Most people understand that raising children requires certain basic needs that must be fulfilled, such as food, clothing and shelter, teaching children what they need to know to grow up and lead independent lives, and providing them with love, support and encouragement.

People approach the way they fulfill these needs differently. Our techniques and styles of raising our children have a lot to do with the way we were raised; we often repeat our own upbringing, both the good things and sadly, sometimes the bad.

There are, of course, lots of ways to feed, clothe, provide shelter and love. Some differences have to do with economics. Fortunately, providing love has no relation to the lack or abundance of money.

One simple and powerful way to demonstrate your love to a child is to read aloud to that child every day. Your local public library can provide you with all the books you'll ever need, free of charge. The investment is nothing more than a little bit of your time, with a guaranteed return that can't be measured.

The following book is available at many public libraries."You've Got Dragons"by Kathryn Cave; illustrated by Nick Maland; Peachtree; 32 pages; read aloud: age 6 and older; read yourself: age 7 to 8 and older.The following is an excerpt the book:"You know you've got dragons when "your heart thuds and your knees wobble...and your head whirls...and your tummy hurts and you can't believe it's really happening to you. But you know it is, because no matter what you do, the dragons are still with you.You try to run away and hide, or pretend the dragons are not there, or try not to think about the dragons, but they won't go away. Or will they?"Full of acknowledgement, simple and effective advice, and peppered with humor, this outstanding book addresses how our fears and worries can sometimes overwhelm and consume us while providing assurance that someday those dragons will go away.

Library:Evans City Public Library, 204 S. Jackson St., Evans CityLibrary director:Judith PfeiferChildren's librarian:Patricia PflugChoices this week:"Bob Books" by Bobby Lynn Maslen; "Giraffe's Can't Dance" by Giles Andreae; "Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3" by Bill Martin Jr.

The following books are available at favorite bookstores."Chicken Boy,"by Frances O'Roark Dowell; Atheneum, 2005; 202 pages; $15.95 hardcover; read aloud: age 10 and older; read yourself: age 10 and older.Tobin McCauley's first day of seventh grade begins as bizarre as the rest of his life. His granny is arrested for nearly mowing down several students while she drops Tobin off at school and parks her truck on the school sidewalk. Tobin's father isn't much of a father, and he and Tobin's granny are always in one crazy feud after another.It seems the only "normal" person in Tobin's life is his one-and-only friend, Henry, but Henry is obsessed with chickens and is convinced that studying chickens will reveal the meaning of life.As Tobin tries to find his place in the world and hold fast to the fragile threads that connect him with those in his life, he discovers important things about himself, chickens, friendship, and what it means to be a family.Powerful, believable characters fill every page of this outstanding, fast-paced novel for older readers."No Place Like Home"by Jonathan Emmett; illustrated by Vanessa Cabban; Candlewick, 2005; 28 pages; $15.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 3 to 5; read yourself: age 7 to 8.Mole lives in a hole in the ground, but one day Mole decides he should look for a new home - a home that is big and bright and beautiful. As Mole sets out to find the perfect home, his friends suggest a variety of places, but none of them feel right to Mole. Finally, Mole leads his friends to the perfect spot - a place that surprises all of them.Charming in every way, this delightful story makes it very clear that there's no place like home!Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached via e-mail at kendal@sunlink.net.