It might come as a surprise that a guy who wrote a book called Summer Reading is Killing Me is really worried about what boys aren't reading. Author Jon Scieszka is so alarmed by studies that show that boys lag behind in reading that he started a literary initiative for boys called GUYS READ. Andrea Grazzini Walstrom has more on his effort.

Expect the best from a girl, and that's what you'll get. Connect for Kids' Girls topic page offers information to help adults encourage girls to get active, get involved and grow into healthy young women.

This site, developed by the National Academy of Engineering and an advisory board of girls from across the United States and Canada, highlights opportunities in engineering—especially for women and girls. Students can interact with engineers, get help with homework and even take a trivia quiz.

The Women's Foundation report card on the status of women and girls in California grades the progress and regression of California's women across five broad areas: economic justice, politics, education, immigration and corrections, in the past 20 years.

Higher dropout rates indicate that America's schools are not meeting the educational needs of America's fastest-growing female minority population—Latinas&3151;according to a report released by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.

An organization that promotes fairnss in the workplace, access to quality affordable healthcare, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.

On average, girls start out more ready for school and leave high school more keen on higher education, but gaps in their post-graduate careers and earning power persist when compared with males, according to this National Center for Education Statistics report. (You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Deficiencies in character education and support are putting American boys in a "moral emergency," says family therapist and author Michael Gurian in his new book, The Good Son: Shaping the Moral Development of Our Boys and Young Men. In a conversation with Richard Louv, Gurian shares insights from his professional life—and his own unsettled upbringing—to argue that parents and society must do better by boys.

Girls, Inc.'s innovative programs help girls confront subtle societal messages about their value and potential, and prepare them to lead successful, independent lives. The Sporting Chance program teaches girls how to feel less vulnerable and more powerful, how to be more cooperative and competitive, and how to discipline their bodies and their minds.

And that's what you'll get. Research shows that parents—not peers or the media—have the strongest influence on their daughters' self-esteem and life choices. Together with Ad Council, the Women's College Coalition offers tips on how to make sure parents' expectations promote girls' performances in all academic subjects, extracurricular activities, and future careers.