• Diary of Wimpy Kid series
• The Pain and the Great One series by Judy Blume
• The Fudge series
• Ready Freddy series
• Magic Treehouse series
• Hardy Boys series
• Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine
• Rotten School series by R.L. Stine
• My Wierd School series
• Guardians of Ga’Hoole series
• Percy Jackson and the Olympian series
• Captain Underpants
• Ralph S. Mouse
• Series of Unfortunate Events
• Geronimo Stilton books
• Encyclopedia Brown books
• Beverly Cleary books
• Andrew Clements books
• Henry Huggins books
• Gordon Korman books
• The American Chillers books by Jonathon Rand
• Sports-themed books by Matt Christopher
• The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary by Candace Fleming
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brain Selznick
• Punished by David Lubar
• Hank Zipzer books by Henry Winkler
• The Secret Zoo
• The White Giraffe
• Maniac McGee
• Various titles by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell
• The Baily School Kids, A to Z Mysteries, Melvin Beederman, Superhero

“Cat Nights” by Jane Manning

I’m never sure if the book my kids bring home from the school library are going to be any good. I mean, I’m sure they just pluck something from the shelves and check it out without much thought. As it turns out, some are pretty decent; some are not. First-grader Danny did bring home a winner the other day, and so I thought I’d recommend it. It’s not only a cute little story about a witch, it also teaches about an old Irish legend.

The book: “Cat Nights” by Jane Manning.

The legend: The phrase “cat nights” came about because a legend says that a witch could turn herself into a cat eight times, and she could still return to her witchy self. But if she turned into a cat a ninth time, she would forever be a cat. And that’s where “cat has nine lives” comes from. And since cats like to roam around on hot, summer nights (like in August), nights at that time of year are referred to as “cat nights.”

Yep, we liked this book. Check it out, because you might, too.

Chances are you’re resolving to do what many Americans are doing right about now: Eat better and get in shape! Well, you’re in luck, because you have two full days (today and tomorrow) to enter a giveaway for Bethenny Frankel’s new book, “The Skinnygirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life.” You might know Bethenny as one of the stars of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” but she’s also a celebrity natural food chef, columnist for Health magazine and best-selling author.

To gather some tips from her book and enter to win your very own copy, just head over to BravingBoys.org. If you want a second chance to score a book, you can also enter at my Breast Cancer blog.

Photo: http://www.bethenny.com/

My third-grader came out of school on library day last week armed with a kid’s cookbook — Company’s Coming: Kids Cook! He excitedly flipped through its 199 pages as we walked to the car, pointing out all the yummy-looking photos and very-simple recipes — he zeroed in on the Sweet Ending Pizza, Peach Melba Float and Chocolate Milk Shake, although he did find some salads he thought might be good for me. And after peeking at everything from Hawaiian Grilled Cheese to Kid Kabobs, we made a beeline for the supermarket, where Joey decided the Peach Melba Float would be our afternoon project. One can of sliced peaches, some Ginger Ale and a tub of raspberry sherbet later, and we were blending up cool treats in our kitchen. My boys didn’t end up liking it all that much, but that’s OK. We have the book on loan for a few more days, and that chocolatey pizza is really calling their names.

In the market for some new meal ideas that even kids can make? This might be your book — and although I can’t say the stuff you’ll make will be the healthiest, it will surely be tasty. Here’s an idea — make it a special-occasion cookbook, and you’ll be all set for a once-and-a-while indulgence. Hint: Chewy Peanut Butter Bars, page 113.

Photo: _Nezemnaya_, Flickr

Bruce Weinstein, Ph.D., the author of “Is It Still Cheating If I Don’t Get Caught?” left a comment on today’s post, and it’s something you all should read — so here it is:

Thank you so much for mentioning my book, “Is It Still Cheating If I Don’t Get Caught?” Your readers may order it from my website, TheEthicsGuy.com, and I’ll even sign and personalize it upon request. It may also be obtained at Amazon.com or your favorite local independent bookseller. (Let’s support the independents!)

I am pleased to mention that the book is now the #1 bestselling book on Amazon.com’s children’s book list (nonfiction/philosophy).

WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK! I will give a free signed copy of “Is It Still Cheating If I Don’t Get Caught?” to the child who writes the best response to the question posed by the book’s title. I’ll also publish the winning essay on my website. This contest will end on October 31, so let’s see those essays! All essays should be submitted through my website, TheEthicsGuy.com, not PlanetKid. You need not buy the book to enter the contest.

Every now and then, we’ll name a children’s book we think you might want to buy or borrow. We’ll pick only the ones we’ve actually read and only the ones that get a thumbs up from the little ones in our lives.

Recently, we shared some tips for raising your kids to be readers, and now, just in time for Easter, we’ve got a great idea for what you can stuff in your little ones’ festive baskets: Books.

I don’t know about you, but at our house, we love the Berenstain Bears books by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Here’s one that’s just right for Bunny Day: The Berenstain Bears and the Real Easter Eggs. We love us some good Max and Ruby stories too.

Now, we know you probably want to sneak some candy in those baskets, and that’s just fine, but why not stray from the typical sugary treats a bit and offer your kiddos something that will last a whole longer, and happens to be a whole lot healthier too.

Now tell us all about your favorite kid books. And tell us what non-candy goods your kids will find in their Easter baskets this year.

Photo by: ButterflySha on flickr

We’re dealing with some kid challenges at our house — stuff like talking back, fighting and whining. You know the drill. And if you’re like me, you’re constantly trying to fix the problems of the day. Good news: You don’t need to.

Dr. James Dobson, founder and president of Focus on the Family and author of “Bringing Up Boys” — the book that delivered me this good news — says: “The mechanisms that set kids aflame will cool down. That’s why I recommend that you not look too quickly for the person your child will become. It’s also why I believe parents should seek to ‘just get them through it’ rather than trying to fix everything that bugs them as parents.”

I’m not sure it will make me feel any better to just let things go and wait for the tides to change. But I like how this man thinks, and he reminds me that my kids are normal. Whew.

What do you think: Is it better to find a fix for misbehavior or to just wait it out?

Want your own “Bringing Up Boys” book? Buy it here.

You need books in your house. Board books and books with mirrors and textures for babies. Books with nursery rhymes, colors and shapes for your toddlers. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, even dictionaries for your older kids. Gather up some kid-friendly magazines, audio books, comic books, newspapers and photo albums too. Start working on your library of reading material now — it will help your children become enthusiastic and proficient readers later.

“KidsHealth for Parents” offers a bunch of solid strategies for raising readers, like: Create a special reading place, make sure reading areas have good lighting, strategically place reading material around the house and turn off that darn TV. Need more ideas? KidsHealth covers all the bases right here.

Got some ideas of your own for raising readers? Do tell.

Photo by: JonF119 on flickr

]]> http://planetkidonline.com/2009/02/24/books-use-them-to-raise-a-reader/feed/ 1