This Kids Count data book examines trends in the well-being of Minnesota's children. The statistical portrait is based on 11 indicators of child well-being: (1) child poverty rate; (2) children receiving free or reduced-price school lunch; (3) children in families receiving food stamps; (4) births to teenage mothers; (5) low birth weight rates; (6) children transferring schools; (7) drop-out rates; (8) children arrested for serious crime; (9) child abuse and neglect rates; (10) children in out-of-home placements; and (11) children dying violently. Following an introduction detailing the major findings, the report provides regional and statewide statistical summaries for each indicator, discusses the importance of the indicator, describes potential improvement strategies, provides information on resources related to the indicators, and describes Minnesota trends. Four stories are interspersed throughout the data book to illustrate the results of Kids Count efforts in various counties. The bulk of the report provides statistical information on the indicators for each county. Findings indicate that 1 in 9 Minnesota children lived below the poverty line in 1996. The teen birth rate has declined by 20 percent from the 1993-95 rate. Almost every region of the state showed an increase in the rate of low birth weight infants. Arrests of children for serious crime has also increased from earlier in the decade. There has been a steady decline in child deaths due to injuries. The report concludes with definitions of the indicators and their sources. (KB)