The State Administration of Press and Publication Monday recommended 100 books for Chinese children to read during the coming month-long summer vacation.

Themes of the books range from adventure stories, hero stories, and popular science to growth topics. Fifteen foreign titles, including Little Wooden Cabin on the Prairie, are also on the list.

The list has drawn positive response from white-collar worker Ning Shuyong in Beijing and many other parents.

"It is surely a very helpful guide. Tens of thousands of kids' books are published each year. Some are good, but some are not right for kids," said Ning.

Wu Shangzhi, director of the book publishing department of the administration, said the administration began recommending books in 2004. It will be done every year.

The list represents one of a range of measures taken by the government to purify the growth environment for minors.

A few days ago, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Information Industry jointly recommended a number of "premium online games" to minors for the summer vacation.

Zhang Xinjian, deputy director of the cultural market department of the Ministry of Culture, said children are easily influenced by sexual and violent content common in online games.

"If they see such things often, they tend to imitate those actions in real life," acknowledged Zhang. "But to keep the kids away from detrimental elements, we have to offer them something new and meaningful."

In September last year, ministries of culture and education and a few other government organizations recommended 100 patriotic films, 100 patriotic songs and 100 patriotic books to youngsters.

(Xinhua News Agency June 1, 2005)