Mini Tales From Massive Writers

Short and sweet. Sometimes it’s good. Real good.

At bedtime.
In the car.
While waiting for an appointment.
In the bathroom (shhh, you didn’t hear that from me ;0)

Enter WOW 366: Speedy Stories In Just 366 Words

I mean... just the idea that they all have exactly 366 words makes me want to read it. Plus, this new short story anthology by Scholastic was written by famous authors from all over the world, and each makes suggestions for reading fun!

Hello! That’s what I’m talkin’ about.

P.S. I'm going on vacation, but I promise, I'll be back for more reading fun!

Disney’s Ultimate Broadway Sweepstakes

What do The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, and The Lion King all have in common?

They’re all books, of course (and lots of reading fun!).

And, they’re all Broadway plays.

AND… Disney is giving away a trip for four to see them all in New York!

See the official rules on the site. The sweepstakes end August 31st.

Harry Potter Fans Grab Your Hankies!

Big news for movie goers—Warner Brothers just announced that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, previously scheduled for a November 21st release, is being pushed back to July 17th, 2009. That’s right… no Harry til June. Aaaaah!!! Eight additional months of agony.

This move has caused Twilight to move up from December 12th to November 21st.

I do my best to keep you up-to-date on the very latest… stay tuned for more reading fun!

Barring any breaking news, I’ll get back on the magazine topic tomorrow.

So Many Books… So Little Time

Books
~ a poem by Arnold Lobel

Books to the ceiling.
Books to the sky.
My pile of books
Are a mile high.
How I love them!
How I need them!
I'll have a long beard
By the time I read them.

Two and a half million copies of Brisingr are headed to bookstores!

Of magic and dragons...

"Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep."

September 20th brings Christopher Paolini’s much-awaited third book in the best-selling Inheritance Cycle series to eager readers everywhere (yes… there will be midnight parties!).

You can read or listen to an excerpt of Eragon, the first book in this high fantasy series, here.

You can read or listen to an excerpt of Eldest, the second book, here.

You can read an excerpt from the third chapter of Brisingr here.

You can become a Fricaya Member and enter to win exclusive Inheritance prizes here.

You can sign up for the Alagaësia Newsletter and receive exclusive updates from Christopher regarding all things Inheritance here.

You can check out Eragon’s favorite books and music, read Christopher Paolini’s answers to fan questions, play an interactive fiction game, learn from the Eragon pronunciation guide, see which character you are most like, download a screensaver, and put your knowledge to the test here.

You can play the new, interactive online game Vroengard Academy here.

This should keep you busy for a while. Here’s to having reading fun!

Oprah’s Book Club

After a great deal of influence in the adult book world, Oprah is now in the kids reading business, too. In partnership with the American Library Association, Oprah.com just released a Kids Reading List.

Search by five age groups or the classic category. A short summary of each recommendation is included, too. Plus, a picture of the book. I like that. Contrary to popular teaching you can actually tell quite a bit about a book by its cover.

But, that’s another story.

Check out the list and have some reading fun!

2nd Annual Cutest Cat and Kid Digital Photo Contest

Meow! Simon and Schuster is giving away books. Oodles of books. Cat-themed books at that.

To be precise The Cat Fanciers' Association, Simon & Schuster Publishing, Iams, Dr. Elsey's, and PetSmart have joined paws to present the 2nd Annual Cutest Cat and Kid Digital Photo Contest. You can win cat-themed books and other cool cat stuff!

Basically, someone over 18 enters a digital pic of someone under 12 and a cat. See all the rules here.

Learn about cat breeds and colors, cat shows, cat careers, play fun cat games, and link to cool cat sites here.

This contest sounds purr-fect. And—like loads of reading fun!

Summer Games – Beijing, China 2008

The TV rarely gets rest at our house these days. The Olympics are on and we are soaking it up (could that possibly be swimming humor? Hm.).

Time for Kids has a great site devoted to the Summer Olympics. With News, Fast Facts, Olympians Scoop, Photo Gallery, and Quick Quiz you won’t be disappointed.

Time has magazines for kids too. They’re targeted to teachers, but home subscriptions are available as well.

Take a dive (get it?) into the Olympics and reading fun!

Harry Potter Returns… Sort Of

Good news for Harry Potter fans!

You probably remember that Dumbledore gave Hermione a book in Deathly Hallows. A book of five wizarding tales. Tales which contained clues critical to the destruction of You-Know-Who.

Well… drum roll please…

The Tales of Beedle the Bard will now be available to the rest of the world on December 4th!!!

The book will include all five wizarding fairy tales (only one - The Tale of the Three Brothers - is told in Deathly Hallows), AND introduction and illustrations by J.K. Rowling (who knew she can draw too!), AND commentary and previously unrecorded historical backstory by none other than Albus himself.

Pretty sure J.K. has another hit on her hands.

You can see pictures of the original book created here, pre-order here, and read Amazon’s exclusive interview with J.K. here.

J.K. always makes reading fun!

Magazines Teach Health, Nutrition, Safety, and Exercise Fundamentals

The Children’s Better Health Institute publishes award-winning magazines you may not have heard of. Their purpose is “to encourage children of all races and cultures to strive for excellence in the areas of academics, personal fitness, medicine, and science.”

And… they make it FUN!!!

Turtle Magazine “offers colorful and entertaining stories, poems, and rebuses” to preschool children.”

Humpty Dumpty “keeps four to six year olds growing and healthy bodies moving.”

Children’s Playmate has “fun activities, stories, and recipes that promote healthy habits” for six to eight year olds.

Jack and Jill “ features profiles of regular kids doing extraordinary things” (ages seven to ten).

Children’s Digest “features up-to-date reviews of books and CD-ROMS” for nine to twelve year olds.

Check out the 2008 Cover Contest featured on each website–kids get a shot at illustrating a cover!

Cool. And definitely reading fun!

Christian Magazines for All Ages

Back on the magazine front... Focus on the Family has Christian magazines for every age group. Each magazine has a totally awesome, age-appropriate website too!

Stories. Crafts. Movie Reviews. Contests. What’s New. Entertainment. Health and Beauty. Spiritual Health. Too Funny. Mail Bonding. Music. Sports. You want it—Focus has it!

Check ‘em out:

Clubhouse Jr. – “Faith-filled fun for youngsters. Creative stories, fascinating articles, puzzles, craft ideas and more are packed into each issue.”

Clubhouse - “This magazine for kids reinforces traditional values and promotes family closeness with hands-on activities, challenging puzzles and exciting stories.”

Brio – “Packed with feature articles and stories that encourage teen girls 13-16 to make godly choices.”

Brio and Beyond - “Not only will your daughter find articles that'll strengthen her faith, each issue is packed with great reading about everything from fashion and food to fitness and fun things to do.”

Breakaway - The magazine for Christian teen boys. Honest answers about the issues that concern you the most.”

There you have it, loads of Christian reading fun!

Time Paradox

I have a confession to make. Big. Huge. Like… really large.

I haven’t read Artemis Fowl.

Not one. Ever. I mean never.

*Sigh*

I want to. Really, I do. I just haven’t gotten there yet.

But I thought you should know (assuming you’re over the age of 12)… the teenage criminal mastermind strikes again. Book six, The Time Paradox, is on shelves now.

I hear that Artemis really is reading fun. I hope letting you know about his latest book redeems me. Just a little bit.

Check out Eoin Colfer’s site (it’s pronounced Owen). The Artemis Fowl site. And the Artemis Fowl graphic novel.

Whew. I feel better. ;0)

Cricket Magazine Group

Cricket Magazine Group has magazines for everyone! From babies to teens.

Babybug. Ladybug. Click. Appleseeds. Ask. Spider. Cricket. Dig. Cobblestone. Muse. Faces. Calliope. Oddyssey. Cicada.

Those are ALL magazines! Maybe there's one that's just right for you! Check out samples here.

Highlights Highlights

I think it’s safe to say that Highlights is the big-daddy of kids’ magazines. They’ve been at it for over 60 years and have two-million-plus subscribers. And after all these years they’ve still got it goin’ on. Check out a sample issue.

But wait… there’s more!

The younger set is now in luck too! Highlights High Five has been created for two to six year olds (although older siblings and parents are sure to enjoy it). With read-aloud stories, Hidden Pictures, poems, activities, and puzzles this mag is sure to please. Sneak a peak here.

Highlights also has awesome, free email newsletters! They’ll send a free Hidden Picture each month, crafts, stories, discounts—you pick what you want them to send. Sweet.

Highlightskids.com rocks too. With the Game of the Week, Mystery Photos, crafts podcasts, and more. All the fun normally get from Highlights—check it out.

Reading—Fun With a Purpose

Magazine Reading

I’ve just been remembering the joy of magazine reading. When I was younger I had a subscription to Disneyland Magazine: “All-new stories with favorite Walt Disney characters… for Beginning Readers.” Every Tuesday I waited breathless and all hopped-up at the front door window. I think I left drool marks like our Basset Hound.

The mailman delivered my weekly bounty—fresh off the press and custom-created-for-me (well, it seemed like it). Week in and week out I poured over the colorful pages. There were comic-book-like stories, coloring pages, dot-to-dot, mazes, hidden object pictures, and more—all with my favorite Disney friends.

Disneyland Magazine was definitely one of my best early reading experiences—I loved it! As I’ve searched for magazines for my own kids, I’ve realized there are loads of them out there that most of us have never even heard of. Good magazines that are sure to delight even the most finicky reader. Magazines tailor-made for every appetite.

Magazines are definitely reading fun!

Stay tuned… I’ll hook you up.

Smithsonian—More Than a Museum

Walk on the moon. Build a light bulb. Stake your claim on the great American prairie.

Create a sculpture. Be a spy and read satellite photos. See a skeleton walk.

Check out the Smithsonian website for lots of fun, games, and downloadable activity sheets.

Learn how to play Hnefatafl.

Hnefatafl? Oh, come on… you’ve got to check this out! Click here—and here.

Chronicles of Narnia Giveaway

Aaaah! Tomorrow’s the last day to enter The Narnia Sweepstakes.

HarperCollins is giving away awesome Narnia stuff.

Check this out:

“Each winner will receive a copy of the new interactive gift edition, Narnia Chronology: From the Archives of the Last King; The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-up by Robert Sabuda; The Return to Narnia: The Rescue of Prince Caspian, illustrated by Matthew Armstrong; and The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set, which includes all seven books in the series and features cover illustrations by three-time Caldecott Medal–winning artist David Wiesner.”

Hurry! Quick! Enter here.

Plus, there’s games, an interactive timeline, and audiobook samples. You can even download a Narnia widget—now, that’s reading fun!

Cooking by the Book

It seems a few other people have been thinking along the same lines as I have. Wouldn’t you know it—there are already whole cookbooks with recipes from books.

Check’em out and have some reading fun!

Literary Smorgasbord or Book Buffet?

Summer still has me in par-ty-mode! I’m thinking a Literary Banquet would be fun. We could plan a whole meal or dessert around food from our favorite books.

Sam-I-Am has Green Eggs and Ham.

Charlie has a factory of chocolate delicacies.

Harry delights in Pumpkin Pasties, Licorice Wands, and Butterbeer (no, there’s not really beer in there).

Edmund is tempted by Narnia's Turkish Delight.

Mmm. Reading and food fun! How many food dishes from books can you think of?

Beyond the Deepwoods

At about one o’clock this morning I finished my latest read, the first book in The Edge Chronicles series: Beyond the Deepwoods.

Twig, a thirteen-year-old boy, was abandoned at birth and raised by woodtrolls. His mom is afraid the sky pirates will kidnap him so she sends Twig to live with an uncle. Twig doesn’t make it though. He does what woodtrolls never do—he strays from the path.

So begins this non-stop adventure! Bizarre creatures—hammelhorns, flat-heads, shrykes, nightwaifs, wig wigs, and more bring danger and intrigue at a breakneck pace. The beloved banderbear. The ever-watchful Caterbird. The evil Gloamglozer. Twig meets them all on his journey through the deepwoods.

Rocks float and trees eat people; British co-authors, Paul Stewart and Chris Riddel have co-created a completely new world—the line drawings bring amazing detail, further drawing the reader in.

This book is recommended for nine to twelve-year-olds, but I would say that those ahem, somewhat older will appreciate it too. I’ve already ordered Stormchaser, the second book!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the young lady at Barnes and Noble who made the recommendation!

Check out the Edge of Chronicles website, too. It’s awesome! Beyond the Deepwoods is definitely reading fun!