Books for Adults

Benson, Peter L. All Kids Are Our Kids: What Communities Must Do to Raise Caring and Responsible Children and Adolescents. Jossey-Bass, 1997. From the President of the Search Institute comes a discussion on mobilizing families, schools, communities, youth organizations, government, and business to raise healthy, competent, caring young people.

Bluestein, Jane. Mentors, Masters and Mrs. MacGregor: Stories of Teachers Making a Difference. Health Communications, 1995. An inspirational book of stories about teachers and mentors from people ranging from Jimmy Carter to Leo Buscaglia to Desmond Tutu.

Booth, Wayne (ed). The Art of Growing Older: Writers on Living and Aging. University of Chicago Press, 1996. An anthology of poetry and prose from some of our greatest writers -- Shakespeare, Emily Brontë, Walt Whitman, and many more.

Borba, Michele. Building Moral Intelligence: The Seven Essential Virtues That Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing. Jossey-Bass, 2001. Ideas for understanding, evaluating, guiding, and inspiring children in seven areas: empathy, conscience, self-control, respect, kindness, tolerance, and fairness.

Bosak, Susan V. How to Build the Grandma Connection. The Communication Project, 2000 (visit www.grandmaconnection.com). From the author of Something to Remember Me By, this book is based on her popular Grandma Connection Workshops and filled with inspiration and wisdom. It includes a discussion of the benefits of intergenerational relationships for children, grandparents, and parents; a five-step plan for building intergenerational bonds; the Life Lessons of Grandparenthood; and dozens and dozens of practical ideas for grandparents near and far to help "make the connection" with their grandchildren (e.g. storytelling, visits, play, traditions, gift giving, and more). Also includes a complete list of the best storybooks to share with grandchildren.

Bosak, Susan V. Science Is...: A Source Book of Fascinating Facts, Projects and Activities. Scholastic, 1991, 2000 (visit www.bigsciencebook.com). Science is an educational, fun adventure young and old can share. When adults help children explore and understand the world around them, they instill a life-long love of learning. This classic has over 450 easy-to-do activities, projects, games, puzzles, and stories.

Chapman, Gary and Ross Campbell. The Five Love Languages of Children. Northfield, 1997. An interesting look at the different ways people express and receive love, and how parents can learn to "speak the same love language" as their children.

Clinton, Hillary Rodham. It Takes A Village. Simon & Schuster, 1996. A social and political look at how we can make our communities into the kind of village that enables children to grow into able and caring adults.

Covey, Stephen. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. Golden Books, 1997. With clarity and practical wisdom, Covey discusses principles for building a strong, loving family that lasts for generations.

Cuomo, Matilda Raffa (ed). The Person Who Changed My Life: Prominent Americans Recall Their Mentors. Birch Lane Press, 1999. Inspirational stories from nearly 80 contributors including Ed Asner, Helen Gurley Brown, Cindy Crawford, Tipper Gore, Larry King, Whoopi Goldberg, and Martin Sheen.

Curwin, Richard. Rediscovering Hope: Our Greatest Teaching Strategy. National Educational Service, 1992. A practical book about overcoming cynicism in schools and promoting responsible community, especially for "at risk" students.

Davis, Donald. Telling Your Own Stories. August House, 1993. Whether your goal is telling family stories and sharing memories or writing your family history, this book guides you through all the steps. It includes a series of memory prompts, a family lifespan chart, and story-form format.

Davis, Shari and Benny Ferdman. Nourishing the Heart: A Guide to Intergenerational Arts Projects in the Schools. 1993. City Lore, 72 East First St, New York, NY 10003, (212) 529-1955. Thoughtful, detailed projects to explore intergenerational topics including traditions and legacies.

Dortch, Jr., Thomas W. The Miracles of Mentoring. Doubleday, 2000. The 100 Black Men of America organization shares its successful mentorship blueprint.

Dukes, E. Franklin, Marina A. Piscolish, and John B. Stephens. Reaching for Higher Ground in Conflict Resolution: Tools for Powerful Groups and Communities. Jossey-Bass, 2000. How to establish and maintain expectations and commitments to support consensus, community building, and lasting change.

Echevarria, Pegine. For All Our Daughters: How Mentoring Helps Young Women and Girls Master the Art of Growing Up. Chandler House, 1998. A practical blueprint with concrete suggestions for building community and making a difference in a young person's life.

Edelman, Marian Wright. Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors. Perennial, 1999. This community leader pays tribute to the mentors who helped light her way -- including Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, and Fannie Lou Hamer -- and inspires the next generation of mentors.

Edelman, Marian Wright. The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours. HarperPerennial, 1992. An inspiring, wise book about the legacies parents should pass down to future generations.

Faber, Adele and Elaine Mazlish. How To Talk So Kids Can Learn at Home and in School. Simon & Schuster, 1995. A resource to help parents and teachers develop their skills to help children learn, communicate, cooperate, and problem solve in productive ways.

Forest, Heather. Wisdom Tales from Around the World. August House, 1996. From simple truths to common sense to the wisdom that comes from past generations' experience, this is a book for young and old to share.

Freedman, Marc. The Kindness of Strangers: Adult Mentors, Urban Youth, and the New Volunteerism. Cambridge University Press, 1999. A practical, realistic discussion about what mentoring can do, its limits, and what it needs to succeed.

Freedman, Marc. Prime Time: How Baby Boomers Will Revolutionize Retirement and Transform America. Public Affairs, 1999. A look at the opportunities an aging population brings, including intergenerational mentoring and community service. Includes information on the Experience Corps.

Friedman, Barbara. Connecting Generations: Integrating Aging Education and Intergenerational Programs with Elementary and Middle Grades Curricula. Allyn and Bacon, 1999. A step-by-step guide on developing meaningful intergenerational programs. Includes lesson plans.

Gerbrandt, Michele and Deborah Cannarella. Memory Makers' Family Scrapbooks: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, 2001. Scrapbooks record, celebrate, and connect us to the cherished events, people, and traditions of our past and present -- and help carry those memories into the future. Filled with creative ideas, innovative techniques, and expertly crafted projects to help you record your own family's story across generations.

Goode, Erica (ed). Letters for Our Children: Fifty Americans Share Lessons in Living. Random House, 1996. A series of moving letters by ordinary people -- parents, grandparents, mentors, and friends -- to the young people in their lives that will make you think about what is important and human in each of us.

Greene, Bob and D.G. Fulford. To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come. Doubleday, 1993. An accessible guide for creating written and oral histories.

Greer, Colin and Herbert Kohl (eds). A Call to Character: A Family Treasury. HarperCollins, 1995. A wonderful reader for grandparents to share with grandchildren. Includes stories, poems, plays, proverbs and fables which will prompt discussion and help develop character and values.

Hart, Mary et al. Beyond Baskets & Beads: A Manual of Activities for Older Adults with Functional Impairments. Center in the Woods, 1996 (www.cup.edu/citw or 724-938-3554). An excellent, progressive approach with over 100 ready-to-use activities for seniors facilities. Includes important philosophical issues and how to recruit and keep volunteers. Developed with the California University of Pennsylvania.

Henkin, Nancy et al. Elder Mentor Handbook. Center for Intergenerational Learning (Temple University), 1993. A resource for older adults mentoring youth that includes the role of a mentor, the needs of youth today, and tips on effective mentoring.

Henkin, Nancy et al. Linking Lifetimes. Center for Intergenerational Learning (Temple University), 1993. The program development manual for the Linking Lifetimes national intergenerational mentoring initiative. It includes information on getting started, involving youth and their families, recruiting and selecting older adults, training, matching, supporting the relationships, and evaluation.

Jaffe, Nina and Steve Zeitlin. The Cow of No Color: Riddle Stories and Justice Tales from Around the World. Henry Holt, 1998. More than simple folktales, these stories can be used by adults or children to explore the theme of justice from the perspective of different cultures and times.

Kaplan, Matthew S. Side by Side: Exploring Your Neighborhood Through Intergenerational Activities. MIG Communications, 1994. A series of activities young people and older adults can use to explore their neighborhood community as a way to come together.

Komaiko, Leah. Am I Old Yet? St. Martin's Press, 1999. A frank, funny, insightful, and true story of two women, generations apart, in a timeless friendship, each learning from the other.

Kotre, John. Make It Count: How to Generate a Legacy that Gives Meaning to Your Life. The Free Press, 1999. Have you ever asked yourself what the purpose of your life is? This thoughtful book is an original, step-by-step guide for finding meaning and purpose.

LifeStories by Talicor (www.talicor.com, available in many stores). It's not a book, but a great intergenerational, family board game for telling tales and sharing. An award winner!

Loeb, Paul Rogat. Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time. St. Martin's, 1999. A hopeful, compassionate, and powerfully written book about making your voice heard and your actions count to effect social change.

Lustbader, Wendy. What's Worth Knowing. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2001. People in their seventies, eighties, and nineties share the single most important piece of knowledge each has gained through a lifetime of living.

MacDonald, Margaret Read. The Parent's Guide to Storytelling. August House, 2001. A book full of helpful hints and techniques to help parents and grandparents capture and keep children's attention. Chapters focus on storytelling for the youngest listeners, bedtime stories and expandable tales, scary stories, improvisational ideas, and family folklore.

Maguire, Jack. The Power of Personal Storytelling: Spinning Tales to Connect with Others. Putnam, 1998. For anyone who wants to share family stories and make memories more meaningful.

Manheimer, Ronald. A Map to the End of Time: Wayfarings with Friends and Philosophers. W.W. Norton & Company, 1999. A poignant and penetrating book filled with stories gathered as the author has taught philosophy to older adults.

Marshall, Carl with David Marshall. The Book of Myself: A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions. Hyperion, 1997. This grandfather/grandson team have created a keepsake "fill-in" book that's fun and has excellent memory prompts.

Martz, Sandra and Shirley Coe (eds). Generation to Generation: Reflections on Friendships Between Young and Old. Papier-Mache, 1998. A wonderful, inspiring collection of stories, poems, and photos.

Massing, Phyllis and E. Rhoda Lewis. From Generation... To Generation. 1995. LIFE STORIES/A Video Legacy, PO Box 260436, Encino, CA 91426, (818) 995-3315. How to record your family history on audiotape and videotape.

McDuffie, Winifred G. and Judith R. Whiteman (eds). Intergenerational Activities Program Handbook (3rd Edition). 1989. Broome County Child Development Council, Inc., 29 Fayette St, Box 880, Binghamton, NY 13902-0880, (607) 723-8313. A practical resource for developing intergenerational programs; includes activity suggestions.

Menzel, Peter. Material World: A Global Family Portrait. Sierra Club Books, 1995. An utterly amazing, thought-provoking portrait comparing life in 30 nations, in all its similarities and disparities. Starting with a "big picture" photo outside their home with all their worldly goods around them, average families are intimately profiled through photos, statistics, and stories.

Moore, Robin. Creating a Family Storytelling Tradition. August House, 1999. A great guide for creating, telling, and listening to stories.

Newman, Sally, Christopher R. Ward, Thomas B. Smith, Janet O. Wilson, and James M. McCrea. Intergenerational Programs: Past, Present, and Future. Taylor & Francis, 1997. An excellent reference source that includes information on the history and philosophy of intergenerational programs, and a comprehensive bibliography and listing of programs/organizations.

Nicholaus, Bret and Paul Lowrie. Who We Are: Questions to Celebrate the Family. New World Library, 2000. From the bestselling "question guys" comes a fill-in book with unusual, thought-provoking, and inspiring questions to ask each member of your family.

Nolte, Dorothy Law and Rachel Harris. Children Learn What They Live: Parenting to Inspire Values. Workman, 1998. Since its publication in 1954, Dorothy Law Nolte's inspirational and educational poem has been published worldwide. Each of the 19 couplets of the poem is developed into a chapter -- on jealousy, criticism, praise, recognition, honesty, fairness, tolerance, and more -- to offer a clear, constructive perspective on teaching basic life lessons.

Pappano, Laura. The Connection Gap: Why Americans Feel So Alone. Rutgers University Press, 2001. A thoughtful look at the disheartening relationship between technology, consumerism, and community.

Pavuk, Stephen, Pamela Pavuk and Diana Thurman illus. The Story of a Lifetime: A Keepsake of Personal Memoirs. TriAngel, 2000. A "fill-in" book with many thought-provoking questions to cover everything in your personal story from your family background and childhood to your regrets, milestones, and advice for your children and grandchildren.

Pipher, Mary. The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families. Ballantine, 1996. A practical, hopeful book about nurturing families.

Pipher, Mary. Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders. Riverhead Books, 1999. A sensitive, thought-provoking look at aging.

Portner, Hal. Training Mentors Is Not Enough: Everything Else Schools and Districts Need to Do. Corwin Press, 2001. A complete, realistic roadmap for highly effective programs for experienced teachers to mentor new teachers.

Prutzman, Priscilla, Lee Stern, M. Leonard Burger and Gretchen Bodenhamer. The Friendly Classroom for a Small Planet: A Handbook on Creative Approaches to Living and Problem Solving for Children. New Society, 1988. A comprehensive selection of ideas and activities based on the work of the Children's Creative Response to Conflict program.

Reilly, Jill M. Mentorship: The Essential Guide for Schools and Business. Ohio Psychology Press, 1992. A step-by-step guide for developing a successful mentorship program.

Rubin, Rhea Joyce. Intergenerational Programming: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal-Schuman, 1993. Details the "what and why" of library-based intergenerational programs -- from one-time events to story/reading projects to pen pal programs.

Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman and Ronald S. Miller. From Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older. Warner, 1995. An inspiring book that encourages older adults to use their life experiences to enrich their later years and in turn pass on their wisdom to younger generations.

Self-Discovery Tapestry Kit by Life Course Publishing (www.lifecoursepublishing.com, (310) 540-6037, PO Box 3924, Redondo Beach, CA 90277-1725). It's not a book, but a kit. A colorful, interactive life review instrument particularly appropriate for activity directors working with seniors. Use different color pens on a specially designed form to review and explore events in your life.

Seligman, Martin. Learned Optimism. Pocket Books, 1998. A renowned psychologist provides insights into one of the most important life skills you can develop and pass on.

Seligman, Martin. The Optimistic Child: A Proven Program to Safeguard Children Against Depression and Build Lifelong Resilience. HarperPerennial, 1996. Children need realistically-grounded optimism to deal with many of the challenges in today's world, and helping them develop that life skill is one of the most important legacies you can give them.

Skinner, Jeffrey and Lee Martin eds. Passing the Word: Writers on Their Mentors. Sarabande, 2001. A clever anthology in which distinguished writers explore how their mentors have shaped them. Each author contributes an essay and a story or poem to demonstrate the stylistic and thematic influences of their mentor.

Trelease, Jim. The Read-Aloud Handbook (5th edition). Penguin, 2001. The classic book that helps parents and grandparents read aloud to children and encourage them to become avid readers themselves. Includes a treasury of read-aloud suggestions.

Wicks, Robert J. Sharing Wisdom: The Practical Art of Giving and Receiving Mentoring. Crossroad, 2000. A commonsense approach with mentoring lessons useful in all types of human relationships.

Wiesel, Elie and Richard D. Heffner. Conversations With Elie Wiesel. Schocken, 2001. Thought-provoking highlights from more than 20 television interviews with Nobel Peace Prize winner, Holocaust survivor, and author Elie Wiesel on the major issues of our time and life's timeless questions.

Winston, Linda. Keepsakes: Using Family Stories in Elementary Classrooms. Heinemann, 1997. Practical approaches to drawing on family stories to enliven and enrich the curriculum.

Winston, Linda with Matthew Kaplan, Susan Perlstein, Robert Tietze. Grandpartners: Intergenerational Learning and Civic Renewal, K-6. Heinemann, 2001. A review of successful programs that pair children and older adults in activities to promote civic engagement and social connectedness.

Yolen, Jane ed. Gray Heroes: Elder Tales from Around the World. Penguin, 1999. A treasury of tales that celebrate and explore the riches of age. Great for adults to read on their own or share with children.