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. A Frost Bouquet: Editions in English
... Poems LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL ORDER OF EXERCISES Lawrence, Mass., 1892 The graduation exercises ... ... FOREST FLOWERS" "Forest Flowers," an early poem by Robert Frost, was printed in The Pinkerton ...
http://www.lib.virginia.e ...ts/frost/english.html

2. Radnor High School
... Z; Dept. Chair TBA ext.TBA Graduation project coordinator Mr ... at www.radnor.com. Radnor High School Scholarship Fund The RHS ... Month Do you have a favorite poem? Please contribute your ...
http://www.myschoolonline ...-6988-44-6938,00.html

3. poem-our moms-2
... com HOME /SITE MAP /BACK / MORE POEM || POEM || OUR MOMS (contd. from PAGE 1) When you ... ... When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation. You thanked her by staying out ...
http://www.justforkidsonly.com/poemxourmoms2.htm

4. Laguna Hills High School Baccalaureate
... the service? What is the difference between graduation and baccalaureate? How can graduates get ... ... Hills High School Graduate? Grads are invited to submit a 3-5 minute speech, comment, poem, song ...
http://www.lhhsgrads.com/qna.php

5. Ben Blewett High School - Class of 1937
... as a supplement to Soldan High School." 2nd Page FACULTY HONOR ... written by Chester Kessler Poem "Paean" written by Chester ... beside his comrades in the graduation ceremonies of this June ...
http://www.genealogybuff.com/mo/faculty.htm

6. News from the Chillicothe High School
... on Hornet Drive. The graduation ceremony featured the ... class. The Chillicothe High School will be transformed into an ... students will perform a song. A poem will also be read, according ...
http://www.chillimoschools.org/newshigh.htm

7. Poem And Song For Preschool Graduation
Poem And Song For Preschool Graduation FireRocket Search Related Searches poem for graduation from college college free graduation poem green day graduation song 2005 high school graduation song high ...
http://www.barberforjudge ...preschool-graduation/

8. Kaiserslautern American High School Alumni Association
... reserves and attended school full-time at LSU ... in 1991. Soon after graduation, Michael was ... while attending K-Town High. He continued his ... in Spain "For Larry" A poem written by his friends ...
http://www.kahsalumni.org/80s_memoriam.htm

9. The Alabama Reading Initiative | Connect for Kids
... 100 percent passing rate on the Alabama High School Graduation Exam, according to a PowerPoint ... ... rate. Wilson prefaced her presentation with a poem about a "pretty good student" in a "pretty good ...
http://www.connectforkids.org/node/3264

10. Graduation -
... Cheap Graduation Dress Christian Graduation Poem College Football Bowl Team College Graduation ... ... Graduation Invitation College Graduation Quote Colorado High School Cub Scout Graduation Ceremony ...
http://www.graduationrc.com/

11. Lawrence
... work at the Everett Mill right after high school graduation as a clerical assistant to the ... ... tardiness. This experience later inspired his poem The Lone Striker. " He knew a path that wanted ...
http://www.frostfriends.org/lawrence.html

12. Princeton - PWB 020998 - Pulitzer Prize-winning poet teaches in Creative Wri...
... whose first literary effort was a hundred-line poem "in the style of Tennyson, full of lofty ... ... for the future," written for his high school graduation, would not now be sitting in a ...
http://www.princeton.edu/ .../98/0209/0209-1b.html

13. Invitations - Wedding Invitation
http://my-wedding.my-desiress.info/

14. religious schools
... schools Our Sitemap Home religious schools education religious school school of religious study graduation high poem religious school pasadena religious schools grants religious schools muslim ...
http://www.biblebasedministrytrainingcenter.com/

15. Jaemie Ricci's Poem 'High School Graduation' at Allpoetry.com
Poetry Contests Lists Groups Learn Forums Help High School Graduation by Jaemie Ricci on Jan 19, 2004 (bookmark) (print) (next) Author's Last Login: Jan 11, 7:36 p.m. In Category: Personal. 31 total ...
http://allpoetry.com/Poem/457116

16. Wausau East High School
... 3, Lunch, 4 7 East Graduation 7 Second Semester ... questions, call East High at 261-0650 and ask ... Welcome to the 2005-06 school year. Backyurjax, our ... and perhaps a story, poem, saying, etc., about ...
http://www.wausau.k12.wi. ... Pages/Notes Home.htm

17. make it through high school on 43 Things
... is RSS?) make it through high school People doing this ... doing! Well, I still have graduation, on June 4th, but Im ... live instead of exist write a poem every week star in a movie ...
http://www.43things.com/things/view/74523

18. SENIORS & COLLEGE STUDENTS
... home school. You must submit an original essay, poem, photograph or photograph of your original ... ... All Fields of Study 11 th & 12 th GRADE High School Graduation Speech Contest Natavi Guides, INC ...
http://www.homeschoolplusinc.org/Scholarships.html

19. HISTORY OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS HIGH SCHOOL
... Jack Waters (Tribune) rapping a poem he wrote about the partnership ... Trust enabled Douglass High School to purchase their own small ... 1995 was the first official graduation since becoming an ...
http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/dhs/history.html

20. High School Renewal Newsletter
... us. March 2005 Newsletter January 2005 Newsletter November 2004 Newsletter October 2004 Newsletter Index of Past Articles Office of High School Renewal: Graduation Policy Office of High School Renewal ...
http://www.highschoolrenewal.org/newsapr05.asp

21. The King's Daughter Articles
... Message Is There Life After High School? Graduation and Beyond Questions (making decisions ... ... Currently (life after high school testimony) His Perfect Love (a poem) Volume 10#1 (January ...
http://www.thekingsdaughtermag.com/articles.html

22. Moberly High School Class of 1983
... Moberly Links Poem Pictures 1 Pictures 2 Pictures 3 Reunion Info School Song Tribute to our ... ... or MJH with our class anytime from 1978-1983. Graduation from MHS is not required! Copyright © 2002 ...
http://www.mhsclassof83.com/

23. handmade wedding invitation unique wedding invitation wording hydrangea invi...
... high school graduation announcements, high school graduation invitations Birth Announcements Cards ... ... cards Bridal Shower Invitations A announcement poem wedding ). You can easily tailor these designs ...
http://wedding-invitation ...edding-invitation.htm

24. Slices of My Life by Barbara Brabec
... Memories of Peonies and My High-School Graduation - Every year, the new crop of peonies ... ... activities. Life is Like a Baseball Game - A poem by Barbara written for her father's 76th ...
http://www.barbarabrabec. ...TC-slices_of_life.htm

25. Famous Plagiarists.com © WarOnPlagiarism.org-- Academic Profiles
... was a word for word copying of a Hans Andreus poem. Upon being confronted with this obvious ... ... Risk Occupation: High School Principal Allegations: Plagiarism in graduation speeches given by ...
http://www.famousplagiarists.com/academia.htm

26. The Writers' Bridge | Who We Are | S - Z
... Press and The National Authors Registry for the poem, "Full Moon." She lives on a farm near ... ... flakes, women Rabbis, weight lifting, high school graduation, Pokemons and life on other planets ...
http://www.thewritersbridge.com/whoweare/s_z.htm

27. Accutane false positive drug test. Drug testing of high school athletes.
... for in the bush Survival kit poem Blood clot drug Pictures of ... defense In home drug testing High school athletes drug tests ... folical drug test College graduation survival kit Survival kit ...
http://www.fastdrugtestin ...e-positive-drug-test/

28. Kindergarten Graduation Song And Poem
... poem for a friends 8th grade graduation poem inspirational graduation poem graduation poem for your son free high school graduation poem graduation poem daughter poem about graduation friendship ...
http://www.worshipmusic.i ...uation-song-and-poem/

29. Paisley Pixie's Useless Rants and Ramblings - Bravenet Web Journal
... for now. Off that subject now. LoL. I wrote a poem mostly in regards to Halloween. Here it is ... ... best friend from the 7 th grade until high school graduation count? What turns you on? Humor ...
http://paisleypixie.bravejournal.com/

30. High School Grad Gift Books
... virtually any book in print. High School Grad Gift Books... Congrats ... No matter why you say it for graduation, overcoming a personal ... joy of Elliott's read-aloud poem and Cecil's brilliant, amusing ...
http://www.any-book-in-pr ...gh_school_grad_gb.htm

31. Back to school lesson plans
... merrill2c wisconsin bi polar disease beauty supply lap top computers alabama high school graduation exam back to school poem carroll high school retro refrigerators air force academy football ...
http://back-to-school-lesson-plans.agroinzert.sk/

32. High School Student Job Search
... to help you find more jobs and much faster. High School Student Job Search Article Career Goals and ... ... As I approached graduation from college many years ago, I wrote a poem about goal setting ...
http://www.jobs-careers-r ...udent-job-search.html

33. High School Graduation Invitation Free
... invitation sample school graduation high invitation photo school high school graduation party invitation free graduation kindergarten poem graduation kindergarten parent poem thank kindergarten ...
http://www.free19.com/hig ...tion-invitation-free/

34. Father Mercredi High School's Students Against Drinking & Driving
... Ride Poem:Just A Case Poem:Precious Lives ... Mercredi Community High School SADD ... and ask elementary school students to draw ... event just before graduation. 3. Participants in ...
http://members.tripod.com/S_A_D_D/

35. h
... year books high school drop out hillcrest high school high school graduation speech high school football recruiting holiday poem teacher high school science high school rankings holy cross high ...
http://www.educationkey.com/education/h.htm

36. High School Graduation Invitation
... graduation party free high school graduation speech high school graduation speech free high school graduation poem create a graduation invitation graduation invitation saying preschool graduation ...
http://www.high2.com/high ...raduation-invitation/

37. Thrilling New Detective Fiction: The Half Monty, Part 1
... as-well-be-new VW bug as Sal's high school graduation present. Silver, with vanity license plates that read "Mandalay," an allusion to Sal's favorite Kipling poem. In fact, it had come down to a ...
http://www.thrillingdetec .../fiction/00_12_3.html

38. Snickersnee Press - Ben Hecht Biography & Work - Snickersnee Press
... Hecht's real-time muckraking poem about the Titanic disaster appeared on the front page of the Chicago Journal and other papers less than two years after his high school graduation in Racine. Hecht ...
http://www.snickersneepress.com/

39. aparna_contact
... Compilation film (3 mins), an interpretation of poem Salvador Dali Meets God by K Sachindanandan ... ... School, Bangalore, India. 1994 ...... High School graduation, Sophia High School, Bangalore, India ...
http://people.interaction ...thesis_4_contact.html

40. Santa Paula High School
... Calendar School Policies Graduation Requirements Guidance ... extension 261. Santa Paula High School held their third annual ... 45 students signed up to read a poem. This was a very successful ...
http://sphs.us/campusbriefs_jun2004.cfm

41. Columbine High School Remembrance and Dedication
... I believe that includes graduation. The love that runs among ... timeline here Columbine High School For Donations and Support ... Java) A Journey in Photos A Poem to Remember More Poems Get the ...
http://www.tmbsbbs.com/columbine/default2.htm

42. About Me
... read alot and even did my own writing; my first poem was published when I was in 8th grade in a ... ... nationally in Dance. Busy times! After high school graduation I went into the military. Yep. United ...
http://www.crimsonvision.net/aboutme.htm

43. Lake Region Union High School
... play) Our Town (long poem) The Odyssey (movie ... end: The close of the school day is always welcome ... eminent--outstanding, high, lofty: The eminent ... forward: After graduation, the students go ...
http://www.lruhs.org/reso ...echanicshandbook.html

44. study abroad high school -Study Abroad
... particularly as you near graduation. If you attended a well ... information study abroad in high school study abroad in italy study ... quote good luck in study abroad poem geographic study abroad ...
http://www.studyabroadin. ...tudyabroadhighschool/

45. South Brunswick High School - Media Center - Welcome
... School Profile Project Graduation Renaissance Program Student ... PTO Site Map SOUTH BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER ... 100,000 full-text poems plus poem explanations, Story Finder ...
http://www.sbschools.org/ ...ctronic_resources.php

46. Catchride.com BB! > High School
... ACT scores (3 replies) high school's OVER (3 ... 0 replies) Molly's Graduation Dress Options (30 ... ATTN NH PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS! (7 replies ... Calc (2 replies) Poem memorizing... (6 ...
http://forum.catchride.co ...on/index.php/f40.html

47. undefined
... if thats good enough. Oh school. High school graduation is 6 days from now. You can say Id ... ... and cry during the performance. Yes, there is a poem/song performance at the graduation meant to ...
http://undefined.tousled.org/index.php?m=200303

48. Edgewater High School
... Curriculum Guide EST Magnet Graduation Reqs FCAT Explorer ... Media Specialist, Edgewater High School, Orlando, Florida burnetm ... something every day, like a poem, a song, or something in a ...
http://www.ehs.ocps.net/g ...fcat_strategies.shtml

49. 201 Magazine | Point of Departure
... lifetime and euphorically recited Robert Frost s poem about the two paths that diverged in the ... ... wouldn t let me stay home and enjoy my high school graduation. The flood less perturbed the other ...
http://www.bu.edu/com/co2 .../pointofdeparture.htm

50. Mashit Mash It MA Shit Mas Hit
... favorite jungle label is Tearin' Vinyl. I had a poem about the amen break published in XLR8R once ... ... from the start of kindergarten until my high school graduation. It was partially because I liked them ...
http://mashit.com/007info.html

51. Eric Evans Memorial
... They sent Eric's high school graduation photo and a poem, "Death is Nothing at All," to Hartford, where they are part of a display at the Legislative Office Building on the victims from Connecticut ...
http://www.ericevansmemorial.org/Biography.htm

52. The FOUND Show Comes Home
... happens to be the site of their high school graduation ceremonies. So Davy has come full circle, starting at age four when The Ann Arbor News first published a poem that completed the thought "If I ...
http://www.ecurrent.com/art/found1105.php

53.
... Video Greeting Cards Harvard University High School Graduation Holiday Gifts Kindergarten ... ... Preschool Graduation Idea Preschool Graduation Poem Preschool Graduation Song Unique ...
http://www.realgraduation ...HighSchoolGraduation/

54. Hestia's House - Study Guide
... of that incident and commentary of his poem ìCommitment.î 4. How might the experience of a ... ... of his experience of living through high school graduation in the Childrenís Home. Do you think ...
http://www.hestiashouse.com/study_guide.html

55. Free Poems
... 10. Free High School Graduation Poems Sad Graduation Poem and Graduation Poetry and Funny Graduation Poems and Graduation Poem for a Friends ... And Poems. Parenting Poems. Poems About Parents. Free ...
http://www.redbicycle.co.uk/free_poems.html

56. Best Practices - High School Focus: ASB Bon Voyage Party
... Bon Voyage Party Chula Vista High School The first official project ... in June. It is best after graduation but will work either way ... members to write and read a poem that rather sums up a year ñ a ...
http://www.casc.net/bestpractices/bonvoyage.php

57. graduation gifts, graduation gift ideas, college-high school graduation gift...
... Whether you need a graduation gift idea for high school of college graduation, choosing that ... ... then that I carried you. Give the graduation gift based on the poem ìFootprints.î This spiritual ...
http://www.crystals-gemst .../Graduation_gifts.htm