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)

What do comic books, comic-style books, and graphic novels have in common? What does it mean when someone refers to "comics"? What is sequential art and what does it have to do with it all? There's a lot to learn. Comic-style books and graphic novels are becoming increasingly popular with both younger children and teens. Do your children read comic books, comic-style books, and/or graphic novels? What are their favorites? Click on "Comments" below and share your views.