April 24, 2025

Helping out with the school yearbook this year? One of the most exciting parts of the process is choosing the perfect superlatives for students. Along with senior quotes, superlatives are one of the most anticipated sections of the yearbook. Whether you’re a parent volunteer or supporting your child behind the scenes, this list of over 100 yearbook superlatives will spark ideas and celebrate your school community. From the funny to the heartfelt, we’ve got categories that fit every personality and classroom vibe.

What are Yearbook Superlatives?

Yearbook superlatives (sometimes known as senior superlatives) are fun awards given to students highlighting unique qualities, talents, or characteristics they’re known for by their peers and teachers at school. Traditionally found in middle school and high school yearbooks, they’re a playful way to recognize student’s strengths and quirks. In some schools, the superlatives are chosen and then the students must vote on who they think that award should go to. Think of them as friendly recognitions like “Most Likely to Brighten Your Day” or “Future President” with the intention of adding personality and laughter to the year’s closing pages.

Classic Yearbook Superlatives

These are timeless favorites that show up in nearly every yearbook. You really can’t go wrong with any of these yearbook superlatives.

1. Best Smile
2. Most Likely to Succeed
3. Best Dressed
4. Most Athletic
5. Class Clown
6. Most Artistic
7. Most Musical
8. Best Hair
9. Best Laugh
10. Most School Spirit
11. Most Likely to Brighten Your Day
12. Best Eyes
13. Most Talkative
14. Most Likely to be Late
15. Most Likely to Travel the World

Funny Senior Superlatives

Perfect for getting a laugh and showing off each student’s quirks. If your school has a good sense of humor, consider choosing some of these funny yearbook superlatives.

16. Most Likely to Trip at Graduation
17. Future Reality TV Star
18. Most Likely to Sleep Through Class
19. Best Excuses for Missing Homework
20. Most Likely to Start a TikTok Trend
21. Most Likely to Bring a Pet to School
22. Most Likely to Text During Class
23. Most Likely to Laugh at Their Own Jokes
24. Most Likely to Have Their Own Meme
25. Most Likely to Get Lost in the Hallway
26. Most Likely to Break Their Phone

Heartfelt Yearbook Superlatives

These emphasize kindness, leadership, and personal growth.

27. Kindest Heart
28. Best Listener
29. Most Encouraging
30. Most Improved
31. Best Teammate
32. Most Resilient
33. Most Likely to Make a Difference
34. Future Teacher
35. Friendliest Smile
36. Best Role Model
37. Most Compassionate
38. Most Inspiring
39. Most Likely to Stand Up for Others
40. Most Dependable
41. Most Likely to Make the World Better

Academic Superlatives

Yearbook superlatives aren’t just for the most athletic or best liked students, you can also showcase academic excellence! Celebrate intellectual strengths and classroom leadership.

42. Most Likely to Become a Scientist
43. Future Author
44. Best at Math
45. Most Likely to Cure a Disease
46. Most Likely to Win a Nobel Prize
47. Most Likely to Write a Bestseller
48. Future Professor
49. Best Problem Solver
50. Most Inquisitive
51. Most Organized
52. Most Likely to Correct the Teacher
53. Fastest Reader
54. Most Likely to Finish the Assignment First
55. Future Engineer

Senior Superlatives About Creativity

Ideal for kids who shine through imagination and self-expression. These are great for showcasing those students who have an artistic side to them.

56. Most Likely to Design a Video Game
57. Most Creative Thinker
58. Best Doodler
59. Most Likely to Be on Broadway
60. Future Fashion Designer
61. Most Likely to Be an Inventor
62. Best Costume at Spirit Week
63. Future YouTuber
64. Most Likely to go Viral
65. Most Likely to Build a Robot
66. Most Dramatic (in Theater!)
67. Best Dance Moves
68. Future Animator
69. Most Likely to Direct a Movie

Yearbook Superlatives About Future Careers

Lighthearted predictions about what students might do one day.

70. Future CEO
71. Future Mayor
72. Future Olympian
73. Future Vet
74. Future Chef
75. Future Tech Genius
76. Future Lawyer
77. Future News Anchor
78. Future Marine Biologist
79. Future Pilot
80. Future Entrepreneur
81. Future Game Show Host
82. Future Architect
83. Future Photographer
84. Future Stand-Up Comedian

Most Likely To… (Wildcard Superlatives)

Some of the best senior superlatives are formatted as a “most likely to” question. If you like that superlative format, check out the options below!

85. Most Likely to Bring Their Own Snacks
86. Most Likely to Save the Planet
87. Most Likely to Be on Shark Tank
88. Most Likely to Win a Dance-Off
89. Most Likely to Live on a Houseboat
90. Most Likely to Be on the Cover of a Magazine
91. Most Likely to Have a Pet Llama
92. Most Likely to Win a Game Show
93. Most Likely to Discover a New Planet
94. Most Likely to Text Back Instantly
95. Most Likely to Start a Band

Friendship & Social Superlatives

Celebrate connections and community. Yearbook superlatives oftentimes highlight a duo of friends, or someone who is generally well liked by their classmates.

96. Dynamic Duo (Best Friends)
97. Best Shoulder to Cry On
98. Best Group Chat Creator
99. Most Likely to Organize a Hangout
100. Most Trustworthy
101. Most Likely to Cheer You Up
102. Best Secret Keeper
103. Most Likely to Remember Everyone’s Birthday
104. Most Likely to Say “Hi” in the Hallway
105. Most Social Butterfly
106. Best BFFs Since Day One

Final Tips for Implementing Yearbook Superlatives

When choosing superlatives, ensure positivity, inclusiveness, of course avoiding options that have the potential to be embarrassing for students. It’s best to let students vote on superlatives and provide a write-in option so everyone feels involved. And remember, every superlative is a celebration of what makes each student one-of-a-kind.

Older school-aged kids will practice their drawing speed in this fun project. Our basic techniques can easily be used at home or in the classroom.

Using a Timer in Art

I often find students (and myself) spending a large amount of time sketching, planning, erasing and redrawing details as they seek perfection in a project. Today’s activity helps artists push through this creative procrastination and forces us to focus on portions of the drawing that are vital to the design. We’re also working on hand-eye coordination as we spend less time looking at our page while drawing quickly. The timer allows us to see just how fast we create a basic outline on our page, which in turn allows us more time to focus on more creative aspects of the project.

Related: Brush up on your Shading Techniques with our free printable.

Supplies Needed to Make a Timed Drawing Art Project

• Paper – 2 Pages
• Drawing Tool – Pencil or Pen
• Timer
• An Item to Draw – Flowers, Toys, Picture of an Animal, Art Supplies, etc.

Directions to Make a Timed Drawing

Step 1

First, hold one page horizontally, fold in half. Crease and unfold.

Step 2

Next, holding the page vertically, fold the paper in half. Crease and unfold. The page should now be divided into 4 sections.

Step 3

Then, label sections of page based on time limits for each drawing exercise. We chose 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, and 5 minute sessions.

Step 4

After each section is labeled, use a timer to complete the same drawing for chosen time allotments. Draw the same image for each section, focusing on completing as much of a sketch as possible for that time limit.

• 10 Seconds: Simply encourage the kids to create a basic shape and placement for the drawing. There won’t be time to add details in this section. For example, if drawing flowers, kids may only get circles drawn for the flower or lines for stems.
• 30 Seconds – 5 Minutes: Again, emphasize general shape and placement, letting kids know they can begin to add details as time allows. Encourage kids to draw the entire time limit, even if they feel the sketch is complete, more details or shading can usually be added.

Step 5

Finally, set the timer for an extended period of time (we chose 10 minutes) and complete a more detailed full page drawing.

Finished Timed Drawing Art Project

I love this activity! Though these projects are practice-based, they can still be wall-worthy! Since these drawings are made on paper, you can easily frame, clip, or display in your preferred style. 

Our Experience Making this Timed Drawing Art Project

I see great value in this project and tend to repeat it yearly with my students as a warm up exercise before sketching a detailed image. Also, we always have a good laugh when I let students know they have mere seconds to draw what it set in front of them. By the time the class is through, the kids are beyond comfortable drawing the object and may even find the longer lengths of time a bit much.

Timed Drawing Art Variations

• Choose complexity of objects based on skill of the child.
• Change drawing times to fit your kids and schedule.
• Use this activity as a warm-up activity before creating a more detailed work of art.
• Use seasonal or holiday decorations.
• Use colored pencils, paints, etc. to add color to your final sketch.

Other Fun Art Projects from Kids Activities Blog

Did your kids enjoy using a timer while drawing? What did they choose to draw?

Babies living as refugees have some of the same social skills as children with more secure home conditions. This is shown by a new study that researchers from Uppsala University have conducted in cooperation with colleagues in Uganda, Zimbabwe and Bhutan. Over 800 children participated in the study, making it one of the largest infant studies ever conducted using eye movement measurements.

We were surprised by the results. Previous research has shown – and we ourselves assumed- that the early infancy period is extremely vulnerable. That children’s development is influenced by the social, security and economic conditions in which they spend their early years. However, we saw in our study that children living in insecurity are not doomed. Some important social skills are intact. This inspires hope, though it doesn’t mean everything is all right.” 

Gustaf Gredebäck, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University

The study was conducted in Bhutan, Sweden, Uganda and Zimbabwe, and involved researchers in peace and conflict studies, game design and psychology. Between 100 and 300 children in each country participated in the study. It shows that regardless of poverty, traumatic experiences in the family, experiences of hunger, war and deep depression in parents, babies are equally good at following social cues.

To obtain a picture of the child’s background and circumstances, the researchers interviewed the child’s parents. They were asked to talk about their experiences of trauma and how they were feeling, and their response was used as an indicator of the parents’ wellbeing status and of their available resources to be a good enough parent.

Internationally established concepts

In all the countries, both children living in secure conditions with parents who were well and children living in troubled conditions with parents who were not well were studied. Trauma from war was only present in children in Uganda, but poverty was present in families in many countries and depression was present in all the countries. The definition of traumatic events and poverty was based on established internationally validated scales and local differences.

The questions in the forms were put to the participants by a local research assistant who could explain and contextualise the question. It was often mental wellbeing issues that needed to be related to different concepts and patterns of thought in different countries. For poverty, country-specific indicators were used.

Eye movement measurements

To measure the children’s social activity and ability to follow what was happening around them, the researchers used eye movement measurements, filming children’s eyes and using an algorithm to calculate where the child was looking. In this way, it is possible to measure the extent to which a child follows the direction in which someone else is looking, i.e. what they are interested in and how they read what others are interested in. The children are involved in a process of sharing attention with other people.

“By exploring the same ability in very different families in a new way, we can gain a deeper understanding of what we all have in common, the innate abilities that develop early in life. This is important for several reasons,” Gredebäck says. “The study gives hope and shows that early childhood holds opportunities for learning and development for all children, including those living in some of the most insecure environments in the world.”

The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers at Kabale University in Uganda, the University of Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe and Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences in Bhutan. From Uppsala University, researchers in peace and conflict studies, game design and psychology participated.

The project is funded by the Wallenberg Academy Fellows Programme, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW 2012.0120 and KAW 2017.0284).

 

Adverse situations experienced by the mother during childhood – such as neglect or physical, psychological or sexual violence – can trigger excessive weight gain in male children as early as the first two months of life. This was shown in a study that followed 352 pairs of newborns and their mothers in the cities of Guarulhos and São Paulo, Brazil. The results were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The analyses indicated the occurrence of very early metabolic alterations in babies that not only led to weight gain above that expected for their age but also have the potential to increase the future risk of developing obesity and diabetes.

This is the first article resulting from a Thematic Project supported by FAPESP and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States. Using a database of 580 vulnerable pregnant women, the group is studying intergenerational trauma, i.e., negative effects that can be passed on to future generations, even if the offspring have not lived through such experiences.

Conducted by researchers from Columbia and Duke Universities, both in the United States, and the School of Medicine of the Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP) in Brazil, the study focuses on issues related to mother-baby interaction, development, and mental and physical health (read more at: agencia.fapesp.br/32577).

We observed that although the babies were born weighing within the expected parameters, in the first few days of life they showed altered weight gain, far above what’s recommended as ideal by the World Health Organization [WHO].”

Andrea Parolin Jackowski, professor at UNIFESP and coordinator of the project in Brazil

According to the WHO, the ideal weight gain in the first stage of life is up to 30 grams per day. However, the male babies in the study had an average weight gain of 35 grams per day – with some gaining up to 78 grams per day.

“The babies who took part in the study were born full-term, healthy and within the ideal weight range. All of the pregnancies we followed were low-risk, but our data showed that every adversity the mother experienced during childhood increased the babies’ weight gain by 1.8 grams per day. And this was limited to males,” the researcher reports.

According to Jackowski, there are many factors that can influence a baby’s weight in early life, and maternal childhood trauma appears to be one of them. For this reason, the analysis took care to control for so-called confounders – variables related to the mothers’ stress levels that could influence the results. Some examples include lifetime trauma experiences (the effects of which are cumulative) and current trauma, as well as education level and socioeconomic status.

“It’s also important to note that 70% of the babies who took part in the study were exclusively breastfed. The other 30% were on mixed feeding [a combination of breast milk and formula]. This means that they weren’t eating filled cookies or other foods that could actually change their weight. Therefore, the results suggest the occurrence of an early metabolic alteration in these babies,” she says.

Why only boys?

According to the researcher, maternal trauma during childhood only had an impact on the weight of male babies because of physiological variations in the placenta associated with the sex of the fetus.

The placenta is a temporary organ composed of maternal and fetal tissue that shows structural differences and differences in the regulation and expression of steroids and proteins depending on the sex of the baby. “Male fetuses develop strategies to maintain constant growth in the face of an adverse intrauterine environment, leading to a greater risk of prematurity and fetal death,” explains the researcher.

In addition, she adds, childhood adversity is known to increase the risk of depression and anxiety during pregnancy, which can lead to increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cortisol in the intrauterine environment. “It appears that the placenta of female fetuses adapts to protect them, slowing down the growth rate without restricting intrauterine growth [i.e., the size of the baby is within the expected range at the end of pregnancy] and allowing for a higher survival rate,” she explains.

Another important issue is that the placenta of male fetuses tends to be more susceptible to fluctuations in substances and metabolites present in the maternal bloodstream compared to female placentas. “As a result, in these cases of trauma, it can become more permeable, causing the male fetus to be more exposed to inflammatory factors resulting from high levels of stress, such as cortisol and interleukins, for example.”

The work now published is the first to identify intergenerational trauma as a trigger for physical changes at such an early age. “It’s already known that adverse events in the mother’s childhood can trigger psychological and developmental problems, but our study is pioneering in showing that they can affect physical problems, such as weight gain, as early as the first two months of life,” says Jackowski.

Now, the research team, which includes Vinicius O. Santana and FAPESP postdoctoral fellow Aline C. Ramos, will follow the weight development of the children of mothers who suffered adversity in childhood until they are 24 months old. “We’re going to follow them for longer because we want to investigate the impact of the introduction of food, which usually occurs at 6 months of age,” she says.

As the researchers explain, the research suggests that metabolic changes can be modified. “It’s not a matter of determinism. We need to monitor how the metabolism and inflammatory factors behave in these babies over a longer period of time to understand how to modulate this process. It’s important to know that all of this is modifiable, and we’re now going to look at how we can intervene,” she says.

Is your teen delaying his or her homework to the last minute? You’re not alone. Many parents find it hard to cope with the typical habit of teenagers who like to push tasks away. Today, as many as 75% of high school students find it impossible to overcome procrastination.

This is a common challenge that can result in bad grades, missed opportunities and heightened anxiety. The good news? For teens, learning how not to procrastinate does not need to be complex.

Small shifts in routine can be significant. But with the right tools and support, teens can overcome procrastination and develop better habits. Learning to manage time and self-discipline are skills for life.

Parents can be a big help in guiding their teens past this barrier. With the right combination of guidance, understanding, and practical steps, you can help even a procrastinating teenager become a productive one.

Are you ready to help your teen take control of their time?

Key Takeaways

• At least 75% of high school students face procrastination which causes low grades and increased stress.
• Combating fear of failure, being distracted by social media and feeling overwhelmed are the top reasons teens procrastinate. It’s similar to taking big tasks and just breaking them down into smaller chunks, which makes them less scary.
• Parents can assist with this process by creating a peaceful study environment and utilizing things like the Forest app or Google calendar. The “25-minute work, 5-minute break” method helps teens focus.
• Rooted in proven strategies, HYTN offers expert help through Jillian Bates and her traceable network to tackle the world of procrastination. Their programs partner with insurance companies to minimize out-of-pocket expenses for families.
• Teens develop lasting productive habits by doing some goal setting preferably by setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. Regular check-ins from parents offer support without micromanaging.

Understanding Teen Procrastination

Teens often put off tasks due to anxiety, social media distractions, and feeling overwhelmed by their workload. A mix of brain development and outside pressures can make teens more likely to delay their work, leading to stress and lower self-esteem.

Common Causes of Procrastination in Adolescents

Fear is a huge reason students procrastinate. Some teens have anxiety about not performing well or meeting expectations. It can stop them in their tracks, transforming mundane tasks into monumental challenges.

Low self-esteem makes even student doubt their ability to perform well on their tasks. Not interested in some subjects, including maths and other complicated subjects which make students procrastinate their work.

Some students struggle from ADHD or hyperactivity, which makes focusing much more challenging.

Next, students procrastinate because they work for so long that they become overwhelmed. The pressure to take International Baccalaureate programs or advanced classes can create avoidance behaviors.

Most children are struggling with problem-solving and time management skills. Constant distractions like social media and prime video streaming pull focus away from important tasks. Creating the to-do list is a way to decompose large projects into smaller, less terrifying chunks.

Professional assistance with cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy can provide students with superior coping mechanisms. Sleep problems and shifting moods also play a role in the effort students put into keeping up with their work.

The Impact of Procrastination on Academic and Personal Life

Teenagers are hit with procrastination both at school and home. People who procrastinate on their work usually find their grades drop quickly. It leads to low test scores and incomplete assignments.

Many teens find themselves overwhelmed with their growing workload, which leads to a cycle of stress and further procrastination. Everyday the pressure accumulates, causing you to lose sight of your studies or finish your home work within the time frame.

This trend also stymies their education and shatters their self-esteem.

Procrastination has repercussions well beyond the classroom. Teenagers who procrastinate tend to have sleep problems and unhealthy eating habits. Their relationships with parents and friends get strained from missed deadlines and broken promises.

Teens suffer from emotional trauma from the stress that comes from feeling like they have a million things to do all at once. They lose motivation, and begin to avoid past enjoyable activities. Simple tasks seem insurmountable, and solving problems becomes more difficult.

The overall negative mod of this cycle takes a toll on their well-being and career trajectory in the long run.

Strategies to Overcome Procrastination

Breaking the cycle of procrastination needs more than just willpower from your teen. Parents can step in as coaches to guide their teens through proven methods like rational emotive behavior therapy and mindfulness practices that create lasting change.

Encouraging Effective Time Management

To improve their time management, teens need explicit instructions. Help them break down large tasks into bite-sized pieces. A physical planner/daily planner or even a digital calendar is great for keeping track of assignments and activities.

The Kindle app provides great ways for you to schedule study time and track your progress in reading. Very successful for many teens is the “25-minute work, 5-minute break” method.

It takes practice and praise to build good habits. While parents set up regular check-in times, they shouldn’t micromanage their teen’s schedule, instructions or academics. Establish quiet study time in a place away from devices like phones or television.

Mindfulness exercises can help keep teens focused on their tasks. Simple rewards, such as bonus Amazon Prime streaming time, can inspire teens to adhere to their schedules. The challenge is finding the balance that will work best for each teen between chores and relaxation.

Setting Realistic Goals

Setting clear goals helps teens conquer procrastination. Parents can help create goals in collaboration with teens, catering to their interests and abilities. Splitting up the larger projects makes them less intimidating and more manageable.

For example, rather than “study for finals,” consider “review chapter 4 each day.” Since it is so simple, it gives teens confidence and keeps them motivated.

For goals to be effective, they have to have specific due dates and detailed steps. A psychologist can help develop a good plan that accommodates your teen’s needs. The SMART way works well as well Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound goals.

Goal-setting could include doing homework before dinner for short-term goals, or improving grades by a letter over the course of a semester for longer-term goals. Those small wins compound and build lasting productive habits.

Building a Supportive Environment

Creating a clean, organized work environment is the first step to creating a supportive environment. Parents should assist teens in creating a quiet study space free from TVs, phones and other distractions. This area should be bright, have comfortable seating, and all of your supplies should be easily accessible.

As artists require a studio in which to produce their masterpieces (think The Starry Night), so, too, do teens need their own special place to bubble up under the pressure of a task.

A key in teaching productive habits is for parents to model this through action. Regular check-ins allow you to keep your teen on track without hovering. Mom and Dad can share their own time management tricks, such as using to-do lists or breaking big projects into smaller chunks.

Some families have found success with apps that prevent social media from being accessed during study hours. The main thing is to make sure they feel safe, not guilty. Over time, this collaboration between parents and teens creates confidence and fosters better work habits.

Tools and Resources Versus Procrastination

Smart apps and digital tools can track your teen’s study time and reward them for staying focused. A good psychotherapist will teach your teen proven methods to break free from procrastination while building healthy self-talk patterns.

Recommended Apps and Technologies to Overcome Procrastination

Several apps can help teens beat procrastination. Forest app turns focus time into a game by planting virtual trees that grow while teens study. If they leave the app to check social media, their tree dies.

Google Calendar helps teens block time for homework and activities. The free Todoist app breaks big tasks into smaller, less scary pieces.

Digital planners like MyStudyLife track school assignments and test dates. Teens can set phone reminders for due dates through these tools. HYTN’s website offers extra resources to boost productivity.

Their directory points families to schools that teach good study habits. Parents can also book expert help through HYTN’s consultation services to guide their teens toward better time management.

Professional Help

Having some professional guidance can help teens overcome procrastination in a very positive way. HYTN’s team of specialists, led by Jillian Bates (20+ years in the field), helps teens strengthen healthy routines.

Our nationwide network of therapeutic programs provides students with evidence-based tools to get back on track to meeting their goals. Typical changes kids experience after working with our specialists are:

Getting the help you need shouldn’t give you money anxiety. HYTN contracts with a wide variety of insurance companies to keep costs low for families. Our experts understand teens’ challenges and create practical solutions; we match teens with them.

Our counselors help teens learn to break down big work into smaller pieces, set specific deadlines and stay on work. That hands-on support allows teens to form good habits that carry far beyond their school years.

Breaking bad habits takes time and patience. Parents play a vital role in helping teens beat procrastination through steady support and clear guidance. Your teen needs tools, structure, and understanding to build better habits that last.

Simple steps like setting small goals, using productivity apps, and creating study schedules can make a big difference. Working together with your teen to overcome procrastination will help them succeed now and develop skills for life.

Contact Help Your Teen Now to take the first steps towards helping your troubled teen overcome procrastination today!

The link between proximity to greenspace – including trees and parks- and healthy birth outcomes is well established. Now new data from researchers at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health adds to our understanding of these health benefits, accounting for other factors that may influence this link, such as education, income and body mass index, but also taking the body of knowledge a step further by exploring the effect of residing near newly planted trees. The findings were recently published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.

Using a unique dataset – the planting of more than 36,000 trees between 1990 and 2020 in Portland, Oregon by the nonprofit group Friends of Trees – the researchers measured the number of new trees planted within 100 meters of a mother’s address for the first 10 years after their child’s birth, (using Jan. 1, 2015 – Dec. 31, 2020 birth data from the Oregon Health Authority), existing tree cover and road coverage in that area.

Controlling for factors that can influence birth weight, such as mother’s race, whether they’re pregnant for the first time, mother’s BMI and education level, the researchers found a link between number of trees planted and higher birth weight. Additionally, nearby tree planting, including new and existing trees, were associated with three key measures of newborn health: higher birth weight, lower risk of small-for-gestational-age birth and decreased risk of pre-term birth.

For example, each tree planted within 100 meters of a mother’s home within 10 years before a child’s birth was associated with a statistically significant 2.3-gram increase in birthweight. In contrast with previous studies that also looked at greenspace and pregnancy, the current study controlled for existing tree coverage to focus on the role newly planted trees may play in the health of newborns.

Although there is benefit from well-established trees, we’re finding that newly planted trees are also associated with healthy birth weight. This is another data point showing that planting trees is a relatively easy and low-cost way to improve public health from the earliest stages of a life.”

Yvonne Michael, ScD, senior author, professor and interim chair in the Dornsife School of Public Health

Living within 100 meters of at least 10 trees was associated with about a 50-gram increase in birthweight, according to the researchers. The birthweight benefit from trees generally tops out at about 10 trees, the researchers found.

“Fifty grams may not seem like a lot, but if every baby in our sample gained 50 grams at birth, that means 642 fewer babies considered small for gestational age, and at higher risk for worse development later in life,” said Michael, who noted that there were 2,879 babies with that diagnosis in the study.

Stress is associated with increased likelihood of delivering a baby preterm and poor health outcomes later in life. The authors speculate that established older trees near one’s address may provide more benefit than newly planted trees by also providing psychological restoration, as other studies have suggested that developed natural environments foster a “soft fascination” – in contrast with psychologically draining characteristics of buildings and other aspects of built environments.

“It’s rare to have detailed information on large-scale tree plantings for research,” said Michael. “Existing tree cover is often closely tied to factors like income, education, and race, making it difficult to fully account for other possible explanations when studying birth outcomes. By focusing on newly planted trees, we were able to reduce the bias — essentially treating it as a natural experiment. Plus, we observed the improvements in birth outcomes after trees were planted, establishing temporal order.”

In the current study, existing trees, but not newly planted ones, helped to mitigate some of the negative impact of road density – ratio of the length of roads in an area relative to the overall land area – on birthweight. The authors speculated that that this may be attributed to more developed leaves of established trees, which are better equipped to combat road noise and reduce air pollution.

Although the authors observed decreasing birthweight among babies during the study, they said this is likely attributed to other factors linked to lower birthweight, such as rising air temperatures and hazardous smoke from wildfires (in 2020) in the area. The authors’ dataset found that race, education and even existing tree canopy had no correlation with new trees planted in an area.

The authors note that a randomized controlled study is needed to definitively prove that the trees cause these positive health outcomes. However, the current study offers some of the best data available to support the link between trees and positive birth outcomes.

The latest study follows multiple papers delving into the effects of greenspace on health, including a 2013 study published by Michael and colleagues which found that the loss of 100 million trees to an invasive pest, called the emerald ash borer, coincided with an increase in heart disease deaths and lower-respiratory-tract illness in counties with more tree loss due to bug infestation.

In addition to Michael, other authors on this paper include Geoffrey H. Donovan, Jeffrey P. Prestemon and Abigail R. Kaminski from the USDA Forest Service.

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This Post: Teen Angst or Something More? A Parent’s Guide to Spotting Social Anxiety

Written By: The Raising Teens Today Community

Emma (whose name has been changed for privacy) is a 14-year-old high school freshman who’s been a special part of my life since she was little. Growing up, she was always a good student who was quiet and mainly kept to herself. When COVID hit, she became more of a homebody, and over the months that followed, her parents started noticing even more concerning changes in her behavior.  

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She began to complain about stomachaches and headaches on school mornings and became more and more reluctant to go to school. 

It wasn’t just her parents who noticed a change in her. Emma’s high school counselor reached out to her parents with alarming news that her teachers observed she was becoming increasingly anxious when called on in class, often getting extremely embarrassed and stumbling over her words. She stopped participating in class discussions and even avoided taking part in a group project that was assigned in her favorite class.

Her mom also shared with me that Emma was skipping lunch to avoid the crowded cafeteria and was turning down invitations to social events, preferring to stay at home, alone in her bedroom. Following any kind of social interaction at school, Emma would come home and talk obsessively about her interactions with classmates and teachers, often criticizing herself for making “stupid mistakes​” in front of them, and calling herself a “loser.” Her days absent from school were adding up, and her parents were feeling more and more helpless with each passing day. 

Looking for answers, her mom reached out to a behavioral therapist and began to realize that Emma’s behavior had moved beyond the normal worries teens feel about fitting in and feeling socially awkward. In fact, Emma was exhibiting the early signs of social anxiety disorder, where her extreme fear of any kind of negative judgment had started to impact her daily life.

It’s a harsh reality, but experiences like Emma’s are often overlooked by parents or simply chalked up to normal teen angst – being shy around others, fearful of putting themselves out there, and/or being overly concerned with what others think of them. In a lot of cases, it is normal teen behavior, but sometimes the behaviors and avoidances indicate something more serious – social anxiety disorder.

Normal Teen Angst or Social Anxiety: How Parents Can Tell the Difference

According to Thomas E. Brown, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and co-author of the book, Social Anxiety: Hidden Fears and Shame in Teens and Adults, “Social anxiety involves excessive worry about how others might be thinking of you – thoughts that are more intense and persistent than is warranted for a situation. For instance, if you hear your teen repeatedly saying things like ‘What would my friends think of me if they ever found out I’m terrified of walking into school alone?’ or ‘If kids at school really knew how awkward (or dumb or uncoordinated) I am, no one would ever talk to me again.’ These types of excessive worries can lead to fear and avoidance of social situations and trigger physical symptoms when forced to be in social situations, such as sweating, shaking, stomach aches, or a rapid heartbeat.”

The National Social Anxiety Center says that one out of three teenagers between 13 and 18 years old meets the criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), which is currently the third most common mental health disorder in the U.S. The prevalence among teens may not seem that high, but if it’s your teen who’s suffering, it can be life-altering for them and a tremendous amount of stress and worry for you.

Interestingly, the average age for the onset of social anxiety is 13 years, with 75% of affected people experiencing onset between the ages of 8 and 15 years. Some evidence suggests that, as with other anxiety disorders, it occurs more frequently in children and adults with ADHD. It’s also been reported that teenagers with social anxiety will often show symptoms of depression or chronic fatigue, as well.

The truth is, only about half of the teens struggling with social anxiety ever reach out for help, and many don’t until they’ve been carrying the weight of it for 15 years or more. Left untreated, it can quietly chip away at their confidence, affect their success in school, and even increase the chances of them dropping out. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also why early intervention and support matter so much.

Can a Parent Unintentionally Trigger or Worsen Social Anxiety in Their Teen?

Social anxiety is more common in teens than we often realize. And while there’s no single cause, environmental factors – including parenting styles – can play a role in how it develops and how intense it might become.

In short, yes… a parent can unintentionally trigger (or worsen) social anxiety in their teen. Not because they’re doing everything wrong, but because certain patterns and dynamics can shape how safe or fearful a teen feels in the social world. Here are a few factors that might trigger or intensify social anxiety in a teenager:

• High Pressure or Overly Critical Parenting: Constantly correcting, criticizing, or setting unrealistically high expectations can make a teen fear judgment or failure, which are key ingredients in social anxiety.

• Modeling Anxious Behavior: If a parent often avoids social situations, expresses fear of being judged, or is overly worried about what others think, it’s not uncommon for teens to absorb those patterns.

• Lack of Emotional Support or Validation: When teens don’t feel heard, seen, or emotionally safe at home, they may start to feel unsure of themselves around others, too.

• Overprotection: Overly protective parents may limit their teens’ opportunities to socialize or take risks, which can hinder the development of confidence in social settings.

That said, parents aren’t always the cause – social anxiety can stem from a mix of temperament, life experiences (like bullying), environmental factors like home dynamics, and genetics. In fact, social anxiety often runs in families, with a two to six times increased risk if a first-degree relative has it. The good news? Parents can also be a powerful protective factor by offering support, modeling healthy social behavior, and helping their teen build confidence.

Remember, parents, while it can be helpful to look to the past for clues about your teen’s current issues, don’t waste time ruminating on the what-ifs. It’s more important to focus on the now and what you can do to support your teenager moving forward if you suspect they may have social anxiety disorder.

Treating Teens’ Social Anxiety Disorder

Research shows that a combination of the following types of treatments has the best outcomes for social anxiety disorder in teenagers:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This is the most commonly used approach for treating social anxiety disorder. CBT is an evidence-based treatment and is typically short-term, with a therapist setting realistic and concrete goals with a patient to achieve measurable results. For teens with social anxiety, CBT focuses on specific negative thoughts (like “I’m stupid and everyone knows it”) and unhealthy behaviors like avoiding friends or classmates that negatively affect their mood. This type of therapy helps teens understand the deeper connections between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and it can be extremely empowering for them.

2. Exposure Therapy

This component of behavioral therapy involves exposure to feared or triggering situations. The process helps teens create a gradual exposure experience so that they can confront their social anxiety head-on. Research shows that the more someone avoids anxiety-provoking situations, the more their anxiety is reinforced. This is called the avoidance cycle. So, teens with social anxiety are encouraged to “feel their fear” while understanding that it’s not life-threatening and is usually a false alarm going off in the emotional center of their brains. The goal of exposure therapy isn’t to eliminate all anxiety, but to learn how to deal with it. Eventually, as teens become more confident with this concept, their anxiety tends to decrease.

3. Medication

It can be a little scary to think about starting your teen on a mind-altering medication, but in cases where social anxiety is more severe and significantly impacts a teenager’s daily life, medication can be a helpful addition to cognitive and behavioral therapy. It tends to “take the edge off,” making it easier for them to engage in therapy and benefit from it more effectively. The most common medications prescribed for social anxiety include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Benzodiazepines. These medications help regulate anxiety and promote a calmer and positive mood.

The National Social Anxiety Center offers this excellent advice for parents who are looking to find a therapist for their teens with social anxiety disorder: 

“Adolescents, who initially don’t want to be in therapy because they’re stuck in an avoidance cycle and have a difficult time meeting new people and maintaining connection out of fear of scrutiny, need a clinician to be warm, engaging, accepting, and transparent. Therefore, when you are looking for a therapist, keep in mind how that person makes you feel during the intake appointment. Does the clinician normalize anxiety? Are they able to make you and your teen feel at ease in the room? Are they able to laugh at themselves and/or connect with your teen in relatable ways? If the clinician feels stiff, unrelatable, or even anxious themselves, chances are the teen will have a difficult time trusting that person and taking social risks in therapy. This is very important because the therapeutic relationship is where the social anxiety exposures begin. Additionally, this relationship has been shown time and time again in research to directly impact the overall success of treatment.”

If you suspect your teen may have social anxiety disorder, remember that early recognition, intervention, and support can significantly improve outcomes for teenagers who struggle.

And remind your teen (and yourself) that seeking help for any kind of personal challenge is a sign of strength. With the right support, managing social anxiety becomes more attainable, and a good therapist will help your family feel less alone on your journey.

Helpful Resources: 

Free Social Anxiety Screening Test for Teens

Find a Licensed Therapist through the NSAC

Find a Licensed Therapist for Teens through Talkspace

If you enjoyed reading “Normal Teen Angst or Something More? A Parent’s Guide to Spotting Social Anxiety,” here are a few other posts you might like:

5 Major Reasons Why Your Teen’s Life is More Stressful Than You Think

Healthy Coping Skills for Teenagers: 10 Ways to Relieve Stress & Anxiety

7 Best Apps for Stressed and Anxious Teens

World Book Day is here and what better way to celebrate than with a great book! Books are a great way to learn, grow your vocabulary, and learn new facts, and explore make believe worlds. World Book Day is a day where you can celebrate the joy of reading may it be with a picture book, a novel, a comic book, non-fiction, or even fiction. So, let’s celebrate our love of reading on World Book Day by reading all the books!

World Book Day

World book day was started by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). And because many people agree that books are important, over 100 countries have adopted this holiday!

Why Are Books Important?

Did you know that children who read books regularly tend to have a broader vocabulary, increased knowledge, higher test scores, and a better understanding of the world around them?

That’s pretty significant. Book reading is also important for adults too as it enhances cognitive function, fosters empathy, teaches people to look at different perspectives, and improves vocabulary. It can also relieve stress.

So books are important for both children and adults! Let’s explore different great books with this big list!

This post contains affiliate links.

Related: Check out this BIG LIST of books for kids that love to rhyme.

World Book Day Books For Babies

Babies may not be pupils in school, but there are plenty of resources and great books created by illustrators that just have pictures and simple sight words. This is a great way to help your child experience the world at a young age.

1. First 100 Words: A Padded Board Book

Teach you baby 100 simple sight words with this book. Each page has brightly colored pictures with the name of each picture. This is perfect for babies!

2. My First Library: 10 Board Books For Kids

Just like the first book, this book set has plenty of stories that have bright pictures and sight words. The book topics are:

• ABCs
• Colors
• Numbers
• Birds
• Farm Animals and Pets
• Fruits
• Wild Animals
• Shapes
• Transport
• Vegetables

What a great way for your baby to explore the world on so many different levels.

3. LeapFrog Learning 100 Words Book

Learn 100 new words with this age-appropriate and interactive LeapFrog book. Your baby will be able to learn sight words for pets, animals, food, colors, opposites, outside, and more. Each time you touch a word on the page a sound is made and the star will light up. You can even use this to learn English and Spanish.

4. Who Do You See Crinkle Book

This interactive crinkle baby book is perfect for curious and teething babies. It is a sensory book that allows your baby to explore different pictures, textures, colors, and includes a baby safe mirror which will make tummy time even more enjoyable!

5. Baby Einstein- My First Library

My kids always loved Baby Einstein and they enjoyed these books. There are 12 small books that teach your child simple sight words with fun colorful pictures. Your children can learn about: shapes, letters, counting, colors, and seasons!

6. Noisy Baby Animals Book

Your baby is going to love this Noisy Baby Animals book. They can explore 6 different animal sounds. Plus, they can feel different textures of each animal too. This interactive book brings the world alive by allowing children to explore different animals. This is a great book for World Book Day.

7. Soft Peter Rabbit Book

Who doesn’t love Peter Rabbit? Peter Rabbit is a beloved childhood character beloved by many. And now babies can also experience Peter Rabbit with this soft crinkle book that’s great for teething and has squeakers.

8. Peek-a-boo Activity Book

Your baby can explore colors and patterns with this activity book. Learn sight words in English and Spanish. Each page of this book shows your child a new word and a new animal. Plus, the crinkle interactive pages also gives your baby auditory stimulation.

9. Good Night Moon Soft Book

Goodnight Moon is another classic story! This story is a fun story about a bunny wishing everything goodnight. It’s so sweet. Plus, it’s a soft fabric book where each page crinkles. It also has teether corners, squeakers, different textures, and even peek-a-boo flaps. What a fun sensory book!

10. See, Touch, Feel: A First Sensory Book

This sensory book is full of bright pictures and happy babies. Each page has an activity for your baby that allows the to explore. They experience different textures, different fabrics, and a mirror to look at themselves. Plus, there are different puzzles and activities like tracing the snail’s shell or tapping the drum!

Great World Book Day Books For Toddlers

11. Where’s Spot?

The book “Where’s Spot?” was written by Eric Hill. It’s about Sally, a momma dog, who searches for her silly puppy who is hiding somewhere. It’s a fun interactive book with a happy ending. It is a perfect book for World Book Day.

12. Llama Llama Red Pajama

If you love rhyming then you’ll love this Llama Llama Red Pajama book. Llama Llama is having nighttime drama which makes this a fun bedtime story. It’s a fun book with rhyming and fun artwork and children can relate to the problems Llama Llama has before bed. And parents can appreciate the comforting message of Mama Llama.

13. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Everyone loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar! This is a classic story that all kids can enjoy. Not only is it a fun story with beautiful pictures, but it follows along of of nature’s most beautiful cycles as a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.

14. The Little Engine That Could

The Little Engine That Could is a true classic when it comes to children’s books. It’s been slightly abridged and printed on a board book which makes it perfect for babies and toddlers and teaches them to have a “can-do” attitude and that they can achieve great things if they keep trying! I think this is a great book for World Book Day.

15. Corduroy

I loved Corduroy when I was little. I loved teddy bears so much and this story is about the cutest teddy bear! And now this classic story is available on a board book making it perfect for little kids. It’s another great book toddlers can enjoy on World Book Day.

16. The Gruffalo

The Gruffalo is such a cute rhyming story with fun illustrations. A little mouse takes a walk and meets so many creatures that want to eat him. So he invents a monster that will hopefully scare off all those animals. But, is the Gruffalo real?

17. If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Speaking of mice, we can’t forget the beloved children’s story, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie! This is such a fun story that will definitely inspire giggles. Giving a mouse a cookie seems to stir up a series of silly events that everyone will love.

18. We’re Going On A Bear Hunt

We’re Going On A Bear Hunt is a great book for World Book Day. Go on an adventure with a father and his children as they pass through rivers, swamps, forests, to find a cave. And what’s in the cave? You’ll have to read it!

19. The Mitten

I love this classic story. I remember reading The Mitten when I was a kid so I had to add it this list for World Book Day. A little boy loses a mitten and woodland creatures find it and silliness ensues. The story is sweet and the illustrations are beautiful. This story is perfect for toddlers.

20. Love You Forever

Love You Forever is a book for both parents and children. It’s such a beautiful book about a mother loving her baby as he grows and talks about the future when the roles are reversed. Be prepared for tears. I cried reading this to my little ones, but it is a great book for World Book Day.

Fun World Day Books For Elementary Kids

21. Hank The Cowdog

Hank the Cowdog is a fun series that follows Hank. He is a dog who has dubbed himself “head of ranch security.” And as such, Hank solves mysteries, protects the ranch, and ends up in some very funny situations. This is a fun book for elementary aged kids.

22. The Berenstain Bears

The Berenstain Bear books are an absolute treasure. The stories are fun and each book has beautiful art. Not to mention, these books after teach kids valuable lessons. I think these books are perfect for World Book Day.

23. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

If you’ve ever had a bad day, then Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is for you! Alexander knew it was gonna be a bad day when he woke up with gum in his hair. And the bad day just kind of spiraled. It’s a very relatable book for everyone, especially kids.

24. Where The Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings

I remember my teacher reading these poems to us in the 2nd grade. The poems in Where The Sidewalk Ends are silly, fun, and are highlighted by wonderful illustrations. This is a great book for World Book Day as it’ll have your imagination running wild!

25. Amelia Bedelia

This Amelia Bedelia book set is so much fun. Children who love silly stories are going to love these short and face paced stories. Each book has fun illustrations, funny situations, and teaches various idioms as well. What a fun way to learn.

26. Junie B. Jones

I think all kids can relate to Junie B. Jones. She is a kindergartener who has to deal with various situations that all kids go through like being scared of the first day of school. Dealing with a new sibling. Letting her words get her in trouble. These books are fun and teach different lessons. Perfect for World Book Day!

27. Boxcar Children Mysteries

These were my most favorite books when I was in elementary school. The Boxcar Children books are about 4 orphans who solve various mysteries and go on daring adventures. They are so exciting!

28. Little Critter Series

The Little Critter books are so much fun. The art is cute, the stories are silly and relatable, and like many other books on this list they have a lesson to teach. These books are great for teaching young children how to deal with various everyday things.

29. Miss Nelson Series

This Miss Nelson collection has beloved books like “Miss Nelson Is Missing!, Miss Nelson Is Back, and Miss Nelson Has A Field Day.” These stories are fun and interesting as it talks about how a teacher helps teach her mischievous students to behave.

30. Magic Tree House Series

The Magic Tree House series is full of excitement and adventure! Experience magic, time-travel, and mysteries with this series about Jack and his little sister Annie who discover a magic tree house! This series is perfect for World Book Day.

Fantastic World Book Days For Middle School Kids

31. The Hobbit

The Hobbit is a great adventure story about a hobbit who wants to live a simple live. That is until a wizard and dwarves turn his world upside down on a wonderful life-changing adventure. This classic book is a must-read on World Book Day.

32. A Series Of Unfortunate Events

These books are great. The Series of Unfortunate Events is a mystery series that is full of humor, excitement, adventure, and danger! Middle school kids will love these stories as each one will keep them on their toes with suspense!

33. Little House On The Prairie

The Little House series are a series that talks about Laura’s childhood as an American pioneer and gives kids a glimpse of what it was like on the American frontier. Explore the frontier with the Ingalls family.

34. The Diary of a Young Girl

The Diary of a Young Girl was about Anne Frank, a 13 year old Jewish girl who had to hide in the attic with her family in 1942 when the Nazis occupied Holland until they were betrayed to the Gestapo. This book is for mature readers, but teaches a piece of history that everyone should learn about.

35. The Hardy Boys

Love adventure? Mystery? Then The Hardy Boys are for you! Follow two teenage brothers as they solve mysteries and crimes! This series is full of suspense, danger, and fun.

36. Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew is also an amateur sleuth. She is a teenage detective that solves crimes, mysteries, and helps her friends navigate through personal challenges. It’s a fun classic series.

37. Holes

Holes is such a great book. You’ve probably seen the movie on Disney. And while it’s similar, the book provides are lot more details about the curse, the boys, and the camp. It’s a great book and perfect for World Book Day.

38. Because Of Winn-Dixie

If you love stories about dogs then you will love Because of Winn-Dixie. It’s the story of a 10 year old girl who finds a dog, but finds that this is no ordinary dog as Winn-Dixie helps her open up her world.

39. Eragon Series

The Eragon series is a high fancy series about dragons, dragon riders, magic, and war. It’s an exciting series that brings high fantasy to life in such a unique way as you watch the characters grow and persevere.

40. Tucker Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting is a classic story. It’s full of mystery, excitement, expense, and really opens up your mind to new topics like immortality and friendship.

Amazing World Book Day Books For High Schoolers

41. The Lord of The Rings

The Lord of the Rings is a great series about friendship, adventure, and good vs evil. It’s a more difficult read, but very much worth it. The world Tolkien builds is a beautiful one full of lore and intrigue. A great series for World Book Day.

42. Animal Farm

Animal Farm is a book that makes you think. A farm is taken over by its mistreated animals. They plan to create a paradise of equality. However, they find that the paradise they dreamed of doesn’t work out. This is a great history lesson, but in satiric form.

43. The Hunger Games

Everyone loves The Hunger Games movies, but have you read the books? The books explain things in the movie so much better and you can learn more about your beloved characters and they dystopian world they live in.

44. Ready Player One

Another fun dystopian book is Ready Player One. The world is an ugly place, but the OASIS is not. But once the creator of this virtual reality world dies everyone races to figure out the puzzles he left behind. Can they save the OASIS before it is too late?

45. The Book Thief

The Book Thief is set in 1939 Nazi Germany. Liesel Meminger steals books and reads them to herself and neighbors during bomb raids. It’s a great book that deals with heavy themes like war and loss. But it’s worth a read.

46. To Kill A Mocking Bird

To Kill A Mocking Bird is a classic story, but one meant for mature readers. It’s a book I read in high school in English Class that explores themes of racial injustice and moral growth during the 1930s in the south.

47. The Fault In Our Stars

The Fault In Our Stars is about Hazel Grace Lancaster, a girl with cancer, who falls in love with a boy in remission. Together they experience various challenges of love, the meaning of life, and illness.

48. Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey is a heart wrenching story about Tish Bonner and her broken family and how she does her best to take care of things that are beyond her. It’s definitely worth a ready.

49. Running Out Of Time

Running Out Of Time is an awesome book. It is about a 13 year old girl who lives in the 1840s… or does she? When a diphtheria outbreak occurs she must find help. But navigating the world beyond what she knows becomes a shock.

50. The Green Mile

This Stephen King book isn’t scary. Don’t worry. The Green Mile is about Paul Edgecombe who works in a prison and meets a man with healing abilities. The book explores themes of supernatural, empathy, and justice as you explore whether or not the man that could heal was guilty or innocent.

Awesome World Book Day Books For Adults

51. 1984

The book 1984 is a chilling book about a dystopian future where the government does anything and everything to control the narrative. From thought police, to propaganda, and murder, this is a book everyone should read.

52. Wild At Heart

Wild At Heart is a Christian book that talks about how God created men in His image and describes how He intended men to be. God wants men to seek adventure, their need for validation, the need of courage and more.

53. Captivating: Unveiling The Mystery Of A Woman’s Soul

Captivating is the female version of Wild At Heart. God created women in His image, but this book delves into how the feminine heart can be restored, the glorious design of women, and creating a vision of beauty, power, and freedom.

54. Plain Truth

If you love murder mystery, then you’re gonna love Plain Truth. A murder happens in an Amish community…but who did it? It’s a story of twists and turns!

55. The Painted House

The Painted House is such a fun and interesting story that takes place in the 1950s in rural Arkansas. It was inspired by John Grisham’s upbringing. It’s about a little boy who lives with his family who hire people to help during harvest season. However, the young man learns more than he should and these secrets not only threaten the crop, but his family.

56. Along Came A Spider

Another murder mystery book! Along Came A Spider is about a homicide detective, Jezzie Flanagan is the supervisor of the Secret Service and together they must stop a man who wants to commit the crime of the century.

57. Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers is a great book and a great movie. Follow Johnnie Rico and his journey through combat training, moving his way up, and trying to deal with the interstellar war.

58. The Winner

The Winner is a fun thriller! A young woman is beautiful and poor and wants a better life for her daughter. She is offered a gift, $100 million lottery jackpot. She only has to do 2 things. But what happens if she breaks the rules?

59. The Count Of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo is so good. Edmond Dantes is a young man falsely accused of a crime and seeks revenge using the treasure he finds. It’s a great story about vengeance, justice, mercy, and forgiveness.

60. Jurassic Park

If you loved the movie, you’ll love the Jurassic Park book. People thought cloning dinosaur DNA was a good idea. Turns out it wasn’t. It’s a fantastic book full of adventure, terror, and science!

More Reading Fun From Kids Activities Blog:

How are you celebrating World Book Day?

New research published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology found that mothers who are anemic in early pregnancy face a higher likelihood of giving birth to a child with a heart defect.

The study assessed the health records of 2,776 women with a child diagnosed with congenital heart disease who were matched to 13,880 women whose children did not have this condition.

Investigators found that 4.4% of children with congenital heart disease and 2.8% of children with normal heart function had anemia. After adjusting for potential influencing factors, the odds of giving birth to a child with congenital heart disease was 47% higher among anemic mothers.

We already know that the risk of congenital heart disease can be raised by a variety of factors, but these results develop our understanding of anemia specifically and take it from lab studies to the clinic. Knowing that early maternal anemia is so damaging could be a gamechanger worldwide. Because iron deficiency is the root cause of many cases of anemia, widespread iron supplementation for women-both when trying for a baby and when pregnant-could help prevent congenital heart disease in many newborns before it has developed.”

Duncan B. Sparrow, PhD, corresponding author, University of Oxford