Posts Tagged ‘young’

Summer Fantasy Book Reading for Teens and Young Adults

Some Classics

A Wrinkle in Time – (Newberry Medal Winner) This is simply a beautiful book that has blazed a trail in modern children’s fantasy by putting forward a story of several children embarking on a grand adventure; In this case to rescue their father. There is some fascinating and thoughtful stuff in this book like living stars and tesseracts. It is a perennial favorite and on every librarian’s list.

A Wizard of Earthsea – Written by Ursula K. Leguin this is the first book in a series called The EarthSea series. Short and light but extraordinarily beautiful. This first book in the series follows a young boy named Ged as he goes from being a simple goat herd to a powerful wizard.  It is simply beautiful and it brings forth some wonderful and magical themes such as the concept that everything (including dragons) has a secret name.  And if you know the secret name you can control the thing (including dragons).

The Hobbit – This probably shouldn’t be on this list but it is so good that I can’t leave it off.  With the absolute enormous success of the Lord of the Rings movies this book may be overlooked but I consider it better!  It is also in the works to be a movie.

Five Children and it – This is one of the most popular books written by Edith Nesbit who is often credited with creating the whole genre of children embarking on fantasy adventures.  Her books are in the public domain now and can easily be found for free. The theme of this book is:  Be careful what you ask for. You may get it! That’s the message in this delightful tale of five youngsters who discover a bizarre sand creature that grants wishes. There’s a catch, of course: the wishes come undone at sunset, and worse yet, things often get out of hand!

Dragonflight – This book is a little more complex than earlier ones I have cited here and it tends toward being more of a novel for grownups but it very suitable for teens.  We are introduced to a complex world of dragons through the main character Lessa. This book is often credited with being the book that has launched many a young girls writing career.  It is the first book in a trilogy of books called The Dragon riders of Pern series.

A Princess of Mars: The first novel in the Edgar Rice Burroughs series and currently in the initial stages of being written into a movie or animation that will be made by Pixar.  This is the first book in a series called John Carter of Mars and it is good rollicking fun in the tradition of the old pulp magazines.  It is a favorite for young boys who like sword fighting big monsters.

Contemporary fantasy and fiction

When it comes to modern fantasy fiction for teens there is an enormous selection to choose from and that, in itself,  could be an obstacle. Here are summaries of some of the more popular ones and I have also picked some that are currently slated to be made into a movie.

Artemis Fowl Series – This series of books takes a little bit of an unusual position as far as children’s books go because Artemis Fowl himself is a twelve year old genius and a criminal mastermind. The author of these books calls them Die Hard with Fairies! And the books are often characterized as being a high-octane and rip-roaring ride.  It is a wildly popular series of books with a big website and even a wiki. There are currently five books in the series with the first being simply titled Artemis Fowl. The sixth book “The Time Paradox” is set to be released in July of 2008.

Here, there be Dragons – The title itself is rather mysterious and harkens back to another time. This was the phrase that cartographers used to write in patches of ocean that were unexplored.  The basic premise of this story will really resonate with teens that are fans of fantasy itself because it starts with the unusual meeting of three young strangers John, Jack, and Charles on a rainy night in London. We later find out these three young men are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches – This is a series of books that takes place in a world of magic and secrets called Ruin Mist. This book was slow to start but word of mouth turned it into a best seller. It is one of those relatively little known books and series that is very satisfying.

Septimus Heap – If magic and wizards are of strong appeal this series of books make a great alternative to Harry Potter. The Main character (Septimus) is the seventh son of a seventh son and the main line of the story follows two children switched at birth: a boy destined to be a wizard and a girl destined to be a princess.  There are currently four books in the series and the first book has been picked up by Warner Brothers and is currently being made into a movie that is scheduled for release in 2010.

Any of these books or series will launch teens and young adults on a remarkable adventure into strange fantasy worlds and no joystick or keyboard is required.

Young Women Return From NASA Learning Experience

Young Women Return From NASA Learning Experience
QUITE A FIELD TRIP. The female participants of the NASA Learning Experience last week during their visit to the Kennedy Space Center. —Photo courtesy Katie Johns

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Disney movie reward codes Help for my young daughter where can i buy this item in the rewards section?

just got a ps3 and i get free 5 movies and 1 was invincible and it has a code for disney rewards and i put it in and did survey for 225 were can i get codes from now i know you can get codes from dvds from disney any where else can you get them my child wont stop talking and bugging me about the Disney Vacation Club Pin Set With Lanyard and theCinderella Glass Slipper Scaled Replica?I want to BUY those 2 for here since i cant get it from the rewards section because there to high and i dont buy alot of dvds and i would have to spend alot to get those dvds,anybody know where i can but those 2 items please she’s only 5 years old and she loves those little disney pins when me and my wife went there last year we bought one pin home with us and she loves those pins and she loves the cinderalla movies,why do kids have to get the prizes in the high sections im just glad she didnt look at the tv’s and if you happen to have the codes and dont use them please send them to sp1and_only@yahoo.com

Crash kills 4, one a skilled young athlete

Crash kills 4, one a skilled young athlete
Detrique Baker was at the doorstep of a future in college basketball that could have transformed his life.

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Disney For Young Kids

Are you planning a trip with your little ones to visit Mickey? Here are some ways to spice up the magic:

Tip #1 – Meals with a Disney flavor

Build up the excitement by cooking creative meals that have a Disney flavor for your kids. For example, you can buy uncooked pasta in the shape of Mickey Mouse and whip up a delicious and healthy meal for your princes and princesses with that. “The Gourmet Pantry” in DTD carries it. You can call them at 407-828-3886 to order.

Tip #2 – Avoid the crowd

Crowds are annoying especially when you have kids with you, so it is wise to go when schools are in session.

Tip #3 – Hands-free

Considering bringing along the Playtex Hip Hammock if you are traveling with an infant/toddler. If your child is between 15 to 35 pounds, the hammock works perfectly. It keeps you hands-free while waiting for the bus, standing in line, tending to your older kids and browsing in shops. You can also take your toddler on rides with the Hammock. This is handy. It will make your trip just that much more enjoyable.

Tip #4 – Save your sanity

Kids get impatient while waiting in line, so bring snacks and toys to distract them. Take frequent breaks to prevent exhausting the kids. In the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, kids can chill out at Ariel’s Grotto and Donald’s Boat. Ariel’s Grotto is a great place for kids to cool off in the kids water area and the interactive play area of Donald’s Boat allows children to ring the bell and steer the ship of Donald’s ill-fated leaky. You may wish to arrive at the parks early in the morning, so that your kids can have a nap in the afternoon. This will keep them refreshed for the parades and fireworks.

Tip #5 – Research rides

It is important to research rides beforehand because young children may be frightened by loud noise or darkness. If your child is too young to ride Test Track at Epcot, a nice alternative is to duck into Test Track’s gift shop/ exit and let him/her ride on the cars in the shop.

Tip #6 – Dining options

There is a free Baby Care Center in each Disney park, so head for one when you are looking at some peace and quiet when feeding your baby/toddler. These centers are equipped with rockers, high chairs, and toys. There are even formula and baby food for sale. Do remember to plan one character meal because your trip won’t be complete if the little ones don’t get to mingle with their favorite characters.

blizzard beach or typhoon lagoon? which is better for young adults?

Also, if I just want to go to one or both of the Disney water parks instead of the rest of the theme park (epcot, mgm, magic kingdom), can I just pay to go to the water park? and how much is it? for one of the water parks or both water parks only? no theme park…we didn’t like it when we went.
how can i get tickets to just the water park? online?