Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is not the only well-known woman who was influenced by the Nancy Drew mystery series. The media release from the White House about the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court states, “After her father’s death [when she was nine years old], Sotomayor turned to books for solace, and it was her new found love of Nancy Drew that inspired a love of reading and learning, a path that ultimately led her to the law.”

Mildred Wirt Benson and Nancy Drew had a great deal in common, including very long and active lives. Like Nancy Drew, Mildred Wirt Benson was independent, intelligent, resourceful and a great favorite of all who knew her. Mildred Wirt Benson wrote the text of 23 of the first 25 Nancy Drew books under the direction of Edward Stratemeyer, head of the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Nancy Drew books, in one form or another, have been popular for more than 70 years. How do you feel about the Nancy Drew series of children's books? Click on "Comments" below and share your opinion.

Are you looking for some more ideas for summer activities for your children? Doing crafts is one of the best ways to keep your kids active, interested and occupied. I've chosen some crafts books for kids that provide directions for a variety of intriguing crafts. Boys and girls who love sports will particularly like Knotting because it contains directions for a basketball net and a sports bag. 'Tween and teen girls will have fun using Injeanuity to update and/or make "cool stuff" with their old denim jeans. Other crafts covered in Crafts Books for Kids include paper crafts, clay and bead crafts, holiday crafts, nature crafts, and needlecrafts, to name a few. You'll even find a gardening book for the family. You'll find more recommended books in my Top Picks list of Knitting Books for Kids and Teens. Summer may seem like an odd time for knitting, but I learned to knit during the summer I was 11. With no schoolwork, I had plenty of time to practice. Are there other crafts books for kids you'd recommend? Click on the "Comments" button below and share your recommendations.

(Cover art courtesy of Kids Can Press)

Are you looking for a reassuring book for a two- to four-year-old child who is going to be starting preschool, nursery school, or daycare? Beth Norling's Little School is a delightfully entertaining picture book about 20 four-year-olds and their busy day of fun and learning at Little School. The U.S. edition of the picture book was published by Kane/Miller Book Publishers. Little School was originally published in Australia.

(Cover art courtesy of Kane/Miller Book Publishers)

Until I read the adult bestseller Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by British writer Lynne Truss, I had no idea how much fun it could be to learn about proper punctuation. I was delighted when I found out that Lynne Truss had created a children's version of her bestseller. The kids' version, Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make A Difference!, is full of amusing illustrated examples of the impact a comma can have on the meaning of a sentence. The book is illustrated with very funny, full-page pen and watercolor sketches by Bonnie Timmons. It's a book I recommend for children 8-12, as well as teachers and homeschooling parents. Have you read either version of Eats, Shoots & Leaves? If so, click on "comments" below and share your opinions. For more about the perils of poor punctuation, see Punctuation Matters: A "Dear John" Letter and a Two Million Dollar Comma from Richard Nordquist, the About.com: Grammar & Composition Guide.

(Cover art courtesy of G.P. Putnam's Sons, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group)