The last in our four-part series on reading in the Common Core era.

All week we’ve been reporting on big changes in reading instruction brought on by the Common Core State Standards: a doubling-down on evidence-based reading, writing and speaking; increased use of nonfiction; and a big push to get kids reading more “complex texts.”

Whatever you think of these shifts, they’re meaningless ideas without a classroom and kids to make sense of them. That’s today’s story, as we round out our series on reading in the Core era.

It’s midmorning at Watkins Elementary in Washington, D.C. From the fourth floor, Amy Wertheimer’s fifth-grade classroom looks out over a red-brick grid of row houses and, looming over it all, the U.S. Capitol. But every back is to the view as Ms. Wertheimer calls her kids to the reading rug.

“All right, we are on the carpet in 5 … 4… ”

The students force their rubbery legs, full of early energy, to criss-cross applesauce. Each has a binder. Inside is evidence that the Common Core State Standards have been here.

The kids are reviewing a bit of nonfiction — what the Core calls an “informational text” — titled “Who Settled the West?” It begins with the Native Americans, then moves through the arrival of Europeans and into the 19th century migrations of Mormons, former slaves and gold seekers.

For many of the kids, it was a tough read. Or, to use the Core’s vocabulary, “complex.” Which is why they’re now tackling it together, as a class.

Ms. Wertheimer warms them up with a text-dependent question: “Are all of these native peoples nomadic?”

The kids comb through the text, line by line, word by word.

What makes the text tough? The language, for one. Words like “prejudice” trip them up, as do some of the Native American names. If “Haida” is a speed bump for these readers, “Tlingit” is a brick wall.

These books for daily, independent reading have been sorted by difficulty and labeled with letters. Popular writers, including Dahl and Rowling, get their own bins.

LA Johnson/NPR

But once Khalil Sommerville struggles through them both, he does something just as hard, something the Common Core really wants him to be able to do: He answers Ms. Wertheimer’s question using evidence from the text.

“On page 6, paragraph 2,” he says, “the first sentence: ‘The Haida and Tlingit of the Northwest built permanent wooden homes called longhouses.’ ”

Khalil flags the word “permanent” — in other words, not nomadic. After an attaboy for Khalil, Ms. Wertheimer asks about the Sioux.

Destiny Brown volunteers: “Page 6, on the first paragraph, at the end it says, ‘They lived in tents called tipis.’ ”

This kind of classwide reading seems to engage the kids. Lots of hands shoot up. When Ms. Wertheimer notices a wallflower, she finds a way to include him.

Searching For Answers

It’s also tiring work for the kids. So, after 20 minutes, they break into groups.

One cluster of 10-year-olds dives into the packet, looking for reasons why African-Americans headed west before and after the Civil War.

Kandice Norris scans the text, finds a key quote and offers up Reason One: Former slaves could find paid work in the West. Novaun Lee chimes in with Reason Two: Even before the war, slavery was illegal in the West.

Ms. Wertheimer walks from group to group, helping and encouraging the kids to show evidence for their answers. She’s been teaching for 17 years and says this shift to reading more complex material is a big difference, and she loves it.

“This pushes them,” she says. “And the high kids aren’t bored, and the low kids aren’t bored. And we’re all learning about really interesting things.”

It’s at this point that I have to mention Ms. Wertheimer’s hair — a serious salt-and-pepper bob. But along the bottom runs a surprising fringe of dyed-pink hair.

A 17-year veteran of the classroom, Amy Wertheimer teaches fifth grade at Watkins Elementary in Washington, D.C.

LA Johnson/NPR

It’s a perfect metaphor for how she — and lots of teachers — are approaching reading in the Common Core era. Not as an either-or proposition. The Core standards don’t say everything kids read has to be salt-and-pepper serious and seriously hard. There’s still plenty of room for pink.

A Breather

That’s why kids here have leveled libraries. Leveling pre-dates the Core. It’s a way of labeling books based on the skill needed to read them.

In many schools, leveled reading once drove instruction. Kids would spend their entire day reading at or close to their comfort zone. At Watkins, daily independent reading with leveled books provides a counterbalance to the tough stuff, a breather.

Next door, in teacher Kate Sommerville’s fifth-grade class, Tonyae Butler sits quietly at her desk, reading Roald Dahl’s The Witches. She has already plowed through his other classics, including Matilda and James and the Giant Peach.

Tonyae says the book is actually below her reading level, but that’s OK. She’s having fun. And that’s the point.

Still, I assume she prefers Dahl to the close-reading binder on her desk. They’ll be tackling a tough, new article shortly.

“Do you think it looks kind of tough?” I ask.

Her answer: “I think it looks interesting and tough.”

To my surprise, Tonyae says, one thing can be both.

Read Original Article Here:

As a boy, one of my favorite times in school was when we’d get a new Scholastic News book “catalog.” I would pour over the pages picking out which books I wanted and filling out the order sheet. And as soon I got them, I was lying under the covers with my nose buried in a book.

Unfortunately, not all boys have that kind of enthusiasm for reading. For several decades now, boys have scored lower on reading assessment tests than girls. Boys also take longer to learn to read than girls, are less likely to actually read and to value reading, and are more likely to label themselves as “non-readers” (up to 50% of high school age boys consider themselves as such). Non-reading boys do poorer academically and end up as non-reading men (women read almost twice as many books as men).

What’s the problem? Some of it may be biological (boys’ language skills develop slower that girls). But a lot of it is sociological. Boys may see reading as a passive and thus sissy activity. Boys also lack male reading mentors-their librarians and teachers are often female, and it’s mom that reads to them. And in the name of gender-neutrality, teachers are foisting books on boys that they simply do not like.

But parents are to blame too, often trying to make their sons read “important books” to build their character. Dad loved some long tome as a boy and wants junior to come to an equal apprectation of it.

But reading experts all agree that boys need to be allowed to pick the books that really interest them. Of course it’s okay to make suggestions to your son about things he might like-boys very much value the opinion of other boys and men in making their reading selections. So here are 50 books that many boys and young men will really love. We’ve included some classics, but we also threw in some more modern and accessible choices-after all, not every boy has the desire or the aptitude to dive into Dickens.

Finally, while we had boys about the ages of 9-15 in mind when we made this list, I’ve always considered the distinction between adult and young adult literature to be an unfortunate and artificial one. Putting together this list I remembered just how good these books are, and I can’t wait to read them again as a man. Whether you’re 12 or 52, grab one of these books and a bag of cookies and head out to the treehouse.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Pretty much every boy’s favorite book. When the pilot of the small plane of which he is a passenger crash lands in the Canadian wilderness, 13 year old Brian Robeson must survive with only his wits and a hatchet. Utterly alone, Brian must learn to rely on himself. Gripping and vividly told, every boy pictures himself in Brian’s shoes and wonders whether he would have what it takes to survive.

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Set at a boys prep school on the eve of World War II, A Separate Peace centers on the friendship of Phineas and Gene. Phineas’ seeming perfection creates a jealously in Gene that results in a tragedy that will forever change both of their lives. A piercing look at both the light and the shadows of friendship and humanity. Every boy wishes he were Finny but knows he’s more like Gene. This book has stuck with me ever since reading it as a young man and remains one of my favorite until to this day.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Take Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, replace the jungle with a graveyard and the animals with ghosts and you’ve got Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. The book begins with the mention of the murder of a family, but quickly moves on from there and is not a gruesome tale inappropriate for youngsters. The sole survivor of the murder is an 18 month old baby, who toddles away to a graveyard. Here the cemetery’s ghosts and ghouls adopt the boy, give him a name (“Nobody” as he’s like nobody else in the graveyard), protect him from the still on the loose killer, and teach him the life lessons that only the dead can know. It’s takes a graveyard to raise a child, andthe cemetery is a great home, but eventually Bod, as they call him, must deal with the world outside of its borders. Spooky, magical, and engrossing, it’s a must for all boys who like ghost stories (so pretty much all boys). Be sure to check out Gaiman’s other great books like Neverwhere and Anasi Boys.

The American Boy’s Handy Book by Daniel C. Beard

Long before The Dangerous Book for Boys became all the rage , there was the American Boy’s Handy Book. Every father and grandfather should have this on his shelf, waiting there for a boy to pull it off and start leafing through. Dozens of awesome (and unlike another book, some actually dangerous) hands on projects for boys to tackle from how to build kites and forts to how to rear wild birds and trap animals. Originally published in 1882 and still a must for every boy today.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

The story of a boy who’s boring life is interrupted by the appearance of something strange and unusual that transports him to a magical place. It’s a premise that underlies a myriad of children’s books, but few are as creatively constructed as The Phantom Tollbooth. Young Milo finds a tollbooth in his room, gets in his toy car and drives into another dimension. Boys will love the strange adventures Milo experiences, while older kids and adults can enjoy the witty satire and clever puns.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

One of the great American novels. Young Huck Finn escapes from his abusive father by taking off on a raft down the Mississippi River. He is joined by Jim, an escaped slave. The two set off on a grand adventure full of close calls and interesting characters. With both wit, action, and fun, coupled with an undercurrent of serious themes, Huck Finn is a multi-layered masterpiece for young and old.

The Last Mission by Harry Mazer

The classic tale of the collision of a boy’s idealistic view of war with it’s ugly reality. Yet the book manages to avoid being a tired cliche. 15 year old Jack Raab lies his way into the Army Air Force and finds himself flying bombing missions over occupied territory. On his 25th mission, his last mission before being sent home, his plane is shot down, and he is taken prisoner in a German POW camp. A fictional story and an easy read, but historically accurate and realistic in its details. Be sure to check out other books by Harry Mazer; his A Boy at War series is a painless way to teach boys some history.

The First Edition of the Boy Scout Handbook

If you have a son in Scouts, he’ll definitely dig this book. Today’s Scout manual is definitely watered down compared to the first edition. The first edition manual is crammed with info on tracking and trapping animals, building shelters from scratch, and sailing. Additionally, it has stories of bravery and adventure that inspire boys to be great men. Something today’s manual is sorely lacking.

Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

Known as a war book, The Red Badge of Courage is really a coming of age story set on the battlefield. Young Henry Fleming leaves his mother to fight for the Union Army. His question of whether or not he’ll have the courage to stand and fight is answered in the negative when he flees from his first skirmish. Fleming resolves to redeem himself during the next battle. A story not only of the tragedy of war, but the struggle to replace pride, weakness, and rationalization with bravery and personal honesty.

Watership Down by Richard Adams

One of my favorite books as a boy-who knew the lives of rabbits could be so engrossing? I’m sure it’s rife with rich symbolism and whatnot to mull over, but it’s one of those books that creates a world so rich and evocative that it’s best to let yourself get totally wrapped up in it instead of constantly searching for deeper meaning. When a prophetic rabbit correctly foretells that their warren will be destroyed, a band of rabbits travel in search of  a new home and encounter dangerous and interesting obstacles along the way. Some authors can’t make human characters as interesting as these rabbits.

The Johnny Dixon Series by John Bellairs

If you’ve got a kid that love scares, suspense, and mystery, don’t get em’ mediocre schlock like the Goosebumps series. Check out the books of the wholly under-appreciated John Bellairs. In the Johnny Dixon series, Johnny is somewhat of an outcast who finds a friend and mentor in Professor Childermass. Together they investigate dark and spooky mysteries. Bellairs’ writing is thoroughly engaging, his plots rich and his characters endearing. Also check out his two other equally good series featuring Anthony Monday and Lewis Barnavelt.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

The essence of boyhood distilled, transcribed and bound. This classic is packed with humor and wit and filled with episodes familiar to any American-Tom convincing his friends to whitewash the fence, Tom overhearing his own funeral, Tom exploring a cave with Becky. Twain called it a “hymn to boyhood,” and it’s a song that can be sung over and over.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis

A fantasy world, talking animals, magic, good and evil….C.S. Lewis packed a treasure trove of interesting themes into his seven book masterwork. The books tell the story of group of children’s adventures, travels, and battles in the world of Narnia. While the stories have become known as a Christian allegory, CS Lewis denied writing them with that intention. And they can be enjoyed both by readers looking simply for an engrossing tale and those searching for deeper layers of meaning. The only question is, what order should you read them in?!

Canoeing with the Cree by Arnold Sevareid

Before he became a manly anchorman, Eric Sevareid did exactly what every boy dreams of doing-setting out on a wild, unstructured, crazy adventure. After graduating high school, Sevareid and his friend William Port decided to create their own rite-of-passage and set out on a 2,250 mile canoe trip from central Minnesota to the Hudson Bay. With only an 18 foot canoe, $100, and some bad maps, the boys spent four months racing the oncoming winter and paddling through dangerous rapids, inclement weather, and hungry mosquitoes, barely surviving with their lives. Drawn from the journals they kept, Canoeing with the Cree was published in 1935 and remains a simple, but fantastic travel-adventure book.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

What would you be willing to give up to live in a pain-free world, a world without chaos or disease or war? At what point would the sacrifice become too great to live in such an idyllic state? The Giver describes a world where the community leaders make all the decisions for the people-who to marry, what job to take, even who should live or die. People take pills to suppress their passions. No one can remember a world before these external controls were put in place…except The Giver, who chooses 12 year old Jonas to be the new Receiver of Memories. When Jonas realizes that the people have given up their freedom, emotions, and humanity in exchange for equality and peace he is faced with an enormous decision. A truly profound and thought-provoking book.

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

What is the truth of human nature? Away from society, freed from the constraints of external authority, how would men, boys, really act? Not too well, according to William Golding. A group of shipwrecked boys must forge a new life on a deserted island as they wait and hope to be rescued. But the pretense of civilization quickly devolves  into savagery. While the boys fear the attack of a beast, it is their inner beasts which will cause their destruction. It’s a dark book, not the kind one delights to pick up and read over and over again. But every boy must read it once.

Heat by Mike Lupica

Knowing that boys love sports, there are children’s authors who churn out one cookie cutter sports story after another. And then there is Mike Lupica. Lupica gives the kind of vivid play by play details that every good sports book needs, while also filling out his characters and their stories off the field with enough interest and realism to make the reader care.  Heat’s plot is of the Law & Order ripped from the headlines variety; Cuban-American Michael Arroyo is a star pitcher who’s chances of leading his team to the Little League World Series are jeopardized when he is accused of being older than 12. Not only that, but Arroyo’s parents are dead and he must keep social services from finding out. Sounds schmaltzy, but Lupica manages to keep it topical and relevant without being heavy handed. If your boy digs it, be sure to check out the myriad of Lupica’s other sports-themed offerings.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Every boy feels the call of the wild. He feels the desire to strike out and be free , and yet he soon learns the rules of society and the consequences of stepping too far out of line. For the rest of his life he will feel the desire to be primal pull against the need conform. In Jack London’s magnum opus, he explores this idea through the lives of dogs in the Alaskan Klondike. The dogs, like men, must fight to survive and to lead, in a world that is often unkind. London’s manly writing is economical and concise and yet powerful enough to compel you draw a blanket around yourself to keep out the cold and dark of an Alaskan night.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Boys love treasure. Boys love pirates. Boys love Treasure Island. Pretty much everything we think of when we think of pirates comes not from the pages of history but from this book-treasure maps with “X” marking the spot, deserted islands, peg legs, parrots, and so on. Stevenson insisted that there be no women in the book besides Jim Hawkins’ mother at the beginning, making the book a testosterone-driven, swashbuckling good time. American novelist Henry James praised it as “perfect as a well-played boy’s game.” I couldn’t agree more.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

After his parents are killed in a rhinoceros accident, James is sent to live with his wicked aunts. Lonely and unhappy, he happens upon a mysterious man who gives him magical crystals he promises will completely change James’ life. But James accidentally drops the crystals on a peach tree, which slowly begins to grow into a gigantic peach. One day James climbs inside, the peach rolls away from his ordinary life, and he embarks on a grand adventure with 7 oversize insects: Centipede, Earthworm, Grasshopper, Glow-worm, Miss Spider, Ladybug, and Silkworm. More humorous and exciting than you even remember; a true classic.

Holes by Louis Sachar

Sent to “Camp Green Lake” for a crime he didn’t commit, Stanley Yelnats finds himself at a juvenile detention facility located in a hot, dry, wasteland. Stanley quickly learns the daily routine; get up every day and dig a five foot deep by five foot wide by five foot long hole. The camp’s warden tells the boys that the digging is designed to reform their wayward characters, but Stanley soon discovers that she has some other purpose in mind. With both depth and realism and action and magic, it’s an extraordinarily good page turner.

The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B White

While often overlooked in favor of White’s other classics-Charlotte’s Web and Stuart  Little-this is my personal favorite, and a great one for boys. A classic story of the relationship between father and son, father and son swans that is. Louis is a trumpeter swan born without the ability to make a sound. Unable to honk and attract the swan he loves, his father steals a trumpet to give his son a voice. Incredibly grateful, Louis works to repay his father’s debt. Swans don’t seem that manly, but this is a great book about individuality, courage, and overcoming life’s challenges.

The Outsiders by S.E Hinton

It’s incredible that S.E. Hinton starting writing this book when she was 15, but it certainly explains her uncanny ability to capture the angst, alienation, emotion, and immediacy of adolescence. Such pitch perfect tone has rightly catapulted The Outsiders to classic status. Say “greasers and socs” or “Ponyboy and Soda” or “Stay gold,” and everyone immediately knows what you’re talking about. While every young man will probably be assigned this book in school, it’s a great book to read on your own when you’re not thinking about turning the themes into a term paper.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Should we dare to disturb the universe? Even when the consequences of stepping out of line can be extremely grave? Jerry Renault is an ordinary high school student. The annual fundraiser comes around, where the students are expected to sell chocolates to raise money for the school. The Vigils, a secret society of sorts, which rules both the students and the faculty, assigns students different tasks, simply to belittle them and prove their authority. They require Jerry to refuse to sell chocolates for ten days. Jerry complies with their order, but after the ten days is over, he continues to refuse to sell the chocolates, earning him the ire of the Vigils and the rest of the school. How far would you be willing to stick with your convictions, even when everyone turns against you? Powerfully written but bleak and dark, this book is best for older boys.

To Kill a Mockingbird byHarper Lee

There are books that discuss profound themes, but do so at the expense of plot and character development. And there are page-turners with riveting plots that excite your mind while you read but then leave you empty when you finish. And then there is To Kill a Mockingbird. A literary masterpiece which weaves subtle lessons on racism, tolerance, innocence and guilt, and right and wrong with an engrossing plot and memorable characters. No wonder Ms. Lee made this her only book; some things you can’t improve upon.

Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

As a kid, I was a huge Calvin and Hobbes fan. I’d read the strip every day in the paper and buy all the books that came out. Admittedly, a lot of the jokes and content about politics and social issues went over my 9-year old head, but as a boy I could appreciate Calvin’s enormous imagination where his stuffed tiger pounced on him after school and together they hatched plots and threw snowballs at the annoying girl. It’s been almost 15 years since the last Calvin and Hobbes strip was published, so there’s a good chance a young man in your life has never had the opportunity to read such a fine comic. Introduce them today with one of the many Calvin and Hobbes books-I think this one is the best.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Many a man’s love of sci-fi was born in boyhood with the reading of Ender’s Game. In the 22nd century of earth, the future of mankind is threatened by ant-like aliens called Formics or buggers. Fearing for the survival of the planet, earth puts it’s trust is an international military unit called the International Fleet. The IF believes that the earth’s only hope is to train children to become military geniuses. Thus, six year old Ender Wiggins is chosen to attend Battle School to be trained to take on the aliens. Being the most intelligent of the geniuses causes the other students to resent him, but despite challenges Ender quickly emerges as a great leader in the mock battles the children must compete in. But the games have more serious consequences than he realizes. Written in a plain, straight-forward manner, many boys will love it, some will hate it, and most will at least be given some food for thought.

Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen

The 11 year old son of a couple of “puke drunk” parents is sent to live with some distant relatives, the Larsens, on their family farm. Befriended by his 9 year old and Tom Sawyer-esque second cousin, Harris, the two have a summer of humorous adventures as the narrator gets thrown head first into life in the country. Harris’ wild, boyish spirit is infectious and helps the narrator kick off his shoes and the reader to live vicariously through the both of them.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Write a story about the bond between a boy and his dog and you’re halfway towards a great book. Add good writing, great lessons, and a touching plot and you’ve got the makings of a perennial favorite. Billy desperately wants a pair of redbone hounds to hunt coons, but his parents can’t afford them. So Billy works hard for two years to save up the money to buy them himself. Together he and Little Ann and Old Dan explore the Ozarks of Oklahoma ever in search of their prize. But where does the red fern come in? According to an old Indian legend, a red fern can only grow where an angel plants it and marks sacred ground. Where does one grow in the story? Why, you’ll have to read it to find out of course!

Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

What list for boys would be complete without something from Rudyard Kipling? While The Jungle Book certainly gets more fanfare, for my money I’d recommend Captains Courageous. It’s the perfect story for our times. A rich, coddled, spoiled boy named Harvey Cheyne falls off a steamship and is picked up by a fishing boat. His snootiness is forced to give way to the new realities of his life-on this boat, if a man does not work, he does not eat.  These salty fishermen give Harvey a kick in the pants and an actual punch in the nose, and soon he learns to put his shoulder to the wheel, embrace both responsibility and adventure and work hard. The tale of brat turned man is one we all can cheer. With archaic dialect and language and a lack of real “action,” the story is not as accessible as more modern books, but the dedicated boy will be richly rewarded.

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

Every boy wonders and hopes that his toys secretly come alive when he isn’t watching. For his birthday, Omri gets an old cupboard from his brother and a plastic Indian figurine from his friend. He is unable to unlock  the cupboard until his mom gives him a key she has held onto since her childhood. Omri is in for the surprise of his life when he discovers that locking the Indian, and then other figurines in the cabinet brings them to life. His initial excitement is short-lived however, as he must struggle to keep the secret of the cupboard’s magic, come to the realization that he’s playing god with real people, and decide what to do with his “creations.” It’s the kind of magical, well-written book that will weaken the resistance of even the most reluctant reader.

The Blue Star by Tony Earley

The Blue Star is a sequel to Tony Earley’s Jim the Boy, but this is the better of the books. Many books set in the World War II era, written by authors who never experienced it first hand, try too hard to recapture the setting by pumping every aspect of the characters’ lives full of drama and importance. But Earley seems to get the tone just right, understanding that life still went on in many of the usual ways, with many of the usual feelings while the storm of war gathered. The story follows a teenage boy in a small town who falls for a girl who’s beau has already enlisted in the service. Simple, quiet, excellent.

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley

Boys saves horse. Horse saves boy. So begins this classic tale of grand adventure and classic boy/animal bonding. Young Alec Ramsey is shipwrecked with Black, a wild horse, and the two end up stranded on a deserted island. Boy and horse are rescued and brought to the States. A retired horse trainer sees great racing potential in Black if his wildness can be harnessed. Together he and Alec work to turn Black into a thoroughbred, all leading to the race of the century when Black takes on two champions as the proverbial and literal “dark horse.”

The Cay by Theodore Taylor

Journeying back to America from the West Indies in 1942, 11 year old Phillip is blinded and set adrift when the boat on which he rides is torpedoed by Germans. Phillip ends up on a life raft with Timothy, an old black ship hand, and Stew Cat. Exiled together on a small island, Phillip must deal with his blindness, overcome his prejudice towards his fellow castaway, and learn how to survive and stand on his own two feet. A classic tale of adventure, tolerance, self-reliance, and friendship.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

Even if a boy isn’t that big into fantasy literature, he can still enjoy The Lord of the Rings series. J.R.R Tolkien masterfully creates a world where hobbits, dwarfs, and elves join together to fight the forces of evil. Loyalty, duty, and bravery are reoccurring themes throughout the three books. And the story’s main protagonist, Frodo Baggins, teaches us that we often don’t choose our calling in life, it chooses us. And when it does, give it all you got.

The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden

The American Boy’s Handy Book for the modern age. Sturdy, well-designed, and tactilely (is that a word?) pleasing, the book contains fun hands-on projects like making secret inks and a bow and arrow, how-to’s on various games like marbles and chess, and interesting boy knowledge about clouds and poems and battles. Of course one criticism of the book is that it seems like nostalgic men buy and read it more than actual boys, but it’s worth a purchase even on the slimmest chance that it will at least momentarily unhook your kid from the tethers of his Xbox.

The Little Britches Series by Ralph Moody

With a name like “Little Britches” and a reputation for being akin to Little House on the Prairie for boys, one might be tempted to skip this series. But that would be a big mistake. Packed full of lessons in the values cherished by the Americans of yesteryear, is may be the best series for boys you’ve never heard of. In 1906, at the age of eight, Ralph Moody and his family struck out for the frontier and the ranching life in Colorado. After a lifetime of triumph, heartache, and honest toil, he decided to write down his experiences in this autobiographical series. Follow little Ralph as his father schools him in the lessons of manliness, good character, responsibility and resiliency, and prepares Ralph to take his place as The Man of the Family.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Warmer than typical sci-fi, touching on the battle between good and evil without being heavy-handed, A Wrinkle in Time is an unique book that easily won a  place in the hearts of kids everywhere. Charles Wallace and Meg Murry are a brother and sister who have special gifts but are written off by others. Together with neighbor Calvin O’Keefe, and aided by three angelic beings, they go in search of their missing father who has been trapped on an alien planet controlled by an evil, disembodied brain.  An interesting enough plot to keep a younger boy reading, enough symbolism and allegory to keep an older boy thinking.

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Did you ever try to run away from home? Did you tie a red bandanna to a stick, throw in some Oreos, and head down the street? You probably didn’t get very far, but you always wondered what it would have been like to strike out and keep on going. My Side of the Mountain is the story of boy who not only hears the call of the wild, but heeds it. Who not only hides out in the wilderness, but thrives there. 15 year old Sam Gribley takes up residence in the hollow of a tree and learns to survive along along with a pet falcon. Need I go on? You had me at falconry, My Side of the Mountain, you had me at falconry.

The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

If you think about Family Circus when you think about comics, you’re missing out on some of the many excellent graphic novels out there. Arguably one of the best, and an excellent introduction to the form is Maus. It would seem no platform was less appropriate to tell the tale of the Holocaust than comics, yet somehow the juxtaposition of something we associate with frivolity with one of the gravest periods in history makes the tragedy more powerful and real than any number of more serious tomes on the subject.

The Hardy Boys Series

Girls have Nancy Drew; boys have the Hardy Boys. Follow brothers Frank and Joe as they investigate the exciting mysteries in Bayport (an amazingly crime-infested town).Although they frequently encounter great dangers, their pluck and, of course, hardihood, allow them to emerge unscathed and solve every case. The series has gone through many iterations, but the ones published between 1927 and 1959, largely written by Leslie McFarlane, are absolutely the best and the only ones worth reading. Beginning in 1959, the books began to be revised in effort to make them more PC, remove anything too violent, and attract readers with a shorter attention span. The result were sanitized, dumbed down books that McFarlane considered “gutted.” So buy the vintage books or those from Applewood Books which has reprinted the original 1-16.

The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle

I’m pretty sure every boy goes through a knight phase. Stories of swords, armor, wizards, and dragons are the perfect fuel for a boy’s imagination. And there are few better vehicles to stoke that imagination that Howard Pyle’s rendition of the legendary stories of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. It is surely not the most accessible book; Pyle used the kind of archaic English true to that time, but difficult for ours. But he also wrote it with the young reader in mind, and so a dedicated boy will not find the task of reading and understanding insurmountable, and the book is packed with illustrations to provide visual interest. Of course, also check out Pyle’s The Adventures of Robin Hood, probably the better book (but knights are cooler, so they got the shout out).

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

There are times where the movie is so famous, so classic, that people almost forget that a book version exists. Such is the case with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But while the movie (the original, of course) is a genuine gem, the book, as it always is, is even better. Dahl has a knack for taking the things that fill kids’ imaginations and building a story around them. Every boy loves candy, and every boy would love to tour a candy factory as fantastical as Willy Wonka’s. Charlie Bucket gets a chance to when he finds 1 of the 5 golden tickets that allow entrance into this world of wondrous, sugary delights. A book with a message that everyone can get behind: Snotty brats will eventually get their comeuppance while the good in heart will be justly rewarded.

The Thief of Always by Clive Barker

Clive Barker for the younger set. In this engrossing fable, ten-year old Harvey is bored with his life until a strange being shows him the way to the enchanting and magical Holiday House. Each day cycles through all four seasons, and the children can celebrate Halloween every evening and Christmas every night. It seems like a place of endless fun and excitement, but of course, not everything is as it seems…..

That Was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton

For a lady, S.E. Hinton sure knew how to tap into the mind of a teenage boy. In That Was Then, This Is Now, she returns to her favorite subject-seemingly parent-less boys trying to find their way in an unkind world. Characters from The Outsiders show up in the story as do the similar lines between Socs and Greasers. But while this book is not as good as that classic, nor is it a trite regurgitation of it. The plot instead is quite compelling-two boys, Byron and Mark, who are life-long friends with a bond like brothers, reach a crossroads in their friendship. Mark is being pulled into the violence and crime of the streets, while Byron wants to make something of himself. Their friendship is changing and Byron must decide a question that pains every man, “When does loyalty end?” Believable and real right up until the not so-happy ending.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Everybody love Dickens’ Christmas Carol (I wonder what he would have thought about his work being turned into 3-D!). And everyone is assigned Great Expectations and/or The Tale of Two Cities in high school, and yet poor David Copperfield is often ignored or mistaken for a modern magician. Which is a shame-it is just as good, on some days I might say even better, than his more famous works. And it’s a perfect starting point for a boy who is ready to dip his toes into Dickens. Certainly more challenging than a choose your own adventure book, but quite possibly the thing to change a boy’s mind about “classic” literature. Dickens story is a coming-of-age tale that does not make the common mistake of unrealistically having a boy come of age all at once. Instead we are allowed to experience the great humanity of David Copperfield and the wonderful cast of characters that challenge him, love him, and help him grow into a man.

Heart of a Champion by Carl Deuker

Like Mike Lupica, Carl Deuker manages to mix the kind of pitch-perfect accounts of sports action that is the hallmark of sports literature, with realistic and compelling characters and plot lines. The Heart of a Champion combines baseball with a story about the influence and impact of fathers on their sons, making this another classic entry in that distinctively male genre of stories: baseball as life. Seth’s father died when he was six and his difficultly in coming to terms with his death has set his life adrift. But then he meets Jimmy, who has a father problem all of his own-his dad is overbearing and an alcoholic. Jimmy’s friendship helps Seth get on track with baseball and school, but when his parents divorce, it’s Jimmy who’s life starts to fall apart. The boys’ choices soon lead them in very different directions.

Blue Skin of the Sea by Graham Salisbury

Next to Gary Paulson, Graham Salisbury was one of my favorite authors as a boy. Blue Skin of the Sea is set in Hawaii in the 1950s and 60s and follows the life of a teenager named Sonny Mendoza and his cousin, Keo, as they come of age. Despite coming from a family of a long line of fishermen who braved the ocean for their living, Sonny fears the ocean, but doesn’t know why. At its core, Blue Skin of the Sea is about the self-realization every young man must go through as they make their way from boyhood to manhood. At least that’s what I got out of it when I read it as a 12 year old.

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson

Like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Old Yeller is a great book that is often obscured by it’s cinematic counterpart. But instead of popping in the DVD, give your boy the book to read. Often remembered as a story of the bond between a dog and a boy, it’s really a coming of age story. 14 year old Travis Coates lives with his family in the hill country of Texas during the 1860’s. When his father must leave home for a time, he leaves Travis to “act a man’s part” and take care of the family. He does his best, but comes to need the help of, and love, Old Yeller, a dog who wanders into their lives. But when Old Yeller gets rabies, Travis learns firsthand one of the most difficult virtues of true manhood-sacrifice.

The Art of Manliness by Brett and Kate McKay

Okay, so I’m a little biased about this one. But I honestly think our book is a must-read for boys and young men. It’s never too early for a boy to start thinking about and learning what it means to be a man. Even if you’re good parents, it’s hard to think of everything a boy needs to know. Help your son learn essential classic skills and manners and become part of the generation that will revive the lost art of manliness.

These 50 books just scratched the surface. There are a TON more great books for boys out there. Share your favorites in the comments. But remember to look through all 5 pages before you do-those who suggest a book that’s already on here will get 50 lashes and their comment deleted. And yes, this list is Western-centric, so please suggest some great young adult literature from your favorite obscure Mongolian author.

“I’m not reading for you, Mommy. I’m reading for the doggie.”

While 3-year-old Sri Rohin Vajella might be too young to truly read the book in his hand, he immediately grasped the reason Tail Waggin’ Tutors is a hit with children and parents: Reading to a dog is fun.

And because dogs don’t pass judgment, it’s a nonthreatening way for children to practice their reading skills aloud without fear of embarrassment.

“A dog doesn’t criticize, judge or ridicule when they make a mistake, so they’re open to reading to a dog,” said Beverly Barton, owner of 7-year-old Lulu, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel certified as a therapy dog.

Every Saturday, Barton and Lulu plop down on the floor in the children’s area at Shreve Memorial Library’s Broadmoor Branch and wait for children to approach. There’s no structured program. Young readers come and go as they please while Lulu reclines calmly in the center of the circle.

Venu Vajella and Jahnavi Vuppalapati, Sri Rohin’s parents, just moved to the area from Cincinnati and stumbled on the reading session during their first visit to the library. Looking at the grin on his son’s face, Vajella said they would be back.

Lisa Walter and 3-year-old daughter Sarah also enjoyed the reading circle. “I think it’s wonderful,” Walter said. “We’ll definitely come back.”

University Terrace fourth-grader Betsy Shum is a regular — she’s been reading to Lulu ever since the program began two years ago. “It’s fun,” she said. “Sometimes she likes to lick us.”

Kay Shum, Betsy’s mother, says her little girl loves “Mrs. Beverly” and Lulu. “She asks me to bring her every Saturday. She looks forward to it. She’s very social and likes to interact with the dog and the children.”

Tail Waggin’ Tutors is the brainchild of Therapy Dogs International, a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their therapy dogs for a variety of programs in settings from schools to nursing homes. Barton estimates there are about two dozen certified therapy dogs in Shreveport-Bossier City, but Lulu is the only one involved in a regular public reading program.

“Tail Waggin’ Tutors’ purpose is to foster a love of reading and make it enjoyable, increasing children’s confidence in reading out loud,” Barton said.

Barton, who owns five dogs, had wanted a therapy dog for years, but never had one with a suitable temperament until she adopted Lulu about four years ago.

“I knew I had found the right one,” she said. “She had the right combination of temperament. She’s not scared of anything. She loves everybody, especially children.”

She and Lulu went through a 10-week obedience training program at Red River Obedience Club, and then Lulu earned Canine Good Citizen status before being evaluated for TDI certification.

In addition to starring in the reading program, Lulu’s other missions include brightening the days of nursing home patients and comforting chemotherapy patients.

“Dogs lower blood pressure, increase endorphins and make people laugh,” Barton said. “All of that promotes healing. We’re just scratching the surface of what these animals can do.”

If you go

What: Tail Waggin’ Tutors reading program for children.

When: 1-2 p.m. Saturdays.

Where: Shreve Memorial Library Broadmoor Branch, 1212 Captain Shreve Drive, Shreveport.

Info: 318-869-0120 or http://www.shreve-lib.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Broadmoor-5. For more information on Therapy Dogs International programs and evaluators, go to http://www.tdi-dog.org.

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PHOENIX (KSAZ) –  Kids tend to have some of the most creative ideas around.

That is why Pearson’s Research and Innovation Network in Chandler is asking kids to help design an app to teach toddlers to read.

Students from 2nd to 7th grade spent the year brainstorming.

Kids and researchers teaming up to design a literacy app for toddlers to use on tablets and smartphones.

“The Pearson kids team is working on designing an early literacy mobile app to support vocabulary,” said Lisa Maurer.

“We think of ideas to make new things for Pearson and help other kids learn,” said Satthvik Chanduptla.

Every week a group of eight elementary school kids show up at the digital lab to face a different design challenge.

“We’re learning new things about how to help kids read, and how to make apps, and how they behind the scene make apps,” said Briana Jamerson.

Since they learned to read a few years ago these kids know what works and what doesn’t.

“I had an idea for an app for a reading book to teach kids about how it tells you the definition and how you would click an audio button on how to read,” said Jamerson.

Drawing upon decades of research, Pearson’s managers get lots of input from students about how to design the app.

“I’ve come up with a way to see the words the kids are seeing in the environment, and how they’re being used in the environment,” said Matthew Mularoni.

The students spend the school year involved in the design process from development to testing.

“They’re gonna be able to see the usability tests we conduct with 4-year-olds,” said Maurer.

“We had to go back and think for younger ages, so I had to go back and think simpler,” said Jamerson.

The kids will give their feedback on the app once it is finished in the spring.

The Pearson’s Kids Team Program launched this summer. Researchers say it is a great way to find out what students want from digital learning tools.

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his is My Car – Mechanics for Kids allows children a chance to peak under the hood of a car as they scroll their vehicle through different stations, allowing them to peel back the exterior and interior layers of their car that include technical information delivered in a well thought-out manner that they will appreciate.

As my son – now six years old – becomes older, his questions about the way things work such as the engine of a car or its brakes become more and more complex. Although my husband and I feel capable of explaining such concepts, I appreciate being able to use this app as a tool to explain in detail the inner workings of vehicles – now with visuals that my son can easily follow.

One main section of this app includes this information in different sections such as the outside and inside of the car as well as what makes the car run, from exhaust and fuel pipes to the engine and more, to give children a view of a vehicle most have never seen – as well as a lesson on car safety that touches upon everything from car seats and seat belts to air bags. Children will find maneuvering through the different layers of the car to be easy, tapping marked hotspots which label specific car parts of interest.

I am fond of how comprehensive this app is, as certain car details are given extra attention such as an explanation on the use of treads and steel bands to avoid hydro-planing, how the steering wheel is connected to the front wheels of the car, the use of seat belts and safety glass and the crumble zone of cars, and a comprehensive view of the dashboard and engine compartment. Also quite nice is the area dedicated to safety crashes, thoughtfully narrated by the child whom one can hear throughout this application. Hands-on sections are also included that allow children to paint and embellish their cars, fuel up and top-off fluid, and learn the basics of changing a tire and manning a carwash.

My only note about this app is some confusion that I felt while reading the attached iTunes notes that states no reading is required – this is not the experience I had while testing This is My Car – Mechanics for Kids. Although it is true that an articulate child does narrate some sections of this app, such as the heading of these areas within, saying words such as “brakes” or “engine block,” the additional information – be it a sentence or a few paragraphs – is not narrated and will have to be read out loud to pre-readers by an adult or older sibling. I don’t find fault with the need to share this app with others, but if one expects this app to be enjoyed by toddlers left along with the iPad, it is easy to see that their family would be quite disappointed.

Having said this,This is My Car – Mechanics for Kids is an app that I can easily recommend to families who would enjoy reading these passages to their children. The look of this app is colorful and pleasing to a child’s eye, complete with upbeat music and enough detail and realism to be truly educational.

Excitement is in the air as the government and schools go into overdrive to celebrate Children’s Day today, which is dedicated to young Indians. Away from the revelry and festivities in connection with the Day, MetroPlus asks parents how they manage to bond on a day-to-day basis with this tech-savvy, media-hungry group who are miles smarter than their predecessors. As overworked parents try to multi-task and play multiple roles, sometimes at the same time, where and how they spend time with their little ones or worldly-wise teenagers becomes a challenge.

From story-telling, reading and sports to travel, food and gardening, parents find many ways to connect with their children.

Eliza Punnoose, who works in IT for a credit card company, and has two girls, Sophia, four, and nine-month-old Teresa, says: “The time that you spend with your kids need not be activities only for them. Even if you go grocery shopping or to the beauty parlour, it can be an adventure for them. In some societies like in the United States, kids sleeping with their parents is frowned upon, but my husband, Mathew, and I find that is a great way to get to know our children. Doing what kids like, knowing their world also makes a difference. It could even be as simple as listening to music and dancing along with them. The smile that it brings on both your child and you is priceless.”

Agreeing that there is no need to find an ‘activity’ to spend time with your children, Usha Krishna says she and her husband, Krishna Ramachandran, enjoy reading and playing board games with their daughters, Netra (11) and Nayantara (seven). “We have something called a story cube that we picked up from the United Kingdoma. It consists of eight cubes that are rolled and depending on what comes up, we have to make a sentence and the next person has to connect it to the previous person’s sentence to make a story. Krishna is fond of gardening and Netra joins in while Nayantara enjoys helping me in the kitchen. She is quite an organiser while Netra is into sports,” explains Usha, who teaches at the Goethe Zentrum, while Krishna works in Alliance Cornhill.

However, corporate lawyer Devi Nair, who largely works from home to be there for her three-year-old son, Aum, says that she makes the extra effort to do a ‘bonding exercise’ every week without fail. “It’s building sandcastles! My son knows that Friday means sandcastle time. We go to our local park or sometimes the beach, just the two of us, leaving my husband, Rajesh, home. The idea is to always make bigger, better castles. It started one day and now it’s a routine we hate to skip,” she says.

For Regy Abraham and Sophy Cruz, their four children, Alphy (9), Anna (8), Michael (6) and Peter (one-and-half), are their world.

“Once we come back from office, instead of making them sit in front of the television we let them play. And we do join them as well,” says Sophy, who works with Ernst & Young in Technopark.

On weekends, they take the kids to their maternal grandparents’ place. “Before Peter was born, we used to take the other three for trips as well and have travelled to places such as Singapore and Bangkok,” Sophy adds. As for Regy, who works with the IT distribution firm, AGTE, the children are the biggest de-stressing factor in his life.

Deepa Mary Varghese and her husband, Jiji Varghese, were living the ‘Gulf’ dream of most Malayalis. They were both well employed in Dubai. However, when they realised that chasing the dream was causing them to cut down on time spent with their children, they decided to return home.

“I felt guilty that my daughters, Hannah (16) and Suzanne (12) had to go to a baby sitter after school. They would be itching to tell me their day’s tales but I was often too tired to hear them by the time I got home. My daughters recently narrated an incident that happened while we were in Dubai. I asked them why they didn’t tell me that story then. They said it was because I wasn’t home at that time but that they had shared it with the baby sitter. That reaffirmed that our decision of returning to the city to be able to spend time with them was right,” says Deepa, an IT professional who works from home. Deepa says she and Jiji share their day’s news with their children. The family goes dining together during the weekends and on short trips.

Vinod Vasudevan and his wife, Suchitra Radha, both working in Technopark, also bond with their children Viswajith Nair (15) and Lakshmi Nair (9) during ‘eating out’ expeditions to try different cuisines. “On vacations, we travel abroad and that is a wonderful time when we get all the time to be with the children and introduce them to different cultures and cuisines,” says Suchitra.

Some parents (yes, father and mother), especially with babies, take a break to be with their young ones. That is what Sheena Kishore and her husband (both techies) did after the birth of their son, Rithin. “I took seven months off and my husband took the next three and that did help. With both of us having to work, we had to leave him in day care. We do feel guilty about it and try to make up for it with bonding time.

“I think it’s essential to restrict media time. Kids nowadays are so addicted to media and e-gadgets. We try to enjoy the little things together – reading, painting with him, building Lego, watering plants and even being silly together. He is now four and we try to empower him and make him involved in decisions; ask his opinion on both the big and small things. We show him the options and ask him to choose and the reasoning behind it. It’s very interesting to hear his thoughts!”

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I remember so vividly the first time that my wife and I brought our baby daughter to dinner at a restaurant, because nothing happened.

Our daughter was only 4 weeks old, and we packed her diaper bag as if we were traveling to the moon: diapers and wipes and bottles of premixed formula and burp cloths and pacifiers and this vaguely elephantlike toy that crinkled like tissue paper and could be counted on to distract her for, oh, three minutes.

The restaurant wasn’t fancy, by any means, but its vibe didn’t exactly scream family-friendly, either. It was publike: dark, beery, adult. It wasn’t the ideal choice for the baby’s first dining expedition, but it was next on my review schedule, I was tired of dining out alone, and, a month into her maternity leave, my wife was going stir-crazy.

We double- and triple-checked the diaper bag. We gamed out how we’d handle diaper scenarios of increasing severity. We neither dawdled over the menu nor lingered over our drinks.

Our daughter, strapped into her car seat on my wife’s side of our booth, slept through the entire meal.

Piece of cake, I thought.

Where should we go next week?

•••

Dining out with babies and young children is an evergreen topic, awaiting each new outrageous anecdote to surface again.

In January, the world-renowned Chicago chef Grant Achatz tweeted that a couple dining at his avant-garde restaurant Alinea, where dinner stretches over several hours and nearly 20 courses, where the final bill for two can easily top $1,000, had brought along their 8-month-old.

“It cries. Diners mad,” he wrote. “Tell (people) no kids? Subject diners (to) crying?”

The reaction was almost unanimously incredulous. Of course, you shouldn’t bring a baby to a restaurant like Alinea. I certainly wouldn’t take my daughter there.

(Though I’ll admit to a twinge of sympathy for the parents. Alinea sells its seats as tickets, so the couple had already spent around $500 before they even arrived at the restaurant. What would you do if, after you’d spent that much, say, your sitter had canceled at the last minute? And was Twitter the best venue for Achatz to vent his frustrations? Did anyone at the restaurant, you know, talk to the parents about the kid?)

Locally, my esteemed colleague Joe Holleman kicked up a little social-media fuss last month when he expressed bafflement that movie theaters and restaurants in California might have been — but ultimately weren’t — required to provide diaper-changing stations in their men’s rooms.

Holleman’s elegant solution to the larger matter of bringing babies to movie theaters and restaurants?

“Keep your babies at home.”

Now, I can’t speak to the question of babies in movie theaters. I can’t keep up with my Netflix queue, let alone what’s playing now at the AMC 74.

When it comes to the issue of kids in restaurants, however, I don’t think I’m puffing my chest to call myself something like an expert. For 15 months now, I’ve been a parent as well as a professional restaurant critic — and, believe me, my daughter no longer sleeps through dinner.

So, with all due respect to Holleman — who, besides being my colleague, is a swell guy who showed me great sympathy during the MLB playoffs while my beloved hometown Orioles were being steamrolled by the Royals — I must disagree.

Parents, you needn’t avoid all restaurants until your children are old enough to demand that their chicken be free-range and their beef grass-fed.

But, oh, yes, you’d better believe a whole bunch of qualifiers accompany that statement.

•••

If anyone could offer advice on the sticky situation of dining out with kids — literally sticky: You never know when a wily toddler will realize that a tube of GoGurt works equally well as food and squirt gun — I figured it would be chefs who are also parents of young children.

Find a corner table, said Josh Galliano, the executive chef at the Libertine in Clayton and the father of three kids under 7. “Box your kids in.”

Galliano and his wife, Audra, tend to favor places where they know they can order food for the kids quickly — only then do they worry about what they’re going to eat.

They also tend to choose restaurants that the kids are liable to enjoy. “Sometimes it’s really simple food — nothing fancy,” he told me. “Fried chicken, Chinese food. It helps when it’s also combined with a good dessert.”

Gerard Craft, whose restaurant group includes the four-star Niche and the much more casual, family-friendly Pastaria, is also a parent of two girls under 9.

“We’ve always known our limits” as parents, he said. “In the very early stages, it was a lot of (my wife) Suzie and I taking turns, going out for sushi, one of us would take the baby outside out while she was crying.”

Still, there was a learning curve: “One time we stumbled into a two-Michelin-star restaurant. That was an incredibly uncomfortable lunch for us and for them.”

As a restaurateur, Craft sets no rules about children in his establishments.

“We have kids who dine at Niche all the time,” he told me.

Galliano doesn’t print a kid’s menu at the Libertine, but he and his staff are always aware of how they can help out tables that include children.

“We do a lot of trying to make sure the kids’ food comes out fast, that they feel very comfortable,” Galliano said.

If the kitchen has, say, popsicles or fruit on hand, they’ll make sure the kids get some — whatever will help the parents also enjoy the meal.

After all, he said, “We’re pretty sure the parents are trying to eat.”

•••

When I wrote a shorter online version of this article last month, I concluded that parents who want to take their babies or kids with them to a restaurant should use common sense.

I still believe that, but Craft provided me with an even better guiding principle.

“You know your kids,” he told me. “If they’re screamers, you don’t want to go to superfine dining.”

Of course, these days the most exciting new restaurants tend to be more casual spots, not palaces of fine dining. So is a restaurant that, say, encourages communal sharing of small plates also by definition family-friendly?

It’s dicey. Last year, a few weeks after our daughter’s first dining trip, my wife and I took her to a restaurant that, in hindsight, we probably shouldn’t have.

This particular restaurant wasn’t a palace of fine dining, but it was sophisticated. Trendy, if you like. (It ranked very high on my list of last year’s best new spots.) We gambled again that she would sleep through dinner. We were wrong. She fussed, and my wife and I took turns holding her throughout the meal. We were fortunate that this happened to be Halloween evening, and the place wasn’t busy.

When in doubt, call the restaurant ahead of time. Don’t say, “We’re coming in with a baby. You can accommodate us, right?” Say you’re really interested in dining there but can’t find a baby sitter (or whatever) and were wondering if it would be OK to bring your baby along. It doesn’t hurt to add that you totally understand if the restaurant can’t accommodate you and that you absolutely will give them a try when circumstances permit it.

You’re confident that your dining destination is baby-friendly? Again: Use common sense and be considerate. Bring a snack for the kid, a toy or two to keep him or her occupied and, above all else, a pacifier. Smartphone app stores offer numerous games to entrance toddlers. (Our daughter is partial to Daniel Tiger.)

Give the staff profuse thanks for even such simple steps as bringing your baby a cup of water with a lid and straw. Clean up all the Cheerios your baby will scatter under your table.

Go early. Is your kid a talker or prone to the occasional shout? Choose a restaurant on the noisy side. (Good news: Most of the hip new restaurants you want to check out are very noisy indeed.)

Is the baby losing it? Take her out of the dining room for a bit. Is the baby really losing it? Time to box up your meal and go home.

Does the baby need his diaper changed? Worried that the restroom won’t have a changing station? Buy a portable changing mat. It folds into your diaper bag. DON’T USE IT AT THE TABLE.

Tip well.

It also helps to keep this entire issue in some perspective. I’ve been a restaurant critic for more than eight years now. That’s a few thousand restaurant visits, at least. And I can’t think of one lunch or dinner ruined by another table’s crying baby or unruly kid.

Sure, there have been moments when I’ve cringed or rolled my eyes at some misbehavior, but I think the idea that today’s parents all see their kids as “special snowflakes” who can do no wrong is a gross generalization.

“There are some adults who probably shouldn’t go to fine-dining restaurants,” Craft added. “If you have a screamer for a significant other, don’t bring him or her, either.”

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Kids explain fads, fashions, trends or toys they think older people might not understand.

Flappy Bird. This happens to be a single name that no adult, nor parent; and most likely few individuals over the age of fifteen would begin to comprehend. The whimsical competition of taps, diving into mint green tubes and in between allows listening to the flapping of your bird’s wings as they catch wind before plummeting to the ground. Clear blue skies and plump ferns whip in the background creating diversions upon each glace. Adolescents simply enjoy this frustrating game for the purpose of defeating their own, as well as other high scores. Young children obtain interest in this particular app because they still contain the competitive trait that most children have. Adults on the other hand, do not show as much interest in this self competition nature; but why not? Possibly, because of the pointless efforts advancing you nowhere or the shocking addiction that comes with the download. Either way, adults just do not understand it the same as the average child, and may not ever.
Danielle Malave
Readington Middle School
Grade 8

A trend that many grown-ups might not understand is selfies. I myself barely understand the point of selfies but I have theories that may unlock the meaning of them. My first theory is that people have become either more vain or have bigger egos. The more they take selfies the more they seem to want to say look how pretty I am. My next theory is that people who have social media is are seeing lots of other people and think that they have to post selfies too. Another theory is that many people think that to be accepted into social groups or society is that they have to look a certain way and with selfies you can easily make yourself look different from real life. Selfies are the teenagers’ way of putting themselves out there and also showing world that they think they are beautiful. My last theory is that taking selfies is a way of showing their friends what they’re doing at all times.
Abigail Eyler
Readington Middle School
Grade 8

One fad that grown-ups might not understanding is wearing shorts in the winter. To be sure, grown ups don’t think we should wear shorts in the winter. They think you would be cold. They think that your legs will not be protected. If you got stuck outside, you will be cold. However, I like to wear shirts. I like to wear shorts because I won’t get as hot. I also, like to wear shorts so I can wear high socks called Nike Elites. In conclusion, I like to wear shorts in all the seasons.
Justin Henn
Round Valley School
Grade 5

My Grandma thinks music is different. When my Grandma was growing up they never heard of rapping. Back then they had slow, calm, soothing country music.
Kallista Saam
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

New technology. When I was 4, I thought that touch screens were impossible, but now they have shater proof screens!
Reagan McGee
East Amwell School
Grade 3

The thing I think adults don’t understand is short shorts with tights under and little girl dolls my mom thinks that mine are weird.
Tiana Arthurs
East Amwell School
Grade 3

Why do people wear their pants down? I think it is gross, but some people think it is cool. I do not understand and neither do my parents. You can see their underwear,and I hate it.
Dylan Lang
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

My parents and grandparents don’t understand Sponge Bob. My mom says It doesn’t make sense. It’s just an annoying talking sponge,but it’s hilarious!
Julia Hasson
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

I think what don’t parents get is technology. Parents and grandparents get confused when they try to use an ipad or iphone. They try and then they ask you to help them.

I think the hardest thong to do on an ipad or iphone is facetime. So when they call someone with an iphone they see their ear.
The call them back and do the same thing again. That’s what I think is confusing to parents and grandparents. What’s yours?
Owen Landis
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

One thing I know my parents, and definitely my grandparents wouldn’t understand, The Cheese Touch. The Cheese Touch all started with the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book got out by Jeff Kinney. So, in the book, Greg Heffley has a terrible life in middle school. And on the only basketball court with a net, there is a piece of rotting cheese.* If you touch the cheese, you have it forever. Until you give it to the next person.
To give The Cheese Touch to someone else, you touch them. That is why it’s called the Cheese Touch. The only to block it is to cross your fingers.
*If you want to learn more, read the book.
Matthias Leitner
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

Two odd things that older people don’t get and kids do is Snapchat and Instagram. I guess they don’t get the pictures and conversations where everyone can see it. They think why not gust text. It is very private.
Parents don’t get the point of it. But kids do. Kids think they are good apps to communicate with friends. But that’s not what parents think.
Parents want to protect their kids. So parents think that Instagram and Snapchat are dangerous. Parents think that they should gust text for their own safety.
Kids can get really inappropriate when they are on Instagram and Snapchat. For example, if girls are waring belly shirts, or with language. Parents what their kids to be appropriate with people. That is two things that parents think are odd.
Francesca Kearns
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

Many kids are into Angry Birds, but most adults don’t get the object of the game. Let alone what the game is.
Angry Birds is about some birds who have special powers. Pigs steal the egg of the birds and trap them. You have to help the birds get their eggs back.
The object of the fame is to smash all of the pigs. If you tap on the bird after you launch it, it will unleash something awesome. Sometimes you can use the mighty eagle to beat difficult levels. There are always new upgrades and levels to defeat. It’s a fun game.
Sofia Schiano
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

A toy like a Rip Stick is something that a lot of parents can’t do, but kids can. This is how it works… it has two wheels and they are called caster wheels. They spin around all the way. You have to balance on them and twist your legs. It’s harder than a skateboard because you have to balance on two wheels.
Brady McQuiston
Delaware Township School
Grade 3

A game that my parents do not understand is Five Nights at Freddy’s. It’s a game that you try and stop animatronics with a power source of 2AA batteries,2 doors,2 lights for each door but only can keep one light on,and an IPad to check cameras. It scares you with jump scares that scares you even if you are expecting it. There are 4 of the robots, Chica,Bonnie,Foxy, and Freddy. They are making a second version which has 11 robots which is more than double. I try to explain it as best as I can, but they still don’t get it.
Nickolas Reichert
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

A game my parents don’t understand is Plants vs. Zombies. They are always saying “What’s the point of this game magic plants killing zombies?” I always play it because it’s awesome. Although my parents don’t like this game, they still let me play it.
Kate Johnson
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

My grandparents do not understand electronics. They have no clue what they are doing.Almost every weekend hey call my mom or dad to tell them what went wrong.The funny thing is that they don’t even want I phones.They just want Droids. I think an I phone would be to complicated for them.
Gia Sarullo
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

No matter how old you are, your family members will never understand the “new” style. My friends believe that our style is “swag”. Or as I like to call it, “Look as athletic as possible, while being semi-decent at sports.” One clothing item that really stuck out to my family members is the Nike Elite sock. They are basketball socks that go up to the calf. They are fairly expensive. To be honest, I don’t even understand the style. I gave up on comprehending what is going on with fashion, so I wear things that my friends would approve of. Anyways, I visited my grandparents’ house a couple weeks back for a family gathering. I, as usual, was wearing Nike Elite socks. I had a different pair for everyday of the week and more. My uncle pulled me aside. He ended up giving me a lecture of why not to wear those socks. One point that he kept repeating was that when he was my age, he would have gotten beaten up for wearing them.
Milind Das
Readington Middle School
Grade 8

Minecraft is a game that I think most parents or grandparents don’t get it because there’s monsters and you have to make a house and survive the night. The monsters will get you if you don’t build a house. I think kids like this game because it’s addicting. It’s addicting because you build creations and you can build houses, statues, and more stuff. Even though this game is fun you shouldn’t go on it too much. You will get headaches and not play outside or exercise a lot.
Tyler Buhl
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

A game that a grown up wouldn’t understand is the Pokemon card game. It’s confusing until you get it explained to you at least five times once you understand it you will battle someone. There is a thing called a gym battle. A gym battle is when you pick someone to go first. There is another battle called a trainer battle. It happens when someone has the lowest health. If someone has the same health as the opponent you flip a coin. You win by attacking the opponent’s health, lowering it to zero.
Chaz Ranges
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

I think that gown-ups wouldn’t understand CGI because they might think, “Hey, why can they do that?! We can’t do that!”
Ian Hoats
East Amwell School
Grade 3

My mom does not understand instagram. Instagram is an app on the app store. You can follow people, people can follow you, and you can like and post pictures on instagram.
Sawyer Stellitano
East Amwell School
Grade 3

The iPad is so popular these days, but I don’t think so for next year.
It seemed odd to your grandparents and parents, and they said,”How do
you turn it on?” They definitely do not get it because they haven’t
had this for a long time, and I’ve had it for nine years. They did not
know how to turn it off or play a game or go on the internet. I know
how to do all these things.
Brody Belmonte
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

One thing my parents don’t understand is a game called Minecraft. They don’t understand how to build houses, spawn animals, and they don’t even understand how to fight zombies. Minecraft is very simple to me. My parents don’t even get why there is hard mode. In the game they don’t even know why I put on armor at night. Ok people, they don’t understand anything about Minecraft.
Josie Hawley
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

Grown-ups might not understand Minecraft because it is just a world made of blocks.
Katie McBrierty
East Amwell School
Grade 3

My mom will not understand the toy, Flutter Bye Fairy. First, the Flutter Bye Fairy is a toy that will fly if you put it on the launcher and put your hand under the Flutter Bye Fairy. Next, the light will turn red when it has to charge. Then, Mom will not understand how it flies. She will think it’s magical. That is why my mom will not understand this awesome toy.
Avery Schaefer
Milford Public School
Grade 2

I think my grandparents don’t know what snapchat is. They would probably be laughing at how weird they think it is. Another one would probably be a selfie. They would think that as a funny idea.
Thomas Markovich
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

A trend that is popular today is Rainbow Loom. Older grownups might not understand this trend because it involves starting with different patterns and ending up with unusual designs using over 50 little rubber bands (of different colors!)!
James Girgis
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

Rainbow loom was very popular last year and almost everyone had it except me. I didn’t get the big “woup” about Rainbow loom. Sure it was cool to make your own bracelets but I’m a guy so I didn’t like it.
A.J. Coronato
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

In the 80’s, everyone wore short-shorts and had some kind of crazy hair. When the 80’s passed, that style went out of style, but now there is a company called Chubbies that makes short-shorts for men. It is an online company that my brothers love. My parents think they are crazy because my brothers wear Chubbies on cold days too, although my dad used to do that in the 80’s.
Audrey Ulrich
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

I think a toy fad is skylanders, Nintendo DS and Japanese erasers. Everyone loved these things now not so much. One fashion fad is a shirt that is short in the front and long in the back.
Olivia Gau
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

I think that parents/grown-ups do not understand tanktops because they think that there is no point into wearing them.
Taylor Kraft
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

I think most grownups don’t understand the game spy because they get bothered by it and think it’s annoying. I play it with my friend and they absolutely hate it.
Maddie Ruscher
Valley View School
Grade 4

My Grandma does not understand Barbie these days. She said to me “when I was little Barbie’s were very different. They never had puffy bright pink dresses and they never coasted as much as they do now.” Every time I come to her house and bring a Barbie she says “can you explain were you got that pretty Barbie? I always grandma! I never understand why she doesn’t get it.
Lillian Popov
Valley View School
Grade 4

“What are you watching?” My Mom always asks. I love to watch Regular Show. My Mom doesn’t like it. Its weird because it is called regular show and it’s not regular at all. My friend Alexis always watches Regular Show to. She likes it alot. Regular Show is very popular. It is on Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network has alot of weird shows. You should try watching It. I hope you like it too
Madilyn Thompson
Franklin Township School
Grade 3

What in the world are you watching?! My parents don’t understand Sponge Bob Square Pants. Don’t ask me why because I understand it. It’s pretty cool. I think they don’t understand it because Patrick is dumb and Sponge Bob is a weird frycook in the show. I even think it’s weird…sometimes.
Brandon Aulert
Franklin Township School
Grade 3

Most moms and dads don’t get Minecraft. They think that all you do is walk around doing and making stuff. But really you can learn how to survive, and make things you didn’t know hot to make. You can get really smart just playing a video game. Well, in some ways, any way. Hey, remember how you always wanted a pet, and your parents say no well now you can get one. On Minecraft, you can get a dog, a cat, a hamster, a dolphin, a sloth, a bear and an ENDER dragon. Oh, and you have to down load a hamster, dolphin, sloth, bear. Ya you can download sandwiches, TVs and lots of others. Well you can learn more on the game, so buy it.
Liz Harvey
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

My grandparents don’t know why iphones are so important. They are fine with regular number button phones.
Karis Mathias
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

I think older grown-ups would not understand why younger boys like to arm wrestle. We arm wrestle to see who is the strongest in the grade.
Dominick Adamo
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

Things that are new today and not for my parents are video games. My dad or mom don’t even know how to play video games. You can play them on phones, computers and xboxes. That is what’s new today.
Sarah Hulsen
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

Beenie Boos are a very popular toy. My parents do not understand why their eyes are big and sparkly. They don’t understand because they didn’t have them when they were kids, so they just don’t get it.
Brooke Cahill
Patrick McGaheran School
Grade 2

Four square because it is a popular basketball game with hard moves like cherry bombs, snake eyes and stuff like that.
Ian Reed
Patrick McGaheran School
Grade 2

Older grown-ups would not understand any games with violence like Destiny, Call of Duty or Halo. There is blood and weapons but kids as young as ten years old play it. Asassins Creed is one of those games.
Aidan Tuvey
Valley View School
Grade 4

I think elders would not understand the tablet game temple run. I know this because electronics are new and were not invented back when they where born. Well it is an addicting game and should not be played by adults.
Harrison Ollerenshaw
Valley View School
Grade 4

One toy that people would not understand is Popin Cookin.
It is a box of sugar packets and you mix it with water and you then mold it into cakes or other types of food. Parents would notunderstand the toy because my mom says “Why do you want it any way you can make food at home for free!”
Mary Kate Palmisano
Valley View School
Grade 4

Mom! But it’s my favorite T.V. Show! My favorite T.V. show is Rabbit Invasion. It’s when rabbits do funny shows. One of them eats a donut that was in the garbage bin. That rabbit turned into a zombie rabbit! My little brothers got scared. But, the rabbit didn’t look scared. Only his face changed. It is green now and he can’t walk fast. Rabbit Invasion is odd to my Grandparents and my parents. But to us it is not odd at all.
Katherine Piotrowski
Franklin Township School
Grade 3

“What are you watching?” I’m watching 21 Jump Street. It’s my favorite movie. It’s about cops and bad guys. “I don’t get it.” “Get what.” “The movie.” “It’s a kid and a teenager movie.” It’s a great move.
Alexis Lonoff
Franklin Township School
Grade 3

I think what some parents and almost all the kids have are electronics. Almost all the kids have iPhones, iPods and iPads and all parents are saying “What is this Russian device?”
None of my family’s adults understand technology. My Mom, My Aunt, My Dad, My Uncle and don’t even get me started on my Grandma.
I also think parents do not understand electronic toys. They do not get toys like gogo’s, video games, and other things like that.
I also think that our world is getting dumber and dumber. I don’t mean to be mean or any thing but it’s the truth.
I think at least maybe NJ should cut down on electronics only a little.
Brooke Almeida
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

A fad that older grown ups wouldn’t understand would be silly bandz. They wouldn’t understand it because it really only appeals to youth and adults don’t have a reason to like or wear them. Parents would probably say, “ What’s so hip about them, they are just rubber bands with shapes.” But we think differently, if someone in the school wears them, then everybody in the school will want to wear them. We just follow what’s “in and what’s “out.” This is why adults wouldn’t understand the fad that is silly bands.
Leah Berlinger
Readington Middle School
Grade 8

I personally think that my parents or grandparents wouldn’t understand any electronic games or anything related. I don’t think they would understand because when they were kids they didn’t have as sophisticated technology and maybe not even any! Another reason grown ups and especially older people wouldn’t be as enthusiastic about electronic games is because they might not be able to see or understand it as well as us kids. However there are bigger screens in the world so they might be able to see and understand the games better on the bigger screen. For example: my Grandfather uses his large screen for flight simulator. That’s why I think older and young grown ups would embrace technology!
Grace Ryder
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

There is this cool game that I think parents and grandparents find odd, and are very confused by it. Grownups think it is just a screen full of blocks, but kids see it as a world full of imagination. This game is called MineCraft, and it lets you create fantasy worlds, and grown ups think its just an odd game without meaning. I think it is a world full of fun fictional characters.
Charlotte Dameo
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

Skylanders is a video game that takes place in the skylands, which are floating islands in the sky. Kaos is the main villain who wants to destroy the skylanders. There are many skylanders that fight Kaos and the other villains to save the skylands. The players unlock the skylander’s special powers by placing the figures on the portal of power. The skylanders figures come to life in the game to fight the battles. There are 4 skylander adventure games. Spyro’s Adventure was the first game, where the battles began. The Giants are the skylanders that were vanished to earth a long time ago. The Giants have their own portal of power. The Swap Force skylanders are able to swap powers. The player can swap their bodies and put them on the portal to fight the villains. Trap Team is the newest skylanders game that allows the players to trap the villains and send them back to fight for their team. Skylanders can join forces in each of the skylander games.
Justin Dunn
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

Minecraft is a game in today’s video game world. It is a game about breaking and placing blocks to build anything you can imagine! This game is very popular among young kids that love to build structures while protecting themselves from monsters. The game was created by Markus “Notch” Persson. This game can be played in your computer, phone, playstation, xbox I, and WiiU! Kids are obsessed with Minecraft but some adults love it too!
Alexandra Cristofoli
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

I think grown-ups won’t understand Minecraft. Minecraft is made up of blocks and there is lots of animals and I love animals. I build towns and houses with the blocks. I don’t think grown-ups would understand how children love to build things out of blocks. I love minecraft even though it is made of blocks. I think it is very fun.
Reilly Botto
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

A game that is popular and complicated is Minecraft. My mom does not understand this game. It is a game where you can build anything you can imagine. At night, monsters spawn anywhere you can imagine. Lucky people don’t care if they find a village! When you make a world, it will ask you to type in a seed. If you type in the word “Steve,” all lower case, you will probably spawn (appear) in a village. Zombies can break down your doors. Other monsters, including spiders, creepers and endermen can harm you. Creepers are creatures that blow up if you get close to them! Endermen will teleport if you come near them and will steal your supplies. Minecraft is very fun! No wonder my mom doesn’t understand!
Julian Dunham
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

Minecraft is one of the most popular games today. You can play Minecraft on four devices. You can play it on iPod, iPad, PC and Xbox. I play on my iPod but my brother plays on the PC. I only know about the iPod version. Minecraft is a simple game. All you have to do is mine, craft and place blocks. The part most growups might not understand is the crafting part. On the iPod it’s simple but on the PC and Xbox it is very hard. On the iPod and iPad you just have to click one button but on PC and Xbox it is much more than that. You hve to remember where to place everything in the right place or you won’t get the item.
Adam Bunger-Spiecha
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

My Grandparents will not understand Madden 25 because they never played a video game. Madden 25 is a football video game. I am new to Madden 25. If my Grandpa tried to play, he would lose the game. My Grandparents will never understand the controls on the Xbox one. One time I tried to teach them how to play Madden 25 and they broke my Xbox one. When it comes to video games with my Grandparents, they are terrible at it.
Ronnie Bumb
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 3

A game my parents don’t understand is Zombie Road Trip. You drive a car and shoot zombies and try to get to higher levels. My highest score is 226,256meter.
Adam Cuzzolino
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

My parents don’t really understand the game Clash of Clans.It’s actually a really good game for strategy.It’s about where you start off with a tiny base.Then you start adding defenses.The first few defenses are cannons and archer towers.Also,you can get barracks which you can train troops for attacks.My base is pretty good.Oh,I also forgot about the most important thing in your base,your townhall.I have a level 5 town hall.You also always should have elixir collectors and gold mines.Another thing is my mom sometimes calls it stupid!
Ryan Thompson
Kingwood Township School
Grade 4

I think that my grandparents wouldn’t get rainbow-loom bracelets. I think this because making bracelets out of fun rubber bands would seem odd to them. There are other fads, but I really think my grandparents would think it’s odd.
Maggie Dean
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

Parents don’t understand Skylanders. When they got old and your kid had 100 of them you say, “What the heck are we going to do with these!”
Vinny Lamberti
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

I think that they would think the game pick a winner is dumb because you pick a guy’s nose in the game.
Nick Eisenhart
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

A game device that I would prefer is an xbox 360 where you can play games on it and have a lot of fun with family on family game night.
James Green
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

I think parents or grandparents won’t understand video games such as Wii, WiiU, xbox 360, xbox, Dsi, 3Ds., 2Ds, Iphone. My parents don’t understand my video games on my Iphone 4. I guess parents from the 1900’s will never understand video games. At least for my parents.
Nate Feder
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 5

I think that grownups don’t understand ipods or ipads because they don’t think little kids should have them and they didn’t have that kind of technology when they were kids. This is what I think that grownups don’t understand why we have it and how.
Nick O’Brien
Valley View School
Grade 4

I think older people would not understand the Xbox game skyrim. The reason why I think parents and elders would not under stand it because it is a game of magic and masters.
Daniel Delusant
Valley View School
Grade 4

I don’t think I can tell you a game my parents don’t get or don’t eventually get but I can tell you something my mom just isn’t good at. Mario Kart Wii. She just can’t get the knack of it. It’s like she only plays it to crash into walls! I know that’s not what you asked but, what the heck, it’s related at least.
Chris Saam
Valley View School
Grade 4

My grandmother does not understand rainbow loom when ever she sees it she say, “What is that?” We have to explain it to her every time. I can see why she doesn’t understand it. She doesn’t get it because it wasn’t even around when she was little.
Emily Robbins
Valley View School
Grade 4

What are you playing! I like to play minecraft but my mom does not get the point. It is a really awesome game. You have to build stuff. My dad does not get it either. I think they could try to play it one day but they might take it if they like it.
Noah Szobonya
Franklin Township School
Grade 3

What are you watching?! I think parents don’t understand the show Spongebob. My mom says it’s bad for my brain but I watch it anyway. I like it but my mom and dad don’t get it. They think It’s weird but I like it. I’ll keep watching it.
Ben Huebscher
Franklin Township School
Grade 3

My Fad is Clash of Clans. I don’t understand why parents and grandparents don’t get it. It’s such an awesome game, so stupendous. All my friends play it. This is how you play, you collect elixer, gold, and trophies also you battle, defend, and go up in rank from nothing to champion league. If you win the battle you get gold, elixer, and trophies. What a great game it is.
Joshua Evans
Franklin Township School
Grade 3

A toy people don’t understand is Rainbow Loom cause children love it and others don’t get it or understand it. Kids more likely girls love Rainbow Loom I do it cause I’m a girl and some boys don’t like it. Rainbow Loom is like a learning item for me. Girls make bracelets, rings, sandals, phone cases and this is a little hard for me but it’s covers for glasses. I don’t know how to do it just yet.
I think that Rainbow Loom is cool if you do it every day. I watch videos on how to make a phone case; it came out perfect. Look on YouTube for videos about Rainbow Loom. It’s cool, try it!
Some kids in my class do rainbow Loom. Rainbow Loom is fun for children most ages 7+ up. Adults make videos on bracelets and other thinks out of rubber bands. Thank you! Try it!
Julia Lance
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

My Mom and Dad do not even know anything about technology. When my Mom got an iPhone, my Mom needed my brothers to help her set it up.
My brother James helps my Mom so much. My Dad got an iPhone. He did not know how to set it up. So my brother James had to help also with computers.
My parents still do not know how to set it up once again me and my brothers had to help.
John Paul Smart
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

A few fads or fashions that parents don’t get are the Pokemon. They think it’s a waste of money. Honestly, I agree, and to me, it doesn’t even make sense. They also think those “American Girl Dolls” are a waste of $70 for one doll, but don’t forget the clothes.
Second, what is the deal with those computer/iPad games you plan them all the time, but I disagree we only play for a few minutes a day. I don’t know if your parents say this, but my Mom says I zone out, but I don’t. Well, that’s all I’ve got to say. Bye.
Patrick Egg
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

One thing that parents don’t get is Rainbow Loom. I don’t even get it. So many people wear them to school. They even have the monkey chains. Our school had to make a rule not to wear them. People traded them all the time.
At one point, my little brother started making them! He wore them to school, and he got in trouble. I have never made one in my whole life, and I hope I never do! My big brother who was a junior in high school even wore them.
Parents and me probably don’t get it because they were so new. We never saw them before. I guess people liked them because other people wore them. Some people just like new things.
Vance Vandelkenburgh
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

Most grownups don’t know about technology or Pokemon or other toys. My mom does not know what Samsun Galaxy Tab 3 is, and I have one. Since a grown-ups don’t have an idea, what the latest model is a iPhone 6, my Mom is upgrading to one and she’s probably not going to know what to do with it.
When my tablet is sitting around, and m Mom is telling me to pit it away, she says: Put your “thing” away. The only people who know tec. It probably a tech person like Mr. Miller.
Benjamin Soo Hoo
Immaculate Conception School
Grade 4

Read Original Article Here:

The children of wealthy parents hear millions more words in their first years of life than the children of low-income ones. That creates a vocabulary gap that never really closes: poor children lag behind in literacy from their first day of school.

Researchers are looking at a low-cost way to help: sending three text messages a week to parents of pre-K students, at a cost of about $1 per family. And they have some early evidence that this program, which suggests easy ways to help kids pick up literacy skills, can work.

Two researchers at Stanford University, Benjamin York and Susannah Loeb, recruited parents of pre-K students in San Francisco for the text message study. Parents who agreed to participate in the program received three text messages a week with specific suggestions about what they could do to help their children learn to read and succeed at school:

A control group received weekly text messages about kindergarten registration, required vaccinations, and other issues.

Parents who received the texts were more likely than parents in the control group to tell stories, point out words that begin with the same sound, look at pictures in a book, or play games and work puzzles with their children, the researchers found, according to research published this week in a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper. They also were more likely to ask questions of teachers about what their children were learning in pre-K and what they could do at home to supplement it.

The texts were more effective at getting parents to do specific activities, like point out letter sounds, than general ones, like read to their kids. That suggests that parents were receptive to specific guidance that breaks down a seemingly overwhelming task.

The results showed up for children, too: children of parents who received the text messages scored higher at the end of the year on a test of letters and letter sounds than did children of parents in the control group.

The researchers say these results are promising in part because the program was so inexpensive and can be easily scaled up. Sending the text messages cost less than $1 per family for an entire year, and the texts (which were also available in Spanish and Chinese) aren’t location-specific, so they could easily help families in other places.

The study is the latest to prove the power of nagging text messages, which have previously been found to help people lose weight, walk more, save money, stop smoking, and remember their medication. It turns out that regular reminders about what you’re supposed to be doing could actually help you stick to it.

Read Original Article Here:

Read Original Article Here: