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. Education - DeForest Area, North Star of Dane County
... The area's high school graduation rate consistently ranks above the state average. The majority of the district's high school graduates enroll in either two- or four-year colleges. Higher Education ...
http://www.deforestarea.c .../pages.php?page_id=13

2. New Orleans Facts and Statistics
... average): 73 Sales Tax Rate: 9% State Income Tax (based on $50,000 ... children): $1,164 Unemployment rate (1998 most recent data): 4 ... home): $ 53 Education: High School graduation rate: 68% Bachelor's ...
http://www.neworleansonli ...siness/factstats.html

3. Results Iowa: Accountability for Iowa
... High school graduation rate I-JAG graduation rate Community College persistence rate ... ... this important: Indicates decreased reliance on state general funds. What we're doing about this ...
http://www.resultsiowa.org/educ.html

4. Graduation Info : High School Graduation Rate
... School Graduation Rate Suggested Items ... site examines graduation testing and ... Schools: OSHP High School Directory ... Ganado Unified School District ... and to solve state and ... Richmond ...
http://graduationinfo.com ...duationrate/index.php

5. Expansion Management Online
... which the ACT and SAT do. The other major component of the GO index is the high school graduation rate. Each state seems to measure graduation rates differently. Some measure the rate in a four ...
http://www.expansionmanag ...eid/15736/default.asp

6. Handbook: Introduction, p.3
... The higher a state's high school graduation rate, the smaller is its prison population. 20 So common sense should tell us that reading is the ultimate weaponódestroying ignorance, poverty, and ...
http://www.trelease-on-re ...com/rah_intro_p3.html

7. School Patrol
... for 2005 has been released by the State Department of Education. Scores are up statewide, although there are still some concerns with the high school graduation rate. To view scores from your school ...
http://www.wrcb.com/Ch3Statics/schoolpatrol.cfm

8. The Democratic Party
... states on its high school graduation rate and 50th among the 50 ... college. Of entering Alaska high-school freshmen, only 27% are ... to the report, "Education: The State We're In." Only 44% of Alaska ...
http://www.saveoursecurit ...08/republicans_in.php

9. Latest Breaking Health News & Information: Applesforhealth.com
... Best high school graduation rate: State College, Pa.; Anchorage, Alaska; Des Moines, Iowa; Boulder, Colo.; Minneapolis, Minn. Best future job growth: Las Vegas, Nev.; Punta Gorda, Fla.; Austin, Texas ...
http://www.applesforhealth.com/uscities1.html

10. Local10.com - News - Man Sentenced In Pensacola To 40 Years For Prostitution...
... Sill In Shelters King Tut's Treasures Coming To South Florida Florida Headlines State High School Graduation Rate Up By Fraction Poll: Most Floridians Down On President, Unlikely To Vote For Jeb ...
http://www.local10.com/news/5179065/detail.html

11. Increasing U.S. Graduation Rates - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
... Yet in half the states, the requirements for high school graduation are less than the minimum necessary for admission into the state college system. 10.24.2005 Atlanta Public School District Launches ...
http://www.gatesfoundatio ...ghSchools/default.htm

12. Texas - Where We Stand 2003
... 000 population in 1998 (44) Public high school graduation rate in 2000 (61.9%) Median weekly earnings of full-time male workers in 2001 ($605) #40 Change in state and local tax burden, FY 1994-99 ...
http://www.window.state.t .../wwstand/wwstand.html

13. economic development
... strong work ethic and high productivity. The state ranks second in the nation in human resources education and skill levels. The high school graduation rate in Kansas is more than 80 percent ...
http://www.wstnres.com/co ...t?opendocument&menu=1

14. New Kent County Public Schools
... 93.5) and Disadvantaged (93.1) students doesnÄôt meet goal. The high school graduation rate of 82.1 does meet the state goal of 57% Total Light Switches "on" = 27 Total Light Switches "off ...
http://www.newkentschools ...ault.asp?id=43&mnu=43

15. Work & Play in Northeast PA
... education. In fact, the county's high school graduation rate is better than the national average ... ... is the home of over ten golf courses, three state parks, and many venues for the performing arts ...
http://www.worknplaynepa.com/monroe.htm

16. The Facts about Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights
... of personal income. That Coloradoís high school graduation rate fell from 76 percent in 1990 to 70 percent in 2004. That Colorado ranks 48th in the nation for state funds for higher education per $1 ...
http://www.npri.org/TABOR_TASC/facts_on_TABOR.htm

17. Education Update - Metro Beat
... in the right direction. The four-year high school graduation rate, while still too low, is the highest ... ... DOE orchestration. READ MORE Double Testing by State and City Must be Stopped By Assemblyman Steven ...
http://www.educationupdat ...s/metro/index_05.html

18. Arlington Public Schools - General Information
... for the State of Virginia was 1024 and the national average was 1026. Each year a notable number of students are named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists. The high school graduation rate is 93 ...
http://www.apsva.com/about/

19. The High Rate Of High School Graduate Failure
The High Rate Of High School Graduate ... a test for graduation, but it does ... when they get to high school they can't ... The public school establishment is ... over six years to state and local school ...
http://www.ourcivilisatio .../educate/graduate.htm

20. The Black Informant » Blog Archive » High School with high gradu...
... School with high graduation rate for black males ... CA is a very good high school for blacks and ... Alliance of Black School Educators National ... Newspapers (Central State Univ.) The Torch ...
http://blackinformant.com ...rate-for-black-males/

21. Indiana Printing & Publishing Co.
... Although ARIN's Fatherhood Initiative participants have a 90 percent high school graduation rate - the highest in the state, Simmons said - his greatest reward is seeing the teen fathers play with ...
http://www.zwire.com/site ...&dept_id=151025&rfi=6

22. 9news.com | News | Study says state's high school graduation rate falling
... SEARCH ENTIRE SITE Powered by: Study says state's high school graduation rate falling posted by: Dan WernerWeb producer Created: - Updated: ADVERTISEMENT DENVER (AP) - A new study says Colorado's ...
http://www.9news.com/acm_ ...2d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

23. ParaPundit: Texas Has Lowest High School Graduation Rates
... for high school graduation rates. For the ... over age 25 the rate of having a high ... as adults without high school educations ... here or went to school here after ... schools in the state are able to ...
http://www.parapundit.com/archives/002225.html

24. Bush Mango Drum and Dance: jembe drums & West African dance in Rochester, NY
... in the classroom too, showing a 100% high school graduation rate. Colleen and Blair also lead Bush ... ... and performance and creative writing from the State University of New York. She has been teaching ...
http://www.bushmango.com/elton1.html

25. Punta Gorda, Florida Education news in Punta Gorda, Florida, Florida job search
... com all 3 related State announces high school graduation rate is up Tampa Bay Newspapers, FL - 6 hours ago TALLAHASSEE - Together with Education Commissioner John L. Winn, Gov. Jeb Bush recently ...
http://puntagorda.florida ...ndustry.php?TopicID=4

26. Exiting - Part B Community: www.TACommunities.org (4.1.2 )
... definition of the high school graduation rate. Forty-seven governors and 12 national organizations signed on to Graduation Counts: A Compact on State High School Graduation Data during the NGA Annual ...
http://www.tacommunities. ..._201&ID2=DO_COMMUNITY

27. Effingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry
... With the high school graduation rate exceeding that of the state average, most high school juniors and seniors aren't wondering if they'll go to college but, in fact, where they'll go. Many students ...
http://www.effingham.org/education.htm

28. High school dropout rate reaches highest in 14 years - The Boston Globe
... 2005 The Massachusetts high school dropout rate ... in 2004, the highest rate in 14 years, prompting ... earn a diploma. A state report released ... left school prior to graduation last year ...
http://www.boston.com/new ...t_in_14_years?mode=PF

29. Can Do Kids
... Can Do Kids love school; attendance rate is 94.1%, exactly the state average. The Peoria Public Schools high school graduation rate is 76.7%, lower than Illinois' average of 83.2%. The ultimate ...
http://www.cando413.com/kids.html

30. Health insurance lead life
... phone flushing high school graduation rate pictures of high school cheerleaders 2004 audi a8l ... ... quote direct email marketing firm new york state attorney general delaware 2nd mortgage injury ...
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31. High school graduation quotes
... subjection, same. This holds especially for came rate of this growth juvenile years, in order that ... ... high school graduation quotes Beneath the very dense growth allured his and be my place; be from the practice of a state ...
http://high-school-gradua ...uotes.mekka.zgora.pl/

32. Tracking the State Health Plan, 2010
... of poverty High school graduation rate, by race/ethnicity ... school students Tobacco use, high school students Cigarette smoking ... the objectives included in the state health plan. A complete list ...
http://www.dhfs.state.wi. ...n/track2010/index.asp

33. Fort Lauderdale, Florida Education news in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Florida...
... com all 3 related State announces high school graduation rate is up Tampa Bay Newspapers, FL - 13 hours ago TALLAHASSEE - Together with Education Commissioner John L. Winn, Gov. Jeb Bush recently ...
http://fortlauderdale.flo ...ndustry.php?TopicID=4

34. High School Graduation
... High School Graduation High School Graduation measures the ... regular graduates by the state. The National Center for ... regular graduates, their graduation rate and the comparability of ...
http://www.unitedhealthfo ...omponents/hsgrad.html

35. The Educational Pipeline: Big Investment, Big Returns: Educational Success Rate
... PIPELINE SUCCESS RATE FOUR KEY TRANSITION ... High School Graduation The first key ... The number of high school graduates who enter ... is within the reach of state policies Persistence ...
http://www.highereducatio ...ipeline/success.shtml

36. Educator News
... Small Early Childhood Classes Boost High School Graduation Rate Meet U.S. Secretary Spelling's NCLB ... ... S. Secretary Establishes Relationship With Chief State School Officers Georgia Approves Tougher Math ...
http://www.gapsc.com/EducatorNews/EducatorNews.asp

37. A
... asp High school graduation rate http://www.desmoinesmetro.com/weekdays_bus_man.asp http://www.desmoinesmetro.com/weeknights_schools.asp Historical Museum & Library ñ State of Iowa http ...
http://www.desmoinesmetro.com/siteindex.html

38. Abstracts of Articles Published in Volume 4, 1996
... stabilize the high school graduation rate at about ... in increasing the rate to 90% or beyond ... ISSN 1068-2341 Public School Reform: Potential ... Marshall Pennsylvania State University jdm13@psuvm ...
http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/abs4.html

39. Graduation i : High School Graduation Rate
... School Graduation Rate Suggested Items ... site examines graduation testing and ... Service to help high school juniors ... Talking Out of School A Baltimore ... covering the state of Michigan ...
http://graduationi.com/hi ...duationrate/index.php

40. Graduation Rates by State and Race
... D. Senior Research Associate, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research Funding for this report was provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation To Table I, High School Graduation Rate by State and ...
http://www.gayleturner.net/graduation_rates.html

41. NBC5.com - Education - Students Defy Judge's Ban On Graduation Prayer
... prayer in his graduation at Russell County High School. The state's branch of the ...
http://www.nbc5.com/education/9255023/detail.html

42. A High School Graduation Present: Israel and Egypt - Travelogue
... and Egypt A High School Graduation ... to Egypt as a graduation present. As I ... at a pretty bad rate as we found out ... pretensions to high class. Another ... anniversary of the state of Israel. I knew ...
http://www.travel-library ...israel/balabanov.html

43. Compass Measure - High School Graduation Rates
... requirements for high school graduation. The State considers a graduate to be any student who has met the graduation requirements of his or her local school district. A graduation rate is reported for ...
http://www.larimer.org/compass/gradrate_ed_k12.htm

44. MS1Stop - Harrison County - Government
... com Education Education Facts 11 public school districts serving over 61,000 students 28 separate private schools Region exceeds state average high school graduation rate Harrison County ranks ...
http://www.ms1stop.com/1s ...f/Government?openpage

45. Welcome to Upward Bound Math and Science.
... 04. Penn State UBMS currently holds a 100% postsecondary education acceptance rate and a 100% high school graduation rate for participants in our program. Read more of our successes!! TOP Jody Markley ...
http://www.equity.psu.edu/ubms/

46. Most Livable State 2005 Factors
... 102) 31 Public High School Graduation Rate (Table 128) 32 Percent of Population Graduated from High School (Table 129) 33 Expenditures for Education as a Percent of All State and Local Government ...
http://www.morganquinto.com/sr05mlfac.htm

47. Education Service Center Region VI
... at school. Personnel shortages will no longer exist. The high school graduation rate will be 100%. All learners will meet or exceed state standards. All educators will demonstrate effective use of ...
http://www.esc6.net/about/index.asp

48. State to require high-school majors - Orlando Sentinel : State News State to require high-school maj
... has the worst high-school graduation rate in the nation ... will help boost Florida's graduation ...
http://www.orlandosentine ...jun06,0,4723342.story

49. On Lisa Rein's Radar: Bye-Bye Jeb Archives
... wilderness at such an alarming rate, and with no supervision, but ... of thousands in legal fees the state will have to pay when the ... of our past. Maybe those old-school Democrats and Whigs (there ...
http://www.onlisareinsrad .../byebye_jeb/index.php

50. NCKRDC Education
... 1. High school students' ACT scores exceed the national average. Kansas' high school graduation rate of 80.2% placed the state in the top ten nationally. Workers are productive. In 1989, Kansas ...
http://www.nckrdc.org/educ.htm

51. Welcome
... and writing, as well as the high school graduation rate. A separate report that presents and explains AYP results for your school, your school district, and the state is distributed in conjunction ...
http://www.pbelem.brevard.k12.fl.us/

52. Alliance for Excellent Education
... There is an important connection between a state's high school graduation rate and its economic vitality," said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West ...
http://www.all4ed.org/pub ...ghtAs/Volume5No7.html

53. Administration
... elementary and middle level science tests, and high school graduation rate. It also includes a 95-percent student participation rate on state assessments. To view the PowerPoint presentation ...
http://dcs.neric.org/Administration.htm

54.
... Yet in half the states, the requirements for high school graduation are less than the minimum necessary for admission into the state college system. 11.28.2005 High School Initiative Targets Success ...
http://gatesfoundation.or ...ghSchools/default.htm

55. Graduation Gift Ideas - Buy College and High School Graduation Gifts Online
... night to change the high school graduation requirements. The change will bring the school system in line with the state`s requirements. U.S. addresses university graduation rate problem (Daily ...
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56. Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce :: Edmond, Oklahoma
... count for college credit. Edmondís high school graduation rate is 96.5 percent, and 85 percent of ... ... of Edmondís Teachers of the Year have been named State of Oklahoma finalists, and in the past six ...
http://www.edmondchamber.com/general.asp?id=94