On February 4, the Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP) released the 18th annual Texas KIDS COUNT data book, "The State of Texas Children 2011." The annual data book and free data warehouse provide the latest look at more than 80 different measures of child well-being in Texas and every county in the state. This year, the opening essay, "Show and Tell: The Importance of Investing in Children," explains why it is so critical to invest in children now to guarantee a strong return for Texas' future. (Contains 139 endnotes.) [Additional funding for this paper was provided by the The M.R. and Evelyn Hudson Foundation for funding the Texas KIDS COUNT Project.]