisconsin State Journal, July 7, 2005 ... the Jay Janes. After graduation and before her ... Kansas and York College, Nebraska. While in ...
http://www.madisonwest54.com/recent_class_news.htm

44.
http://vhsl.sportscombine ..._featured_stories.asp

45. University of Alaska Anchorage
... University in Salem, Oregon ... Central Missouri State University, is ... Commencement Ceremony Bridge Builders ... Anchorage. Mat-Su College is closed. A ... Spring Graduation Deadline ...
http://camai.uaa.alaska.e ...useAction=newsArchive

46. Boucher Named Commencement Speaker
... roanoke.edu SALEM, Va. Congressman ... the commencement ceremony. Boucher, a ... time at Roanoke College, Boucher majored ... After graduation, Boucher ... of the Virginia State Senate for seven ...
http://web.roanoke.edu/x5444.xml

47. Education Update - Cover Stories
... You Doing After Graduation? by Sarah ... December 2003 The State of Special ... READ MORE Awards Ceremony on WB11 READ ... of Women s College by Mark Herz In ... the founding of Salem Academy in North ...
http://www.educationupdat ...stories/index_04.html

48.
http://springfield.sports ..._featured_stories.asp

49. 2004
... Force Academy Graduation Ceremony ... at U.S. Army War College; Carlisle ... Secretary of State; Remarks at the ... Commencement Ceremony; Secretary ... L. Powell; Winston-Salem, North Carolina ...
http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/rm/c11112.htm

50. WCPSS: News Headlines
... The awards ceremony is sponsored by ... III or IV on state End-of-Course ... education in college, while others ... at graduation ceremonies ... Convention Center. Salem Middle Teacher is ...
http://www.wcpss.net/news/index.html

51. Obituary
... Women and the Northern Wyoming Community College. She was a member of the Sheridan Book Club, P ... ... and Maude (Warrner) Cooke. Following her graduation from high school, on November 7, 1948, she ...
http://www.sheridanmedia.com/orgs/ond2002.html

52. Private Jet Net - Private Jet Charter News
... consider S.C. site to build Air Force jet (The State) NORTH CHARLESTON Äî The parent company of ... ... pilots were awarded their graduation medals by Prince Charles at a ceremony, after they completed a ...
http://www.privatejetnet.com/index.php?m=200507

53. UConn Traditions - Summer 2004 - Alumni News and Notes
... around with college mascots Alex ... of Honor in a ceremony at the ... and with the Texas State Service Award. He ... Company in Winston-Salem, N.C. Alumni News ... Boat after graduation. As he rose ...
http://www.uconnmagazine. ...mmr2004/smmr04an.html

54. Higgins Text
... remembered the graduation, Memorial and ... is missing.) The [Salem] Evening News, 2 ... and Boston College. He later was ... on projects of the State Education ... for the ceremony which began ...
http://www.the-smollers.com/Sudi/PSHP/higgtext.htm