There are more than 300 titles to choose from, each featuring a dramatic story and memorable characters who explore moral ground and the difference between what is right and what is wrong. These books will capture your child's imagination, and conscience as well-whether it is Beauty pondering her promise to Beast, mischievous Max in Where the Wild Things Are, the troubled boys of Lord of the Flies, generous Mr. Badger in The Wind in the Willows, or the courageous struggles of such real-life characters as Frederick Douglass and Anne Frank.

With entries arranged by category and reading level, there is something here for all readers-from preschoolers to teenagers-whatever their tastes may be. Each entry features a complete plot summary and publisher information so that you can find the book with ease in your local library or bookstore. It's not always easy to teach a child the difference between right and wrong, but stories-whether they are based on fantasy or rooted in real life-can speak to children more eloquently than any list of dos or don'ts and can impart moral values as they nurture a child's imagination.

Books are divided into genre and then age group (4-8, 8-12, 12+). There is a good science fiction/fantasy section. Other chapters include: picture books; fables and fairy tales; myths, legends and folktales; sacred texts; books for holidays and holy days; historical fiction; contemporary fiction (post WWII); and biography.

The book list contains about 300 books and includes title, author, illustrator, publisher, year of publication and number of pages, as well as a one-page summary of the plot and brief discussion of issues or virtues covered in the selection. Also included: a list of the books, in the order they appear, sans commentary; a short chapter about the Book List; a list of twenty videos deemed worthwhile viewing; a notes section in case you want to delve deeper; and an index. The index is the weak link here. For example, on page 35, one sentence ends " ... just as most good parents, whatever their views on censorship, tend to buy their children books by A. A. Milne and Mark Twain rather than books by the Marquis de Sade." Then the Marquis de Sade is in the index (!) while useful subject terms, like 'loneliness' and 'friendship', are not. Later editions should include a thorough subject index.

A good companion book to Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook, and a valuable resource for anyone mentoring children. The commentaries are thoughtful and well written.

This book is valuable not only for the lists and summaries of good books for children (grouped by age level and category) that takes up most of its pages. The first 60 pages contain five short chapters on the importance of reading for children and of selecting the sort of books that will build their character and intellect. It explains why it does matter what your child reads (not just that they read). Don't skip this reading. No matter how convinced you are of the importance of good literature for a child's development, your conviction and understanding will deepen by reading what the authors have to say in this introductory material.

The fifth chapter has some especially useful guidelines on selecting and sharing good books. Distinguish between issues and virtues: "Having enlightened opinions is no substitute for having character". "Good books are people centered, not problem centered." Context of behavior portrayed in a book is crucial. "Character building books are not simply about good people doing good things. ... The question is not whether unethical behavior is present, but how it is presented". Look for stories that "open up new possibilities and stretch the imagination. ... be wary of stories that focus exclusively on narrow teen or preteen preoccupations, or those that offer nothing more than the therapeutic reassurance that everything is okay". "Look for books in which the main character grows". There is an education here to help you discern for yourself the quality of children's literature. There is also some good advice on how to read to your children; a good list of "do's and don't's" that make reading aloud more productive an fun. It won't be long before your kids are turning off the TV and asking you to read to them. You will have plenty of good material to draw from with this book as your guide.