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26,000 | 10 | The Hardy brothers go to Big Thicket, Texas, to investigate attempts on the life of a naturalist trying to preserve the area wildlife in the face of threats from timber and oil interests.; Title: SWAMP MONSTER HARDY BOYS 83 | [
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26,001 | 7 | Beverly Howard is in big trouble at the Academy. They've just begun their first year as Starfleet Medical Cadets, and already Beverly and her roommate Claire Voy are one step from probation. Commander Max Wiley, who teaches the holodeck simulation course in Medical Emergencies, caught them skipping class to visit an excavation in nearby San Francisco. He took them to the Admiral's office and has put them on notice. One more slip and they're out!When Claire's partner in her Medical Emergencies class is injured, Commander Wiley blames Claire for the accident. But was it an accident? It is the Commander's word against Claire's. Wiley has no reason to lie -- or does he? Beverly's own investigation takes her from the computer labs to the Admiral's office. Now Claire's future hangs in the balance unless Beverly and Data can find a way to clear her -- without being expelled themselves!ENDPatricia Barnes-Svarney Patricia Barnes-Svarney turned in her rock hammer for a word processor many moons ago -- and hasn't looked back since. Her nonfiction credits outweigh her fiction credits, and you can often see her name lurking in science magazine articles and along the bindings of books for young readers and adults. As you can tell from this book, she loves to cook; plus, she enjoys reading, rock hunting, astronomy, birding, herb gardening, and hiking. She lives with her husband, countless stuffed animals, and sundry squirrels in Endwell, New York. Her great dream is to someday discover the Theory of Everything -- and she hopes it somehow involves chocolate.; Title: Loyalties (Star Trek: The Next Generation - Starfleet Academy, No. 10) | [
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26,002 | 0 | There are more troubles in Spooksville. A dragon has appeared out of nowhere and it is looking for its treasure. In fact, it intends to destroy the entire town unless its jewels and gold are returned immediately. The only trouble is that Adam and his friends don't know where this treasure is.Worse, the creature is rather hotheaded and won't listen to reason. It is a fire-breathing dragon, and soon it is laying waste to all that stands in its way. Even kids -- it doesn't mind burning them to ash. Soon Adam and his friends are fighting for their lives.Christopher Pike is a best-selling author of young adult novels. The Thirst series, The Secret of Ka, and the Remember Me and Alosha trilogies are some of his favorite titles. He is also the author of several adult novels, including Sati and The Season of Passage. Thirst and Alosha are slated to be released as feature films. Pike currently lives in Santa Barbara, where it is rumored he never leaves his house. But he can be found online at Christopherpikebooks.com.; Title: The Hidden Beast (Spooksville No.12) | [
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26,003 | 10 | While hiking in the woods around Spooksville, Adam and his friends find a cube-shaped stone. It is clear, like a crystal, and seems to shine with colored light. To their immense surprise, the discover that if they hodl it and make a wish for something, that thing happens.They call it the Wishing Store. And they love it.Until they discover that there is a heavy price to be paid for each wish.Christopher Pike is a best-selling author of young adult novels. The Thirst series, The Secret of Ka, and the Remember Me and Alosha trilogies are some of his favorite titles. He is also the author of several adult novels, including Sati and The Season of Passage. Thirst and Alosha are slated to be released as feature films. Pike currently lives in Santa Barbara, where it is rumored he never leaves his house. But he can be found online at Christopherpikebooks.com.; Title: The Wishing Stone (Spooksville, Book 9) | [
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26,004 | 0 | The time has come for Adam and his friends to again face Spooksville's most powerful citizen--Ms. Ann Templeton. Sally says the woman is definitely a witch, but Adam and Watch are not so certain. To find the truth, they visit her castle together. There they find both good and bad: creatures more horrible than anything they could imagine, but also magical tools that can create the most wonderful things.But will these tools help Adam and his friends?Or are they just instruments to trick them? And make them slaves of the mysterious Ann Templeton?Christopher Pike is a best-selling author of young adult novels. The Thirst series, The Secret of Ka, and the Remember Me and Alosha trilogies are some of his favorite titles. He is also the author of several adult novels, including Sati and The Season of Passage. Thirst and Alosha are slated to be released as feature films. Pike currently lives in Santa Barbara, where it is rumored he never leaves his house. But he can be found online at Christopherpikebooks.com.; Title: The Witch's Revenge (Spooksville 6) (Pike, Christopher. Spooksville, No. 6.) | [
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26,005 | 15 | "An engrossing tale of adventure and commitment".-- Defenders of WildlifeFrom the time she was a girl, Jane Goodall dreamed of a life spent working with animals. Finally she had her wish. When she was twenty-six years old, she ventured into the forests of Africa to observe chimpanzees in the wild. On her expeditions she braved the dangers with leopards and lions in the African bush. And she got to know an amazing group of wild chimpanzees -- intelligent animals whose lives, in work and play and family relationships, bear a surprising resemblance to our own.; Title: My Life with the Chimpanzees | [
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26,006 | 0 | Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.; Title: The BACKWARD BIRD DOG PAPERBACK | [
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26,007 | 2 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.I have a secret," Alison Wegman told Nancy Drew during recess. Alison put her arm around her best friend, Brenda Carlton."And you're not allowed to know," Brenda said to Nancy. She twisted her dark hair around her finger and gave Nancy a mean smile."That's not fair," George Fayne said. She was Nancy's best friend. "I told you about my in-line skates before I showed them to the class.""Okay. I'll give you a hint," Alison said. "It's silver and white, and it'll be the best show-and-tell you've ever seen."Nancy rolled her eyes and looked at George. Alison was such a show-off.It was show-and-tell week for the girls' third-grade class. Everyone had to bring in something from home to talk about in front of the group. Nancy wished they could have show-and-tell every week. It happened only four times a year."Hey, there's Bess with the new girl." George pointed across the schoolyard. "What's her name?"Nancy waved to the two girls. "Mari Cheng."Bess Marvin waved back as she and Mari headed toward the group. She was George's cousin and Nancy's other best friend. Bess was also Mari's "school buddy" for the week. That meant she was helping Mari get used to the way things were done at Carl Sandburg Elementary School."Mari seems pretty nice," Alison said. "My mom and I met her at the toy store last Saturday. I found out that Mari was going to be in our class before anybody else did. I wonder what she has for show-and-tell.""Who cares?" Brenda sneered. "She thinks she's too good for the rest of the class and won't talk to anybody."Nancy crossed her arms. "Just because Mari's quiet doesn't mean she's stuck-up. Maybe she's shy.""Give Mari a chance," George added. "After all, she's only been in Ms. Spencer's class since Monday."Nancy's blue eyes twinkled. "You mean Mrs. Reynolds, not Ms. Spencer.""Whoops." George put her hand oven her mouth and laughed. "I keep forgetting our teacher is married now.""Hi, guys!" Bess said when she and Mari reached the girls. "What's up?""Oh, nothing." Brenda looked at Mari and giggled. "We were just talking."Nancy glared at Brenda. Then she turned to the new girl. "Hi, Mari.""Hi," Mari said softly. She looked down at her shoes. Her shiny, black hair covered her face."So, Mari, what did you bring in for show-and-tell?" Alison asked. "Your row is up next."Mari shrugged. "I -- I brought . . . um . . . it's kind of . . .""She doesn't want to tell us," Brenda snapped."It isn't really a big thing." Mari s voice was so low, Nancy had to lean in closer to hear her. "It's -- ""You don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Alison broke in. "I'm keeping my show-and-tell a secret, too.""Let me guess, Alison," Bess said. "Are you showing your new Flower Fairy perfume?""No" Alison said. "Even though I am the only one in class who has it. My surprise is even better." She turned to Mari. "Have you heard of Flower Fairy?"Mari shook her head."I'm wearing it night now." Alison stuck out her arm. "Here, smell my wrist."Mari was just leaning over to sniff Alison's wrist when Mike Minelli and Jason Hutchings came crashing into the group. The boys were in the middle of a game of tag and knocked Mari right to the ground."Hey, watch where you're going!" George shouted to the boys.Nancy helped Mari back to her feet."Sorry," Jason said. He was laughing so hand, Nancy didn't think he sounded sorry."I forgot to tell you about Mike and Jason," Bess told Mari. "They're always starting trouble and playing dumb tricks.""Our tricks aren't dumb," Mike said. "The people we play tricks on are dumb.""That's right," Jason said. "We're smart! We always have something up our sleeves. Don't we Mike?""Yup!'" Mike grinned. "So you'd better watch out, Mari!"Mari's eyes grew wide. "What do you mean?""You'll find out,"' Mike said. Then he tagged Jason. "You're it!" he yelled, running away.Jason chased after him.Later that afternoon Bess showed the class her fancy gold locket for show-and-tell. It was a gift from her aunt.The day before, Nancy had shown a beautiful picture of her mother, who had died when Nancy was three years old. It was Nancy's favorite photograph.Now it was Mari's turn. She walked slowly up the aisle holding a pink duffel bag. Her face was as red as a tomato.Show-and-tell must be really hard for someone as shy as Mari, Nancy thought. I'll clap extra loud when she's done.Mari put her bag on top of Julia Santos's desk, in the front of the room. Julia peeked inside Mari's bag."Awesome," Julia said.One by one, Mari began taking seven beautiful toy horses out from her bag. "I love horses,"" she said. "My room is full of them. I have horse books, horse posters, horse videos -- everything."Nancy noticed that Mari seemed to like talking about something she loved."These horses are all different breeds and in all kinds of poses," Mari said, putting the last one on Julia's desk. Then she took something else out of her bag."This is my newest one. It isn't exactly a horse, but it's my favorite." Mari held up a beautiful white unicorn. "She's called Silvermane. The silver tail and mane are made from real horsehair that I can brush with a special comb. She has her own stand, too."Nancy had to smile when she saw Alison's mouth drop open at the sight of the unicorn. Even Brenda looked impressed."I can't believe it, " Julia said out loud. "I've wanted Silvermane ever since I saw her in the mall." She reached out to touch the shiny horn on the unicorn's head."No!" Mari snatched it away. "I'm only going to pass around the other horses. Silvermane is too special.'""Sorry." Julia sank in her chair.As Mari passed around the horses, Jason raised his hand."What do the horses do?" he asked Mari. "Do they walk? Do they fly?""Well, no," Mari said. "You have to use your imagination."Jason pretended to yawn. "Borrrring!" Mike jumped out of his seat. "But they do fly! See?" He tossed two toy horses in the air. "Bombs away!"Jason threw a toy Arabian horse at Mike. "Attack!" he cried.Mike laughed and flung an Appaloosa across the room. "It's a bird. . . . It's a plane. . . . It's Superhorse!""Stop!"' Mari cried out.Mrs. Reynolds leaped from her seat. "Mike and Jason, pick up those horses! The two of you are staying after school."Mike and Jason each picked up a horse from the floor. Brenda and Alison found two others. They all put the horses back inside the duffel bag on Julia's desk."Now apologize," Mrs. Reynolds said, frowning at the boys."Sorry, Mari," the boys muttered."That was a fine presentation, Mari," Mrs. Reynolds said as Mari lugged her bag back to her seat. "All right, everyone. It's time for us to pack up and go home."'As the class gathered their things, Nancy walked over to Mari. "Great show-and-tell," she said. "Your horses are really cool."But Mari wasn't listening. She was searching through her duffel bag."What's wrong, Mari?" Nancy asked."It's Silvermane!"' Mari cried out. "She's gone!"; Title: The Stolen Unicorn (Nancy Drew Notebooks #18) | [
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26,008 | 10 | "I always look out for my friends -- even if they're turkeys!"Michelle and her family are spending Thanksgiving on a farm, where she meets a brand-new friend, TOm -- a turkey! She plays with Tom, cleans his cage, and feeds him. Then she discovers that Tom will soon be feeding her -- he's going to be Thanksgiving dinner!Oh, no! Michelle has to do something fast! Can she cook up a plan in time to save the Turkey's neck?; Title: The Big Turkey Escape (Full House Michelle) | [
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26,009 | 2 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.Race you to the hot fudge," George Fayne said to her cousin Bess Marvin."No way." Bess pushed her blond hair behind her ear and picked up her dish of chocolate ice cream. "I don't want hot fudge today. I'm having caramel."Eight-year-old Nancy Drew smiled as she sprinkled chopped nuts over her strawberry ice cream. The three best friends were at a make-your-own-sundae party at the Snowshoe Mountain Ski Lodge.Nancy's father had brought Nancy, Bess, and George to the resort for a three-day weekend. The girls were going to take skiing lessons at the Snowshoe Lodge ski school. The school had classes for everyone, from beginners to experts."I still can't believe we're really here," Nancy said to her friends. She glanced around the large, wood-paneled dining room. All around her, people were helping themselves to ice cream and toppings. Outside the window, snow was falling gently as the sun set behind the tall peak of Snowshoe Mountain. "I've always wanted to learn to ski.""Me, too," Bess said."You'll love it," George promised. George liked all kinds of sports. She had been skiing a few times before.The girls walked across the crowded room to the table where Mr. Drew was drinking coffee. "Do you think all these people are here for ski school?" Nancy asked her father as they sat down."I hope not," George said. "I want to spend the weekend skiing, not waiting in line.""Don't worry, George." Mr. Drew smiled. "I'm sure you'll be able to do all the skiing you want.""That's right," Bess said. "Your lucky necklace won't let you get stuck in line."George scooped up a bite of her hot-fudge sundae and nodded."You mean the necklace your parents just gave you?" Nancy asked.George swallowed her ice cream. Then she reached up and touched the pair of little silver skis hanging from a velvet ribbon around her neck. "It's my good-luck charm.""It's great," Nancy said, looking at the tiny skis."Look, girls," Mr. Drew said, nodding toward the small stage at one end of the room. "They're going to make an announcement."The girls turned and saw a man with short, sandy hair stepping up to a microphone on the stage. "May I have your attention, please?" he asked.Nancy, Bess, and George stopped talking. But the two boys at the next table weren't paying attention to the man. They kept laughing loudly. One of them picked up a spoonful of ice cream and flipped it at the other.The second boy leaned to the side, and the ice cream went flying past him -- straight toward Bess!Bess saw it coming just in time and ducked. The ice cream landed on the floor behind her."You creeps! You almost got ice cream on my sweater!" Bess cried.The boys stared at her. They looked exactly alike. Even their clothes were the same. The only way to tell them apart was by the hot-fudge mustache one of them had on his face."Look, they're twins," Nancy said."Twin creeps, you mean," Bess said, frowning at the boys.The boy with the fudge mustache stuck out his tongue. His brother picked up another spoonful of ice cream and aimed it at Bess."Don't even think about it," Bess warned.Mr. Drew turned and saw what was happening. "That's enough, boys," he said.Both twins turned and faced the stage."I want to welcome everyone to Snowshoe Mountain," the man on the stage said. "I'm Bob Murray, the director of the ski school. How many of you are here for our ski school weekend?"A lot of people waved their hands and cheered, including Nancy and Bess. George put two fingers in her mouth and whistled.Bob Murray smiled. "I know you'll all have a great time and learn a lot. Now I'd like to introduce our instructors."The ski instructors all wore black ski pants and bright red jackets."I love their outfits," Bess said. "They're almost as cute as my new pink ski jacket and hat." Her jacket was hanging on the back of her chair, with the pink hat tucked into the pocket."When you've finished eating, feel free to explore the rest of the lodge," Bob Murray said. "There's a game room across the hall, and a fireplace in the lounge. I hope everyone has a great weekend!""Let's go check out the game room, " Nancy said to her friends. "Can we, Dad?""Okay," her father said. "I'll come to get you in a little while."Nancy, Bess, and George quickly slurped down the rest of their ice cream. They picked up their jackets and hurried across the hall and into the game room."Looks like they're showing some cool skiing videos." George pointed to a big-screen television by the windows."Hey, maybe they have Star Quest," Nancy said when she saw the row of video games along the wall. The game was based on one of Nancy's favorite movies. "Let's go see."As the girls headed toward the games, Nancy heard the sound of running footsteps. Then someone pushed Bess -- hard.She stumbled and almost fell into a table. Nancy grabbed her arm at the last minute."Bess, are you okay?" Nancy asked. "My new ski hat," Bess cried. "Those twins just grabbed it out of my pocket!"; Title: The Ski Slope Mystery (Nancy Drew Notebooks #16) | [
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26,010 | 2 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.Hey, kids, do you have a poodle that can doodle?" the man on television asked. "Or a snake that can shake? Does anyone out there have an amazing pet?""We do! We do!" Eight-year-old Nancy Drew and Katie Zaleski bounced up and down on the couch in Nancy's den."If you do, then come meet me, Mr. Lizard, at the Carl Sandburg Elementary School tomorrow at ten A.M.," the man continued. "For the Amazing Pet Contest."Bess Marvin and her cousin George Fayne, Nancy's two best friends, jumped up from the couch and cheered. Nancy's puppy, Chocolate Chip, was going to be in the contest. So was Katie's parrot, Lester.The four girls were all in the same third-grade class."And remember, kids," Mr. Lizard said. "The winning pet and its owner will appear live on TV -- right here on Mr. Lizard's Funhouse. "Mr. Lizard's Funhouse was Nancy's favorite television show. She loved the games, songs, and silly jokes. But most of all, she loved the funny man with the wild red hair -- Mr. Lizard.Katie clasped her hands. "I'd do anything to be on Mr. Lizard's show. I'd wear my baby picture around my neck! I'd even eat brussels sprout sandwiches! ""Brussels sprout sandwiches?" George shook her bouncy dark curls. "Gross!""That's our show for today, kids," Mr. Lizard said. "But before we say goodbye, it's time for a little lizard dancing!""I knew he'd do the lizard dance," Katie squealed. "I knew it!"Nancy and her friends did the lizard dance, too. They waved their fingers behind their heads and flicked their tongues in and out.When the show was over, Nancy turned off the TV. "I can't believe Mr. Lizard is going to be in our very own school yard tomorrow."Katie fell back on the couch and hugged her knees. "I don't think Lester and I will sleep a wink tonight.Bess turned to Katie. "What are you and your parrot going to do in the contest?""Sing a song," Katie said proudly. "I've heard Lester talk, but I've never heard him sing," Bess said."I have," Nancy said. "One time I watched Lester when Katie's little cousin Melvin visited her.""Melvin is allergic to feathers," Katie explained, "so Lester has to leave whenever he's around."George whistled. "Wow! A talking, singing parrot. That's cool.""Of course, Chip's got a great trick, too," Bess added quickly. "How's it going, Nancy?""Let's find Chip, and I'll show you," Nancy said."Chip -- here, girl," Nancy called as the four friends walked out of the den and into the living room.Hannah Gruen, the Drews' housekeeper, was scrubbing muddy paw prints off the couch."Uh-oh," Nancy said. "Did Chip jump on the couch with her dirty paws again?"Hannah nodded. "Maybe you can teach Chip another trick -- to keep off the furniture.""I'm sorry, Hannah," Nancy said. "Where's Chip now?""I put her in the yard," Hannah said. "She can't cause much trouble out there."Nancy led her friends outside. Chip was tied to a tree with a long leash. She was lying in the shade. Someone else was in the yard, too -- Brenda Carlton."What are you doing here, Brenda?" Nancy asked.Brenda flipped her dark hair over her shoulder. "I'm writing a story about the Amazing Pet Contest for my newspaper.The Carlton News was Brenda's own newspaper. Her father helped her type it on their home computer every week."You have seen the latest issue, haven't you?" Brenda asked the girls."Yeah," Katie whispered to Nancy. "At the bottom of Lester's birdcage. ""I heard that, Katie, " Brenda said. She turned to Nancy. "By the way, Nancy, what trick did you teach your dog? What's her name -- Oatmeal Raisin? Cherry Vanilla?""Her name is Chocolate Chip," Nancy said as she unhooked the leash from Chip's collar. "And we were just about to practice.""Mind if I watch?" Brenda asked sweetly. It was a fake kind of sweet.Nancy shrugged her shoulders and picked up a soccer ball from the ground. She stood in front of the goal she had set up, looked at Chip, and called out, "Stay." Then Nancy kicked the ball to her puppy.Chip nuzzled the ball. She flipped it in the air with her nose and bounced it on her head. When the ball was high, Chip rolled on her back and kicked the ball with her hind feet. It flew into the net."Goal!" George cried."Totally awesome," Katie said.Nancy turned to Brenda. "Will we be reading about Chip in the Carlton News?"Brenda forced a yawn. "A stupid dog trick does not make a good story. But if Chip fails and makes a fool of her owner," Brenda said, "now, that's a good story."Nancy glared at Brenda. "That will never happen."Brenda flashed a mean smile. "Anything can happen.""What type of tricks are the other pets doing?" Bess asked."I heard Orson Wong is bringing a flea circus to the contest," Katie said."No way." Nancy giggled."Uh-oh. Speaking of insects." George pointed over Nancy's shoulder. "Look who's coming."Nancy turned and saw Jason Hutchings and David Berger enter her yard. They were famous for playing jokes on all the kids at school."What's so funny?" David asked. "We were talking about Mr. Lizard's Amazing Pet Contest," Nancy said.""David has a pet in the contest, too," Jason said."What kind of pet?" Nancy asked. "A rat," David said. "EEEEeeeeeewwww!" the girls all screamed at once."His name is Skeevy." David made crawling movements with his fingers. "And he stands on his hind legs and begs for cheese."Jason laughed and picked up Chip's soccer ball."Put that down," Nancy said. "That's part of Chip's trick.""So what? Chip's not going to win anyway. " Jason held the soccer ball over his head. "Skeevy is."Chip barked and jumped at the ball. It was too high for her to reach."Hey, Jason, throw it here! " David yelled. He was jumping up and down next to Nancy's house."Okay, you asked for it." Jason threw the ball to David -- hard.Nancy held her breath as she watched the ball sail over David's head and crash through the living room window."You two are in big trouble! " Bess shouted to the boys."We're outta here," David said as he and Jason ran from the yard.Then Chip bolted toward the house. When she got close, she yelped and leaped right through the broken window."Chip!" Nancy cried. "No!"; Title: Whose Pet Is Best? (Nancy Drew Notebooks #17) | [
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26,011 | 0 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: The Lemonade Raid (Nancy Drew Notebooks #19) | [
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26,012 | 0 | Cooking up trouble. Stephanie's just discovered that she's an incredible cook. Good enough to start her own catering business! Everyone's full of advice for making her business a major success. But Stephanie can succeed on her own, right? Wrong! Cooking for clients is way harder than cooking for her family. Suddenly, her cakes are collapsing, her soup is slop and her pasta's pathetic! Plus, she's losing money fast! Can Stephanie swallow her pride in time to prove that she has the recipe for success? ; Title: Sugar and Spice Advice (Full House: Stephanie) | [
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26,013 | 2 | Grade 3-6. Young women from a variety of cultures are featured as heroines in this collection of folktale adaptations and original stories. In each tale, a girl uses her ingenuity to overcome an obstacle threatening her or her loved ones. These obstacles include forces of nature, financial difficulties, and the less-than-honorable motives of other people. For example, in "Kim's Surprise Witness," a Vietnamese girl prevents a greedy moneylender from bankrupting her parents; a young American rescues her beloved colt from a dangerous winter storm in "Cody's Wooden Whistle"; "Jamila and the Tiger" tells of how the title character rids her African village of a menacing animal foe. The quality of the writing varies; generally, the four stories adapted from folklore flow more smoothly than the six original compositions (except for two polished entries from Anne Schraff). The tone of the anthology is upbeat and celebratory. While obviously created to fill a certain niche, the heroic nature of these selections should appeal to middle-grade readers who like adventure. Teachers may also find ways to use this collection to spark classroom discussions about female roles in societies near and far.?Mary Jo Drungil, Niles Public Library District, ILCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.It is refreshing to see new girl-friendly twists on old themes that empower girls to believe in themselves and their abilities. (Jeanette S. Gadeberg, Author of Raising Strong Daughters)"Provides positive female role models.(Nicole Bondi, The Detroit News)Girls to the Rescue will please and inspire girls." (Womens Circle)Forget about glass slippers and helpless damsels. The moral of this story is: Girls can do anything, even save the day! (Peggy Orenstein, author of School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap)Girls to the Rescue is a powerful antidote to all those helpless, hopeless princess stories. These stories are amusing, poignant, inspiring, and ultimately healing. (Mary Pipher, Ph.D., author of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls)Inspiring. (Mary Hance, Nashville Banner)Must reading. (Lee Littlewood, Copley News Service)Delightful. (Lynn Gibson, Spokane Spokesman-Review)Inspiring reading. (Kansas City Star)Girls to the Rescue turns a new page and Prince Charming is history. (Sallie Han, New York Daily News); Title: Girls to the Rescue: Book II | [
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26,014 | 0 | Gr. 3^-5, younger for reading aloud. After being cooped up in that castle for a hundred years, Sleeping Beauty thinks she'll take the summer off and backpack through Europe. King Midas is a workaholic banker who neglects his family. Cinderella is a chamber maid who meets the fairy godmother (in drag) when coming out to dump the trash. Fractured fairy tales are now an established genre in picture books. This small paperback anthology is for middle-grade readers who know the traditional stories and can appreciate the playful parody and the contemporary spin. From ecology to gender roles, the messages are sometimes a bit heavy (wolves and bears, far from being scary predators, are helped by strong girls who conserve the forest), but the dialogue is cool, the farce is wild, and kids will appreciate how the damsels in distress make their own happy endings. In fact, these comedies could be a start for lively classroom writing projects and readers' theater. Hazel Rochman"The dialogue is cool, the farce is wild, and kids will appreciate how the damsels in distress make their own happy endings." --Booklist"Here is a new generation of fairy tales to make children laugh, not hide under the covers." --Stephen Mooser, author of Young Marion's Adventures in Sherwood Forrest"Recommended." --Publishers Weekly; Title: Newfangled Fairy Tales, Book No. 1 | [
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26,015 | 2 | Grade 2-5ABeginning with a rhyming party invitation (which children can complete with their names and other details), this high-spirited collection of 21 poems celebrates birthdays with great verve. Students will love references to giving a prissy sister a worm for her birthday, inviting Frankenstein to the party, and eating a whole cake the night before the big day. In addition to Lansky's works, eight other poets, including Dr. Seuss, are represented. Lindstrom's black-and-white drawings play up the slapstick humor: a cake is made with flour (a yellow rose), the icing with ice; candles are blown out with such enthusiasm that icing, drinks, and party hats are victims of the gale. The book is similar to the work of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, and the topic is beloved by all children. This slim volume is sure to be an instant success.ABetty Teague, Blythe Academy of Languages, Greenville, SCCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.It is refreshing to see new girl-friendly twists on old themes that empower girls to believe in themselves and their abilities. (Jeanette S. Gadeberg, Author of Raising Strong Daughters)"Provides positive female role models.(Nicole Bondi, The Detroit News)Girls to the Rescue will please and inspire girls." (Womens Circle)Forget about glass slippers and helpless damsels. The moral of this story is: Girls can do anything, even save the day! (Peggy Orenstein, author of School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap)Girls to the Rescue is a powerful antidote to all those helpless, hopeless princess stories. These stories are amusing, poignant, inspiring, and ultimately healing. (Mary Pipher, Ph.D., author of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls)Inspiring. (Mary Hance, Nashville Banner)Must reading. (Lee Littlewood, Copley News Service)Delightful. (Lynn Gibson, Spokane Spokesman-Review)Inspiring reading. (Kansas City Star)Girls to the Rescue turns a new page and Prince Charming is history. (Sallie Han, New York Daily News); Title: Girls to the Rescue Book 4 | [
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26,016 | 2 | Even the most reluctant readers will get caught up in the mix of funthis collection is guaranteed to elicit laughs. BooklistBruce Lansky has edited 18 poetry anthologies and 3 silly song book anthologies. He has also created the GigglePoetry.com website for children, and the Girls to the Rescue and New Fangled Fairy Tales series.; Title: No More Homework! No More Tests!: Kids' Favorite Funny School Poems (Giggle Poetry) | [
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26,017 | 15 | Grade 4-8 An introduction for upper elementary/middle school age students in picture book format. The emphasis of the book is on our sun, its nine planets and their satellites. The authors also discuss asteroids, comets, meteoroids and other stars. The text is accurate, incorporating the latest data from the Voyager flights of the early 1980s. The most valuable feature of the book is its illustrations. They are large and in color, with the exception of two diagrams. Often captions explain how the photograph was taken (telescope, satellite or rocket probe such as Viking or Voyager) and tell whether color or detail has been added by computer. Drawings and paintings are also identified as such, or readers are told that a scene "might look like" this. Therefore readers will know what features astronomers have actually "seen" and which are educated guesses. Many of these illustrations have appeared in other books and periodicals but not in so large a format. Similar to The Solar System (Bookwright Pr, 1984) by David Lambert, but worth owning for the spectacular illustrations. Margaret M. Hagel, formerly at Ryan Upper School Library, Norfolk, Va.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: My First Book of Space: Developed in conjunction with NASA (Worlds of Wonder) | [
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26,018 | 6 | Penny Warner is the author of twenty books, including Kids Party Cookbook, Kids Holiday Fun, Kids Party Games and Activities, The Just for Fun Party Game Book, The Best Party Book, and Games People Play. She lives near San Francisco, California.; Title: Kids Pick A Party Book | [
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26,019 | 10 | Nancy suspects that sabotage in a chain of West Coast shops selling imported art objects is connected with the theft of a valuable Eskimo sculpture.; Title: The Eskimo's Secret (Nancy Drew No. 76) | [
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26,020 | 15 | Grade 3 Up The text in this British import is written clearly with no simplification for the young, requiring slow, careful reading. In five double-page pop-up spreads, Wilson covers ``What Is Weather?,'' with a hemisphere of the earth showing zones and how the air masses move around it; ``Highs, Lows and Fronts'' and their effect on changing weather, with movable models of a mercury barometer and a depressed air mass; ``Tropical Storms,'' with a dynamic storm rising from the pages; ``Clouds and Rain,'' with moving demonstrations of the formation of rain and hail and the discharge of a lightning bolt; and ``Forecasting'' with orbiting weather satellite and balloon, and sample weather charts used by weather forecasters. Although the paper engineering is well designed in most cases and spectacular in the half-globe and the weather satellite, the general layout of the pages is cluttered, the print is small, and finding the diagram numbers to relate to the proper section of text is very difficult. Since they are not always next to each other, it is frustrating to search for further explanations of the diagrams and conversely to find the diagram that demonstrates the concept about which one is reading. The best use for this book would be small groups working with a teacher. Gail Gibbons' Weather Forecasting (Four Winds, 1987) is on a much easier reading level. Sylvia S. Marantz, Wellington School, Columbus, OhioCopyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Weather Pop-Up Book | [
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26,021 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2 Polacco's first-person voice moves her narrative forward gracefully from the time when her Great-Gramma Anna came to America during the last century to the present. Richly detailed charcoal drawings fill the pages of this beautifully conceived book. Particularly striking are the faces of the Russian Jewish immigrant families who people the pages. The only color used is in the babushka and dress of Great-Gramma Anna, which become part of a brightly hued quilt. Following that quilt through four generations is the basis of this account. Customs and fashions change, but family is constant, visually linked by the ``keeping quilt.'' Children will be fascinated by the various uses to which the quilt is put, although some of those uses make one wonder how its ``like-new'' shape was maintained. That stretch of the imagination is gentle, however, and does not mar the story. Readers who notice that the author and the narrator share the same name may realize that this lovely story is true; that should make it even more appealing. Lee Bock, Brown County Public Libraries, Green Bay, Wis.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.School Library Journal Richly detailed charcoal drawings fill the pages of this beautifully conceived book...children will be fascinated by the various uses to which the quilt is put...Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter One of the most attractive and well-conceived picture books seen in recent years...It has a surprisingly emotional impact.Booklist Useful for the sense of history it presents to young viewers (especially in discussions of geneaology), this tale also carries a warm message on the meaning of family...; Title: The Keeping Quilt | [
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26,022 | 7 | Imagine all the happiness and wealth you could achieve if you found a magic pebble that granted your every wish! Sylvester Duncan, an unassuming donkey who collects pebbles "of unusual shape and color," experiences just such a lucky find. But before he can make all his wishes come true, the young donkey unexpectedly encounters a mean-looking lion. Startled, Sylvester wishes he were a rock, but in mineral form he can no longer hold the pebble, and thus cannot wish himself back to his equine trappings. His parents, thinking he has disappeared, are at first frantic, then miserable, and then plunge into donkey ennui. Meanwhile, Sylvester is gravely depressed, but tries to get used to being a rock.In 1970, William Steig won the Caldecott Medal for Sylvester and the Magic Pebble--the first of his many Newbery and Caldecott honors. In this donkey's tale, Steig imbues his characteristically simple illustrations of animals sporting human garb with evocative, irresistible, and heartbreakingly vivid emotions. The text is straightforward and the dialogue remarkably touching. Children will feel deeply for Sylvester and his parents, all wishing for the impossible--that the family will one day be reunited. Sylvester's sweet story is one that endures, reminding us all that sometimes what we have is all we really need. (Ages 4 to 8)On a rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results. How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his true self makes a story that is beautifully tender and filled with true magic. Illustrated with William Steig's glowing pictures, this is a modern classic beloved by children everywhere. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble is a winner of the Caldecott Medal.END; Title: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble | [
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26,023 | 3 | Following odoriferously on the heels of The Slimy Book and The Hairy Book, Cole's book bestows upon readers a piece of light verse about some of the more fragrant objects in life: "Smelly socks that go quite stiff . . . have the most disgusting whiff," and "Our dog likes to roll around/ in smelly things left on the ground." Pigs, skunks and garbage cans are also at home in this book. A word or a phrase here and there"pong" and "do a bunk"may not be familiar to American readers, but the surrounding text and comic watercolor pictures will not leave them in the dark. A subject with an almost magnetic attraction for children, smelliness in Cole's book is downright tangy. Ages 5-10. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Smelly Book | [
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26,024 | 5 | Fred Gwynne, best known as the television star of The Munsters, was also the author-illustrator of many children's books, including his classic books of humorous homonyms.; Title: The King Who Rained | [
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26,025 | 2 | Tomie dePaola is one of the most popular childrens book authors and illustrators of our time and the winner of the 2011 Childrens Literature Legacy Award for significant and lasting contribution to childrens literature, among other lifetime achievement awards.A Newbery Honor winner, he has written and illustrated a number of books, including Caldecott Honor bookStrega Nona and its companions, as well asOliver Button Is a Sissy;The Legend of Old Befana; The Clown of God;Michael Bird-Boy; Andy, Thats My Name; and Quiet. A native of Connecticut, Mr. dePaola studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and now lives in New London, New Hampshire. Visit him online at Tomie.com and TomiesBlog.Blogspot.com.; Title: Watch Out for the Chicken Feet in Your Soup | [
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26,026 | 13 | Betty Edwards author of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and Drawing on the Artist Within Kids love cartooning. This book will help keep drawing alive until children are ready to learn to draw from life and nature.Ray Bradbury Super! I wish I had had Mark Kistler 's Draw Squad when I was ten!From the foreword by James M. Clarke Former President, Texas Art Education Association and Art Curriculum Director, Aldine School district, Houston, Tx. Mark Kistler is the most noted art educator in the history of modern art education.Mark Kistler is a cartoonist, an illustrator, and the producer and star ofMark Kistler's Imagination Station,currently airing on public television nationwide. The author of the wildly popular drawing booksMark Kistler's Draw SquadandMark Kistler's Imagination Station,Kistler lives in Santa Barbara, California.; Title: Mark Kistler's Draw Squad | [
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26,027 | 2 | Frank Asch, a graduate of Cooper Union, has written more than eighty childrens books, among them the bestselling classics featuring Moonbear and Baby Bear; Russian National Book Award recipientHere Comes the Cat; and Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio Golden Award winnerLike a Windy Day. Mr. Asch lives in Hawaii.; Title: Just Like Daddy | [
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26,028 | 1 | Frank Asch, a graduate of Cooper Union, has written more than eighty childrens books, among them the bestselling classics featuring Moonbear and Baby Bear; Russian National Book Award recipientHere Comes the Cat; and Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio Golden Award winnerLike a Windy Day. Mr. Asch lives in Hawaii.; Title: The Last Puppy | [
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26,029 | 1 | Robert Kraus, New Yorker cartoonist and cover artist, created numerous classic picture books for very young children, including Leo the Late Bloomer and Milton the Early Riser.; Title: Herman the Helper | [
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26,030 | 2 | Tomie dePaola is one of the most popular childrens book authors and illustrators of our time and the winner of the 2011 Childrens Literature Legacy Award for significant and lasting contribution to childrens literature, among other lifetime achievement awards.A Newbery Honor winner, he has written and illustrated a number of books, including Caldecott Honor bookStrega Nona and its companions, as well asOliver Button Is a Sissy;The Legend of Old Befana; The Clown of God;Michael Bird-Boy; Andy, Thats My Name; and Quiet. A native of Connecticut, Mr. dePaola studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and now lives in New London, New Hampshire. Visit him online at Tomie.com and TomiesBlog.Blogspot.com.; Title: Charlie Needs a Cloak | [
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26,031 | 7 | The New York Times Book Review "De Paola's illustrations aptly capture the whimsy of this ancient tale... simple line drawings clearly reveal the agony and ecstasy of pasta power, the muted colors create just the right ambiance for a Medieval village."Tomie dePaola is one of the most popular childrens book authors and illustrators of our time and the winner of the 2011 Childrens Literature Legacy Award for significant and lasting contribution to childrens literature, among other lifetime achievement awards.A Newbery Honor winner, he has written and illustrated a number of books, including Caldecott Honor bookStrega Nona and its companions, as well asOliver Button Is a Sissy;The Legend of Old Befana; The Clown of God;Michael Bird-Boy; Andy, Thats My Name; and Quiet. A native of Connecticut, Mr. dePaola studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and now lives in New London, New Hampshire. Visit him online at Tomie.com and TomiesBlog.Blogspot.com.; Title: Strega Nona | [
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26,032 | 6 | "Worms . . . wiggle. Bugs . . . jiggle. Frogs . . . leap. Caterpillars . . . creep." The simplicity of the imagery that introduces the first few pages of this book continues throughout the remaining text. "Puppies . . . bounce. Kittens . . . pounce. Lions . . . stalk. But I . . . walk." With those few words, and with colorfully illustrated and skillfully executed pop-up paper engineering, Pelham ( The Human Body ) and Foreman have created an appealing pop-up book, though it's somewhat fragile for readers at the younger end of the age range. Ages 4-6. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-K-- A small-sized, brightly painted watercolor pop-up book. The right page folds out to display the pop-up creature in this book of action verbs: "worms. . .wiggle, bugs. . .jiggle, frogs. . .leap, caterpillars. . .creep." Many of the pop-ups pull out into several layers of animal, making for an amusing display of lively activity. The watercolors are beautifully vibrant. While this will not serve will as a circulating item, it will be a hit in preschool story hours. --Jacqueline Elsner, Athens Regional Library, Ga.Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Worms Wiggle [Pop-up book] | [
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26,033 | 2 | Robert Kraus, New Yorker cartoonist and cover artist, created numerous classic picture books for very young children, including Leo the Late Bloomer and Milton the Early Riser.; Title: Milton Early Riser | [
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26,034 | 0 | Jack Kent (March 10, 1920October 18, 1985) was an American cartoonist and prolific author-illustrator of forty childrens books. He is perhaps best known as the creator of the comic strip, King Aroo. In addition to his own books, he has also illustrated many books by other authors.; Title: The Caterpillar and the Polliwog | [
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26,035 | 0 | Ernest Clark is not exactly Lincoln School's most popular third grader. But it isn't his fault. Can he help it if he is small? Or if his mother gives him weird haircuts? No. There must be some way to survive third grade. Making a friend would help. And Ernest sees his chance when Jomo Mugwana from Kenya -- all the way from Africa! Jomo doesn't speak English, but he seems to like Ernest. The other kids aren't easy on Ernest and Jomo, though. So it's several months before they become friends. And by that time, something so wonderful has happened to Ernest that everyone wants to be his friend.LAURIE LAWLOR was trained as a journalist and worked for many years as a free-lance writer and editor before devoting herself full-time to the creation of children's books. She enjoys many speaking engagements at schools and libraries, and her books have been nominated for many awards. She lives in Evanston, Illinois, with her husband, son, daughter, and two large Labrador retrivers.; Title: How To Survive Third Grade (American Sisters) | [
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26,036 | 0 | The tale of Jack, his widowed mother, the sky-dwelling giant and the five magical beans is well known. And the refrain--"Fee-fi-fo-fum! / I smell the blood of an Englishman. / Be he live or be he dead, / I'll grind his bones to make my bread"--is a time-honored tradition, which Pearson has happily neither modified nor omitted. Instead, she has simplified the language without losing the old-world atmosphere of Jack's adventures. The giant is as gruesome and disgusting as ever, and a glutton as well, consuming five meat pies, three roast turkeys, 10 pounds of fried potatoes, eight dozen eggs and a few gallons of hot chocolate. Pearson's satisfying retelling is further complemented by Warhola's rich, ruddy watercolors of an idealized fairy tale setting. The giant's fall from the sky is uniquely portrayed. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Jack and The Beanstalk | [
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26,037 | 2 | Liz's house is like a zoo. Thanks to her dad, a zoologist, there are turtles in the kitchen, an ibex in the backyard, a hawk in the shed, a sun porch full of lizards -- and Fred the ferret.Liz has had enough! At school, her nickname is Lizard. Her classmates think she's weird and her friends are afraid to go to her house. WIth problems like those, how is she ever going to win the election for class president?Liz tries her hardest, but she runs into one disaster after another. So she makes the startling decision -- the animals must go. Even Fred, her pet ferret. That will make all the difference in the world...won't it?Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.; Title: Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge (Minstrel Book) | [
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26,038 | 13 | Illustrated with frescoes by Giotto from the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, this lavishly produced picture book about the life of Christ is an interesting combination of coffee-table art book and genial sermon. Expanding upon religious views introduced in earlier books by L'Engle, her impassioned narrative is followed by A. Richard Turner's elegant afterword explaining the historical significance of the paintings. Infrequently acknowledging controversy, L'Engle authoritatively decides thorny theological issues: "Even for Jesus, the human being, his understanding of his Godness did not come all at once," she says, but "there was a glimmer when he was a boy of twelve and talked with the elders in the Temple." L'Engle's tale is frequently layered with advice to the young: "Sometimes it is very important to have an older friend who is not a parent," she says of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Like a parson interpreting Christ's story to her young flock, L'Engle focuses on those aspects of her faith that require belief in the "Glorious Impossibles that . . . bring joy to our hearts, hope to our lives, songs to our lips." Ages 8-up. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 5 Up-- Inspired Christian belief and high Christian art resonate in this beautiful volume as L'Engle retells 25 of the events of Jesus' life and ministry. Each of the Bible stories is accompanied by a full-page, full-color reproduction of one of Giotto's famed frescoes from the Scrovegni Chapel or, as it is often called, the "Arena Chapel" in Padua. Despite the tragic depiction of the massacre of the innocents, the dark drama of the betrayal and crucifixion, and the solemnity of Giotto's famous lamentation scene, the tone of the retelling is full of joy, the drama explained as the will of Heaven, the death of Jesus as the victory of love, and the miraculous events as the "Glorious Impossible" that faith accepts and knows as truth. The stories are narrated in a poetic, informal style that incorporates familiar Biblical phrasing with modern, conversational comments and explanations. The text flows, and can be read aloud without showing the illustrations. At the same time, Giotto's frescoes are reproduced with such clarity and richness of color that they can be valued as quality reproductions of Renaissance art. The frontispiece photograph of the Scrovegni Chapel (although reversed) and an afterword about Giotto's place in art history add to the potential use of the book for art history. The text and the pictures fit so well together that L'Engle's words enhance the appreciation of Giotto's art, and the magnificence of the frescoes illuminates the Christian story. The result is a beautiful devotional book that will be a valued addition to the religious shelves of a library or an art-book collection. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Glorious Impossible [Illustrated with Frescoes from the Scrovegni Chapel by Giotto] | [
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26,039 | 7 | Franklin W. Dixon is the author of the ever-popular Hardy Boys books.; Title: Ghost Stories (Hardy Boys) | [
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26,040 | 0 | Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Just when readers thought it was safe to get back in the water, along comes Alistair on a submarine adventure. Alistair Grittle , world class neatnik and dull guy seen in Alistair in Outer Space (1984) and Alistair's Time Machine (1986, both S. & S.), once again innocently wanders in and out of outrageous situations and near disasters with total composure and his own brand of logical reasoning. This time out, Alistair builds himself a submersible to explore his backyard pond and ends up in an enormous underground cavern where he meets some amiable frog people and ends up saving them from a frightful sea monster (the Gooze) who has long been terrorizing their waters. The unruffled young hero returns home in time for supper where his quest for a quiet, ordinary life might just have to be put on hold a while longer--as the surprise on the last page reveals. Bollen's bold, expansive cartoons executed in vivid color capture the drama and perfectly complement the deadpan, tongue-in-cheek earnestness of the text. Fastidious fans will not be disappointed by this flaky fantasy.- Luann Toth, School Library JournalCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Alistair Underwater | [
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26,041 | 7 | Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books."We've just seen her, Nancy! The spook that haunts Clermont College!" Plump, blond Bess Marvin was bubbling with excitement."Bess insisted that we drive straight back to River Heights and tell you about it, since you're such a super mystery-solver," added Bess's dark-haired cousin, tomboyish George Fayne.Nancy Drew's blue eyes twinkled. "Tell me the details!" she urged them.The two girls and their dates had been attending a college dance in nearby Grayton. They told Nancy they had seen the ghost during an intermission while strolling along a wooded creek bordering the campus."She was wearing a gray hooded cape, just as she used to when she was alive," Bess related.The ghost was said to be that of Professor Sophie Hanks, who had once taught science at Clermont College. Five years ago, on a stormy night, her car had gone off the creek road and crashed on the rocky hillside. Professor Hanks had been thrown out of her car into the flooding creek, and she completely disappeared. Since then, a spooky figure resembling the professor had been glimpsed a number of times at night."And sometimes a ghostly light is seen flickering in her lab," said George. "I know a couple of students who've seen it. It's really weird!"After her friends left to return to the dance, Nancy sat watching television for a while. But she could not help thinking of the strange story Bess and George had just told her.Finally Nancy glanced at her watch, then jumped up from the sofa and said to her pet bull terrier, "It's not eleven yet, Togo. Let's go see for ourselves if the ghost is still lurking on campus!"Traffic was light and Nancy soon reached Grayton. Circling around town, she drove along the wooded creek road, but no spectre appeared in the moonlight. "Guess we're out of luck, Togo," she said, patting him.At last she turned toward the college and stopped across from the Science Building. Nancy's heart suddenly flipped. A faint light could be seen glimmering in a second floor window!Nancy hastily started her car again and drove slowly until she sighted a uniformed campus guard."You're right, Miss!" he exclaimed when she pointed out the light. "That's the window of Professor Hanks's laboratory! "Entering the Science Building, they hurried upstairs with Togo running eagerly ahead. When the guard unlocked the door of the lab, they found themselves peering into a totally dark room!He switched on the light. Test tubes and other items lay on the workbench. They looked as if they had been used recently in some kind of experiment. Yet there were no intruders in the laboratory."Looks like someone was just in here!" the guard said, scratching his head. "But how'd anyone get in? The labs are locked at night. Students can't get in, and this one hasn't been reassigned to any other professor!""There are no marks from a person forcing the door lock either," Nancy declared after examining it.Next morning at the breakfast table, she told her father, Carson Drew, about the night's adventure. The distinguished lawyer looked startled. "What an odd coincidence! I've just been asked to take on a case involving Professor Hanks."Mr. Drew related that just before her death, Sophie Hanks succeeded in making a substance called florium pentose. "It occurs only in rare plants," he added. "Making it artificially in the laboratory was quite a chemical feat."Sophie had published a report of her work in a scientific journal, but it attracted no at the time. "Now," Carson Drew went on, "my client, the Foster Drug Company, has found an important use for florium pentose. They want to manufacture it by her method. But she left incomplete notes. A crucial property, the catalyst, needed to activate the process is omitted from her formula. And to make matters even more difficult, the process is patented, so the company would have to pay royalties -- and she left no heirs. For that matter, she hasn't been declared legally dead yet."Still," Mr. Drew continued, "the information is valuable and no good can come of it at all until we find the complete formula. It must be somewhere in her notebooks or records."With a sigh, he added, "Unfortunately, Professor Hanks's body was never found, so that makes the legal situation even knottier.""I see what you mean, Dad," Nancy said thoughtfully. "Would you like me to look into the mystery?"Carson Drew smiled and set down his coffee cup. "I was hoping you'd offer to, honey. If you can come up with any answers, it would certainly be a tremendous help."After assisting the Drews' housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, in clearing away the breakfast dishes, Nancy drove to Clermont College and interviewed Dean Tapley, head of the science department. He told her a number of interesting details.Sophie Hanks had been a rather plain, unhappy woman, the dean confided. She had a twisted nose and her face was disfigured by a childhood accident. Even though she was only in her mid-thirties, students called her The Old Witch behind her back."I suppose that made Sophie rather sharp-tongued and unpleasant," Dean Tapley reflected, "but we kept her on the faculty, nevertheless, because she was such a brilliant science teacher."Her papers and records were stored in a locker in the lab. "But we can't turn them over to the Foster Drug Company," the dean went on, "since, among other reasons, she was never declared dead. However, I and other faculty members have glanced through them, and I can assure you they contain no reference to the catalyst she used.""Did the police drag the creek for her body?" Nancy asked."Yes, but she was never found. The storm that night caused the creek to flood, so presumably her body was washed downriver."The college knew of no surviving relatives. "But a few days ago," he said, "a girl named Alice Durand came here, claiming to be Sophie's niece.""Is she still in town?"Dean Tapley frowned. "Yes, I believe she's staying at some hotel. I referred her to Professor Martin. No doubt he'll know which one." Dean Tapley explained that Professor Abel Martin was the nearest to a friend that Sophie had among the faculty. Letters from an other friend named Vanessa Lee had also been found among Sophie's belongings, but she had never contacted the college.The dean directed Nancy to Professor Martin's office. She was surprised to find a young-looking man in his early thirties who taught English literature. He was tall, with rumpled brown hair, and wore a tweed jacket and slacks."I know nothing about science." He chuckled. "I guess the main reason Sophie and I became friendly was her appreciation of literature. Everyone was so annoyed by her rudeness, but I got a chance to see that she was just lonely and unhappy; I spent some lovely times with her.""Did you see her the night of the accident?" Nancy asked."Yes." Abel Martin's face suddenly became grave. "To tell the truth, I think she crashed her car deliberately."Nancy was shocked. He explained that Professor Hanks had just returned from a science convention at which she had read a paper about her florium pentose experiment. She had hoped to win scientific acclaim for this work. Instead, her fellow scientists had shown little interest. Few had attended the session at which she delivered her report, and most of them treated her coldly -- partly, Martin suspected, because of her unpleasant manners and appearance."She was terribly upset when she got back that evening. She kept complaining that everyone was against her. Apparently she brooded in her lab for several hours, then drove off about midnight at the height of the storm and had her fatal crash.""Where did Professor Hanks live?" Nancy asked."She rented an upstairs apartment in a house near the campus that's owned by an elderly couple," Martin replied. "When it was cleared out after her death, I agreed to let her personal effects be stored in my garage. They're still in it."Nancy's eyes lit up with interest. "Then perhaps you've seen those letters from her friend, Vanessa Lee?""Yes." Abel Martin smiled reflectively. "It must have been rather a strange friendship."Nancy was intrigued and said, "Why?""Because Vanessa Lee seems so different from Sophie. I suppose they must have known each other since girlhood. Otherwise it's hard to see what they had in common. From her letters, Vanessa sounds like a charming, attractive woman with lots of suitors and a crowded social life." Martin added that although Sophie had not kept the stamped envelopes, the letters had evidently been written from the French Riviera and Mexico and glamorous resorts all around the world. "You can read them, if you like.""Thanks, that might be helpful." Nancy also asked about Sophie's niece, Alice Durand. Professor Martin said she was staying at the Capitol Hotel and suggested that the three have lunch at the Faculty Club.Alice turned out to be a slender young woman, not much older than Nancy, with fluffy blond hair and long-lashed green eyes which she kept batting flirtatiously at Abel Martin. She spoke with a sort of cowboyish Southern accent that might have been pleasant except for her whiny voice. On asking where she lived, Nancy learned that she came from Texas."How much do you think my aunt's chemical whatchamacallit will be worth?" Alice asked as they lunched on eggs Benedict, which was the Faculty Club's Tuesday special."I've no idea," Nancy confessed."But I thought your daddy was the lawyer for the drug company that wants it.""He is. But I doubt if any royalty figure has been arrived at yet." When Nancy added that the amount of profit from making florium pentose depended largely on whether the company could find out what catalyst Sophie used, the blond girl looked irritated and suspicious."I never heard anything about that," Alice said crossly. She related that her mother had been Sophie's half-sister, but the family had broken up when the two girls were about eleven or twelve."Sophie must not have grown up in the Southwest," Abel remarked. "At least she didn't speak with that kind of regional accent.""How did you learn that your aunt had been a professor at Clermont College?" Nancy asked Alice."I saw a TV news story about the campus ghost," Alice replied. "Then the reporter told how a drug company wanted to buy the rights to some chemical process discovered by this dead lady scientist named Sophie Hanks. I realized she could be my aunt." Her idea was confirmed, Alice said, when she searched her late mother's effects and found a note from Sophie announcing her appointment to the faculty of Clermont College.Nancy could not help suspecting that Alice had known all along that her aunt taught at Clermont, but had never bothered to get in touch until she learned it might be worthwhile to do so."By the way, would you two like me to show you where Sophie lived?" Abel Martin inquired. Alice showed little interest, but Nancy eagerly accepted.A waiter came to their table. "Excuse me, but is one of you young ladies Miss Drew?" When Nancy nod ded, he said someone wished to speak to her on the phone. Her caller was Dean Tapley."I hoped you might be lunching there at the club with Professor Martin," he said. "Something has come up which may interest you, Nancy. I've just had a visit from that letter-writing friend of Sophie Hanks, Vanessa Lee. Would you care to meet her?""Indeed I would!" Nancy said. He promised to arrange a meeting in half an hour.Returning to their table, Nancy told Professor Martin and Alice the news. Their visit to Sophie's apartment was put off until three o'clock.As they were going out through the club lobby, Professor Martin discovered a message for him in his letter pigeonhole. As he read it, a startled expression came over his face."Is anything wrong?" Nancy inquired. Without a word, he handed her the message. It said:THIS MAY SOUND VERY ODD, ABEL, BUT I HAVE THE GIFT OF SECOND SIGHT. AS YOU WERE LUNCHING TODAY, I COULD SEE A DISTANT RADIANT AURA OVER THE HEAD OF THAT LOVELY REDDISH-HAIRED GIRL AT YOUR TABLE. IN MY OPINION, THIS MEANS SOMEONE FROM THE SPIRIT WORLD IS HOVERING NEAR HER.The note was unsigned. Nancy looked up in surprise. "Who do you suppose wrote this?"Martin shrugged uncomfortably. "I can't imagine. Perhaps someone on the college's parapsychology staff. They investigate ESP and things like precognition -- knowing beforehand about events that are going to happen."Despite her keen, inquiring mind and healthy skepticism about ghosts, Nancy felt a chill race down her spine.; Title: Nancy Drew Ghost Stories | [
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26,042 | 16 | Libraries that collect board books will want to consider this engineering feat that combines shapes and colors to sometimes amazing effects. Each double-page spread presents a box and a question about its contents. Alliteration punches up the narrative while the pictures are eye-popping watercolor bugs with ink details and mechanical wonderments. Brown basketball bugs actually bounce, purple pickle bugs almost pinch readers' fingers, and a snazzy silver spitfire bug flies. All in all, the book is a lot of fun, but it's too delicate to circulate. --Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public LibraryCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.What kinds of bugs are in the yard-long yellow box? A bunch of bouncing brown basketball bugs, of course. Learning colors was never more fun than in this ingeniously illustrated and engineered pop-up book. This sequel to How Many Bugs in a Box? will keep kids laughing as they learn their colors.; Title: More Bugs in Boxes | [
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26,043 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2-- When Charlie the caterpillar wants to play, the other creatures refuse because they find him ugly. "Now giddadda here!" they tell him. Of course, Charlie eventually makes a cocoon, turns into a beautiful butterfly, and finds that the animals who scorned him now want his company. Very predictable stuff, this has little to recommend it. Santoro is a technically proficient illustrator but his cutesy cartoon drawings of Charlie are as trite as can be. No competition for Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar (Putnam, 1981) here. --Ann Stell, The Smithtown Library, NYCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.Dom De Luiseis one of America's best-loved comedians. He appears frequently on TV, and has starred in many popular movies includingThe Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Silent Movie, Fatso, Smokey and the Bandit IIandCannonball Run IandII.; Title: Charlie the Caterpillar | [
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26,044 | 0 | Everybody thinks Gary's Grampa died in a fishing accident. But from a note Grampa left, Gary suspects he was murdered. The note tells of a million dollars in gold hidden in a cave and an old Indian curse promising that anyone who touches it will die! Gary and his friend Brian are sure that if they find the gold, they will also find Grampa's killer.But treasure hunting can be deadly. Now they are stuck in a dark cavern full of tangled skeletons, restless Indian spirits, ans a murderer out for their blood! Will Brian and Gary ever get out of Death Cave alive!BILL WALLACE was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma where he later spent ten years as a principal and physical education teacher at the same elementary school he attended as a child. Bill still lives in Chickasha with his wife, son, four dogs, three cats, and two horses. The Wallace family spends much of their spare time outdoors fishing, and tending cattle on the family farm. Bill lectures at schools around the country, answers mail from his readers, and of course, works on his books. Bill is now a full-time author and his novels have been a great success -- they have won more than thirty state awards and have made the master lists in seventeen.; Title: Trapped in Death Cave | [
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26,045 | 2 | There hadn't been a panther on Panther Peak in decades. But the year the Burkes move to their grandfather's ranch, something begins killing off the livestock. Tom shudders. Could his grandfather's tales about panthers be true?Then one winter morning, Tom sees a dark shape move silently through the fog, spooking the animals in the barn. Later that day, a blizzard hits and Tom's grandfather is injured in an accident. With the phone lines dead, Tom must take his horse and ride for help -- by himself -- through the panther's territory.Can he reach safety in time to save his grandfather before the panther strikes one more time?BILL WALLACE was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma where he later spent ten years as a principal and physical education teacher at the same elementary school he attended as a child. Bill still lives in Chickasha with his wife, son, four dogs, three cats, and two horses. The Wallace family spends much of their spare time outdoors fishing, and tending cattle on the family farm. Bill lectures at schools around the country, answers mail from his readers, and of course, works on his books. Bill is now a full-time author and his novels have been a great success -- they have won more than thirty state awards and have made the master lists in seventeen.; Title: Danger on Panther Peak | [
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26,046 | 2 | PreSchool-- These books feature, respectively, a tiger cub searching for his father and a chick searching for her mother. On each page the cub or chick meets a different animal who explains why he or she is the wrong parent, until the searches end successfully. The simple pop-ups are fairly effective: some animals lift their heads to look at each other or to nod at readers as the page turns. The tone is so pleasant that even a jaw-snapping crocodile looks friendly. In fact, the animals are amicable, but low on character, a price the pictures pay for their simplicity. The opportunity to match a baby with a parent animal is a sure-fire preschooler pleaser, and this aspect helps these books to moderate success, even if text and pictures don't pack much of a wallop. For a more deluxe treatment, try Deborah Guarino's Is Your Mama a Llama? (Scholastic, 1989) with its lovely illustrations and sweet verse. --Liza Bliss, Worcester Public Library, MACopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Are You My Mommy? | [
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26,047 | 0 | When jake finds the old canoe filled with rocks and hidden in sand near the river, he and Ben are thrilled! But someone wants to bury it. Why? The trouble begins when they clean it up, discover a treasure map, and set out in their new boat in search of adventure.What they find instead is terror: alligators swarming around them, trapping them on the tiny island in the middle of the eerie Swamp. But there is an even more fearsome enemy: a shadowy figure who is waiting to kill them if they survive the alligators and the quicksand that lies beyond...BILL WALLACE was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma where he later spent ten years as a principal and physical education teacher at the same elementary school he attended as a child. Bill still lives in Chickasha with his wife, son, four dogs, three cats, and two horses. The Wallace family spends much of their spare time outdoors fishing, and tending cattle on the family farm. Bill lectures at schools around the country, answers mail from his readers, and of course, works on his books. Bill is now a full-time author and his novels have been a great success -- they have won more than thirty state awards and have made the master lists in seventeen.; Title: Danger in Quicksand Swamp: Danger in Quicksand Swamp | [
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26,048 | 1 | PreSchool-K-- Little Rabbit Foo Foo hops through the forest, picking up various creatures--field mice, wriggly worms, tigers, and goblins--and bopping them on the head with his red mallet. The Good Fairy warns him to stop, but finally turns him into a goon. This slightly retold version of a popular children's song has a lot of energy; unfortunately, Rosen includes neither music nor even a preface to let readers know that the tune is the same as "Down by the Railroad." The illustrations are bright, cheerful, and clearly detailed, if somewhat reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons. Amusing, but not an essential purchase--acting out the song is still more fun than reading it aloud. --JoAnn Rees, Sunnyvale Public Library, CACopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Little Rabbit Foo Foo | [
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26,049 | 0 | Given Gwynne's ( A Chocolate Moose for Dinner ; The King Who Rained ) wacky, kid-pleasing sense of humor, it comes as no surprise that his upside-down retelling of The Frog Prince is extremely funny. The eponymous young frog has grown up listening to his parents tell the legend of the frog prince. Now an urbane, adult frog, Pondlarker fancies himself poised on the brink of metamorphosis. Lacking a princess (but dressed for the part--with sword, stick, cape and fancy feathered hat) he goes off to search for one. After several deeds of derring-do on the road (which is helpfully marked "Princess 4 Miles"), Pondlarker finds a princess who has kissed innumerable frogs but has never found a swain good enough for her. "Even if it turns out that you aren't my Prince Charming, at least there'll be one less slimy frog in the world," she tells him. But Pondlarker then decides he's quite happy being a frog. Sumptuously detailed watercolors are imbued with a stateliness appropriate to the grandeur of Gwynne's tongue-in-cheek gravity. Ages 5-9. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-3-- Pondlarker is the only frog in his family who still believes the old bedtime story his mother used to tell him, and he is determined to be turned into a prince by the kiss of a princess. When he sees a sign that says "Princess 4 miles," he goes off with great alacrity, only to find an old princess who has kissed millions of frogs and still hasn't found a prince who suits her. Just in time, Pondlarker decides that his parents are right: a frog is a fine thing to be. Gwynne's bold, garish cartoons are just right: members of royalty have insipidlooks on their faces, the frogs are having an exuberantly active and happy life together, and Pondlarker stands apart in his ridiculously hopeful prince outfit. This would be fun to read in conjunction with the original folktale to children who are just beginning to delight in the humor of spoof. --Carolyn Jenks, Oyster River Elementary School, Durham, NHCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Pondlarker | [
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26,050 | 11 | Adapted from the 1853 journal of her family's trip from Iowa to Oregon, Knight's account makes an unusual text for a picture book. The weather, the number of wagons around them, and making camp or crossing rivers form the authentic but eventually monotonous concerns of the "overlanders." Touches of dry humor appear, and dramatic incidents occur, as when a child is left behind. But McCurdy ( The Beasts of Bethlehem ) creates most of the excitement with his colored scratchboard illustrations, which recall 19th-century woodcuts. Strongly rendered pioneer faces glow with optimism and steadfastness in warm domestic scenes of the family sleeping in their wagon, or in climactic moments like the floating of wagon-beds across a river. An introduction by the adapter orients the reader, but also puts a 20th-century spin on Knight's perceptions: to say that "Indians helped" is to ignore the Knights' understanding of most of the encounters. At journey's end, the family gets some land; the reader will keep memories of the art but may leave the problematic text by the side of the trail. Ages 7-10. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 2-5. McCurdy's attractive artwork, strong woodcuts tinted with watercolor washes, decorates nearly every page of this book, which shows a pioneer family's journey from Iowa to Oregon in 1853. The story is told in "adapted" excerpts from the journal of Amelia Stewart Knight, a wife and mother who looked after her brood of seven children, gave birth to her eighth on the trail, and still found time to write. Although the telling is matter-of-fact, the various discomforts and dangers of the trip become apparent as the tale unfolds: kids get the mumps, everyone gets cold and wet and muddy, oxen go lame, rivers must be crossed with or without bridges, daughter Lucy gets left behind at one point (she's later returned to her family), and son Chat falls out of the wagon and is nearly run over by a wheel. The colorful, rhythmic illustrations dramatize events along the trail. The introduction fills in some details of wagon-train travel, but it omits background information on the diary itself, such as where it was found and how freely it was adapted. Still, teachers seeking materials on the Oregon Trail will find this a lively, useful resource. Carolyn Phelan; Title: The Way West: Journal of a Pioneer Woman, | [
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26,051 | 2 | Grade 1-2-- A story about a woman and the villagers who demand to know the ``secret'' of her wisdom. They, of course, want quick answers to difficult questions. Her only response is to allow them to look around; they ransack her place, but leave unsatisfied. Only small Jenny, who lingers, wonders, and expresses curiosity, at last discovers the secret--never stated outright--which is that wisdom comes from savoring the world and the moment. Of course, she grows up to be a wise woman herself. A text with profound implication is without pictures that are equally intense and mysterious. Graves's paintings are extremely pretty and unremittingly romantic, embellished with continually recurring curves in an art nouveau manner: tendrils of vines and hair; spiraling folds of clothing; bending lines of lip, eye, and cheek. Their sentiment will undoubtedly appeal to many, but some will feel that Jenny's quest is still unfulfilled. --Ruth Semrau, Lovejoy School, Allen, TXCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Wise Woman and Her Secret | [
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26,052 | 7 | This zany caper showcases Coville's ( My Teacher Is an Alien ) ability to make the unbelievable close to credible. The young hero, down-to-earth Rod Allbright, doesn't quite believe his eyes when a small blue spaceship flies through his bedroom window and lands in a vat of papier-mache he is using for a science project. Within minutes the startled boy meets the spaceship's curious crew, and is recruited to become an integral player in their mission to apprehend an alien criminal whose specialty is cruelty. As it turns out, Rod knows too well how cruel this culprit can be, as he has been posing as the bullying Billy Becker, Rod's archenemy at school. After several surprises and funny moments (as Billy turns in his math assignment, he is horrified to see that one of the aliens hiding in his desk has chewed on it so that it resembles a lace doily), the plot ends with Billy (literally) getting his comeuppance, as the aliens carry him off to a faraway planet. Coville's typically high-spirited entertainment will appeal equally to girls and boys. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.It's the weirdest alien invasion ever!"I cannot tell a lie," says Rod Allbright. And it's the truth. Ask him a question, and he's bound to give you an honest answer. Which is why when his teacher asks what happened to last night's math assignment, Rod has to give the only answer he can: "Aliens ate my homework, Miss Maloney!"Of course, no one believes Rod this time, so they don't bother to ask him why the aliens are here -- which is just as well, since he is sworn to silence about their secret mission; and the fact that he has been drafted to help them.; Title: Aliens Ate My Homework | [
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26,053 | 7 | ALA Booklist A shivery treat for readers, who will identify with the stalwart William as he ferrets out the castle's scary secrets and rights a long-existing wrong.Bruce Coville has published more than one hundred books, which have sold more thansixteen million copies. Among his most popular titles are My Teacher Is an Alien, Into the Land of the Unicorns, and The Monsters Ring. Bruce also founded Full Cast Audio, a company that creates recordings of the best in childrens and young adult literature. He lives in Syracuse, New York, with his wife, Katherine.; Title: Goblins in the Castle (Minstrel Book) | [
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26,054 | 6 | Although not as whimsical as How Many Bugs in a Box? or Jingle Bugs , Carter's latest will keep its audience thoroughly entertained. A series of dialogue balloons on richly decorated panels conducts an auditory guessing game: "I'm big and furry and I eat berries. GRRR! / Says who?" Lift the flap (on this spread disguised as shrubbery) and the answer is revealed--"GRRR! I'm a BEAR" announces the creature, its three-dimensional muzzle opening and closing in silent confirmation. Other clues introduce a winking owl, a snake that uncurls from a spiral-cut cardboard circle and relatively tame renditions of tiger, birds, bees, seal and frogs. The whole clan gathers on the final spread for a spirited hootenanny--and a review quiz ("Who says HISS!? Who says ARK! ARK!?" etc.). Ages 3-6. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.David A. Carter is a master paper engineer and creator of the Bugs series, which has sold more than 6 million copies. Also the author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Color series, featuring One Red Dot, Blue 2, 600 Black Spots, Yellow Square, and White Noise, he lives in Auburn, California, with his wife and two daughters.; Title: Says Who?: A Pop Up Book of Animals Sounds | [
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26,055 | 10 | "Isn't this the most perfect dress in the world?" Bess Marvin sighed and held up a short, ruffled pink dress with skinny shoulder straps. Straightening its hem, she carefully laid the dress on the Drews' living room couch. "It's a little tight," she explained, "but I'm going to lose five pounds before the wedding. What do you think? Isn't it adorable?"Nancy Drew brushed back a strand of reddish blond hair and studied the dress. She bit back a smile. Bess was always going to lose five pounds. And she was always buying some adorable dress that didn't quite fit. Nancy tried to find a tactful answer. "Well," she said, "it's very pretty, but . . ." Nancy paused."But is it really the sort of thing you wear to be a bridesmaid?" asked Bess's cousin, George Fayne."Joanne says everyone should wear whatever they want," Bess said."That sounds like Joanne," Nancy said. Joanne Koslow, who was a few years older than Nancy and her friends, had been one of Bess's neighbors. Even as a little girl, Joanne had loved unusual clothing. She and Bess had been especially close friends. Now Joanne lived in northern California, where she worked as a photographer. She was marrying her boyfriend, Keith, and she had invited all three friends to the celebration. Nancy knew the wedding would be fun. She was also sure it would be anything but traditional. "Have you picked out your dress yet?" she asked George."No, she hasn't," Bess answered, looking genuinely worried. "And the wedding is less than two weeks away. George, we have to find you a dress."Although they were first cousins, Bess and George were very different. Bess considered clothing to be one of the most important things in life. George, whose first love was sports, didn't care what she wore as long as it was comfortable. And their looks were as different as their personalities. George had an athletic physique, dark eyes, and short, curly brown hair. Bess's hair was long and blond. She had blue eyes and was shorter than her cousin.Bess put her dress back in its box and tugged on her cousin's arm. "Let's go. I'm taking you shopping now."Help," George moaned.Just then the door to Carson Drew's study opened, and Nancy's father stepped out, casting a worried glance at the cousins. "Is there a problem here?" he asked."Yes," George said quickly. "I'm being taken shopping against my will.""I see," Mr. Drew said.George shook off her cousin's arm and ran a hand through her short, dark hair. "Isn't there a law against that -- forced shopping?"Carson Drew, who was a well-known lawyer, tried to keep a straight face. "Not that I know of," he replied with a chuckle, "but I'll check into it. Speaking of things to check into, Nancy, do you remember Terry Kirkland?""You mean your friend in California?" Nancy asked. "The artist who makes those gorgeous stained-glass windows?""The very same. I just got a call from him. It seems he's having a rough time. His wife died a few years ago, and he's been raising his daughter, Amy, on his own. Well, his house was broken into twice in the last week. That frightened the sitter so badly she quit. Meanwhile, there's been a lot of interest in his work. He has a few big art shows coming up, but Amy's in school, so he can't take her with him. Naturally he's afraid to leave her alone.""Can't he hire another person to take care of Amy?" George asked."I'm sure he could," Carson Drew replied. "But that isn't the sort of thing you do overnight. It's hard to find someone to trust with your only child. Nancy and I were unusually lucky to find Hannah."Nancy's own mother had died when Nancy was very young. Even though she'd never met Amy, Nancy felt immediate sympathy for the girl. Nancy had been raised by her father and their housekeeper, Hannah Gruen. To the Drews, Hannah was a great deal more than a housekeeper. She'd become part of their family, and Nancy couldn't imagine life without her. Nancy's blue eyes, so much like her father's, sparkled as they met his. "Sounds as though Terry could use some help.""I was thinking the same thing," Mr. Drew said.George grinned. "I can see it now. Nancy could be a combination baby-sitter and detective.""Exactly," Carson agreed. "What do you think, Nan?"She didn't have to think about it at all. Although Nancy was only eighteen years old, she was an accomplished detective. She'd solved dozens of cases. The idea of helping Amy and figuring out who had been breaking into Terry Kirkland's house intrigued her. "Ask Terry when his next show is scheduled,"' she answered. "And tell him I'll be there.""Ahem," Mr. Drew said. "I hope you'll forgive me, but I already took the liberty of doing that.""And?" Nancy asked eagerly."He has three shows coming up next week," Carson replied. "They're all in northern California, so he'll only be gone a day or two at a time."That's the week before Joanne's wedding," Bess said. "She asked me if I wanted to fly out early. You know Joanne, she's doing everything herself and could use a few extra hands."'"I offered to help with the food,"" George said. "I figured I ought to put my catering experience to use.'" George had worked for a caterer when Nancy had solved the mystery of The Double Horror of Fenley Place. "But then we found out that most of Joanne's family will be staying with her, and there really wasn't room for us.""Terry's got a big, beautiful three-story house," Mr. Drew said thoughtfully. "Maybe what he really needs are three baby-sitter detectives."'Bess and George had often accompanied Nancy on her investigations. Bess wasn't quite as fearless as George, but their company always made solving mysteries more fun for Nancy."This is perfect!" Bess cried. "We'll go out early with Nancy. And while she works on the case, we'll work on the wedding."'"Actually, I think I'd rather work on the case, George said.Nancy held up one hand, laughing. "Let's check with Terry first and make sure he's willing to take in all three of us. If he is, I'm sure we'll all find plenty to do."'Four days later, on a Friday afternoon, Nancy stepped out of the San Francisco airport terminal and into the warm California sunshine. "I can't believe this is winter,"" she said to Bess and George. "It must be over seventy degrees out.""You're lucky. You've caught us during one of our February warm spells," Terry Kirkland said to the girls. He and his daughter, Amy, had met them at the gate. Terry was a tall, slim man in his late thirties. He had longish, slightly graying hair and a warm, easy going manner that made Nancy like him at once. "I hope you can get in a little sight-seeing while you're here," he said. "But if it's the city you want to see, I'm afraid it's going to be a drive. Cherry Creek, where we live, is a good hour and a half away.That didn't bother Nancy at all. She had been in San Francisco before on other cases. This time she was looking forward to being in the country."Actually, it's perfect," Bess said. "You live about half an hour away from our friend Joanne.""We really appreciate your letting us stay at your house," George said.Terry grinned. "I think it will work out for every one. I can't begin to tell you how glad I was when Carson called and told me he was sending the three of you."Me, too," Amy piped in. "Ever since our house keeper quit, Dad's been worried about me."Terry took his daughter's hand as they began walking through the parking lot. With her long, straight black hair, nine-year-old Amy resembled her Vietnamese mother."Lots of houses are broken into around here," Amy said matter-of-factly. "It's nothing to get scared about.""As you can tell, Amy is the calm one in the family," Terry said as he opened the side door of his van. "So I'm panicking for both of us."Terry loaded their suitcases into the back, and the three girls got into the backseat of the van. Amy insisted on sitting beside Nancy."How bad were the break-ins?" Nancy asked as Terry pulled out of the airport parking lot."In terms of what was taken, not bad at all," he answered. "The first time they took the stereo system and TV."Nancy nodded. "Electronics are the easiest items to fence.""I guess so,'" Terry agreed, "because the next time they came back and cleaned out my computer, the microwave, the answering machine, and Amy's portable cassette player. What's surprising is they didn't take any of the really valuable stuff -- my glasswork.""That would be much harder to resell," Nancy explained. "Someone might recognize your work. It sounds as if these were fairly typical robberies.""Not exactly,"' Terry said. "After the first break-in I had a very sophisticated alarm system installed. Who ever broke in the second time dismantled the alarm as easily as unplugging a lamp.""The thief must be a real pro," George observed.The three girls caught their breath as Terry drove onto the Golden Gate Bridge. Below them San Francisco Bay sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight. Directly across the bridge lay the low green mountains and windswept coast of the Marin Headlands."We live over there,"' Amy said, pointing to the west. "Our house is all the way on the other side of Mount Tamalpais, beyond Stinson Beach."Nancy glanced briefly at the beautiful coastline, but her mind was focused on the crime. "It sounds as if your thief was casing the house. The first time he, or she, broke in to see what you had that was worth stealing. Maybe there was only time to take the two obvious things, the TV and the stereo. The second time was the real robbery."'"Or maybe it was two different thieves," George suggested."Good point," Nancy said."I just hope they got what they wanted," Terry said as he turned onto a winding mountain road. "All that matters to me is that they don't come back.""Don't worry, Dad," Amy said confidently. "Nancy and I will get to the bottom of this."Terry gave his daughter a wry smile. "I hope you work quickly."Amy winked at Nancy. "No problem, Dad."'"I guess I've got a new partner, Nancy said, smiling at the girl. "I can always use another detective's help. There's only one condition. If things get dangerous, then you'll follow my instructions."Definitely!" Terry agreed.Amy rolled her eyes at her father, then grinned at Nancy and said, "It's a deal."More than an hour later Terry drove through the tiny town of Cherry Creek and into the steep green hills above it. The town itself was built along the Pacific Ocean. A row of shops led to a wide white beach edged with redwoods and scrub oak. Terry slowed the van as he turned off the paved road and onto a narrow dirt one, edged by a steep ravine."This is our driveway,"' Amy informed them. "You should see it when it rains -- Mud Hill."Nancy peered out the window curiously. There was no house in sight, just the rough dirt road, bordered by evergreens and eucalyptus trees. The van moved slowly up the hill."I'll probably be using the van while you're here," Terry said. "But you three can borrow my car. It's -- "His voice was cut off by a loud explosion. Amy cried out as the van swerved suddenly, teetered on the edge of the ravine, and then tilted to the left. Nancy braced herself against the seat in front of her as the van slid sideways down the ravine.; Title: Mystery of the Jade Tiger (Nancy Drew 104): Mystery of the Jade Tiger | [
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26,056 | 2 | An evening of ballet leads Nancy into a dance with danger! Madame Dugrand's Dance Academy is in rehearsal for The Nutcracker Ballet, and it could be a huge hit this year. Shana Edwards, a recent graduate who has made a big splash in New York, is returning to River Heights to star in the show. But the closer the dancers get to show time, the clearer it becomes that the stage is set for disaster. Someone is determined to bring the production down before the curtain goes up. Theft and arson threaten to darken the theater and doom the dance. But Nancy will have to conduct her investigation with extreme precision and agility. One false step, one wrong move, and The Nutcracker could come to a swift and bitter end.Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective and Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew series.; Title: The Nutcracker Ballet Mystery (Nancy Drew No. 110) (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories) | [
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26,057 | 1 | Jingle Bugs, Jingle Bugs, Jingle all the way. Here's a merry pop-up book to gladden Christmas Day.ENDDavid A. Carter is a master paper engineer and creator of the Bugs series, which has sold more than 6 million copies. Also the author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Color series, featuring One Red Dot, Blue 2, 600 Black Spots, Yellow Square, and White Noise, he lives in Auburn, California, with his wife and two daughters.; Title: Jingle Bugs | [
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26,058 | 1 | Atop a wall, a sleek, bright-eyed, black feline perches beside six stacked food dishes. Moore's appealing cover art is a droll prelude to her tale of Sid, a cagey, conniving cat with a voracious appetite. Sid resides in six homes simultaneously, where he relishes "being scratched in six different places . . . and sleeping in six different beds" and--most importantly--devouring six daily meals. Though they are neighbors, Sid's six owners do not talk to each other, so he gets away with this duplicitous lifestyle--until he develops a nasty cough, and is taken to the same vet six times. "When they discovered what he had been up to, Sid's owners said he had no business eating so many dinners." So Sid seeks out greener--more hospitable--feeding grounds. Moore's warm watercolors depict a cozy, hillside neighborhood peopled with distinctively quirky characters. Her witty text contains just enough wordplay ("as Bob he had a job") and gentle humor to appeal to parents and children alike. This tale of multiple mischief is as clever as the cat it features. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 1-- In Sid's neighborhood on Aristotle Street, the residents don't talk to one another. So it's simple for Sid, a six-dinner cat, to make six different people think he belongs to them. He works hard for his suppers, with six different names and six types of behavior. But when a cough precipitates six visits to the animal hospital, he is found out by the observant vet. His owners agree to make sure he receives only one meal a day, but since Sid is six-dinner cat, he just moves to Pythagoras Place where the neighbors do talk to one another and don't mind sharing dinner with him. Moore's large, colored pencil illustrations are realistic and fill the pages. She is especially strong in portraying individualized characters in the multiethnic neighborhood and the wonderful feline playfulness and insouciance of Sid. The text is rhythmic and the plot is one that children can follow and enjoy. Moore's text and lush illustrations work together to create a book that can be shared one-on-one or with a group. Readers will be happy to have this cat come back again and again. --Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WICopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Six-Dinner Sid | [
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26,059 | 0 | Grade 3-6-A handsome volume that is at once a poetical history of the U.S. and an appealing, topical anthology of poems and lyrics. Arranged chronologically by subject, (rather than date written), the over 75 selections reflect the diversity of the various groups that came to the North American shores and helped shape our nation. Hopkins divides the country's past into nine arbitrary eras and presents 5-10 selections as representative of each period or theme. He includes patriotic songs, speeches, and individual anthems by a veritable feast of American poets, such as Walt Whitman, Carl Sandburg, Langston Hughes, and Robert Frost. Well-known contemporary poets and a few new voices also appear. The last four sections-those devoted to this century-seem a bit sketchy compared with the coverage of the more distant past. Unlike the earlier selections, many of which are often found in traditional textbooks, the poems in the latter half of the book address issues and events that are not part of standard elementary curricula. Fiore's bold impressionistic oil paintings, in the form of expansive tableaus and cameo vignettes, provide vivid visuals to go along with the poetic imagery. Overall, this attractive package will be a boon to classrooms from sea to shining sea.Luann Toth, School Library JournalCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4-8. Because the format is open and uncrowded, readers may browse this collection with pleasure, note familiar voices such as Frost and Longfellow, and notice how many good pieces there are from Whitman, Hughes, and Sandburg. The text is divided into nine chronological sections, and double-page illustrations set the mood of different periods. These large illustrations are stronger than the greeting-card-like sketches that mingle with the poems. Selections from the earliest historical period are rather traditional, while those from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries show more diversity. Although putting Lincoln's Gettysburg Address into lines of poetry doesn't seem accurate and may confirm a child's sense that poetry is "fancy" while prose is "bare," doing so gives children one more chance to encounter a great piece of American writing. Mary Harris Veeder; Title: Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry | [
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26,060 | 0 | Willow, 13, copes with her sister's impending death through her visions of a past life. Ages 10-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Sisters Long Ago | [
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26,061 | 2 | Sixth grade is just out of this world...Susan Simmons can tell that her new substitute teacher is really weird. But she doesn't know how weird until she catches him peeling off his face -- and she realizes that "Mr. Smith" is really an alien!At first no one will believe her -- except Peter Thompson, the class brain. When Peter and Susan discover Mr. Smith's horrible plans for their classmates, they know they have to act fast. Only they can get rid of their extra-terrestrial visitor -- and save the rest of the sixth grade class from a fate worse than math tests!Bruce Coville Bruce Coville was born in Syracuse. He first became interested in writing when he was in the sixth grade, and decided to write children's books when he read Winnie the Pooh for the first time at the age of nineteen. (He might have read the book sooner, but he couldn't understand it until then.) Mr. Coville lives in New York City with a large, lazy cat named Spike. He has written more than three dozen books for children, including the best-selling My Teacher Is and Alien series.; Title: My Teacher Is an Alien | [
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26,062 | 7 | R.L. Stine invented the teen horror genre with Fear Street, the bestselling teen horror series of all time. He also changed the face of childrens publishing with the mega-successful Goosebumps series, which Guinness World Records cites as the Bestselling Childrens Books ever, and went on to become a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. He lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, and their dog, Nadine.; Title: The Dare (Fear Street, No. 21) | [
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26,063 | 14 | This heartfelt novel concerns Nick, who happens upon a kind of holiday miracle the Christmas after his younger brother dies of leukemia. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.When you're a big brother you don't cry, no matter how scared you are. And I'm scared. My little brother, Jimmy, is sick. All I want for Christmas is for him to get well.Santa seems to be listening when we get Buck, the best horse ever! I get spurs, and Jimmy gets a new cowboy hat, a real Stetson. He's so happy it almost makes us forget...untilJimmy's in the hospital again. I try to act big and strong. But I feel angry and sad, until the miracle happens...on an unforgettable Christmas day...; Title: The Christmas Spurs | [
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26,064 | 2 | She was an old horse, but she could still run like a champ. Grampa warned him to be careful with Beauty, but Luke didn't listen.He'd told her all about his hopes, dreams, and fears -- secrets Beauty would never reveal. She was his pal, who went skinny dipping with him in forbidden ponds and galloping after cattle in dangerous cowboy games he knew he shouldn't play. Until the night of the wild storm, when Beauty raced through the barn doors he'd forgotten to close into a terrible trap, and Luke ran into the blinding rain desperate to save the best friend he'd ever have...BILL WALLACE was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma where he later spent ten years as a principal and physical education teacher at the same elementary school he attended as a child. Bill still lives in Chickasha with his wife, son, four dogs, three cats, and two horses. The Wallace family spends much of their spare time outdoors fishing, and tending cattle on the family farm. Bill lectures at schools around the country, answers mail from his readers, and of course, works on his books. Bill is now a full-time author and his novels have been a great success -- they have won more than thirty state awards and have made the master lists in seventeen.; Title: Beauty: Beauty | [
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26,065 | 12 | This paper-over-board, Pull-the-Tab Language Book consists of five spreads featuring words describing things and people encountered on a farm, at a store, in a park, in a town and at home. In each case, a busy, full-page picture faces 20 spot illustrations of labeled objects found in the scene. When one pulls a tab, the English word for each object gives way to the Spanish word. Though the clever concept is helpful, the instructions--using the same wording on each spread--become needlessly repetitive: "See how many things there are in the picture that you can name in English and Spanish. Pull the tab to change languages." This aside, the volume offers a solid introduction to a second language for both English- and Spanish-speaking youngsters. A useful pronunciation guide (to the Spanish words only) is included. Ages 2-8. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-4-- A picture dictionary with an accessible, attractive format. Busy, watercolor paintings of familiar places such as a farm, a store, a park, a town, and a home are presented. On the facing pages, elements of the scene are isolated; beneath each, the name of the object, person, or animal is given in clear, large type. When one pulls the tab, the Spanish equivalents slide into sight. The illustrations are simple, clean, and bright. There are some errors in the Spanish. A picture of a police officer is labelled ``policemen,'' and the Spanish term given is `` el guardia '' instead of the more precise term, la policia. Refrigerator is translated as `` nevera '' (literally, an icehouse). The word for boy is given as ``el nino'' rather than el nino. The pronunciation guide is not accurate, giving phonetic spellings that result in slight mispronunciations. These are not major problems, and there is a use for the volume in ESL programs where native speakers could be shown the pictures with the Spanish words tabbed down and asked to supply English equivalents, most of which are more accurate. In a sense, the book supplies a charming set of flash cards. --Ann Welton, Thomas Academy, Kent, WACopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: My First 100 Words in Spanish/English (Spanish and English Edition) | [
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26,066 | 10 | Peter Thompson, a typical seventh-grader, finds himself touring the planet with his friends Susan Simmons and Duncan Dougal, and three aliens in disguise! Their mission? To file the final report that will determine Earth's future in the universe. As the clock ticks away the hours before their meeting in space, the tour becomes weirder and weirder. The three friends come face to face with a plague of poots and "Big Julie" - the weirdest alien yet! Meanwhile, Peter discovers a secret hidden for decades. Will his discovery save the Earth, or is it already too late to stop the aliens from destroying the planet?Bruce Coville Bruce Coville was born in Syracuse, New York. He grew up in a rural area, around the corner from his grandfather's dairy farm. Halloween was his favorite holiday, his school's official colors were orange and black, and as a teenager he made extra money by digging graves - all of which probably help explain why he writes the kind of books he does. he has published over three dozen of these weird stories, including the best-selling My Teacher Is An Alien series, Goblins In The Castle, and Aliens Ate My Homework.; Title: My Teacher Flunked the Planet | [
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26,067 | 14 | Richardson the lion, an ex-sailor, is paid a visit by his old captain, Quilty the pelican, 24 days before Christmas. The bird tells his former mate that a tremendous blizzard is coming, and Richardson uses his seafaring skills to determine that the storm will arrive on Christmas Eve. Fearful that Santa won't be able to get through the snow, Richardson enlists the help of a mouse friend named Tag and makes all the toys needed for Christmas. His heroism does not go unnoticed: the lion awakens Christmas morning at the North Pole and finds that Santa has a job to offer him. Less would probably have been more in this holiday book, as the tale includes too many insignificant characters and plot digressions, and the stylized illustrations are overcrowded with detail. Delamare's ( The Hawk's Tale ) anthropomorphized animals are a strange mix of human and beastly qualities; they all have five fingers and walk about on two legs, but their heads are animal-like (though the eyes are startlingly human). Still, the book has an old-fashioned feel, and it may appeal to lovers of sentimental Christmas stories. Ages 3-7. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Christmas Secret | [
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26,068 | 2 | Little ones may well envy the animals on Rockabye Farm--every night the farmer personally rocks each of them to sleep. First "the Farmer rocks his baby. When the baby goes to sleep, the Farmer rocks his dog. When the dog is snoring loudly, the Farmer rocks his hen." No animal is too large or too small to receive a loving send-off into a night of slumber; even the cow and the horse are lulled to sleep with the help of a tractor and wagon. Hamm's simple, rhythmic text is perfectly accompanied by Brown's reassuring illustrations. Humorous touches include the initially drowsy farmer growing more alert with the exertion of putting his animals to sleep, until he, too, finally requires his own good-night rocking. This collaboration celebrates the affection and trust between caretakers and their charges; its contagious contentment will surely soothe youngsters. But parents of sleep-resistant children, beware: this farmer's rare standard of indulgence may be hard to live up to. Ages 2-6. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-- As twilight, then night, settles on a farm, a farmer rocks his baby. Once the infant is asleep, he rocks first the dog, then the hen, and all the rest of the farmyard creatures, one by one. Finally, he sits down in a chair next to his bed and rocks himself. Children will delight in the progression of ever-larger beasts that the nurturing man tends. Hamm's rhythmic text has the animals ``dreaming well,'' ``snoring loudly,'' ``settled down,'' ``tucked in straw,'' etc. A refrain at the end of most sentences invites listeners' enthusiastic naming of the animals. The cartoonlike watercolor illustrations on each spread depict the chubby farmer and his goofy-looking, charming animals as he moves from house to barn on his nightly rounds. Although bright, the pictures are somewhat static with little change in perspective. Still, with its low-key humor and lullaby cadence, the book is as warm and reassuring as a hug. --Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WICopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Rock-A-Bye Farm | [
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26,069 | 2 | An intrepid feline, ratter extraordinaire, is thoroughly upset by his name--Mewkiss--until he discovers its origins. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Whoever heard of a name like Mewkiss! Ugh!How can a "Mewkiss" be brave? Why couldn't my Jessica call me "fearless" or "Ratkiller"? And why do I have to share a tub with a barky puppy named Barkus?Actually...its nice to have somebody to cuddle up to. My real problem is rats. Two scary rats in the storm cellar are plotting to attack Jessica! What's a kitten to do? How do I find the courage to protect the person I love?; Title: Totally Disgusting | [
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26,070 | 7 | Grade 1-3-Once again, Alistair saves the day-actually the planet-in another of his fantastic adventures. As the boy genius blasts off in his space ship in search of the most unusual plant life he can find, he spots an alien vessel heading toward Earth. He turns back, and is horrified to see the invaders put all the people in sight in suspended animation, while they, too, collect plant specimens. Intrigued by Alistair, the creatures invite themselves over to his house and closely study his every move. It isn't until the last page that readers discover the reason for their intense interest: when they remove their space helmuts, each alien is shown to be an exact clone of the boy wonder! Bollen's mixed-medium cartoons aptly extend Sadler's wacky plot with delightful effect. Interspersed with humor and zany situations throughout, Alien Invasion is sure to be another "Alistair" read-aloud hit. Claudia Cooper, Ft. Stockton Independent School District, TXCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4-8. When Alistair, a paragon of schoolboy virtue and the hero of several popular picture books, learns that aliens have landed on Earth, he reacts with dismay: "Alistair did not have time for an alien invasion. He was in the middle of a science project." True to form, he soon makes contact with the aliens and not only satisfies their curiosity about earthlings, but also obtains a rare plant that enables him to finish his assignment on time. From the image of Alistair ironing his shoelaces to the sign reading "School closed due to alien invasion," children will revel in the deadpan humor that pervades both the story and the colorful, cartoonlike illustrations. In an age when the predictable abounds, the publication of a droll picture book with a genuine surprise ending is cause enough for celebration in the peanut gallery. Carolyn Phelan; Title: Alistair and the Alien Invasion | [
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26,071 | 7 | Describes the secret activities of the Caretakers of Wonder, who perform such magical tasks as putting up new stars, keeping the night buttoned up against the cold, and mending old clouds, all while we sleep.; Title: Caretakers of Wonder | [
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26,072 | 6 | Jack Maguire author of Creative Storytelling and What Does Childhood Taste Like? conducts storytelling programs and workshops in the New York City area.Chapter OneIndoor Games for Sunny Days and Rainy DaysAction SpellingWHERE TO PLAYIndoors or outdoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMEFor players to spell words correctly, substituting motions for some lettersThis is a more playful version of the traditional game Spelling Bee.Before the game, the players should select one player to act as the spelling master and then agree on a set of motions that will replace certain letters of the alphabet. A could be a jumping jack, L a handclap, and T a kick.The number of substitutions made for letters should depend upon the age level of the players. To make the game simpler for younger children, the gestures and letters can correspond: a jumping jack for J, a kick for K and so on.The game begins when the spelling master gives the first player a word to spell. That player must correctly spell the word, using the appropriate motions for the letters indicated. A player spelling pilot would say "P-I, then clap hands for L, say "O," and then kick to represent T if a clap signified L and a kick T.The next player spells a word given by the spelling master, substituting gestures for letters as needed.Action Spelling can be played for points or as an elimination game.VARIATIONAnother way to play Action Spelling is to substitute certain motions for vowels and consonants. For example, a hop on one foot could represent a vowel, while a jumping jack might signify a consonant.Aesop's MissionWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo discover the letter that "Aesop" has forbidden before being eliminated from the gameOne player is designated as "Aesop," and the other players are the "animals" of Aesop's fables. Aesop must secretly choose one letter that must be avoided by the players.Play begins when Aesop asks the first player a question that can require only a one-word answer. A crafty Aesop will try to ask a question that is likely to be answered with a word containing the forbidden letter.For example, if the forbidden letter is s, Aesop might ask, "Which is your favorite season of the year?" hoping the player will respond with "summer" or "spring."If the player responds to Aesop's question with a word containing the prohibited letter, he or she loses one life. The next player is given a chance to guess the forbidden letter before being asked a question.After losing three lives, a player is dropped from the game. The players try to discover the taboo letter before using up all three lives. The player who guesses the forbidden letter first becomes the next Aesop.AnimalsWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 3EQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo win another player's cards by calling out his or her animal noise before that player calls yoursShuffle and deal the cards facedown around the table. Next, each player should choose an animal to imitate. When everyone has a different animal, go around the circle a couple of times to practice the appropriate noises.One player might meow like a cat, another bark like a dog, another hiss like a snake, or moo like a cow, and so forth. All players should try to remember the animals chosen by the others as well as their own.Play begins at the dealer's left. Everyone around the table discards one card faceup (in sequential order), forming separate discard piles for each player.When one player lays down a card that is of equal value to another card in someone else's discard pile (two Jacks, for instance), those players with the matching cards try to call out the animal noise of the other.For example, if the "cow" lays clown a 6 that matches the 6 on the pile of the "cat," he or she tries to meow before the "cat" moos. The first of the two players to make the right sound is awarded the discard pile of the other player.A player who makes a wrong noise, or calls out a noise at the wrong time, must pay the penalty of the top card from his or her discard pile or hand, if there is no discard pile.The game is continued by the loser of each round, who lays down a new card.Any player to lose all of his or her cards is eliminated from the game. The player to collect all the cards is the winner.Playing until final elimination is recommended only for patient players. It might be a better idea to keep track of a predetermined number of rounds and designate the winner as the player with the greatest number of cards at the completion of all the rounds.Art ConsequencesWHERE TO PLAYSeated at a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA few sheets of paper and pencilsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo draw an imaginary, figure and create an amusing work of art through group effortIf numbers permit, the players should be divided into groups of three or four. The first player in each group begins by drawing the head and neck of a real or imaginary figure on the top one-third of the paper. When done, he or she folds the paper back so that nothing can be seen of the drawing except a few lines that will allow the next player to continue the figure.The next player then draws in the shoulders and part of the arms and torso. When done, he or she folds the paper back again so only a bit of the bottom section of the drawing is visible -- enough to allow the next player to take up the drawing.The drawing is passed along and finished by the final player, who then unfolds the paper to reveal the entire figure.When there are two or more groups of "artists" there can be a competition for the best creation: silliest, scariest, most true to life, etc.Surrealist artists of the 1930s called this game The Exquisite Corpse and used it to create a number of serious works of art.AssassinWHERE TO PLAYSeated in a circle on the floor or around a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS6 or moreEQUIPMENTPencil or pen and scraps of paperOBJECT OF THE GAMEFor the "assassin" to eliminate all the other players from the game by winking at them, while avoiding being caughtCut up or tear off a small piece of paper for each player. Mark one of these sheets with an X, fold, shuffle, and distribute them among the players. The players should open them secretly. The player whose paper is marked X will be the assassin.After all the papers have been checked, the players form a circle around a table or seat themselves on the floor. Players examine the faces of the others around the circle, trying to discover who the assassin is. When the assassin winks at another player, that player must say, "I've been hit" and must drop out of the game.If a player catches the assassin in the act of winking, the game is over, and the sharp-eyed player is the winner. But if the assassin succeeds in winking at all the players (except the last, who, by process of elimination, will soon learn who the assassin is), he or she is declared the winner.BangoWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 3EQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to match your hand to the card values called by the dealerThis game is a very simplified version of Bingo, well suited for children under eight.One player shuffles the deck and deals five cards to each player at the table. The players place their cards faceup in front of them.The dealer then turns over one card at a time from the pile of remaining cards and calls out its value. Any player with a card of matching value can turn that card facedown.The first player who can turn all five cards facedown shouts, "Bango!" in order to win the round.Keep track of the number of rounds won by each player if you want to declare a grand winner at the end of the game.BattleshipWHERE TO PLAYBest played at a table, but can be played as a travel game if the ride is steadyNUMBER OF PLAYERS2, or 4 if you want to play with partnersEQUIPMENTPaper and pencil for each player or team. Graph paper makes playing easier, but it is not essential.OBJECT OF THE GAMETo sink your opponent's battleships by making successful "hits" on a gridTo prepare for the game, two grids, which represent naval battlefields, need to be drawn on each player's sheet. Each grid should have 10 blocks down and 10 blocks across for a total of 100 blocks. The blocks need not be very big -- a quarter of an inch is large enough.Across the top row of each grid, number the blocks 1 through 10. Down the left edge of the grids, letter the blocks A through J. Label one grid for the player and the other for the enemy.Players then must place battleships on the grid for their respective "sides" by drawing lines through consecutive blocks to indicate their ships' positions. Each player has four ships: an aircraft carrier of four blocks, a cruiser of three blocks, and two destroyers of two blocks apiece.Players mark their battleships on their grids without letting the enemy see their positions. The blocks must be located on a straight line: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. A battleship may not be split up.When the grids are drawn and the battleships are in place, the players should determine who fires first. The player chosen to begin gets eleven shots to try to bit the other player's battleships.That player calls out blocks of the grid according to letter and number: B-10, F-6, and so on, until he or she has used up eleven shots. As the firing player calls out the shots, the defensive player should mark them on his or her own grid with a number 1 to represent shots fired in the first round. The firing player should likewise keep track of his shots fired by marking with 1 the blocks at which shots were fired on his second grid for the enemy.Then, after all eleven shots have been fired, the defensive player calls out the location of each shot and whether each was a "hit" (if it is one of the blocks on which a battleship is marked) or a "miss" (if it is an empty block). Players should circle the blocks that represent "hits" in order to distinguish them from "misses."When the first player is done firing, the second player gets the chance to fire eleven shots and is told whether they are "hits" or "misses."The second round begins with a new group of shots. This time the player is allowed eleven shots minus the number of "hits" that player scored in the previous round. If three "hits" were made in the first round, that player is given eight shots to fire in the second round. Shots are indicated by the number representing that round: Use 1 for shots fired in the first round, 2 for shots fired in the second round, and so on.Since the object of the game is to sink the other players' ships, shots in rounds following the first should be called in the vicinity of the hits previously made. In order to constitute a sinking ship, all the blocks on which a ship is located must be struck.Play continues until one player succeeds in sinking all the other's battleships. A player must announce the fact when one of his or her battleships is sunk.VARIATIONTo make the game more challenging, players do not have to reveal that ships have sunk until all have been sunk, thereby providing no clues as to the type of boat or number of blocks to be hit. (Battleship was also known humorously as Swiss Navy before it became popularized as a manufactured game.)BeetleWHERE TO PLAYAt a table or on the floorNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 to 6EQUIPMENTOne die; pencil and paper for each playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first player to complete the drawing of a "beetle" after throwing the correct sequence of numbersDetermine the order of play by rolling the die. The highest roller begins the game.The first player rolls the dice, trying to throw a 1. Each player gets one roll per turn. The numbers must be earned in order from 1 through 5.When a player throws a 1, he or she begins a beetle by drawing its body. A 2 is needed next before drawing the head. A 3 is then required to add three legs on one side of the body, and, on the next turn, another 3 is needed to add the three remaining legs.Players who roll a 4 can add one feeler, and a second 4 gets the other feeler. A 5 allows the player to draw one eye, and the first player to throw a second 5 and add the other eye may complete his or her beetle to win the game.Beggar My NeighborWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 to 4EQUIPMENTA deck of playing cards for every 2 playersOBJECT OF THE GAMETo win all the cards from your opponent -- through chance more than skillShuffle the cards and deal out all of them into piles for each player.The player at the dealer's left begins the game by laying down the first card from the top of his or her pile into a center pile, faceup.If it is anything but a picture or an Ace, the next player follows by turning over one of his or her cards. If, however, it is a face card or an Ace, a penalty must be paid by the next player. One card must be paid for a Jack, two for a Queen, three for a King, and four for an Ace.The player paying lays out the penalty cards one at a time. If none of them is a face card or an Ace, the first player may keep all of the cards in the pile. But, if another face card or Ace turns up, the original debt is cancelled, and the first player must now pay the appropriate number of cards to the second player.Players keep exchanging debt penalties until no more face cards or Aces are turned up. The game then continues with the next player.Eventually, players will run out of cards and will be eliminated from the game. The player who collects all the cards wins.BingoWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTPaper and pencils; a container for the numbers (a hat, a box, or an envelope are all suitable); a large number of markers (coins, buttons, dried beans, etc.)OBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to fill in a row of 5 numbers -- horizontally, vertically, or diagonallyMaking the cards to play Bingo takes only a few minutes, while the fun lasts much longer.First, cut a sheet of paper into 100 small squares and number them 1 through 100. Place these numbers in a container. A box, a hat, or an envelope are all easy to use.Each player can make up his or her own game card with a sheet of paper and pencil. Draw a diagram consisting of twenty-five one-inch-square boxes, five across and five down. Fill in the first horizontal line with any five numbers from 1 to 20, in numerical order (for ease in finding them while the game is played). The second line should be any five numbers from 21 to 40, the third any five from 41 to 60, the fourth any five from 61 to 80, and the bottom row any five from 81 to 100.The players should also be given a handful of markers (small enough to fit within the size of the squares), with more available in the center if needed.One player serves as the caller for the first game. The caller mixes up the numbers and then draws them one at a time. When the caller announces a number, the players check their boards. If they have written that number on their board, they may place a marker on that space.The caller continues picking numbers until one player has filled in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line of five markers. The first player to do so calls, "Bingo" and wins the game.For a longer game, try to fill up the entire card. Players can also pass their cards around for variety. Make sure everyone who wants a chance to be the caller has one.VARIATIONFor an even more simplified version, which is great fun to play while traveling, each player needs a sheet of paper and pencil. On the paper, each player draws a small diagram and fills in the numbers on his or her own.The designated caller should not look at the numbers on the players' cards and should call out numbers at random. Players who have these numbers on their cards blacken out the appropriate squares with pencil, while the caller records all the numbers to avoid repeats. The caller should continue calling out numbers until a player fills a row and calls, "Bingo!"(Bingo is said to have been invented by a nobleman in Italy, where it is known as "La Tombola." In the age of luxury liners, it was a very popular type of shipboard entertainment known as Housey-Housey.)BotticelliWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere; also a good travel gameNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 3EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo ask questions that will lead you to discover the identity of a famous person chosen by one of the playersOne player selects the identity of a famous person familiar to all the players and informs the other players of the initial of that person's last name.The other players try to determine the secret identity by asking questions phrased so that the chooser must identify other people with the same initial.For example, if the initial is M, the first question might be, "Are you an Italian artist of the Renaissance?" The chooser must answer with the name of some Italian Renaissance artist whose name begins with M or answer a forfeit question.If the chooser can answer, "No, I am not Michelangelo," then the next player asks a question. However, if the asker stumps the chooser, then he or she has a chance to request more specific information: "Are you male ("No, I am not male") or "Are you alive?" ("No, I am not alive"), for instance. The questions can only be answered by a yes or no.The chooser continues answering questions: "Are you a Hollywood bombshell?" ("No, I am not Marilyn Monroe"); "Are you in the Baseball Hall of Fame?" ("No, I am not Willie Mays"); and so on, until someone guesses the secret identity.Of course, players will try to ask more obscure questions in order to stump the choosers and, thus, gain clues.The first player to guess the identity may choose the individual for the next round.BoxesWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 at a timeEQUIPMENTPaper and pencilOBJECT OF THE GAMETo connect the dots on a grid to make more boxes than your opponentSet up the game by drawing a square grid made up of dots. Four dots on each side is a good size to begin with.Choose one player to go first. This player draws a line between any two dots horizontally or vertically. The second player then draws a line connecting two more dots.Eventually, one of the players will be able to form a box. That player puts his or her initial in the box and is given another turn. He or she may continue adding lines as long as each line forms a new box. If a new box can't be made, the game resumes with the other player taking a turn.The player with the most boxes when all the dots are connected is declared the winner.More experienced players will realize how to draw lines strategically to enhance the fun.BuzzWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo count to 100 while substituting the word buzz for the number 7 or its multiples without making any mistakesPlayers count off to 100 in sequential fashion, replacing 7 and its multiples with buzz. For example, players would count out 1 to 14 as follows: "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, buzz, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, buzz."When only a few players are involved, there need not be competition, but if a larger group participates, players can be eliminated after two mistakes.VARIATIONA more difficult version of this game is called Fizz Buzz. In this variation, in addition to replacing 7 and its multiples with buzz, the word fizz is substituted for the number 5 and its multiples. Some people also like to substitute for double digits of the same number, for example, "1, 2, 3, 4, fizz, 6, buzz, 8, 9, fizz, buzz, 12, 13, buzz."Cat's CradleWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS1 or 2 at a timeEQUIPMENTStringOBJECT OF THE GAMETo form shapes by playing with pieces of stringGames with string, like Cat's Cradle, are one of the oldest forms of play -- prehistoric children probably created similar shapes from cords of gut. The names given to the game, from Crow's Feet to Barn Doors, reflect what different cultures see in the shapes formed by the string.There are many ways in which to manipulate a piece of string to form amusing shapes, which are explained in books dedicated to string games. These are a few basic examples.Needed for any Cat's Cradle game is a piece of string, about two feet long, with the ends tightly knotted together to form a single loop.The simplest Cat's Cradle can be formed by a single player. To begin, hook the loop over the left thumb, draw it across the palm, and hook it again behind the pinky. Repeat this with the right hand so that the loop is stretched between the two hands.Slide the right index finger under the line of string that stretches horizontally across the left palm and pull it back to the right, making the string taut. Repeat with the left index finger, pulling the string taut again.This is the basic cradle shape. Turn the hands upside down and it becomes a manger. In some parts of the world, cradle and manger games are associated with the Christmas season.Witch's Broom and Banana Bunch are two sequential shapes that can also be formed by one player. To begin, start in the same manner as the cradle: hook the loop over the left thumb, draw it across the palm, and hook it again behind the pinky.This time, instead of repeating with the right hand, let the rest of the loop hang down. Then, take the right index finger, hook it over the line of string that stretches horizontally across the left palm, and pull down, making the string taught. What was originally the bottom of the loop now forms another line across the palm.Repeat this one more time, so that there are now two smaller loops around the thumb and the pinky. Place the right hand inside the larger loop and open the fingers so this loop lies between the thumb and index finger.Hook the right thumb into the loop around the left thumb, and the right pinky into the loop around the left pinky. Touch the right thumb and right index finger together and draw the string back through the large loop.Hold the two loops out from the right hand. If you touch the right thumb and right index finger again, it will look as if there are three columns.Insert the three middle fingers of the left hand in between these strings, one in each column. Drop the loops behind the left hand.Turn the left hand so the palm faces up. Pull the middle loop straight up and hold it out. This shape is called the Witch's Broom.Now, carefully pull the left-hand fingers out of the loops and hold them up with the right hand. There will be four loops hanging from one loop -- a bunch of bananas, or in some areas, yams.Ask someone to pick a banana. That person pulls one banana loop down, but it's a trick bunch -- the loops will straighten out and all the bananas will disappear!Cat's Cradle for two differs slightly from the game for one.The first player wraps the loop in a small loop around one palm (except for the thumb) and then the other. Next, he or she slides the middle finger of the right hand under the string across the left palm, drawing it back.Repeat on the other side: slip the middle finger of the left hand under the string across the right palm and pull it back. This is the Cat's Cradle.The second player joins at this point by taking the string off the first player's hands. The second player takes hold of the X on one side of the cradle between the left thumb and forefinger, and then the other X between the right thumb and forefinger.He or she then pulls outward and down, bringing the Xs through into the center section of the loop, pulling the string carefully off the fingers of the first player. The shape formed is called the Soldier's BedThe first player takes hold of the Xs, which are now located in the center of the loop, in the same manner, between the thumb and forefinger of each hand, and moves them out, under, and up, pulling them off the second player's hands. The resulting form is called Candles.To remove Candles from the first player's hands, the second player takes hold of the left string with the right pinky, drawing it back to the right, and then the right string with the left pinky, pulling it back to the left. Holding the string firmly with the pinkies, the second player scoops his or her hands out and under again, bringing them up through the center of the loop. The second player spreads the thumb and index finger on each hand to catch the string and pull it off the first player's hands. The result is a new Cat's Cradle.CategoriesWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 or moreEQUIPMENTPencil and paper for each playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo think of the greatest number of items belonging to a chosen category, within a given time limitFrom among the group of players, a list of about twenty categories should be drawn up. Players can divide up the number of categories to be chosen: if there are five players, each may select four categories.Each player writes the names of all the categories at the top of his or her paper. To begin, one player chooses a letter of the alphabet at random. (A different player begins the next round by selecting a new letter.)The players have a given amount of time -- usually five or ten minutes, depending on their abilities -- to write down as many words as possible that start with the chosen letter and correspond to each of the categories. For example, if the letter N is chosen and one of the categories happens to be States, correct answers would include Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and North Dakota.At the end of the time limit, players should trade lists for scoring. All the answers are read aloud. For each correct answer a player receives 1 point. An answer that no one else has thought of receives 2 points.For another round, a different letter can be picked, and you can either keep or change the categories.The player with the most points after a predetermined number of rounds is the winner.VARIATIONA less complicated version of this game is First Names First, in which the only category is first names. Instead of randomly choosing a letter of the alphabet, a first name is selected. Players must think of more names that begin with each of the letters in the given name. For example, if Pam is suggested, other correct answers would be Patricia, Anne, and Mary.PPatriciaPaulaPennyAAnneAliceAlisonMMaryMichelleMargaretCharadesWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS6 or moreEQUIPMENTPaper and pencils; watch or clock with a second handOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess, in the shortest time possible, the famous phrase or sentence being acted out by your team membersTwo teams are formed; one will start as the actors and the other as the audience.Each member of the audience writes down a famous saying or title on a slip of paper. The phrase should be known to all and should be relatively short, something like Gone with the Wind or The early bird gets the worm.The phrases are shuffled and then distributed to the actors, one to each player.One at a time, the actors attempt to convey the phrase to their teammates through pantomime and a series of gestures that are used to clarify the pantomime:* Arms crossed over the chest means that the actor will try to mime the entire phrase at once.* A chopping motion signifies that the phrase will be chopped into words or syllables. The actor will then hold up one or more fingers to indicate which word or syllable he or she is trying to act out at that moment. By holding up two fingers and then making a fist, the actor denotes that the next two words or syllables should be joined together.* A hand cupped around the ear means the word "Sounds like..." and indicates a rhyme word that is somewhat easier to act out.* A beckoning motion means that the teammates are getting close to the right answer. If they are far off the track, the actor makes a pushing gesture.* Looking forward signals future tense, and looking backward means past tense.As the actor pantomimes, his or her teammates call out their guesses, trying to come up with the correct answer as quickly as possible. Someone in the audience should time the guesses and write the total time down when the answer is discovered.After all the members of the actors' team have had a chance to get their messages across, they exchange roles with the audience team.The team that has amassed the least total guessing time wins the game.CheatWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo get rid of all your cards by bluffing successfullyShuffle the deck and deal it out to the players. The player on the dealer's left initiates the game by laying any card from his or her hand facedown in the center of the table, calling out its value at the same time.The next player aims to follow the last card laid down with the card of the next higher value. If the first card is a 7, for example, the next player wants to put down an 8. This player places the next card facedown without letting anyone see its value and calls out "Eight," regardless of whether it actually is an 8.It is now up to the rest of the players to decide if indeed an 8 was laid down. If no one wishes to challenge the player, the game continues with the next person, who lays down a card, claiming, "Nine."If, however, any player believes that something other than the proper card was laid down, he or she calls, "Cheat!" The card is then turned over to see its actual value.If it is the right card for the sequence (in this case, an 8), the player who made the challenge must add all the cards in the center pile to his or her hand. But if it is not the card it was claimed to be, the player who laid it down has to take all the center cards.When the game gets heated, disputes may arise as to which player called out "Cheat!" first. A referee can be designated to resolve disputes, or a default system can be used. For example, in case of a dispute, the player nearest to the left of the challenged player will be considered the challenger.After each round, the game is restarted by the player to the left of the challenged player, who lays down a card in the center and calls out its value, as in the beginning of the game.The first person to discard all of his or her cards is the winner.VARIATIONA variation of Cheat is called I Doubt It. The rules are basically the same, except that players may claim to have up to four cards to lay down in each round, calling out the values for all of them. For example, if the last card was said to be a 9, the next player can claim to be discarding two 10s, when in fact he or she only has one 10.If players are not convinced that an opponent has the cards he or she claims to have, instead of calling, "Cheat!" players yell, "I doubt it!"Clockwise DiceWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENT2 dice; paper and pencil for scorekeeping (optional)OBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first player to roll the numbers 1 through 12 in correct sequenceRoll one die to determine the order of play: the high roller goes first. Play continues in a circle from the first player's left or in descending numerical order.The first player rolls both dice in an attempt to come up with a 1. If one of the dice is a 1, he or she has completed the first number in the sequence. If not, he or she must try again for a 1 on the next turn.Players have one throw per round in which to try for the appropriate number. After one roll, the game continues with the next player.For numbers 2 through 6, both dice may be counted in order to earn the needed number. For example, a player trying for 6 may get it in any of these ways: one 6, two 3s, a 4 and a 2, or a 5 and a 1.It is also permissible to score two numbers in sequence in one throw of the dice. If a player is trying for 2, for example, and rolls 2 and 3, both may be counted as part of the sequence, and he or she will next need a 4.Numbers 7 through 12 are scored by adding the spots on both the dice thrown.The first player to throw numbers 1 through 12 wins the game.(The game of Dice was played in ancient Greece. According to one story, dice were invented by Palamedes in order to keep his soldiers occupied during the siege of Troy. In another story, they were created by a king of Asia Minor to keep the minds of his people off their hunger during a terrible famine.)CoffeepotWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMEFor "It" to guess the verb known to all the other players by asking questionsOne player is chosen to be "It." A second player chooses a verb and whispers it to the remaining players.When they all know the selected verb, "It" asks a question of each of the players in order to discover the word, substituting "coffeepot" for the unknown verb in the questions.Take, for example, "ski" as the designated word. In attempting to guess the word, "It" might ask: "Do you 'coffeepot' indoors?" The player would reply "No." "It" might then ask: "Do you 'coffeepot' during the summer?" and so on, until the correct verb is revealed.A time limit of two or three minutes to discover the word can be set.The last player to give an answer before the word is guessed must be "It" for the next round.Colin Maillard(pronounced "My-yard")WHERE TO PLAYIndoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS8 or moreEQUIPMENTChairs for all players but 2; a scarf or rag to serve as a blindfoldOBJECT OF THE GAMEFor "Colin Maillard" to guess the identity of the person on whose lap he or she sitsBefore the game begins, one player is chosen to be "Colin Maillard" and another to be the conductor. The rest of the players sit in the chairs, which have been arranged in a small circle facing inward.The conductor blindfolds Colin Maillard, who stands in the center of the circle. After he or she has been blindfolded, the other players quickly change places so that Colin will no longer know the seating arrangement.When the players have all settled into new seats, the conductor announces that they are ready, and Colin Maillard may choose to join one of them. Colin should begin to move toward someone, aided by verbal directions from the conductor and a helping hand if necessary. Upon reaching a player, Colin turns around and sits on that player's knees.Colin has one guess as to the identity, of the player. If the guess is correct, Colin and that player trade places. (The conductor should also exchange spots with another player so that all may get to join in the game.)If Colin guesses incorrectly, the other players indicate the mistake by clapping. At this point, Colin must move on to another player and continue guessing until successful. If Colin seems to be in danger of never making a correct identification, the conductor may give hints to speed up the game.(Colin Maillard was a celebrated soldier from Belgium. Though blinded, he was still successful in battle and was knighted in the year 999. The king admired his talents so much that he initiated a pageant game that featured a blindfolded knight, from which this version of Blindman's Buff has descended.)ConcentrationWHERE TO PLAYAt a table or on the floorNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo gain the greatest number of cards by remembering their locations after they have been turned facedownShuffle the cards and lay them facedown one next to another on the table or floor in an orderly fashion -- perhaps thirteen rows by four rows if you really want to be neat.The game begins when the first player turns over any two cards, in hopes of uncovering a matching pair. If they are of equal value (two Queens or two 7s, for example), the player may pick them up and keep them, and guess again.Cards that don't match must be returned to a facedown position, and it is then the next player's turn. (Before the cards are turned down again, players must call upon all their powers of concentration -- hence the name of the game -- to fix their locations, which will aid in future guesses.)The next player flips over two more cards, keeping them if they are a matched pair and turning them back over if they are not. The game grows easier as more and more cards are revealed and removed.When all the cards have been collected, the player with the greatest number of pairs is the winner.For younger children, the game can be simplified by limiting the number of pairs available. Separate out ten or so pairs and lay them out, setting aside the remainder.Concentration was known as Pelmanism (perhaps after the Pelman memory course) until the popular TV show brought the game into households across the country. The TV version was more complex: correct guesses revealed parts of a rebus beneath the board which also had to be solved.Cootie CatcherWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTA sheet of paper for each player; scissors; something to write withOBJECT OF THE GAMETo make a "Cootie catcher" and use it to tell fortunes or make jokesBegin with a square piece of paper for each player. A nine-by-nine-inch square works well.Fold each corner over to the opposite corner to make two creases in the square. After making the creases, open the paper flat again.Next, fold all four corners into the center. This will form a smaller square.Flip the square over and fold all the comers into the center again, forming an even smaller square.Flip it back over one more time, and slip one finger into each flap, pressing the center creases in together so that all four fingers bring the flaps to a point in the center.Number the eight inside flaps, and write fortunes or jokes beneath them.Have one player choose a number between 1 and 10. Open and close the flaps of the Cootie Catcher the corresponding number of times. The player should then choose among one of the four numbers displayed on the inside. Open out the flap for the chosen number and read the fortune inside.VARIATIONCootie Catcher is also known as Fortune Teller. In this variation, players label the four outer flaps of the Cootie Catcher with colors. On the inside flaps, they inscribe eight different numbers. And, underneath the flaps, they write eight fortunes -- anything from You will marry Billy to You will be an astronaut.To play with the Cootie Catcher, the fortune teller asks someone to choose one, of the four colors. If he or she picks green, for instance, the fortune teller opens and closes the Cootie Catcher five times (determined by the number of letters in the color chosen) while chanting, "G-R-E-E-N." The fortune teller stops on "N" and leaves the Cootie Catcher open to reveal four numbers inside.The player must then select a number. While it seems logical to inscribe fairly small numbers here, there's an ingenious rhyme that allows the fortune teller to use any number imaginable. If the player selects 108, for example, the fortune teller chants, "One, two, skip a few, now it's 108" while opening and shutting the Cootie Catcher 8 times, rather than 108 times.The player then picks one more number. The corresponding flap is lifted to reveal the fortune underneath.CramboWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 6EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF GAMETo guess the word that rhymes with the word given by one of the playersOne player is selected to begin the game and choose a word for the other players to guess. He or she says, "I am thinking of a word that rhymes with --. "If the targeted word is heart, for example, the player might say "I am thinking of a word that rhymes with cart."The rest of the players attempt to discover the mystery word by taking turns asking questions in which they define words that rhyme with the word given. For example, if asked, "Is it something you create?" the player would answer, "No, it is not art." "Is it something sour?" "No, it is not art," and so forth.If the player who is "It" is unable to respond to the question with an appropriate rhyming word, the questioner can reveal the desired response and is given the opportunity to ask a second question. If "It" is stumped a second time, the questioner reveals once again the desired response, but this time play moves on to the next questioner in line.The first player to guess the correct word gets to choose a word for the next round.Crazy EightsWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to get rid of all your cardsShuffle the cards and deal seven to each player. Place the remaining cards in a pile in the center of the table. Players examine their cards and sort them by suit, keeping them hidden from their opponents.The player at the dealer's left initiates the game by laying one card faceup in the center of the table. The next player must follow with a card of the same suit -- a club on a club, for example. If a player doesn't have a card with the same suit or wishes to change the suit, then a card of the same value may be laid down, for example, a 6 on a 6, which then changes the suit to the face card.Eights are "wild," meaning that they can be played at any time. The player putting down an 8, is allowed to choose a suit for the next player to follow.When a player is unable to follow with a card of the same suit or rank, or an 8, he or she must draw a card from the center pile. If the card can be played, it is laid down. If not, the player must continue drawing cards until he or she gets one that can be played.If a player picks up all the cards in the center pile without finding an appropriate card, he or she calls, "Pass," and the game continues with the next player.The first player to discard all of his or her cards is the winner.Crazy, Eights can be scored with points if you wish to play a longer game: When one player has gotten rid of all of his or her cards, the other players must tally up the points of the cards remaining in their hands. An 8 is worth 50 points; Jack, Queen, and King are worth 10 points each; Aces are worth 1 point; and the other cards are scored according to their numbers. The player with the lowest score after a predetermined number of rounds wins the game.CrosswordsWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 2EQUIPMENTPencil and paper for each playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo score points by forming words in a crossword diagramBefore beginning, each player draws a crossword diagram (consisting of five boxes across and five down) on a sheet of paper.The player chosen to go first calls out a letter at random. Each player must place that letter in a square on his or her diagram.The next player chooses another letter, which all must place in their diagrams, keeping in mind that they are trying to form as many words as possible.The players continue selecting letters until all the squares have been filled. When the diagrams are complete, players add up their scores as follows: Horizontal and vertical words score 1 point for each letter. A five-letter word scores a bonus point. Two words may be formed in one line (D-O-C-A-T would score 5 points as do and cat), but a word that can be split into two separate words (like canon -- can and on) may only be scored once. Remember, however, that if it is a five-letter word, you get a bonus point.The player with the highest score wins.DonkeyWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cards; pencil and paper for scorekeepingOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to get 4 cards of equal value and to avoid becoming the "donkey"One player should be designated the scorekeeper.In preparation for the game, the dealer should construct a new deck of cards by pulling sets of four-of-a-kind, the number of sets determined by the number of players. For example, if there are three players, the dealer could pull out 3 sets of four-of-a-kind, the 4s, 8s, and kings for example. Set aside the remaining cards -- they will not be used.Shuffle and deal these cards to the players. Each player looks at his or her hand, keeping it secret. Since the object of the game is to get four cards of equal value, each player should examine the hand and choose one to discard. If a player has two Kings, a 4, and an 8, the 4 or 8 should be discarded.Each player places the discarded card facedown on the table. When all have done so, each player should pass the discarded card to the person at his or her left.Each player then picks up the new card and compares it with his or her hand to see if it will be of use. If it will, then it is added to the hand and another card is discarded. If not, it is placed back down on the table.The passing of cards should proceed as rapidly as possible; one player will soon have obtained four matching cards. This player quickly places the entire hand on the table and places a finger next to his or her nose.When the other players notice that the cards have been put down and that another player has given the nose signal, they must hurry, to put their fingers next to their noses also.The last player to imitate the nose signal is designated the "donkey" of that round and is assigned a D. The scorekeeper should keep track of the letters as they are given out.After a player has lost six rounds and has been assigned D-O-N-K-E-Y, he or she is the loser.VARIATIONAnother version of Donkey is called Spoons. It is played in the same manner except that a bunch of spoons (or any objects that are safe and easy to grasp), numbering one fewer than the number of players, is placed in the center of the table.When a player collects four cards of the same value, instead of using a nose signal, he or she grabs for a spoon. The other players quickly grab the remaining spoons. The player left without a spoon in each round is assigned a letter: S-P-O-O-N-S.The player staying in the game without spelling SPOONS is the winner.Drawing in the DarkWHERE TO PLAYIndoors after sunset or in a room that can easily be darkenedNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTPencil and paper for each playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo draw a picture according to a story told by one of the other players, without being able to see the paperAn adult or older child should serve as the storyteller. Give a sheet of paper and a pencil to each of the players. When everyone is prepared, turn the lights out and darken the room.The storyteller must invent a short tale which will be illustrated by the other players. The story doesn't have to be very elaborate, but it should include a number of different figures and objects which will be drawn by the other players.For example, the storyteller may begin, "Once there was a girl named Denise. Please draw Denise." All the players should do their best to draw a figure of a girl. After a minute or two, players should finish up their drawings and the story will continue.For example: "Denise put her dog, Spot, on a leash and took him to a pet show. Now draw Spot and his leash, which Denise holds in her hand. Denise and Spot admired the beautiful trophy that sat on the judges' table.Now add the trophy and a table to your drawing. Denise and Spot entered Spot in the Pet show. Spot didn't win the trophy, but Denise gave him a bone for being her favorite. Now put the bone in Spot's mouth and finish up your drawings."When the drawings are complete, turn the lights back on. The illustration that comes closest to resembling the scene described, as determined either by the storyteller or a vote of the group members, is the winner.Dress MeWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere. This is a great icebreaker for a party!NUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 4EQUIPMENTA big old shirtOBJECT OF THE GAMETo move the shirt from one player to another while they hold handsThe first player puts on the big shirt and takes the hand of the next player. The rest of the players try, to take the shirt off the first player and put it onto the second without breaking their handhold.The only way that this can be done is to turn the shirt inside out as it goes over the first player's head. Once it is over that player's head and onto the next player, another player joins hands with the player wearing the shirt, and the first player becomes a dresser.Depending on the number of players, the line can be extended until all the players have had the shirt on and taken off. If there are enough players and shirts available, this can be played in teams as a race.Drop DeadWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENT5 dice; pencil and paper for scorekeepingOBJECT OF THE GAMETo score as many points as possible in 5 throws of the dicePlaying order makes no difference in Drop Dead. Each player is given five throws of all five dice in which to score as many points as possible. The score of each roll is determined by the total number of dots showing.Dice that land with two or five dots showing, however, score nothing. In addition, when a 2 or 5 is thrown, these dice must be set aside and not rolled again. For instance, if on the first roll a player gets 2, 3, 4, 4, and 5, he or she must eliminate the 2 and the 5 from the next throw and from then on will have only three dice to roll.The player continues through the five rolls, adding together all dice that reveal one, three, four, and six spots and setting aside the 2s and 5s. It is likely that some players will roll five 2s and/or 5s before they get through all five throws. If this happens, this player "drops dead" and is eliminated from the game. The player with the highest score wins. For a longer game, the scores for more than one round can be added together.Dumb CramboWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS6 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the word acted out by another playerDumb Crambo is a cross between Crambo and Charades. Like Crambo, a rhyme is given as a clue to the word to be guessed, and like Charades, the mystery word is acted out before an audience.The players are divided into two teams: the audience and the actors. The actors leave the room while the audience chooses a word that the actors must guess. When the actors return to the room, they are told, for instance, that they must find a word to rhyme with "fake."The actors are allowed to consult about their first guess. When ready, they begin miming an action corresponding to their guess. For example, they might pretend to be raking leaves. The audience must call, "Not rake!"The actors then choose another word. Perhaps this time they will pretend to swim, and the audience will call, "No, not lake!"Eventually, the actors will discover the word and mime the appropriate actions; in this case, perhaps, taking something out of the oven, putting candles on it and lighting them, blowing them out, and then eating: a cake. The audience and actors then exchange roles.The team that guesses the words in the fewest number of tries wins the game.Fifty PointsWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENT2 dice; pencil and paper for scorekeeping (optional)OBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first player to score 50 points by rolling doublesEach player should roll one die to determine the order of play. The high roller goes first, followed by the others in descending order, or around the circle from the first player's left.The first player rolls both dice. He or she scores points only when doubles are thrown. Two 1s equal 2 points, two 2s equal 4 points, two 4s equal 8 points, and two 5s equal 10 points. However, two 6s score 25 points, and two 3s erase a player's total point tally, and he or she must start again from 0.Play continues in order until one player reaches or surpasses 50 points.GhostWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere; a good travel gameNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 2EQUIPMENTNone, except pencil and paper if you have a lot of players and want to keep track of their penalty lettersOBJECT OF THE GAMETo continue adding letters to a word being spelled without completing the word by adding the final letterThe first player begins the game by thinking of a word and calling out its first letter, for example, P, thinking of perfect.The second player must then add a letter that will continue the word without completing it, perhaps P-O, thinking of poker.Each player must add a letter in sequence, avoiding the completion of the word. If the next player can't think of a letter to add, he or she may challenge the player who added the last letter.For example, a player having difficulty, adding to P-O-N may challenge the adder of N. If that player comes up with pontoon, the challenger is assigned a G, on the way to collecting the letters to spell G-H-O-S-T, which results in elimination.If the challenged player has bluffed or cannot come up with an acceptable word, he or she gets the G.After someone has been assigned a letter, a new letter is chosen and another word spelled.The last player remaining in the game after the others have become "Ghosts" is the winner.VARIATIONIn this version, players can add letters in both directions -- to the beginning and end of words. Using the previous example, players could add an 0 after the P, giving P-O, or before it, giving O-P.Go FishWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to get rid of all your cardsShuffle the cards and deal five cards facedown to each player. Each player should examine his or her hand without letting the other players see it. Place the remaining cards, the "fish pile," facedown in the center of the table.As in Happy Families, players try to collect four cards of the same value. Play begins with the person at the left of the dealer, who may ask any other player for a particular card that will help to complete a group of four cards of equal value.That player must give the corresponding card to the asker if he or she has it. The asker is allowed to continue requesting cards until someone doesn't have what he or she asks for.The player who doesn't have the right card tells the asker to "Go Fish." The asker then must draw the top card from the fish pile and add it to his or her hand.The player who said, "Go Fish" becomes the next asker. When four cards of equal value are gathered, they are laid on the table in front of their collector.The first player with no remaining cards in his or her hand wins the game. In case of a tie, the player with the most groups of four wins.Going to BostonWHERE TO PLAYAt a table or on the floorNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENT3 dice; paper and pencil for scorekeepingOBJECT OF THE GAMETo score the highest number of points by rolling the diceEach player takes three rolls per turn. Beginning by rolling all three dice at once, the player sets aside the die with the highest score. The other two dice are rolled again, and the die with the highest number is again set aside. The third die is then rolled.The sum of the three dice equals the player's score for that round. When all players have rolled, a round is complete, and the player with the most points wins the round.The winner of the game is the player who won the most out of a predetermined number of rounds.GossipWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 10; this game benefits from having more rather than fewer playersEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo pass a message down the line and see how well the original idea was transmittedPlayers form a line or a circle, with one player designated to start a "rumor." This first player very quickly whispers a statement or story into the ear of the next player in line. The story is rapidly passed down the line from ear to ear. The last player to receive the message most recite exactly what he or she has heard (it will probably have little to do with the original statement). Then, this new message is compared to the "original" version.This game is also called Russian Scandal, Chinese Whispers, Telephone, and Telephone Operator.Guess the NumberWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere; a good travel gameNUMBER OF PLAYERS2EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the number your opponent has chosenSpecify a range of numbers, according to the ages and abilities of the players: 1 to 100, or 1 to 1,000, for example.The player selected to go first secretly chooses a number within the designated range of numbers. (Players concerned about forgetting their number, or about a cheating opponent, may choose to write down the selected number in each round.)When the first player indicates that he or she has a number, the second player is allowed to begin guessing the number. The second player makes a guess, and the first player states whether the mystery number is higher or lower than the guess.Keep track of the number of guesses made by the second player and then the number made by the first player when the positions are reversed. The player who discovered the mystery number in the fewest guesses is the winner.The way to guess most efficiently is always to choose a number halfway between the given range. For example, if the number is between 1 and 100, the best first guess is 50. If the player with the number says "higher," the other knows now to guess 75, in order to eliminate the largest group of numbers.Of course, for the most entertainment value, you should allow the players to discover this for themselves, or the game may wear out too quickly!GuggenheimWHERE TO PLAYWherever there is a fiat surface to write onNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTPaper and pencilsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo fill in the blanks of the grid with answers for the categories within a certain time periodEach player needs a pencil and a piece of paper. On the paper, draw a grid with six boxes across and six down (thirty-six boxes in total). Choose five categories of items. Use your imagination: flowers, movie stars, baseball teams, etc.List the categories in the boxes going down the far-left column of the grid, leaving the box in the upper-left comer blank. Next, randomly choose five letters of the alphabet and list them in the top row of boxes going across the grid.After determining the time limit (usually between two and five minutes, depending on the ages of the participants and the level of difficulty desired), the players should fill in the boxes with names of items that match the categories and begin with the letters designated at the top of the grid.For example, if the first category is fruits and the first letter is B, banana is a correct answer. When the time limit has passed, the player who has correctly filled the most boxes wins.Ha, Ha, HaWHERE TO PLAYIn any room large enough to accommodate a fairly tight circle of seated playersNUMBER OF PLAYERSAs few as 2, but the more the merrier!EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo keep a straight face while the other players try to make you laughThe players form a circle. One player begins by saying, "Ha"; the next continues, "Ha, Ha"; and the next follows with, "Ha, Ha, Ha"; and so on around the circle, each player adding a "Ha" to the string.Each player must pronounce the "Ha Ha"s as solemnly as possible, to avoid laughter as long as possible.Any player who laughs or makes any mistake must drop out of the "Ha Ha" circle. However, he or she now gets to try in any way (except for touching) to make the players remaining in the circle laugh.The most serious player, by keeping a straight face, wins the game.HangmanWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTPencil and paperOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the secret word before an entire man on the gallows is drawnOne player is chosen to be the "hangman." He or she selects a word and records a series of dashes on the paper to represent the letters of the word. If the word is mystery, the hangman will draw seven dashes: __.The first player tries to guess a letter that might be in the word. If the guess is correct, for example, a Y, the hangman fills in the corresponding blanks: Y __ Y.If the player makes a wrong guess, however, the hangman begins to draw the victim on the gallows. For the first incorrect guess, the base is drawn. Subsequent incorrect guesses add the upright, then the arm, the support, the rope, the figure's head, body, right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg. If the left leg is added to complete the drawing before the word has been discovered, the hangman wins.When a player makes an incorrect guess, the hangman records the letter so that the other players don't repeat the mistake.Any player who guesses the word before the figure is completely drawn, beats the hangman.Phrases as well as single words can be used to increase the level of difficulty.Happy FamiliesWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo collect the greatest number of "happy families" (4 cards of equal value)Shuffle, and deal the entire deck facedown to the players. Don't worry if some players get an extra card.Players should pick up their cards and look at them in secret, separating them into "families" (i.e., all the cards of the same value should be put together).The player at the dealer's left starts the game by asking one of the other players for a certain card (a 5 or a Jack, for example) that he or she needs to complete a "family." If that player has the requested card, it must be turned over to the player who asked for it.A player is allowed to continue asking for cards as long as he or she keeps getting them. When someone doesn't have the requested card, the next player becomes the asker.When all four cards in a family are gathered by a player, they are laid on the table in front of that player. After all the families have been collected, the player with the most families wins.HeartsWHERE TO PLAYIndoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 to 6EQUIPMENTA deck of playing cards; pencil and paper for scorekeepingOBJECT OF THE GAMETo score the fewest number of points by avoiding taking tricks with hearts in themShuffle the cards and deal them evenly to the players. Any extra cards are placed in the middle of the table, to be taken by the player who wins the first trick. Players should arrange their cards in secret by suit.The player to the left of the dealer begins the game by placing one card faceup on the table. (Many play that the person with the 2 of clubs begins the game by playing that card first.) The other players must follow with cards from the same suit.The player who puts down the highest card wins the trick. Players who don't have cards of the correct suit must put down cards of another suit but cannot win that trick.Since no one wants to collect hearts, the best strategies are to lead with low hearts when you have them (Ace is high) or to dispose of them when you don't have a card to play from the correct suit. Keep high cards of any suit for winning tricks without any hearts in them.A player may not put down a heart until hearts have been "broken," meaning until someone lays down a heart because he or she does not have a card in the suit that was led.When all the cards have been played, players count up the number of hearts in their hands and are given 1 point for each heart card.The player with the fewest number of points wins the round, and the player with the lowest score after a given number of rounds wins the game.VARIATIONSThere are many ways to make Hearts more challenging.Black Lady Hearts is scored in the same way as regular Hearts except that the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points rather than 1 point. Some players also play with the Jack of Diamonds scored as negative 10 points.In Spot Hearts, the heart cards are scored according to their face value, making it imperative that players try to avoid the highest heart cards in particular. For example, a player with a 6 and a Jack of Hearts scores 17 points for the round (6 plus 11 points for the Jack).In Greek Hearts, players pass three cards they don't want to the player at the left before the game begins. The game is scored like Spot Hearts.An interesting twist that can be added to any of the spot-scoring games is called Shooting the Moon. If any player manages to capture all the hearts (or, to make it more difficult, all the hearts plus the Queen of Spades), he or she is not penalized. Instead, all the other players are given 150 points.Hot and ColdWHERE TO PLAYIn a room where an object can be easily hiddenNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 4; good for young childrenEQUIPMENTAn object that can be easily hidden; perhaps a small piece of fruit or candy, which will then serve as the prize -- you may want to have a prize for each player so that all may enjoy winning the gameOBJECT OF THE GAMETo find the hidden object with the help of the other playersOne player is chosen to be the searcher and is sent out of the room. The remaining players hide the chosen object from sight, and the searcher is called back into the room.As the searcher begins looking for the object, he or she is directed to it through hints given by the other players. If the searcher is far from the object, the others call, "Cold." If the player is near the object, he or she is "warm," then "hot," and "burning" as he or she draws closer. "Freezing," "cool," and other variations in temperature can be used.How Do You Do, Shoe?WHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS8 or moreEQUIPMENTNone, except the shoes on your feetOBJECT OF THE GAMETo pass your shoes around the circle and get them back againThe players remove their shoes and place them in front of them as they sit in a circle on the floor.At the signal of the leader, all the players pick up their shoes and begin passing them around the circle in one direction as fast as possible.When the leader calls, "Change!" the shoes should be moved in the other direction. When the leader calls, "Find!" all players should try to get their own shoes as they are passed around. The shoes are kept going around the circle until everyone has their own pair back.Huckle Buckle BeanstalkWHERE TO PLAYIn a room that has lots of potential hiding places for a small objectNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 5EQUIPMENTA small object to hideOBJECT OF THE GAMETo locate a hidden object as quickly as possible without revealing its whereabouts to the other playersOne player is selected to hide the object, while the others leave the room. The object should be hidden so that it is not immediately obvious but can still be partially seen.The players return when the object has been hidden and begin looking for it with their eyes only -- no touching is needed because the object should be at least partially in view.The first player to spot the hidden object says, "Huckle Buckle Beanstalk" to signify that he or she has seen the object and then sits down without revealing its whereabouts to the other players. One by one, the other players spot the object and call, "Huckle Buckle Beanstalk." When all the players have found the object, the first spotter can hide it for the next round.Hunt the KeyWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS8 or moreEQUIPMENTA small object: a key, a pebble, a coin, etc.OBJECT OF THE GAMEFor the "hunter" to discover who has the key and for the other players to try to conceal the location of the key from the "hunter"The players form a closely knit circle seated on the ground. One player is chosen to be the "hunter" and must sit in the center of the circle.While the hunter's eves are closed, a key (or similarly small object) is given to one of the players in the circle. The players begin passing the key around the circle without actually showing the key, while the hunter watches. At the same time, those players without the key should pretend that they are passing it in order to fool the hunter.When the hunter suspects someone of having the key, he or she calls the name of that player. The passing stops, and the called player must reveal whether he or she has the key.If this player has the key, he or she becomes the hunter. If the hunter has guessed incorrectly, the game continues.I Packed My BagWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo remember a growing verbal list made by the players of all the items packed in a bagThe first player initiates the game by choosing an item to complete the phrase, "I packed my bag and in it I put a(n) -- "For example, "I packed my bag and in it I put a toothbrush."The second player continues the game by repeating what the first person packed in the bag and adding something of his or her own: "I packed my bag and in it I put a toothbrush and a volleyball."Each player in turn adds another word to the string and repeats the preceding items in order, until it sounds something like, "I packed my bag and in it I put a toothbrush, a volleyball, a comic book, a banana, a deck of cards, a baseball cap, and a tent," and so on.Any player who forgets an item or recites the list out of order is dropped from the game. The player who remembers the longest string of objects wins.I SpyWHERE TO PLAYIn any setting with an assortment of objectsNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 or more; a favorite of children through the elementary gradesEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the identity of the item "spied" by another playerOne player is chosen to "spy" an object he or she sees in the room or the immediate environment. He or she begins the game by stating, "I spy with my little eve something beginning with t" (or any other letter of the alphabet).The other players call out their guesses, in no particular order. The "spy" tells them whether or not they are correct. "Table?" "No." "Tack?" "No" "Teapot" "Yes."The player who first guesses correctly is allowed to "spy" the next object.arInitialsWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere -- great for long car rides!NUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo give answers to other players' questions using words beginning with the letters of your own initialsOne player is selected as the "questioner" for the first round. The questioner asks each player a question in turn. The players must respond to the question with an answer formed from the initials of his or her own name.If the questioner asks, "What is your favorite food, Robert Canton?" Robert may reply, "red cherries" or "rich crayfish." If the questioner asks, "How do you like to spend Saturday morning, Sheila Sanders?" Sheila might answer, "sleeping soundly" or "selling supermarkets." Answers need not make sense. In fact, ridiculous replies increase the fun!To play Initials competitively, the questioner queries the other players until they begin dropping out, after hesitating or failing to provide answers, or repeating previously used answers. The last player remaining in the game is the winner and can serve as the questioner for another round.Letters by NumbersWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to identify which letter of the alphabet corresponds to a number that has been called outChoose one player to be the caller. He or she begins the game by calling out any number between 1 and 26. The other players try to be the first to find the corresponding letter of the alphabet. 1 equals A, 2 equals B, 10 equals J, and so on. To facilitate the determining of correct answers, the caller should write out the alphabet and the corresponding numbers, and keep this list hidden from the other players.The first player with the correct answer wins a point. Wrong answers mean the loss of a point. The game can be played for time, so that the player with the most points in a given period wins, or it can be played until a given number of points are reached.VARIATIONSThe game can be reversed for Numbers by Letters: the caller cries out a letter, and the corresponding number must be found. Z equals 26, Y equals 25, M equals 13, etc.To keep players on their toes, the caller can alternate: first a number, then a letter, another letter, a number, and so on.Magazine Scavenger HuntWHERE TO PLAYIndoors. This could be played on a train or airplane by a small number of childrenNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTOld magazines; pencil and paper for each player or each groupOBJECT OF THE GAMETo find the items on a scavenger-hunt list in a magazine rather than in a house or outdoorsDepending on the number of players, Magazine Scavenger Hunt can be an individual or group activity. If there are more than six players, divide them into groups of two or three. Each group should have pencil and paper to keep track of items as they are found.Before the game, the party, planner should make a list of ten to fifteen items to be searched for within the magazine. In order to be fair, it is best to specify common objects and make sure the articles are appropriate to the magazines available.Each individual or group has ten to fifteen minutes to leaf through the pages of the magazine in search of the required items. The page number of each discovery should be noted by one of the group members.If any individual or group finds all the designated objects within a given time period, they win. If time runs out before all the items are located, the individual or team with the most complete list wins.VARIATIONA simplified scavenger hunt can be also be played with magazines. Instead of designating a list of items, specify, a certain letter. Players are given five minutes in which to list all the items they can find beginning with that letter. The player with the most items wins.Magazine StorytellingWHERE TO PLAYIndoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTOld magazines; scissors; glue; paperOBJECT OF THE GAMETo write a story, using materials cut from magazinesEach player or group is given a set of materials: old magazines, scissors, paper, glue, and crayons or pencils.Within a given time period -- ten or fifteen minutes -- the players must compose stories from pictures and words cut from magazine pages. These clippings should be glued to pieces of paper to form a book which can be read when the time is up.The stories can be judged according to various categories: most clever, best use of pictures, funniest, etc. A topic for the story might be assigned before the story making begins.Instead of stories, players can also write letters using the magazines: love letters, letters to Santa, the president, etc. Players can even write letters to real people, which can be mailed when the game is finished.Mathematical BaseballWHERE TO PLAYIndoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS10 can play at a time. Others may substitute after each inningEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo score runs by correctly answering multiplication problems which will advance runners around the basesDesignate a small playing field: four bases in a baseball-field diamond, about six to eight feet on each side. Divide the players into two equal teams. One team takes the "field": there will be a pitcher, a catcher, and first, second, and third basemen. The other team is the "batting" team.The first batter steps up to home plate. The pitcher calls out a multiplication problem (suited to the ages and abilities of the players) -- for example, "Six times two." If the batter answers correctly first, he or she advances to first base. If, however, the catcher has the right answer first, the batter is out.The next player comes to bat, is given a problem, and is either put out or advances to first base. Any other players on base are also advanced if the batter answers correctly.The pitcher may attempt to put out players on base by calling a problem their way. If the baseman answers correctly, the runner is out. If the runner has the right answer, he or she is allowed to steal a base.After three outs, the teams switch places. From inning to inning, players on one team can also exchange roles so that all may have a chance at being the pitcher.The team with the most runs after a predetermined number of innings wins the game.Memory GameWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 2 (plus a leader)EQUIPMENTA large tray and a towel or cloth to cover it; an assortment of about 25 small objects (a marble, a pen, a coin, a ring, etc.); pencil and paper for each playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo remember as many of the objects seen on the tray as possibleBefore beginning, a leader should be chosen. He or she spreads the objects on a tray and covers them with a towel so that no one can see them before the game begins. The tray should be placed in a central position so that all players can see it well. Each player should have a pencil and a sheet of paper.The leader removes the cover from the tray for about one minute. All the players should try to memorize the objects seen. When one minute has elapsed, the leader covers the tray again.When the tray is covered, the players list all the items they can remember from it on a sheet of paper. Players have three minutes in which to remember and record the objects. The most complete list wins.VARIATIONAn uncomplicated version of Memory, Game can be played by two travelers (especially on an airplane).Select a magazine photograph filled with detail -- perhaps a picture of a kitchen or an outdoor scene. Allow the players to study the photograph for a minute, then ask them to list as many objects from the photo as possible. The player with the longest list wins.MugginsWHERE TO PLAYIndoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 to 8EQUIPMENTA deck of playing cards. For more than 4 players, adding another deck lengthens the game.OBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first player to get rid of all your cardsMuggins is a Victorian card game that is easily learned and can be played by game lovers of all ages.Shuffle and deal out four cards, faceup, in the middle of the playing table and then deal an equal number of cards to each player, facedown. Any leftover cards are placed in one of the four center piles.Starting at the dealer's left, each player turns over the first card in his or her pile. Players are allowed to get rid of a card when it can be played onto a card in one of the middle piles. Cards are playable when they are of a value one card higher or lower than the one in the player's hand: a 9 can go on an 8 or a 10, a Queen on a King or a Jack, and so forth. Ace is low -- it can't be played on a King, nor can a King be played on it.0 The first player is limited in that he or she has only the central cards to play onto. If it is possible, he or she plays the card, and then the next player takes a turn.Whenever a player cannot use the card just turned faceup, it is placed in a faceup pile next to that player's facedown pile. Following players may now put cards onto that pile when possible.When there are enough piles, players may find it possible to play a card on more than one. Rules of sequence must be followed in this case. A player must first play a card onto a center pile, if possible. If the player can play onto more than one of the other players' piles, he or she must go to the one closest on the left.Players watch carefully as their opponents play their cards. Anyone spotting another breaking a rule of sequence or playing an incorrect card shouts. "Muggins!" The player caught in error must accept a penalty, consisting of taking the top card from all the other players' facedown piles and adding them to his or her own facedown pile.When a player runs out of facedown cards, he or she turns the faceup pile over and uses that. The first player to get rid of all his or her cards wins the game.Muggins should be played as fast as possible. Calling out "Muggins!" is the spice of the game, so try to guard against overly careful players by gently prodding them into action.Musical ChairsWHERE TO PLAYIn a room that can hold enough chairs to accommodate the number of playersNUMBER OF PLAYERS6 to 20 is most manageableEQUIPMENT1 chair for every player except 1 (example: for 10 players, use 9 chairs): music (radios and cassette players are the easiest to use, but record players are also suitable)OBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the last remaining player sitting in a chair when the music stops.The chairs should be placed in a straight line with every other chair facing in the opposite direction. (If there is a large group of players, chairs can be placed back to back to save room.)Before beginning, a leader should be chosen, and the players should distribute themselves evenly around the chairs. When the leader begins the music, the players march in one direction around the chairs.After a moment, the leader surprises the group by turning the music off. This is a signal to the players to find a seat as quickly as possible and sit down. The player left without a chair is eliminated from the game.One chair is then removed in order to keep the number of chairs one less than that of players. The leader then starts up the music again, stops it, and the players repeat the dash for seats.A player and a chair are removed with each round until two players are left to duel for the last chair. The player to capture this final chair wins.Musical ClappingWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 2EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the song being clapped out by another playerChoose one player to clap out the first song. The clapper secretly picks a song that he or she thinks will be familiar to all the other players. When everyone is ready, the clapper begins clapping the rhythm to the mystery song.The other players call out their guesses when they think they recognize the song. The first player to identify, the song by its rhythm gets to select and clap out the next song.VARIATIONMusical Clapping can be played as a team competition if you have enough players and if you can stand the noise! One team claps out the song's rhythm while the other team guesses.My Ship SailsWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to collect 7 cards of the same suitShuffle the cards and deal seven, one at a time and facedown, to each player. Set aside the remaining cards -- they will not be used. Players should examine their cards in secret and arrange them into groups by suit, being careful to note if they have a concentration of cards in one particular suit.My Ship Sails begins when each player discards one card. Since the object of the game is to collect seven cards of the same suit (seven diamonds, seven clubs, seven hearts, or seven spades), players should get rid of cards that are useless to them, i.e., of the wrong suit.After all the players have discarded one card (facedown), they should simultaneously pass this card to the left. When all the cards have been passed, each player picks up the new card, adds it to his or her hand, and discards another. The same card just picked up can be discarded immediately if it is of no use.The game continues as players discard and pick up new cards. The first player to collect seven cards of the same suit proclaims, "My ship sails!" in order to win.VARIATIONInstead of gathering seven cards of the same suit, try, to collect a sequence of seven cards, all numbers, or numbers and face cards in combination, regardless of suit. For example, 7-8-9-10-Jack-Queen-King would be a winning sequence.Odd BeanWHERE TO PLAYIn any space large enough to accommodate the group of players comfortably, seated on the floor or around a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 2EQUIPMENTA bag of dried beans, enough so that each player may have 12; small bags to hold the beansOBJECT OF THE GAMETo collect all the beans from the other playersThis game is related to Jan-Ken-Pon (see Scissors, Paper, Stone), but the winner is determined by the number of beans he or she has at the end of the game rather than by a score tallied on paper.Each player is given a bag filled with twelve beans. The first player hides a number of beans in one fist and asks the next player, "Odds or evens?"If the next player correctly guesses whether the fist holds an odd or even number of beans, he or she collects those beans from the first player. If the guess is wrong, the second player must forfeit the same number of beans to the first player.The second player then places a number of beans in his or her hand. He or she turns to the third player and asks, "Odds or evens?" and the game continues.Any player to lose all of his or her beans must drop out of the game. The winner is the player with the most beans when a set period of time expires, or, if time permits, the player who has collected all the beans.Old MaidWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo get rid of all your cards by matching pairs, and to avoid being left with the odd QueenRemove the Queen of Hearts from the deck. Shuffle the cards and deal the entire deck around the circle of players. Each player examines his or her hand, matches any pairs of equal value (two Jacks, two 6s, etc.), and places them facedown on the table. When all players have gone through their cards, play begins.The player at the left of the dealer starts by pulling one card from the hand of the player immediately to his or her right (in this case, the dealer).If the card drawn can be paired with any of the cards already in the players' hand, the two are removed and laid with any previous pairs facedown on the table. If not, play resumes with the next player.The next player on the left draws a card from the hand of the player on his or her right. Play continues in this manner around the circle until one player is left with the odd Queen. This player is the "Old Maid" and loses the game.OrchestraWHERE TO PLAYIndoors or outdoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS5 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo follow the motions of the orchestra leaderOne player is designated as the conductor. All of the players, including the conductor, choose musical instruments that they will pretend to play.The players should sit in a circle on the floor with about a foot of space between them. The conductor should be visible to all.The conductor starts up the orchestra by pretending to play the instrument that he or she has chosen. Once the leader has begun, the other players join in by simulating the motions that their instruments require. Violinists draw their bows, drummers beat out a rhythm, tuba players puff out their cheeks, and so on.When all the players are motioning musically, the leader switches to the actions for one of the instruments played by another orchestra member. All the players except for the one playing that particular instrument must switch to the same motions as the leader.The player whose instrument is now being imitated must stop playing and put his or her hands over the ears. For example, if the conductor switches from the flute to the piano, all the players must join in as piano players, while the original piano player sits with hands over ears.After a few seconds, the conductor returns to his or her own instrument. At this moment, all the other players, including the one with hands over ears, return to their original instruments.After a while the conductor will change to another instrument, and the other players will follow suit, as described above.As in Simon Says, players are eliminated from the game when they make improper motions. Players who continue with their original instrument after the leader has begun imitating it must leave the game. The same goes for players who forget to switch instruments at the proper time.The last remaining player in the game wins and can become the conductor if another round is desired.Pass the PresentWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere indoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 or moreEQUIPMENTA small prize; gift-wrap paper (tissue paper is fine -- the wrap need not be fancy); Scotch tape; a radio, record player, or cassette playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo remove the last laver of gift-wrap and reveal the prizeBefore the game, a leader is selected and the prize is wrapped in ten or more layers of paper.The players sit on the floor in a circle. When the leader starts the music, they pass the gift around the circle as quickly as possible. When the music is stopped, the player holding the present is allowed to remove one laver of paper.The music starts up again and is stopped, until the gift has been completely unwrapped. The player who is fortunate enough to take off the last layer gets to keep the prize.PasswordWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS5 at a time. Others can substitute in later rounds.EQUIPMENTPaper and pencil (optional)OBJECT OF THE GAMETo help your partner guess the mystery word by giving him or her synonyms or related wordsOne player should be designated as the quiz master. The other four players are divided into two sets of partners.The quiz master chooses a word, which he "passes on" to just one player from each team. The word can be written down on a small slip of paper or can be whispered.The player chosen to go first is allowed to give his or her partner one clue, which is a synonym for or is related to the mystery word, or he or she can "pass," if the word is too difficult.For instance, if the word is lemonade, the first clue might be drink. If the partner guesses lemonade correctly, that team is awarded 1 point. If the guess is wrong -- soda for example -- the other team has the chance to offer another clue and guess the word. The next clue might be citrus.When the word is finally guessed, the clue givers and the guessers exchange roles.The first team to gain a predetermined number of points, or the team with the most points after a given time period, wins. Using short time periods might be a good idea if the quiz master is anxious to join in the guessing.QuestionsWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo answer every, question with a question, until one player forgets or makes a mistakeThe game begins when the first player asks a question. The second player must respond with another related question, and then the first player with another question, and so on.For example, if two players are traveling, the game might begin as follows:Susan: When are we going to get to Boston?Jimmy: How many miles do we have left?Susan: Do you have an atlas?Jimmy: Don't you have one?Sujan: Why don't you remember to bring it when we travel?If a player pauses too long between questions, forgets to ask a question, or asks a nonsensical question, he or she is out of the game.If there are more than two players, determine the order in which players will offer questions before beginning play.RacetrackWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 or moreEQUIPMENTOld magazines; scissors; cardboard; glue; a large sheet of paper or cardboard; pen or pencil; 1 dieOBJECT OF THE GAMETo drive your "car" 100 miles by rolling its way through the diagramFor a fancy, version of Racetrack, begin by making a large, roadlike trail of squares numbered 1 to 100, representing the miles to be covered.Cut photos of cars from old magazines -- one for every, player, and two of each make, if possible. For example, if you have four players, clip out two Volkswagens and two Fords. The two players with cars of the same make will be partners. To make the cars more stable as playing pieces, they can be glued to cardboard, but this is not necessary.Roll the die to determine the order of play, with partners alternating. The first player throws the die and moves his or her car the number of miles indicated by the die. Play progresses with each player getting one roll each turn.When a car lands on a square occupied by a car owned by someone other than his or her partner, the car already in the space is sent back to the beginning. Cars belonging to two partners may occupy the same space, however, and as long as they do so, no other car may pass them.The first car to reach the last space (100 miles) is the winner. This space must be reached with an exact roll of the die.RainWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere; most effective in a quiet indoor spotNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 3. A large group can whip up a great storm.EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo imitate the sound of a rainstormThe players sit on the floor and begin the game by closing their eyes and becoming absolutely quiet. When all is still, the leader initiates the rainstorm by rubbing his or her palms together. When the player sitting at the leader's left hears this very soft sound, he or she joins in. The player on the left of the second player then joins, until all the players around the circle are producing the same sound.When everyone is moving their palms together, the leader then makes the storm grow a little louder by snapping his or her fingers. The second player then switches to this sound, and so on around the circle.After everyone is snapping fingers, the leader changes to slapping the thighs, to make the sound of heavy rain. Thunder can be added by stomping the feet on the floor, until the room is filled with the sound of a furious summer storm.After the sound reaches its peak, the leader begins to calm the storm by reversing the order of the noises made and returning to a softer sound. (He or she may have to nudge the player at the left in order to get his or her attention in the midst of the peak of the storm -- remember, eyes are still closed.)The group follows the leader back through thigh slapping, finger snapping, and palm rubbing, until the room is returned to complete silence once again.RigamaroleWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo remember a string of alliterative phrases as it goes around the circleRigamarole is a memory game that combines mental recall and tongue-twister agility.The player elected to start begins the game by inventing an alliterative phrase of three words starting with the number one and followed by an adjective and a noun each beginning with the letter o -- "one obnoxious oriole," for example.The next player must add another phrase following the same guidelines, opening with the number two, while repeating the original phrase: "One obnoxious oriole, two tricky, teenagers."The following player attaches a third alliterative saying beginning with three. The string of phrases keeps going around the circle of players until ten have been made up.Rigamarole can be played as an elimination game, but you will doubtless run out of players before you get to ten phrases in a row. It is probably more fun just trying to keep the game going, rather than worrying about finding a winner.VARIATIONThose who find that they'd like more of a challenge may create phrases in which the length of the phrase (number of words) corresponds to the beginning number (including that number): "Four fussy, frighted finks" (four words).Rolling StoneWHERE TO PLAYIndoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERS4 to 6EQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first player to get rid of all your cardsBefore beginning the game, separate some cards from the deck so that there will be only eight cards for each player. For four players, remove the 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s. For five players, take out the 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s and for six players, remove the 2s, 3s, and 4s. Ace is high.Set aside the removed cards and shuffle the remaining ones. Deal the shuffled cards to the players, one at a time and facedown, so that each player has eight cards. Players secretly examine their cards and arrange them according to suit.The player at the dealer's left initiates the game by laying a card from his or hand faceup in the center of the table. The next player to the left places a card of the same suit on it if he or she has one, and so on with the following players.When a player does not have a card of the proper suit, he or she must collect the center pile and add the cards to his or her hand. This player starts the game again by putting a card out for the new center pile.When all the players have put down a card of the same suit, that pile is set aside and is no longer used in the game. The last player to put down a card may start the new round.The first player to discard his or her entire hand is the winner.Scissors, Paper, Stone(Also known as Rock, Paper, Scissors)WHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 at a timeEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo anticipate the gesture your opponent is going to make in order to make a gesture that will defeat it; can also be played to determine who will be "It"Scissors, Paper, Stone is an efficient way to choose who is going to go first or who will be "It" and is also fun when played for its own sake.The idea of the game is to make a hand gesture representing scissors, paper, or stone that will defeat the gesture made by your opponent.The three gestures are: two fingers held in a victory, sign (scissors), an open hand (paper), and a closed fist (stone). Scissors "beat" paper by cutting, paper overcomes stone by wrapping, and stone conquers scissors by dulling.Players hide their hands behind their backs and at the count of three, bring them out in front, making one of the gestures. Each round is scored. The first player to reach a specified number of points is the winner.Scissors, Paper, Stone is often called by its traditional Japanese name, Jan-Ken-Pon or Jan-Kem-Po.VARIATIONA game similar to Scissors, Paper, Stone is Odds and Evens. Instead of making gestures to represent objects, the players hold out fingers, numbering from zero (a closed fist), to five (an open hand). One player is odd and the other even. At the count of three, the players reveal a number. If the total of both players' fingers is odd, the odd player wins a point. If the total is even, the even player receives the point.Or, one player at a time calls out "odd" or "even" as the fingers are revealed. If the number corresponds to the call, that player wins a point.Seeing GreenWHERE TO PLAYIndoorsNUMBER OF PLAYERSAny numberEQUIPMENTScissors; glue; bright red construction paper; two sheets of white paper for every, playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo see green shamrocks against a white sheet of paper after staring at red shamrocksSeeing Green is an optical lesson as well as an amusing St. Patrick's Day activity.At a table, players cut several shamrocks out of red construction paper and paste them on a larger sheet of white paper. (It is a good idea to have one shamrock already cut out as an example for the players.) Players don't need to spend more than a few minutes on this. Large shamrocks (at least four or five inches high) are most effective.When all the players have sheets of red shamrocks, they should be instructed to stare at them, eyes fixed on one point, while they slowly count to fifteen: "One shamrock, two shamrock, three shamrock," and so on.After counting to "fifteen shamrock," the players flip over the papers and now stare at the plain white side of the sheet. After a few seconds, players will see a ghostly image of a green shamrock, rather than a red one.Since red is the complementary, color of green, staring long enough at any red object will produce a green afterimage. (The artist Jasper Johns used this physiological effect in a painting of an American flag. After staring at a flag with green stripes and an orange field of stars, one sees the traditional red, white, and blue flag against a white wall.)SentencesWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTIf played aloud, no equipment is needed. With paper and pencil, the game can also be played in written form.OBJECT OF THE GAMETo form as many words as possible beginning with the letters in a given wordOne player chooses a word (of four to six letters) to be used for the first round.Each player must create a sentence formed from words that begin with the letters in the original word, in proper order. For example, if the given word is dream, an acceptable sentence would be Don't ride elephants after midnight.The next player then chooses a new word, and the game begins anew.Points are awarded for every sentence formed within a time limit of two or three minutes. The player with the most points after either a predetermined number of words or a given time period wins.VARIATIONSMore complicated rules can be added to make the game more challenging:Clever players can try to make the sentence have some relation to the given word. Younger children, however, may prefer nonsensical answers. If nonsensical answers are desired, an extra point can be awarded for the most humorous answer.Shadow BuffWHERE TO PLAYIndoors in a room that can easily be made dark. Great for dark, rainy days!NUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 5EQUIPMENTA sheet; tacks or tape; a lamp with a strong, high-wattage light bulb; a table; a chairOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the identity of the other players from the shadows they cast upon a backlit sheetSet up the play area by stretching a sheet tightly between two walls and attaching it with tape or tacks. A few feet behind the sheet, place a strong light (perhaps a lamp without a shade), leaving enough room for one player at a time to pass between the sheet and the light.Elect one player to be "Buffy." Bully is seated on a chair on the other side of the sheet. When Buffy is in place, dim the lights.One by one, the other players pass between the sheet and the lamp, trying to cast shadows upon the sheet. Buffy must attempt to identify the players as they go by, but the players must strive to disguise themselves by making distracting motions or gestures as they move through.When Buffy guesses the identity, of one of the players, they trade places and the game continues. Make sure everyone gets a chance to be Buffy.Slap JackWHERE TO PLAYAt a table (a round one is best but is not essential) or on the floorNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo capture all the cards in the deckOne player shuffles the deck and deals out all of the cards to the other players in a circle, beginning at his or her left. Players must leave their cards facedown in front of them without looking at them.The player at the dealer's left begins the game by laying one card faceup in the middle of the group, accessible to all. One by one, in quick succession, the players each lay a card on the center pile.When a Jack is revealed, the first player to slap that card gets to shuffle the entire pile into his or her own hand. The game is continued by the player to the Jack-slapper's left.If a player makes a mistake and slaps a card other than a Jack, he or she must forfeit a card to the player who laid down the last card.A player who has lost all of his or her cards is given one last chance and may remain in the game in an attempt to slap the next Jack and regain a hand. If the attempt is unsuccessful, however, the player must leave the game.The player who captures all of the cards is declared the winner.VARIATIONA less physical but no less rowdy version of this game is called Snap. Instead of slapping the Jack, the first player to yell, "Snap!" upon its appearance wins the center pile.SneezeWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 6 for the best effect; for children under 7EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMEFor all the players to call out different syllables at the same time, approximating the sound of a sneezeThe surprise of Sneeze only works the first time the group "sneezes," but younger children will like the noise enough to want to keep sneezing throughout the party.The leader assigns all the players a syllable, explaining to them that it is important to remember their sounds. To make it even more mysterious, the leader may whisper the sound secretly into each player's ear.The syllables to be assigned are "ash," "ish," "osh," and "choo." When everyone has a sound, the leader asks them all to call their sounds out in unison as loudly as they can at the count of three. When everyone yells, the noise sounds like a very loud sneeze.Snip Snap SnorumWHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to get rid of all your cardsShuffle the deck and deal all the cards facedown. Depending on the number of players, some may get an extra card, but it won't matter. Players should look at their cards while keeping them hidden from each other.The game begins when the player to the dealer's left selects a card from his or her hand, lays it down faceup in the center of the table and says, "Snip." The player with the card of the next higher value and of the same suit lays that card down on top of the first and calls out, "Snap." Then, once again, the player with the card of the next higher value and of the same suit lays that card down and says, "Snorum." This process continues with the same guidelines, with the fourth player saying, "Hi cockalorum" and the fifth player completing a sequence with the word "Jig."After a sequence is completed, the player who put down the "jig" card begins another Snip-Snap-Snorum sequence.The cards range in value from Ace as the lowest to King as the highest. Therefore, if a King is placed down at any point along the sequence, it is considered a "Jig," and a new sequence should begin. In addition, if cards of higher values have already been played, the last card that can be placed down in the pile will count as a "Jig," and a new sequence should begin.The player to get rid of all of his or her cards first is the winner.Spelling BeeWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 2, but it is more fun with a large groupEQUIPMENTThe game runs most smoothly when someone has prepared a list of words appropriate to the age level of the players beforehand, but it can be played without a list in a pinch. A dictionary, is helpful for inspiration and to settle disputes.OBJECT OF THE GAMETo spell as many words as possible correctlyAn adult or mature child should serve as the spelling master.To begin the game, the spelling master gives the first player an opportunity to spell a word correctly. If the player is correct, a point is awarded. If not, it is the next player's turn, and he or she is given a new word to spell.The player with the greatest number of points after a predetermined number of rounds is declared the winner.VARIATIONSSpelling Bee can also be played as an elimination game. A player leaves the game after incorrectly spelling a word, and the last remaining player wins.If there are enough players, Spelling Bee can be a team competition and scored or played as an elimination game. When played for points, extra points can be won by correctly spelling a word misspelled by the other team.SpitWHERE TO PLAYSitting on the floor makes Spit easier to play, but playing at a table is equally funNUMBER OF PLAYERS2EQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo be the first to get rid of all your cardsTwo players sit on the floor or at a table facing one another. One player shuffles the cards and deals out the deck equally. Each player prepares for the game by laying out a row of cards in the following manner:First, moving from left to right, place three cards facedown and a fourth card faceup.Second, again moving from left to right, lay a card facedown on each of the first two cards, and one card faceup on the third.Next, lay a card facedown on the first pile of cards and a card faceup on the second pile.Lastly, put one faceup card on the first pile, so that all piles are completed with a faceup card. The remaining cards are placed in a facedown pile at the left of this row.Both players chant together, "One, two, three, Spit!" At the word "Spit," both players lay the top card from their pile of extra cards side by side and faceup in the center of the playing area.As quickly as possible, both players try to play cards from their rows on both center cards. A card may be played if it is of a value one higher or one lower than the center card. For example, a 3 or a 5 may be laid on a 4, and a King or a 2 may be laid on an Ace (suit does not matter).When a faceup card from one of the piles in a player's row is played, the facedown card beneath it may be turned up and played if possible. Both players will be putting down cards at a breakneck pace, trying to get rid of as many as possible. However, when neither player has another suitable card, the sequence starts again.The players replenish the cards in the piles in the previously described manner with cards from the extra pile. Then, the players call out, "One, two, three, Spit!" and discard the appropriate cards once again.As the end of the game nears, players may run out of spare cards altogether and may need a card to "spit." If a player has fewer than the ten cards needed to make a complete row, that's fine -- he or she should lay out the available cards and use a faceup card from the leftmost pile as the "spit" card.Play continues in this manner until one player has discarded all of his or her cards onto the center piles. This player is the winner.Square Tic-Tac-ToeWHERE TO PLAYAt a table or on the floorNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 at a timeEQUIPMENTPencil and paper; 10 coins -- 5 each of two different types (5 dimes and 5 nickels, for example)OBJECT OF THE GAMETo place 3 of your coins in a row on a variation of the traditional Tic-Tac-Toe diagramEach player should have five coins of the same denomination. Choose one player to go first.With the pencil draw a diagram of a square crossed with four lines.The two players alternate in placing one coin at a time on the intersection of two or more lines. The first player to place three coins in a row, whether across, up and down, or diagonally, wins the game.Play Square Tic-Tac-Toe as a "best of" series -- best of three, five, or seven games.StairwayWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTPencil and paper for each playerOBJECT OF THE GAMETo form a "stairway" of words of increasing length from a letter chosen at the start of the gameOne player selects a letter from which to form the "stairway." Each player should try to form words by adding one letter at a time to the original letter within a given time period of five or ten minutes.If the given letter is A, a stairway might look like this:AATAPEACHEASPENARTISTANIMATEADDITIONACROBATICAPOSTROPHEThe builder of the longest stairway wins the game.To avoid frustrated players, it's a good idea to ignore the difficult letters like Z and to make sure an easily discovered two-letter word can be found for the chosen letter.TasteWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTPaper cups; an assortment of beverages; a scarf or rag to be used as a blindfold; paper and pencilOBJECT OF THE GAMETo identify as many drinks by taste gone as possibleA blindfolded player is given an assortment of different beverages in paper cups to sample and identify. The larger the variety the better -- different flavors of soda pop, fruit juices, mineral water, and so on.Another player records the sampler's guesses. The player who identifies the most (brand names get added points) is the winner.This is a particularly good, thirst-quenching activity after a more rigorous outdoor game!Tic-Tac-ToeWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere; an easy travel gameNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 at a timeEQUIPMENTPencil and paperOBJECT OF THE GAMETo place 3 of your marks in a rowBefore beginning, draw a simple diagram consisting of two vertical lines crossed by two horizontal lines.One player takes X and the other O. Determine which player will go first.The player to go first marks his X or O in one of the boxes formed by the diagram. The other player then places his or her mark in one of the boxes. Both players attempt to get a row of Xs or Os, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.Continue alternating marks until one player has made a row of three marks, in which case he or she is the winner; or until all the boxes are filled and no one has a row, in which case the game is a draw.Attentive players will soon learn that there is an advantage to making the first mark and that the center box is always the best choice. Experienced players will eventually reach a point where all games are draws.VARIATIONSPlay Tic-Tac-Toe so that the first player to get a row of marks is a loser. The diagram can also be increased in size by adding more lines.Tic-Tac-Toe is also called Noughts and Crosses in England, referring to the Os and Xs.Tip-Tap-ToeWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 to 6EQUIPMENTPencil and paperOBJECT OF THE GAMETo tally the highest score by pointing to numbered sections on a diagram; like playing darts on paperBefore beginning the game, a diagram must be drawn. Divide a circle with lines to create ten to twelve pie-shaped wedges. Number the wedges in ascending order around the circle.A player (with good math skills!) should be appointed scorekeeper.One by one, the players close their eyes and touch a pencil to the diagram. They are awarded the number of points indicated in the section touched by the pencil. Once a section has been touched, it is crossed out and is no longer worth any points to the following players.As in darts, players are allowed only one try, each turn to score points. If they hit a crossed-out wedge or go outside the circle, they must wait until the next turn. Any player to hit the exact center of the circle automatically wins the game.When all the sections have been crossed out, the points are tallied and the highest score wins.Tongue TwistersWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTA watch with a second hand or a stopwatchOBJECT OF THE GAMETo repeat the tongue twister as many times as possible without making a mistakeOne at a time, the players recite a tongue twister as many times as possible before tripping over their tongues. Whoever recites the most twisters before making a mistake wins!All the players can be tested with the same twister, or they can try different examples for variety. Here are a few well-known tongue twisters:Truly ruralToy boatLemon linimentRed leather, yellow leatherShe sells seashells by the seashoreWhistle for the thistle sifterSix thick thistle sticksThe bootblack brought the black boot backThe sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sickSarah sits by six sick city slickersFresh flesh of fresh fried fishHow much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?Twenty QuestionsWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS3 or moreEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the object chosen by 1 player by asking for clues gained from no more than 20 questions -- the fewer, the better!One player is selected to think of an object (secretly). After choosing, he or she tells the others whether it is Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral.One by one, the other players ask questions requiring yes or no answers that will help them to discover the identity, of the object. They are only allowed to ask a total of twenty questions. If a player guesses incorrectly before the twenty, questions are asked, he or she is eliminated from the game; however, that guess does not count as a question. If the object is not revealed after the allotted twenty, questions, the player who chose the object wins.VARIATIONVirginia Woolf is another version of Twenty Questions. Instead of choosing an object, the player selects a well-known person. The figure can be from history or from fiction, and can be alive or dead, as long as he or she is famous enough to be known by all those playing the game.A third variation of Twenty Questions is Where Am I? The first player chooses a place to be and something to do there. For example, he or she might be at an amusement park on the roller coaster, water-skiing on Lake Tahoe, or looking out on Manhattan from the top of the Empire State Building. As in Virginia Woolf, the location should be familiar to all the players. (This version is somewhat trickier since the players are actually trying to uncover two unknowns!)Up, Jenkins!WHERE TO PLAYAt a tableNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 8EQUIPMENTA quarterOBJECT OF THE GAMETo discover the person who has the quarterDivide the players into two equal teams and seat the teams on opposite sides of the table. Choose a leader for each team. One side should have possession of the quarter.At a starting signal, the team with the quarter passes it back and forth with their hands beneath the tabletop.After counting slowly to ten, the leader of the team without the quarter calls, "Up, Jenkins!" The players of the opposing team must immediately raise their closed fists above the table.The leader of the other team will then call, "Down, Jenkins!" With this signal the players on the team with the quarter must slap their opened hands down upon the table. The other team should listen carefully for the sound of the quarter hitting the table before it is covered by a hand.The team without the quarter takes a moment to discuss in secret whom they think might have the coin. They make a guess among themselves and then return to the game.One by one, the leader calls the names of the players from the other team, trying to eliminate those he or she believes do not have the quarter. Each player must pick up his or her hands from the table when named.If the quarter appears before the last player is called, the team with the coin may hide it again. If the other team is correct in identifying the player who is hiding the coin, they may now hide it.Score can be kept according to how many times a team discovers the location of the quarter within a given time limit of ten to fifteen minutes. The leaders can be rotated if other players want to get the chance to call, "Up, Jenkins!"VARIATIONTo add to the challenge, the guessing team should attempt to identify not only the coin holder but under which hand the coin is hidden as well.WarWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere. This is a good game to play seated on the floorNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 at a timeEQUIPMENTA deck of playing cardsOBJECT OF THE GAMETo capture all the cards -- though no skill is involvedShuffle the deck and deal the cards evenly between the two players in neat piles, facedown.The two players simultaneously take the top cards from their piles and lay them faceup in between them. The player who lays down the card of higher value (suit doesn't matter) wins both cards and places them, facedown, at the bottom of his or her pile. Aces have the highest value.If, however, the cards are of equal value (two 6s, or two Jacks), a "war" is fought. Each player places three cards facedown on his or her original card, chanting "one, two, three," and the fourth faceup, declaring "war!" The player who places the card of the greatest value on the piles wins all the cards in the center. If they are still of equal value, the players repeat the process, laying another card facedown and a second faceup, until one player wins the piles.Eventually, one player will accumulate all fifty-two cards and win the game. This may take a long time, though. Players anxious to finish can set a time limit to end the game -- two or three more minutes of play, for example -- before counting cards to determine the winner.Western UnionWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERSAt least 8EQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo pass a "message" around the circle by squeezing hands without being caught by "It"The players join hands to form a circle around "It," who stands in the center and covers his or her eyes. One player selects another player in the circle as the recipient of a "telegram" and announces, "I am going to send a telegram to -- [the name of one of the players in the circle]."With this announcement, he or she squeezes the hand of a player on either side in order to begin the transmission, and "It" opens his or her eyes, hoping to see the message being transmitted by squeeze. If "It" catches someone squeezing, that person must become "It." The direction in which the telegram is being sent can change at any time.When the player announced as the recipient of the telegram gets the message (in the form of a squeeze), he or she announces so, and the process must begin again until "It" catches someone.VARIATIONA more continuous version of this game is called Electricity. One player sends a squeezed "shock" that keeps traveling around the circle until "It" discovers it being passed.What Are We Shouting?WHERE TO PLAYAnyplace where shouting won't disturb anyone. Playing this near a library is not a good idea!NUMBER OF PLAYERS10 or more; suggested for younger childrenEQUIPMENTNoneOBJECT OF THE GAMETo guess the phrase being shouted by the opposing teamDivide the players into two equal teams. The team elected to shout first leaves the room to choose something to shout. They should select an easily recognizable phrase or title from suitable sources such as nursery rhymes, the names of television shows, or song lyrics. The phrase should have as many words as the team has players. For example, a team of five people should choose a five-word phrase. Each player should then be assigned one word from the phrase to shout.After picking a phrase, the shouting team should return to the room where the other team is waiting. At the count of three, each player should simultaneously shout his or her word.The opposing team must try to make sense out of the shout and guess the selected saying. The shout may be repeated once, but then the other team must attempt to guess. For example, if the chosen phrase is "Mary had a little lamb," and one player heard "Mary" and another discerned the word "lamb," the mystery phrase should be easily discovered.If a team guesses correctly, it is awarded a point and can become the team that shouts. If it guesses incorrectly, the shouting team gets a point and is allowed to pick another phrase and begin again. The team with the greatest number of points after a given time period wins.Word LightningWHERE TO PLAYAnywhereNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENTA watch with a second hand or a stopwatchOBJECT OF THE GAMETo think of as many words as possible beginning with a given letter in 1 minuteOne player assigns a second player a letter. The second player has one minute to call out as many words as possible that begin with that letter, while the first player keeps count and watches the clock.With more than two players, a third person can watch the clock while the other counts the number of words called out.Play continues until every, player has had a turn calling out a list of words. The player who thought of the most words wins.YachtWHERE TO PLAYAnywhere, even while traveling if the ride is fairly smoothNUMBER OF PLAYERS2 or moreEQUIPMENT5 dice; paper and pencilOBJECT OF THE GAMETo roll the dice in certain required combinations within 3 rollsElect a scorekeeper, who should draw a chart of the possible combinations of dice rolls (1s, 2s, 3s, etc.) and the players' names for ease in recording. The various combinations and corresponding scores are as follows:1s Add all the 1s thrown in three rolls.Highest possible score: 5 points2s Add all the 2s thrown in three rolls.Highest possible score: 10 points3s Add all the 3s thrown in three rolls.Highest possible score: 15 points4s Add all the 4s thrown in three rolls.Highest possible score: 20 points5s Add all the 5s thrown in three rolls.Highest possible score: 25 points6s Add all the 6s thrown in three rolls.Highest possible score: 30 pointsFour of a kindAdd all the spotsFull HouseThree of a kind plus two of another. Add all the spotsLittle StraightFour numbers in sequence (example: 1, 2, 3, 4). 20 pointsBig StraightFive numbers in sequence. 30 pointsChoiceTotal spots of all five diceYachtFive of a kind. 50 pointsOne player begins by rolling all five dice at once, attempting to complete any one of the required combinations from the previous listing within three rolls. After the first roll, the player should examine the dice for the most likely combination to pursue. If a player has two or more of a number, he or she should set those aside and toss the remaining dice, attempting to roll more of the same number.For example, if the player's first roll yields a 1, a 3, two 4,s and a 6, that player would be smart to attempt to continue rolling 4s. He or she would put aside the two 4s and roll the other three dice again. If another 4 comes up, that would also be put aside, and the player would be given one more roll (with the two remaining dice) to get more 4s.Each combination is scored and recorded on the scorekeeper's chart. Once a player has fulfilled a combination, he or she cannot repeat it and must try for the others. After the first players attempt at a combination with three rolls of the dice, it is the next player's turn to roll.As the end of the game grows nearer, some players may get some scores of zeros, since the more difficult combinations are likely to go unfulfilled.The player with the highest score when all the combinations have been attempted is declared the winner.Copyright © 1990 by The Philip Lief Group, Inc.; Title: Hopscotch, Hangman, Hot Potato, & Ha Ha Ha: A Rulebook of Children's Games | [
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26,073 | 0 | An elaborately detailed Venetian venue serves as backdrop for this rarefied retelling of the traditional fairy tale. Ella's mother is still alive as the story opens, the wife of a wealthy sea merchant who rarely sees his family. When, from afar, Ella falls in love with lonely-looking Duke Fidelio, she confides in her mother, wondering sadly "if his father is as busy as mine." Her mother dies and Ella is sent off to "boarding school," from whence she is summoned to become housekeeper for her father's new bride and her daughters. Despite such plot enhancements, the distinguishing element here is Delamare's ( The Christmas Secret ) arresting artwork. His paintings feature sharply defined images carefully juxtaposed so as to resemble collage. Ornately dressed and elegantly coiffed figures traipse about in palatial splendor, suffused in an amber wash. Ella's Julia Roberts-like sultriness contrasts starkly, perhaps awkwardly, with Delamare's oddly planed courtiers. Slightly skewed proportions, ominous perspectives and hallucinatory settings (Ella rides a fish-shaped gondola with a pumpkin-shaped cabin) impart a vaguely menacing quality to the work. Best suited to diehard Cinderella devotees and fans of Delamare's highly stylized art. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-5-Longer and for a slightly older audience than most picture-book versions, this Cinderella is enriched by its unusual setting (a city of canals evocative of Venice); strong characters; and sophisticated, striking illustrations. The story begins with Ella's life before her mother's death and her father's remarriage. Her subsequent fall is thus more poignant, and her gentle but melancholy goodness more believable. Once the stepmother and sisters are introduced, the story unfolds along traditional lines. Cinderella's "fairy-mother" sends her to the Grand Duke's ball, with a pumpkin and a fish becoming a magnificent gondola rather than a carriage. Her lost glass slipper shatters "into a thousand pieces" as one of the stepsisters struggles to shove her "potato foot" into it. Delamare matches his creative text with startling, eye-catching illustrations. The scenes are full of activity and realistic detail, rendered in a palette of clear, rich colors. The unusual perspectives and dynamic compositions lend a fantastic quality that suits the fairy tale nicely. This Cinderella is both elegant and exciting, and while not an essential purchase, it is well worth the price wherever illustrated versions of old tales are in demand.Linda Boyles, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FLCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Cinderella | [
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26,074 | 12 | Text: English, Spanish; Title: Let's Eat / Vamos A Comer: Chubby Board Books In English and Spanish (Spanish and English Edition) | [
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26,075 | 1 | The puppy was small and fuzzy, with a friendly, wagging tail -- and Ricky was afraid of him!No wonder, since he was attacked by a dog when he was just a baby. So when a stray puppy comes sniffling around the farm, Ricky tells it to get lost.But the puppy keeps trying to play with Ricky. And every time Ricky's Mom feeds the cats, the little dog comes running. The cats aren't sharing their food, however, and the poor pup is slowly starving.If Ricky doesn't overcome his fear, the little puppy may die -- but if he lets himself get close enough to feed it, he may find the best friend he's ever had!Winner of the Texas Bluebonnet, the Oklahoma Sequoyah and the Nebraska Golden Sower Awards.Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.; Title: Dog Called Kitty | [
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26,076 | 11 | First-time author Mitchell crowds several themes--segregation, racism, the Depression, the American Dream--into her enterprising story. Sarah Jean's great uncle Jedediah, "the only black barber in the county," hangs on to his ambition to open a barber shop, despite a lifetime of obstacles that deplete his savings. First, Sarah Jean requires an expensive operation; later, the bank failures of the Depression wipe out his painstakingly replenished account. The author's convivial depictions of family life are enhanced by Ransome's ( Red Dancing Shoes ) spirited oil paintings, which set the affectionate intergenerational cast against brightly patterned walls and crisp, leaf-strewn landscapes. The defining element of the book, however, may well be the narrator's measured descriptions of the racial climate of the 1920s: "In those days, they kept blacks and whites separate. There were separate public rest rooms, separate water fountains, separate schools. It was called segregation." These starkly imposed social studies lessons, presented as interruptions to Uncle Jed's progress, also interrupt the narrative; readers will be impatient to attend his grand opening celebration at age 79 (along with a now-grown-up Sarah Jane). Ages 4-7. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 3-Uncle Jed, a black, itinerant barber in the pre-Depression South, dreams of opening his own shop. He saves for years, but first his niece, who narrates the story, needs an operation, and then the bank in which his money is kept fails. The man's spirit never flags, however, and he finally starts his own business at age 79. Sarah Jean, whose life was saved by her uncle's generosity, is by this time a middle-aged adult, and shares in his pleasure. Mitchell's text is eloquent in its simplicity. Straightforward, declarative sentences explain such concepts as segregation and sharecropping without emotional overtones, while her subdued prose makes readers keenly aware of the injustice of segregation. Through Sarah Jean's eyes, readers see both the poverty and discrimination endured and the sense of community and caring shared by her family and friends. Ransome's richly textured oil paintings, uncluttered and direct, beautifully complement the text. These are strong characters captured with forceful brush strokes, yet the illustrations also include such details as a crocheted saddle blanket. Both touching and inspirational, this book is ideal for story hours featuring favorite relatives, and it could start children saving for their own dreams.Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Uncle Jed's Barbershop | [
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26,077 | 7 | R.L. Stine, author of the multimillion-selling Fear Street and Goosebumps series, lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, an editor and publisher, and their dog, Minnie. Visit RLStine.com.; Title: Broken Hearts (Fear Street Super Chillers, No. 4) | [
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26,078 | 2 | The third-grade classes at Nancy's school are learning about Chinese culture, and they'll celebrate the Chinese New Year with a special parade. The highlight of the parade will be a dragon costume. Nancy's class is making it out of feathers, sequins, gold tassels, and red silk. But right before the big day, the dragon disappears!Nancy, Bess, and George are in the New Year's spirit. They've enjoyed a delicious feast at the home of their classmate, Mari Cheng. She's even lent the girls special Chinese outfits to wear. But without the dragon, there will be no parade. And that makes Nancy roaring mad!Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: The Chinese New Year Mystery (Nancy Drew Notebooks #39) | [
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26,079 | 13 | Max doesn't much feel like talking, so he lets his drumsticks (two twigs, actually) respond to questions and imitate the sounds of his city neighborhood--pigeons startled into flight, rain tapping against a window, a train thundering down the elevated track. By linking Max's "drums" to activities from each previous page (for example, his grandfather is seen washing windows on one page, and in the next, Max is drumming on the cleaning bucket), Pinkney unobtrusively tugs the story forward. The fluid lines of his distinctive scratchboard illustrations fairly swirl with energy, visually translating Max's joy in creating rhythm and sound (Pinkney is well suited to the task, having been a drummer since the age of eight). A serendipitous ending finds the drummer from a passing marching band tossing a spare set of real drumsticks to the delighted Max. Ages 4-8. Children's BOMC alternate. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-3-On a day when Max doesn't feel like talking to anyone, a strong breeze shakes two heavy twigs to the ground in front of his brownstone home. Picking them up, the young African-American boy begins to beat out a rhythm that imitates the sound of pigeons startled into flight. Soon he is tapping out the beat of everything around him-rain against the windows, the chiming of church bells, and the thundering sound of a train on its tracks. The snappy text reverberates with the rhythmic song of the city, and Pinkney's swirling, scratchboard-oil paintings have a music of their own. This is an effective depiction of the way in which self-expression takes on momentum, as Max's quiet introspection turns into an exuberant celebration of the world around him.Anna DeWind, Milwaukee Public LibraryCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Max Found Two Sticks | [
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26,080 | 0 | Turning the pages of Miller's ( Where Does It Go? ) elegantly simple photo-essay is like freshly experiencing all five senses. After an opening spread that shows five portraits of children of varied races and that bears the caption, "I have two eyes, a nose, a mouth, two ears and two hands," the book goes on to explore each of the senses in turn. Each oversize page contains a single, brightly but unobtrusively framed photo featuring one of the children demonstrating various kinds of sights, sounds, tastes, smells and textures. The images show both the pleasant and unpleasant--smelling a big bowl of fresh popcorn but also garbage, tasting sticky sweet watermelon as well as medicine--and the children's natural expressions convey a range of reactions. Unlike many books of this type, Miller's includes refreshingly offbeat objects besides the usual flowers, ice cream and fire engine siren; her models smell a horse, taste the ocean and feel finger paints. Young readers will recognize and relate to these well-chosen subjects, and will want to duplicate the action on the pages. Ages 2-4. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-K-Slight in text, but often visually striking, this book introduces the subject through photographs of five children, each of a different race or ethnicity. An African-American girl looks at herself, her shadow, her dog, and her city, each illustrated with a full-color photograph of her interacting with the topic at hand. The pattern is repeated by each child: "with my nose I smell popcorn, a horse, flowers, and garbage. With my mouth I taste..." Finally, readers are told, "With our five senses, we enjoy our world." While some of the pictures seem staged, they depict experiences common to many children of this age, and are sure to provoke discussion. The book is in the same vein as Aliki's My Five Senses (Crowell, 1989) and Henry Pluckrose's "Think About" series (Watts), all of which essentially offer visual images, making no attempt to explain how or why the senses work. As such, this title is an additional purchase for collections serving young children.Denise L. Moll, Lone Pine Elementary School, West Bloomfield, MICopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: My Five Senses | [
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] | Validation |
26,081 | 6 | Rich, crisply defined illustrations highlight this concept book that, according to PW, introduces numbers in a creative--and sensible--manner. Ages 2-5. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Publishers Weekly ...introduces numbers in a creative -- and sensible -- manner...Karlin's boldly colored, realistic pictures...make this first counting lesson pleasingly accessible.Arithmetic Teacher ...a delightful counting book...describes the various ways that the numbers 2, 3, and 4 occur in daily life...lets readers look at the world through the eyes of a mathematician...; Title: What Comes in 2's, 3's & 4's? | [
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26,082 | 2 | On the trail of a teddy bear thief, Nancy uncovers a pattern of double-dealing and double crosses! First, the brief facts: Bess is working during the Christmas rush at Beary Wonderful, a toy and teddy bear shop, when the holiday season takes a sudden scary turn. The owner's prized collection of antique bears -- cute, cuddly, and worth a bundle -- has been ripped off. But the break-in is only the beginning of a much bigger and more brazen teddy bear caper! The attempted theft of Bess's own bear -- a replica of one of the antiques -- leads Nancy to believe that there's more at stake than a couple of burgled bears. FOr Nancy knows that even something as innocent as a teddy bear can be stuffed with intrigue -- and packed with danger!Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories) | [
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] | Train |
26,083 | 1 | Despite the catchy canine title, Numeroff and Mathieu's picture book is not about Man's Best Friends. Rather, the author and illustrator work together to pull off what could be the antithesis of a nonsense rhyme--a verse that derives its kid-appeal by its apparent sensibleness. But as the text intones various truths ("Dogs don't wear sneakers / And pigs don't wear hats / And dresses look silly / On Siamese cats), the illustrations serve up irreverent contradictions: a pack of well-shod pooches prances its way through a "Dog Days Marathon"; the aforesaid pigs and cats don lavish costumes for a production of "The Pigs of Penzance." One particularly frolicsome scene ("Fish don't eat bagels") shows a pair of hatted fish perched on stools at an underwater diner, one in the process of "schmearing" his bagel. Mathieu's exuberant art sets off Numeroff's neatly veiled silliness. Good goofy fun. Ages 3-6. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-K-A jaunty, rhymed text provides a litany of unlikely scenarios- sheep in the shower, hens in the swimming pool-some of which work better than others. It's Mathieu's wacky and inventive illustrations that really carry the show. His expressive animals lift weights, dangle off diving boards, and cavort in a variety of crazy outfits. Kids will enjoy the silliness, even if the book isn't as much fun as John Cameron's If Mice Could Fly (Atheneum, 1979; o.p.). Teachers will appreciate the final page, which invites readers to "tell me what you see," making the title a spirited springboard for creative activities. Useful, but not especially memorable. Lori A. Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Pasadena, TXCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Dogs Don't Wear Sneakers | [
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26,084 | 2 | Nancy serves a queen of England as she searches for a king of crime! An Elizabethan festival has come to River Heights, and Nancy has joined the troupe as a lady to the queen's court. Aside from the music, dancing, costumes, and feasts, there are performances of Romeo and Juliet. But the true drama unfolds behind the scenes, as Nancy learns that she, the queen, and the entire festival have been targeted for sabotage!Carolyn Keene is the author of the ever-popular Nancy Drew books.; Title: Crime in the Queen's Court (Nancy Drew Digest, Book 112) | [
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] | Test |
26,085 | 10 | Grade 4-6?Fourteen-year-old Princess Wilhelmina, the "most willful person anyone in the kingdom had ever met," wants to kill a dragon herself, more to prevent the indignity of being married off to a dragonslayer than to save the kingdom. Predicated on a rather gruesome grudge (the witch Grizelda has lost her husband and son to the king's war and creates a dragon to murder the king's child), the story builds to the confrontation between the beast and two sets of slayers: an elderly squire and his page, and a disguised Willie and her talking bear. The adventure is confused by some mysterious family ties, spirits of the forest, a remorseful witch, and repentant royalty. Some of the dialogue is pretty sharp-tongued, but occasionally it is downright mystical. Young readers will enjoy the intrigue, laugh at the banter between Willie and her sexist companions, and accept the weird conflation that brings everyone together. For those who are familiar with Patricia Wrede's masterly "Enchanted Forest Chronicles" (Harcourt), Coville's title may seem like a sort of lead-in for preteens. Like Wrede's books, The Dragonslayers is at its best when the feisty heroine is demolishing the proper princess role. The pencil drawings (one per chapter) are sufficiently dragonly and the cover is terrific.?John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TXCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Bruce Coville has published more than one hundred books, which have sold more than sixteen million copies. Among his most popular titles are My Teacher Is an Alien, Into the Land of the Unicorns, and The Monster’s Ring. Bruce also founded Full Cast Audio, a company that creates recordings of the best in children’s and young adult literature. He lives in Syracuse, New York, with his wife, Katherine.; Title: The Dragonslayers | [
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] | Test |
26,086 | 1 | It's her mother's crazy idea: a trip to Texas to save the buffalo. Amanda Guthridge just wants to ride horses with her boyfriend Philip and plan her coming-out party.But suddenly they're facing alligators, rattlesnakes, and stampeding buffalo on the Texas-Oklahoma frontier with David Talltree, the half-Comanche cowboy who thinks she can't even ride!So she challenges him to a horse race, no-holds-bared. He's handsome, arrogant, and much too self-assured -- and she's determined to won. She expects adventure. But she hasn't planned on danger -- or romance...BILL WALLACE was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma where he later spent ten years as a principal and physical education teacher at the same elementary school he attended as a child. Bill still lives in Chickasha with his wife, son, four dogs, three cats, and two horses. The Wallace family spends much of their spare time outdoors fishing, and tending cattle on the family farm. Bill lectures at schools around the country, answers mail from his readers, and of course, works on his books. Bill is now a full-time author and his novels have been a great success -- they have won more than thirty state awards and have made the master lists in seventeen.; Title: Buffalo Gal: Buffalo Gal | [
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26091
] | Train |
26,087 | 7 | Bruce Coville is the author of nearly ninety books for young readers, including the international best-seller My Teacher Is an Alien. He has been a teacher, a toy maker, a cookware salesman, and a grave digger. In addition to his work as an author, Bruce is much in demand as a speaker and as a storyteller. He is also the founder and president of Full Cast Audio, a company dedicated to producing unabridged recordings of children's books in a full-cast format. For more information about Bruce, check out www.brucecoville.com.; Title: Aliens Stole My Body: Bruce Coville's Alien Adventures | [
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] | Train |
26,088 | 1 | Kindergarten-Grade 4?This touching story chronicles the 14 years Kate shared with her dog, Murphy. Friends since infancy, the two ate together, played together, slept together. Kate even teaches Murphy to walk standing up, "one step at a time." As she gets older, school and friends begin to take up much of her time, but her faithful pet is always waiting when she returns home. But one day he is not waiting for her, and when she finally notices his absence late in the evening, she runs out to his favorite place in the yard and finds him moments before he dies. Although at first she believes life cannot go on, Kate resumes her normal activities. The ache of loss eases, but she does not forget Murphy, for it is remembering him that brings her joy. The lengthy text is lovely in its paralleling of the two lives, culminating in the final parallel in which Kate heals "one step at a time." Graham's soft paintings in muted tones match the gentle text perfectly. Small scenes, two to a page, depict baby Kate and the puppy learning together. Larger scenes show an older Kate and dog, while the largest paintings portray her as a teen. There is a progression from the unhappy girl shown against a somber blue background on the first page to the fond remembrance of an alert, mischievous Murphy against a white background at the end. A comforting story for children experiencing a similar loss.?Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community-Technical College, CTCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 7^-11. In a story told in retrospect, sensitive, tenderly rendered oil paintings picture baby Kate and puppy Murphy growing up simultaneously, teething together on purse straps and shoes and later walking together, Murphy on two hind paws as Kate taught him to do "one step at a time." As Kate grew older, their play time diminished, yet Murphy was always there, waiting for Kate after school, while she did homework, and as she talked on the phone. But one inevitable day when both were 14, Murphy no longer waited. Fourteen was old for a dog, but Kate was still young and now mourned life without Murphy. Although it unfolds a loving narrative of devoted companionship, this warmly told story's greatest strength lies in its caring, realistic revelation of just how the grieving Kate would go on "one step at a time," just as she'd taught Murphy to do, and finally find happiness not in forgetting Murphy, but in remembering him. A sensitive, honest focus on coping with the loss of a beloved pet. Ellen Mandel; Title: Murphy and Kate | [
10375
] | Train |
26,089 | 16 | Where will they strike next? A jar of olives (medium, pitted, California), a waffle iron (silver, black-handled), a rock (plain, brown)-each conceals a daffy insect invention from the creator of How Many Bugs in a Box? and Jingle Bugs. In Carter's latest, familiar objects (umbrella, doughnut, hammer, etc.) are given (appropriately named) bug eyes and, often, antennae; they are wittily transformed into members of an odd but comical alphabet species. The subtitle doesn't quite do the book justice, since there as many pull-tabs and liftable flaps as true pop-ups (and a turning wheel, a tactile powder puff and even a scratchable "fancy fragrant Flower Bug")-but that minor cavil certainly won't prevent kids from having a grand time as they discover three particularly peppy specimens lurking in a "jar of jumping Jellybean Bugs" or lift a vibrant green vine to uncover "two terribly timid Tomato Bugs." Amusing alliteration and a zany sense of humor deliver fun with every letter. Ages 2-4. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Publishers Weekly "Where will they strike next? A jar of olives, a waffle iron, a rock -- each conceals a daffy insect... They are wittily transformed into members of an odd but comical alphabet species... Amusing alliteration and a zany sense of humor deliver fun with every letter." -- Review; Title: Alpha Bugs: A Pop Up Alphabet Book (Bugs in a Box Books) | [
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26,090 | 6 | Penny Warner knows parties! Shes the author of The Kids Pick-a-Party Book, Baby Birthday Parties, Kids Outdoor Parties, Storybook Parties, and Slumber Parties. Penny is an early-childhood/special education instructor at Chabot College. She and her family live in Danville, California.; Title: Kids Party Games And Activities (Children's Party Planning Books) | [
26018
] | Validation |
26,091 | 0 | Neal Moffet had called me "Fat Pat Berry, the Twinkletoes Fairy" one time too many. ANd when he started going on about what a klutz I was just because a flying tackle got me stuck under a chain-link fence...well, something snapped. So when he bet me I couldn't get through the summer without getting stitches or breaking any bones, I took him on. Whoever lost had to kiss Kristine Pimpton (otherwise known as "The Blimp") in front of the entire school on the first day of sixth grade. Just the thought of having to pucker up for those pudgy lips is enough to make me want to spend the summer sitting still. But the rules say I have to keep on playing football and basketball and riding bikes -- all that dangerous stuff. And Neal is so desperate to win, I don't trust him for a minute. Boy, is it going to be a long summer. Especially for a klutz like me.Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.; Title: The Biggest Klutz in Fifth Grade | [
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] | Train |
26,092 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3-Wilson sits, eats, reads, plays, and walks home alone, ignored by his classmates. A smiling new girl comes and soon befriends the other children; she also notices Wilson, however, and tries to include him. The kids assure her that he wants to be left alone but, to everyone's surprise, Wilson responds immediately to her overtures and from then on he "...was not alone anymore." The absence of an adult in the story will help young audiences to see their own power and responsibility to effect change. The acrylic illustrations, done in soft masses of popsicle lime, orange, and grape, keep the mood bright. This attractive book could sensitize children to the social contract in a classroom; hopefully, an adult will be on hand to make the point that choosing to be alone sometimes is O.K., too.Patricia (Dooley) Lothrop Green, St. George's School, Newport, RICopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Wilson Sat Alone | [
7087
] | Train |
26,093 | 7 | Mysterious space raiders are threatening the joint Federation-Klingon colony on the remote planet of Dantar, and pitting the two sides against each other. Worf and his fellow first year cadets -- Zak, Tania, Soleta, and Mark -- have accompanied their teacher to observe the negotiation process, but soon find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic dispute.For just as Worf and the other cadets arrive, they discover the Klingon Empire has sent its own diplomatic team, including Klingon cadets, to investigate the attacks. As the cadets from Starfleet AcademyTM come face to face with their Klingon counterparts, tensions quickly mount as each side accuses the other of staging the raids.And while a deadly space battle rages overhead, Worf faces his ultimate test as his Klingon heritage and future in Starfleet collide.; Title: Line of Fire (Star Trek: The Next Generation - Starfleet Academy, Book 2) | [
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26,094 | 0 | August's ( In the Month of Kislev ) ambient illustrations go a long way toward stretching this slight if well-told tale into a full-course offering. Shiefman ( Good-bye to the Trees ) dishes up a family whose resources are so scant that "all they had to eat was potatoes." On Sunday they eat potatoes, on Monday and so on through the week. "But, on Saturday, guess what they ate. Potato pudding!" The author's pacing is excellent, but the story would be little without the art. August, using linoleum cuts and paints, conjures up an archetypal village in the old country; people cluster on its narrow, curving streets, and neighbors lean from shuttered windows to join in the chatter. Spires and turrets rise amid rolling hills, enhancing the mitteleuropaische flavor. The architecture, like the story, never becomes somber: the artist brushes on thick dabs of color, mottling the backgrounds with an eye-catching, sophisticated blend of pastels. She adds a suggestion of drama to the narrative--as the days of the week unfold, she shows the family members becoming increasingly restive (by Friday, the mother who has cooked the potatoes furiously orders her defiant family to the dinner table). A recipe for potato pudding is included. Ages 3-6. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-K-The story opens with a bird's-eye view of a countryside. The focus narrows down to a town, a street, a house, and finally a family. The family is poor and has nothing to eat but potatoes-every night. The best meal is on Saturday, when they have a fancy potato pudding (recipe included). The linoleum-cut illustrations, colorfully accented with thick, smudgy paint, are humorous and appealing. The folk-art style effectively portrays people who look like 19th-century Russian peasants, but the story could take place anywhere. A nice sequence of pictures shows them cutting, planting, growing, digging, storing, washing, and cooking the potatoes, with a trail of black footprints leading readers through the action. Children may wonder, however, what circumstances have put the family in this position. Nothing is explained about why there is no other food or why they cannot plant a variety of crops. Adults may suggest famine, no money to buy seeds, weather conditions, etc., but no details are given, and without a larger context the story seems rather pointless.Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Sunday Potatoes, Monday Potatoes | [
17710
] | Test |
26,095 | 2 | Patricia Polacco belongs to a family of storytellers, poets, farmers, teachers, and artists. They came from many parts of the world, but mainly Russia. She grew up to be an illustrator, a designer, and creator of many beloved childrens books, includingThe Keeping Quilt,The Blessing Cup,Fionas Lace,The Trees of the Dancing Goats,Babushkas Doll, andMy Rotten Redheaded Older Brother. She lives in Union City, Michigan. Visit her at PatriciaPolacco.com and follow her on Facebook.; Title: Some Birthday! | [
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26,096 | 1 | Fans of Good Dog, Carl know that when Mom says, "Look after the baby, Carl. I'll be back shortly," the excitement is about to begin, and this pop-up book is no exception. As soon as she's out the door, baby and dog are off on a wild afternoon filled with adventure. The first of many interactive pull-tabs has baby climbing out of his crib and onto Carl's back, which is like the bells ringing the start of a horse race--they're out of the gate and it's full speed ahead. Down the laundry chute, into the aquarium, and off to lunch--chocolate milk (heavy on the chocolate), cookies, and a little "butter" sandwich. Kids are sure to get a kick out of the miniature cuckoo that jumps from the clock, announcing cleanup time. As usual, Carl manages to erase all evidence of mischief and has the baby back in its crib when Mom walks through the door. With pull-tabs and pop-ups on every page, this book is sure to keep young "readers" as busy as Carl and the baby. --Colleen PrestonDay gives Carl's many fans the chance to interact with the famous canine baby-sitter in this humorously understated pop-up. The rottweiler, the baby he cares for and selected objects inventively spring from the pages and-with the help of pull-tabs-move in a variety of entertaining ways. Upon opening the cover, which features a die-cut window, the reader is welcomed by a happy baby and an attentive, eager Carl-both of whom rise up from the title page. The two bounce on a bed, dress up comically and view themselves in an acetate mirror, and make a glorious mess having a snack. Under Carl's careful watch, baby has a swim in the aquarium and-in one of the book's most engaging uses of pull-tabs-jumps down the laundry chute and lands on top of a basket of clothes in the basement. After the child has a bath and is put down for a nap, the diligent dog cleans up in time for the return of mother, who greets him with the familiar "Good Dog, Carl!" Several of the coated pages in this paper-over-board volume fold out, adding extra dimension to a winsome addition to the Carl collection. All ages. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Carl Pops Up | [
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] | Train |
26,097 | 3 | Lewison ( Shy Vi ; Going to Sleep on the Farm ) and Brown ( Your Best Friend, Kate ) strike a merry chord in this appealing variation on an oft-played theme. Brown's comic ink-and-watercolor pictures depict a medieval princess who looks to be well past the potty-training stage--and who trots out an engaging range of facial expressions that indicate her stubbornness. It seems she has no interest in trading in the "royal diaper" for a potty--even when tempted with models that are polka-dotted, musical or glow-in-the-dark. Quite simply, they fail to please her. When the princess's desperate parents consult the royal wise man, he answers--again quite simply--that "the princess will use the potty when it pleases her to use the potty." Her incentive proves to be a new acquisition: "the prettiest pair of pantalettes in the land," which, quite simply, cannot be worn with a royal diaper. Art and text convey the tale's message with amusing understatement. Bound to please any princess--and less royal youngsters as well. Ages 2-4. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-"'This potty doesn't please me,'" says the princess. Neither does the next one, nor the next. Her parents are frantic with worry-what will the neighbors in the next-door kingdom think? They try everything they can think of, including consulting a wizard. The princess continues to wear her royal diaper until the day she chooses to wear the prettiest pair of pantalettes in the land. When decision time comes, it's the nearest facility that pleases her. This learning experience will be familiar to anyone who has been toilet trained, and a light encouragement to those who haven't. Cheery, full-color cartoons reveal an imagined medieval world in which the anachronistic appearance of a white porcelain commode will disturb only the humorless. A pleasant, nondogmatic title that will be enjoyed as much as Virginia Miller's On Your Potty! (Greenwillow, 1991). Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Princess and the Potty, The | [
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26,098 | 1 | In sync with Valentine's Day's time-honored "hearts and flowers" motif, the creator of Jingle Bugs and Alpha Bugs fills this heart-shaped confection with sublimely silly Love Bugs, Rosebugs and similar species-all that's missing are lacy edges. And instead of the pull-tabs and flaps of Carter's earlier books, here all is intricately giddy, pop-up paper-engineering supporting a gaggle of multi-antennaed creatures (bug-eyed, of course) in appropriate reds and pinks. The opening spread, for example, swarms with fleecy clouds, against which is posed a bevy of pink-winged (and apparently unclothed) Cupid Bugs, "shooting arrows through the air." The Kissing Bug suitably leaves a trail of lipstick kisses, while the eponymous insect itself is puckered up and ready for action. Who could resist such amorous antics? Ages 8-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.A playful pop-up for your favorite Love Bug. Have you hugged a bug today?; Title: Love Bugs: A Pop-Up Book | [
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26,099 | 7 | Gr. 9^-12. Christopher Pike's latest thriller is a supernatural tale of terror and mysticism. Jennifer Hobbs awakens in a forest with no memory and a dead body next to her. She is shocked to discover that she is suspected of murdering her best friend, Crystal, and encouraging a sexual tryst with Crystal's boyfriend. Hard-core mystery fans who demand more than bloody nightmares and convoluted goings-on may find the tale lacking, but Pike fans will read it anyway. Mary Romano Marks; Title: The Lost Mind | [
24248,
25930
] | Validation |
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