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!

Visit Holly's Web Site!

Remember your Grad but don't forget Dad! One click gets you access to all the best Father's Day gift ideas on the web.
Click Here for Great Father's Day Gift Ideas!

1. Auto Loan - College Student Auto Loans
... Loans Lowest Auto Loan Rate Lowest Auto Loan Rates ... Loans ADD CATEGORY College Student Auto Loans If ... Credit basics. eGrad Student portal with discounts ... money, moving, graduation and life. Apply for ...
http://www.auto-loan-reso ...legestudentautoloans/

2. College Gift Graduation Man
... com college graduation college graduation rate college graduation card college graduation ring ... ... college gift graduation unusual graduation gift for college student personalized college graduation ...
http://www.freegiftidea.c ...-gift-graduation-man/

3. Student Loans - College-Loans.us.com
... best option. Stafford student loans are available ... a very good interest rate that is capped at 8.25 ... grace period after graduation before any ... the amount borrowed. College can be an expensive ...
http://www.college-loans.us.com/student-loans.php

4. Seneca College - International Student Information
... the Ontario Secondary School Graduation Diploma (OSSD). The ... through Seneca College. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TUITION FEES For ... per year (two semesters). This rate is subject to change in 2005 ...
http://www.senecac.on.ca/ ...tuserv/intnainfo.html

5. Pepperdine University - Seaver College - Student Affairs - Career Center - S...
... particular school or college in which they are ... academic term. Upon graduation, these individuals ... not be able to hire a student without FWS or PWP ... been standardized. The rate of pay for these ...
http://seaver.pepperdine. ...ployment/students.htm

6. reviewjournal.com -- News: Hispanic college graduation rate lags
... never step foot on a college campus, he said. The ... to enter UNLV's Student Support Service ... the highest Hispanic graduation rates, UNLV was ... at a slightly lower rate than white students ...
http://www.reviewjournal. ...04/news/24176313.html

7. Wellesley College - Student Financial Services - Financial Aid
... must be repaid after graduation. A student is ... Society Loan Wellesley College Student Loan Campus ... Program (FWSP). A student work award will not ... hours per week. The pay rate is $6.75-$10.00 per ...
http://www.wellesley.edu/SFS/FinancialAid.html

8. College Student Loan Consolidation
... would put a college loan borrower into ... put off until graduation. 6. The federal ... a borrower pools his student debts together so ... in a lower interest rate on loans. These loans ...
http://www.best-student-l ...an-consolidation.html

9. Mastercard College student debt statistics
... in credit debt and an interest rate of 19 percent ... credit card debt, college student credit card debt. Week 2 850 ... needs of Midwest College Students. By graduation most students ...
http://www.price-quest.ru ...t-debt-statistics.htm

10. Connecticut Lender | Average Amount Of Loan Debt Upon College Graduation | M...
... Get The Loan You Want At The Rate You Want TooSeptember.27 So ... Apply for your loans after college and start living the life you ... Loans In Az Federal Guarenteed Student Loans Chase Auto Loan Small ...
http://www.homeloancredit ...onnecticut-lender.htm

11. Beloit College Student Affairs
... a document, which includes graduation requirements and other ... and intellectual community. College housing is more than a place ... values challenged, and each student encouraged to develop a sense ...
http://www.beloit.edu/~stuaff/parents.html

12. auto loan for college student
... graduation. 20 years to repay. Very competitive rates. Apply online now. Low Rate College Student ... ... graduation. 20 years to repay. Very competitive rates. Apply online now. Low Rate College Student ...
http://www.loan-4-cash.co ..._college_student.html

13.
... 14.3 billion from student loan programs. With Graduation Behind You, It's Time to Consolidate Federal ... ... PLUS, Direct College Loans Student loan consolidation will lower your fixed rate by 1.25 ...
http://www.maxicredits.co ...an-consolidation.html

14. Bates College | Graduation and Retention
... General Information Bates College Enrollment Graduation and ... of Study Off-Campus Study Student Life Athletics Finances and ... at Bates. " The six-year graduation rate for 2003 is 88.5 percent ...
http://www.bates.edu/x22431.xml

15. Student Loans - College Graduates Witness Loan Rate Increas...
... Prevents Increase Recent college graduates enjoying the lowest ... years are about to get a 0.6% rate increase on Federal Stafford ... period after graduation during which their student loan interest ...
http://www.discount-stude ...wsletters/issue5.html

16. Hood College: Student Life
... visa sponsorship. Finally, a student should consider the attitude ... supplies when you get to the college, as well as expenses you ... from them is when the exchange rate with the dollar is favorable ...
http://www.hood.edu/campu ..._student_handbook.htm

17. Berea College - Student Financial Aid - Glossary of Terms
... an institution (bank, college, or organization ... It can be either a flat rate or a percentage of the ... terms of the loan. The student promises to repay the ... usually begins after graduation and lasts for 10 ...
http://www.berea.edu/stud ...ncialaid/glossary.asp

18. International Student Loans : College Loans for International Students
http://www.studyabroadloa ...ate-student-loans.php

19. college student loan consolidation
... Consolidation Simple. After graduation, consolidation loans ... Loan Consolidation : Federal college student loan ...Student loan ... Student loan consolidation will lower your fixed rate by 1 ...
http://debt-consolidation ...t-loan-consolidation/

20. Schoolcraft College - Student Policies
... Act (FERPA) Student privacy Student Loans Loan Deferments ... Return of Title IV Funds College Costs Refunds & Withdrawals ... Students Completion/Graduation Rate Transfer-out Rate Campus ...
http://www.schoolcraft.ed .../policies/default.htm

21.
... choose to consolidate with a spouse to combine student loan payments; however, there are some ... ... In the six months after graduation, Stafford Loans have a 0.6% discounted rate. By consolidating ...
http://www.consolidationl ...name=info_eligibility

22. Student loan rate
... a school wisely, including graduation rates, graduate employment ... Interest Rate in historically low interest rates on student loans ... Kennedy Rips Bush Plan to Let College Loan Rates Float the Bush ...
http://commercial-loan.al ...student-loan-rate.htm

23. ACT News Release : College Graduation Rates Steady Despite Increase In Enrol...
... college. This retention rate has remained virtually ... The fact that graduation rates have remained ... relatively steady as college enrollment rates have ... offer to support student academic success ...
http://www.act.org/news/r ...es/2002/11-15-02.html

24. Monroe County Community College: Student Services
... Note: This is a new rate beginning Winter 2005 ... Admissions Agora, Student Newspaper Alumni ... Career Info Center College Catalog Continuing ... at MCCC Transcripts, Graduation, Policies Transfer ...
http://www.monroeccc.edu/studentservices/child.htm

25. Hoover Essay in Public Policy- Reengineering College Student Financial Aid
... the National Defense Student Loan Program, under ... the allocation at the rate of 10 percent and make ... to be paid after graduation, unless the ... s War on Poverty, the College Work-Study Program ...
http://www-hoover.stanfor ...cations/epp/87/d.html

26. StudentAidAlliance.Com College and Student Loan Financial Tips and Advice
http://www.studentaidalli ...loanconsolidation.htm

27. College Student Loans - Student Credit Cards - College Financial Aid
... APR and Access to low-rate student loans Earn ... Our most popular College Student Credit Card ... Cards - Prepaid Card Student Loans and ... defer payments until graduation. Few students can ...
http://www.banklady.com/students.asp

28. Paying For College | Financial Aid | Understanding Student Loans | Taking Ou...
... the payments begin after graduation. The government covers the interest while the student is in college. The reason why ... tax revenue. A college graduate also has a lower rate of ...
http://www.directdegree.c ...ng_student_loans.html

29. student loans College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Univ of Wis Madison
... interest free until graduation. 9. HENRY A. & ... exceed $1,500. Interest rate of 5% or less. 10 ... by the Dean of the College of Ag-Life Sciences ... NEEDY. Needy graduate student only. 6% interest ...
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/students/finlns.html

30. Money and the College Student
... U.S.Frugal Living Money and the College Student From Deborah Fowles, Your Guide to Financial ... ... many college graduates who believe this start their new lives after graduation weighed down ...
http://financialplan.abou ...e/a/MoneyCollege.htm/

31. College Athlete Graduation rate
... Joseph College named the only Division III institution in the United States with a student-athlete graduation rate of ... Washington College - Magazine A high-ranking national liberal arts college ...
http://www.donhansen.com/ ...-graduation-rate.html

32. ☞ student loans - College Student Loan
... Student Loan Interest Rate Increases Information about ... Loan Repayment - student loan debt - college education repayment ... <b>college</b> graduation. It's important for you to ...
http://www.all-student-lo ...college-student-loan/

33. student loan rate
... to borrow money for college, or to consolidate ... have terrific federal student loan consolidation ... Consolidate now for a rate as low as 2 1/4% APR ... re saddled with out graduation gifts: record-low ...
http://www.loan-brain.com ...student+loan+rate.htm

34. HBCU Grad Rates | HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES (A BLACK EXCEL Listing ... people: "What is your graduation rate?" And: "What percentage ... That's usually a good sign of student satisfaction and school ...
http://www.blackexcel.org/grad-rts.htm

35. Salem State College: Student Employment
... Campus Crime Stats -Graduation Rate :: Unions :: -MSCA ... Student Employment Office Student Information Job Programs On ... Contact Us Salem State College 352 Lafayette Street Salem ...
http://w3.salemstate.edu/seo/

36. Scholarship Information - College Scholarship Student
... for some or all of a student's college costs through cash or tuition ... number of years after graduation. Religious groups ... at least half-time student. The interest rate is fixed at 5 ...
http://www.scholarshipspo ...olarship-student.html

37. student loan rate UK
... loan default rate fell, local college rates remained about the same ... loan rate student the same. The rate on your loan depends primarily ... about student loan consolidation. Utah, after graduation I had ...
http://www.affiliate-frie ...tudent-loan-rate.html

38. Direct Loan | Loopholes And Credit Card Debt | We Erase Bad Credit | College...
http://www.wmcr.org/direct-loan.htm

39. College Student Health Insurance - Selected Resources For College Student He...
... Quote Health Insurance Rate Health Insurance Tucson Health ... for maternity coverage in student health insurance. Health care ... Unlike most college students nearing graduation, Clarissa Hall ...
http://www.info-health-in ...-health-insurance.php

40. 2004 Student Loan Rate Resource Center
... high graduation rate given its ... the GOP's effort to eviscerate student loan programs ... ... Baptist Witness,FL- Nov 23, 2005 ... A busy college student, she couldnít travel to ... the 2004 ...
http://www.studentloanres ...tudent-loan-rate.html

41. college graduation rates
... & 2002-03 NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete & To make the information easy to get, the Division I or II college recruiting you must provide its graduation-rate information to you, as ...
http://www.johnstonsc.org ...graduation-rates.html

42. clarkhoward.com: Clarchives clarkhoward - Clarchives Student Loan Rate Chart
... & The Military > College > student loans ... by: Student loan rate chart If you haven't ... consolidated your student loans, this is your ... in the 6-month, post graduation grace period ...
http://clarkhoward.com/sh ...ategory/1/34/282/412/

43. Student Loans : College of Medicine : Financial Aid Office : University of V...
... enrolled at UVM College of Medicine use the ... 6 months after graduation. UVM administered ... for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be ... 1,500 5,000 Interest rate 0% 5% 5% 5% 8% Payment ...
http://www.uvm.edu/financ ...n.html&SM=mcmenu.html

44. Minneapolis Community and Technical College - International Student Services
... months of OPT after graduation if: CPT is part ... of currency or exchange rate; very high increases ... email International Student Services Contact Us ... and Technical College A member of the ...
http://www.mctc.mnscu.edu/iss/employment.cfm

45. Clare College: Student Handbook (Living in College)
... parents attending graduation from a long ... to stay in a College room during the ... to the maximum Student Loan. Overnight ... out at the same daily rate as the Standard Lease ...
http://www.clare.cam.ac.u ...ok/rulesandconds.html

46. College and Student Loan Financial Tips and Advice
... to throw out after graduation. Whether it was the ... were so easy to get in college, and so easy to ... some of the best student loan consolidation ... amount, interest rate, and payment terms ...
http://www.collegecashpla ...loanconsolidation.htm

47. The College Dropout Boom! :: Black College Student Network :: Brain Power Sh...
... that enroll poorer students, graduation rates are often low. And at ... computerized economy. College graduates have received ... has risen little more than the rate of inflation. As a result ...
http://www.bcsn.net/modul ...815eff2cec3af5ea57297

48. Districts
... Louis School Districts Enrollment Class To Teacher Ratio Expenditure Per Student Graduation Rate College Bound Rate Affton School District 8701 Mackenzie Rd. / 63123 314-638-8770 2,526 18:1 $7,551 91 ...
http://www.saintlouisproperties.com/districts.htm

49. Student College Money - TheCollegeLoan.org
... need demonstration - student is responsible for ... the same low interest rate options. There is NO ... funding provides college money for students in ... until 6 months after graduation - certainly ...
http://www.thecollegeloan ...nts/college-money.htm

50. Student loan default
... finish/default.htm Ontario Student Loan Default Rates for Centennial College ... Student Satisfaction; Graduation Rate; Ontario Student Loan Default Rates for Centennial ... http://www ...
http://www.tradingwar.com ...ent+loan+default.html

51. Rend Lake College - Student Services
... Online Application Graduation Tuition & Payments ... on the per credit hour rate found in the table ... may be waived for a student who is enrolled in a ... the employer and the college. Audit Fees Tuition ...
http://rlc.edu/ss/tuition.php

52. credit card for college student - MI Michigan - Find the best credit card de...
... credit card for college student - MI Michigan ... wish -- as long as the rate is listed in the ... card credit student Student credit cards are a ... career. After graduation you will find a ...
http://www.bettercreditca ..._college_student.html

53. Malone College: Student Life
... be billed at a reduced rate. Students choosing the ... the testimony of the College and to glorify the ... will be charged to the student account for each NSF ... transfer credits and graduation requirements. 8 ...
http://www.malone.edu/4322

54. Description of Student Graduation Rate - Washington State Community College
Washington State Community College Description of Student Graduation Rate As Required by Federal Law June 2005 In compliance with the provisions of Title I, Section 103, of Pub. L. 101-542 as amended ...
http://www.wscc.edu/students/gradrate.htm

55. NBC5.com - Education - Students Defy Judge's Ban On Graduation Prayer
... Defy Judge's Ban On Graduation Prayer Monday, May 22, 2006 ...
http://www.nbc5.com/education/9255023/detail.html