Welcoming Ceremony (Assistance?)

Hello again,

Tem****arily delurking and looking for some help.  I'm in the midst of
planning my DD's official "Welcoming Ceremony".  We have a few things in
mind for her ... we're asking guests to
bring a song, poem, words of wisdom or some other tidbit from their
childhood to be put in a scrapbook. We're also presenting her
with some ceremonial gifts to represent knowledge (a book),
prosperity (a coin set of the year she was born), warmth (a very
small oil lamp) and growth & security (a tree symbolizing both with
branches and roots). We've picked out many of the gifts to symbolize
these things but I'm still on the hunt for a book title that is
suitable for conveying some im****tant philosophies about life. I'm
really stuck... any ideas (non-religious) would be appreciated.

I'm also looking for a tree to plant and am leaning toward a Gingko
Biloba. Does anyone have any historical information on this tree?
I'm checking out the 'net but haven't had much success (maybe it's my
stupid server again).

TIA

theother Cheryl
P.S.  Updated pics @[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 www.nexicom.net/~webwiz