Favorite Thanksgiving Foods

Consume, inhale, gobble, wolf, chomp, devour, gorge, dine, munch. . . the list of words comparable to eating goes on and on. And Thanksgiving is here, so get ready to salivate because I'm about to reveal my favorite Thanksgiving foods.

(Warning: Do not read this on an empty stomach.)

Food #1: Honey Butter Rolls
I can just smell the aroma now; that buttery scent sifting through the kitchen initiates the urge to start the feast otherwise known as the “Yum Yum” fest at my house.

Food #2: Herb Infused Turkey
Ever since moving to New York, I haven't been able to make it home for Thanksgiving as much as I'd like to, which I must say completely stinks. Besides not being able to see my family, I also miss out on having my mom's famous Thanksgiving Day turkey. Rather than just throwing some salt and pepper on the turkey and sticking it in the oven for four hours, my mom's method combines innovation and culinary excellence. What she does is fuses her own mix of juices and herbs into the turkey with this really cool turkey injector. This result is a delectable moist and juicy turkey. Plus she leaves the skin on, which although the most unhealthy part, is irresistible!

Food #3: Fruit Compote
While most people have the traditional cranberry sauce with their dinners, my family puts our own twist on the conventional dish. In addition to fresh cranberries, our side dish also includes baked apricots, roasted pecans and caramelized pears. I'm guessing one tablespoon is probably around five hundred calories, but oh well.

Food #4: Dessert!
Honestly, does it really matter what kind of dessert it is? Though my family isn't a huge fan of pie, we certainly make up for it with chocolate chip cookies, an apple crisp, boxes of chocolates and homemade biscotti.

After all those delicious foods, I'm really surprised we can even get out of our chairs without toppling over! And what's even more shocking is the fact that the next day we eat leftovers!

Needless to say, Thanksgiving rocks! Have a happy holiday to all Stacks readers.

— Carly M., STACKS Staffer

Book Review: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Hmm. . . before I turned thirteen, what were my main thoughts and concerns? I'm pretty sure I was worrying about starting junior high, making new friends, being able to get good grades, and not fighting with my brother. I certainly know for a fact that I wasn't having some existential crisis and pondering the meaning of life! That didn’t happen until I turned sixteen. ;-)

In the book, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass, the idea of wanting to know the meaning of life plagues Jeremy Fink at the young age of twelve. This life-long question comes up when Jeremy receives a special box, as gift from father who passed away five years before, which apparently holds the answer to the meaning of life. Unfortunately the keys to open this one-of-a-kind box have been lost by the box's caretaker. So, in efforts to unlock and uncover the answer, Jeremy and Lizzy find themselves in some unique and life-changing experiences as their mission to unlock the box unravels.

I must say that I thought this book was excellent! A must-read for everyone, even adults. Mass expresses and reveals the important aspects of life which her characters learn throughout the book. Here are just a few quotes that I really could relate to in the quest for the so-called answer to the meaning of life.

• Mr. Rudolph: “If you go along with the flow of life, without trying to changes others, or change situations that are beyond you, life is much more peaceful.” (p. 151)
• Mr. Rudolph: “We all bring our own perceptions, needs, and experiences to everything we do. We will all interpret an event, or a sunset, different.” (p. 155)
• Jeremy Fink: “Each choice I made, or Lizzy made, was based on who we were or what we wanted. That's all I ever have to keep doing, and not be so worried about choosing right or wrong, there's only what IS. And if I don't like the outcome, I just make another choice.” (p. 286)

I want to thank harryobsessed (Allison) for recommending this wonderful book. If you haven't read it yet, I highly suggest you do. You won't regret it.

—Carly M., STACKS Staffer

Trivia: Magic Tree House Thanksgiving on Thursday

Yes, it's true that Thanksgiving is this Thursday — but Thanksgiving on Thursday is ALSO the title of one of the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne! (And yes, I HAVE been waiting all year to say that. And no, I DON'T have a life, thanks for pointing that out . . . )

If you're not familiar with the Magic Tree House series, then before I get to the trivia question, I should tell you a little bit about the books: They're about a tree house. It's magic. Got it?

Just kidding! Here are the details: Annie and Jack are a brother and sister who discover that the books in their tree house transport them through time and space. They visit lots of different historical destinations, from Ancient Eygpt to the Ice Age to the Civil War. And — surprise, surprise — in Thanksgiving on Thursday, they travel to Plymouth, Massachusetts during the time of the pilgrims.

So, here's my question for those of you who are familiar with the book: Jack and Annie try to help out with the turkey for the first Thanksgiving, but something goes wrong. What happens?

Leave a comment with your guess, and I'll be back next Tuesday to let you know the answer. In the meantime, have a very happy Thanksgiving! Or as your dinner would say, "Gobble gobble!"

— Karen, STACKS Staffer

Trivia Tuesday Answer: Coraline

Congratulations Madison! You were the first person to get the answer to the Coraline trivia question right. If you’re just joining now, the question was:

In what toy did the Other Mother hide the souls of the three children in the closet?

In the book Coraline, Coraline goes through a mysterious door in her dreary new flat (flat is British for apartment) to a world that is almost exactly like her regular world, just much, much better. In this Other World, she has an Other Mother, who seems much better than her real mother at first. (She cooks much better for one thing!)

But when Coraline doesn’t do exactly what the Other Mother wants, the Other Mother’s other side starts showing. She punishes Coraline by locking her in the closet, where Coraline meets three other children who have also been lured into the Other World. They tell Coraline the truth about the Other Mother — that she just wants to steal Coraline’s soul! That’s what she did to the three of them. Which leads us to the trivia question:

The Other Mother hid the three children’s souls in marbles.

Can Coraline escape the Other Mother’s grasp? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

—Carly H., STACKS Staffer

Thanksgiving Writing Prompt: I'm Thankful For . . .

Thanksgiving time! A time for friends, friends, football (Go Vikings!), and tons and tons of food. However, in addition to getting together with all of your family and the oh-so-painful food comma you endure after the meal, it's also a time to reflect on what you're most thankful for.

Here's my list of what I'm thankful for in 2009:

1. Awesome parents that care for me and that I can talk to when ever I need to.
2. A fun-loving brother and his wonderful wife who has turned out to be the best sister-in-law a girl could have.
3. Great friends who I wish I could see more.
4. The public library. Without it, I wouldn't have read most of the terrific books that I have read.

And the list could go on and on, but I'll spare you from reading it. Now I want to know what you're most thankful for in 2009.

Start listing!

— Carly M., STACKS Staffer

December LIVE CHAT: Books for Winter Break

Aah, winter break! A much needed vacation from the pressures of schoolwork, and finally, some free time to read WHATEVER YOU WANT! For our December chat, we want to hear from you what your plans are for winter break. What books are you saving up for an all-day-long reading marathon while wrapped up in blankets by the fire, snow falling outside, and some kind person constantly refilling your mug of hot chocolate? Or maybe you are escaping winter to go on a tropical vacation - lucky you! What books will you bring to read on the beach? Come to the chat and let us know your recommendations for the perfect Winter Break book.

WHEN: Saturday, December 5, 2009 4-5 PM (E.T.)
WHERE: THE STACKS
TOPIC: Winter Break!!!

Define and Refine Your Invention

In previous blog posts, we described the first few steps to becoming an inventor. Now it's time to take your invention to the next level!

You need to think of something totally original so people will be interested in using your invention in daily life. That means that you need to make it one-of-a-kind with completely new, interesting features. So after you have come up with your main idea, you must define and refine it. It’s time to get technical with your invention and figure out just how it will work and look. With this step, you will begin to see your creation finally taking shape.

The first step is to draw out what your invention will look like. Make a drawing of the whole invention and separate drawings of any special parts. For instance, if you designed a new kind of action figure, how would it look all put together? And, if it had some accessories that snapped on and off, how would each of those look? Draw details where the accessories connect so that you can envision how they will work.

Drawings are good for helping you define your invention, but they won’t tell you how your invention will feel and function. Your next step is to make some models. Building a scale model of your invention using clay or a modeling mold is highly recommended. A scale model is smaller than a full-sized model and will give you a general yet efficiently portable idea of what your creation will become. Before we made our body board invention, we made several small models out of clay to help us figure out the best shape.

Once you think you have a good idea of just what your invention should look like, try to build a life-sized model using cardboard, Styrofoam, or any recycled materials like paper towel rolls or cereal boxes. This will give you a tangible sense of what your final product will look like and where its different features should be placed. Each model helps you define and refine your invention a little bit more.

After you have a model for how your invention looks, think about its function. Imagine how the invention will work exactly. Try to work out every detail of the “working parts” of the invention: Where will the batteries go? Does it light up? Are there switches, buttons or handles that need to be added? Where will these go? How do the pieces fit together? Details are what make the best inventions successful.

Try to think of new ideas as you design your invention. Remember, the possibilities are endless. In the end, your final idea will probably end up looking way different from your original vision, but it’s okay! Refining is all about making your invention the best it can be, so those improvements mean you are doing your job!

— Alyssa Hansen & Kaycee Johnsen, Kid/Teen Inventors

 

Alyssa Hansen and Kaycee Johnsen, both 16, began inventing when they were just 10 years old. They, along with their siblings and friends, have created Boogie2Boogie, a new kind of wave-riding toy and the Underwater X-treme, a challenging pool toy that solves the problem of everybody peeking when playing Marco Polo. Both inventions won the National TOYchallenge and are currently being marketed by By Kids For Kids. Alyssa and Kaycee have been writing a regular column for creative kids in bkfk.com since 2006 and have co-written a book and activity kit that teaches kids how to invent. You can see all of their creations, and a lot more at www.bkfk.com.

World Hello Day

People always talk about how they want world peace, but how often do they really do anything about it? Well here is something that you (yes, YOU!) can do to help create world peace. November 21 is annual World Hello Day and all you have to do is say "Hello!" to ten people.

But how is that going to create world peace? Think about it. If everyone in the world stopped fighting and actually just started talking to each other, we would have instant peace!

Try it. Instead of automatically snarling at your little brother first thing in the morning, give him a big hug and say hello. Instead of grumbling at your parents because you're tired and in a bad mood, give them a cheerful "Good morning!" Instead of walking past that person in the lunchroom who you normally would never talk to, smile and say hi. If you have been holding a grudge against someone, ignoring someone, been mad at someone for no real reason, give it up and just say hello. Say something nice to someone on the Message Boards. Or send a shout-out to someone's STACKS profile. Really there is no harm in just saying hello.

Ten people. That's all. Find ten people today and give them a friendly greeting. If everybody did this every day, then maybe we really could have world peace! Leave a Comment to let me know how it goes.

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Fantastic Mr. Fox Movie

Raise your hand if you love Roald Dahl's books! Oh yeah! He's awesome! Matilda, The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and The BFG are my favorites, but he's written a bunch more too. A few have been made into movies, the most recent one being Fantastic Mr. Fox (rated PG) which comes out in theaters November 25.

Fantastic Mr Fox is about Mr. and Mrs. Fox who live an idyllic home life with their son Ash and visiting nephew Kristofferson. But, once a fox, always a fox, and after twelve years of quiet domesticity, Mr. Fox slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief. He gets himself and his family in trouble with the evil Farmers - Boggis, Bunce and Bean - who are determined to capture the audacious, fantastic Mr. Fox at any cost. In the end, he uses his natural instincts to save his family and friends.

Lucky Kid Reporters on both coasts got the scoop. Kid Reporter Grace was at the New York red carpet premiere, and Miranda was at the press day in Los Angeles where she met Lucy Dahl, Roald Dahl's daughter! They each got some really cool behind-the-scenes details about the movie, and Grace even got a compliment from actress, Meryl Streep.

Jason Schwartzman plays the voice of Ash, and our STACKS reporter Gerri got to ask him what he likes most about the movie. Let's hear what he has to say . . . 

I love how the moral of the story is to be cool with who you are. Being yourself is awesome! That seems to be a common thread in a lot of Roald Dahl's books - people who are a little bit quirky or different end up being really cool and interesting. What do you think? Do you have a favorite Roald Dahl book? Let me know in the Comments.

— Sonja, STACKS staffer

Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox
Video by Gerri Miller for THE STACKS

Wolves of the Beyond, a New Ga'Hoole Series

A newborn wolf pup with a twisted leg is abandoned in the wilderness beyond Ga'Hoole. Miraculously, he survives and grows up to change the Wolves of Beyond forever. If you loved the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series by Kathryn Lasky, then this Sneak Peek of her newest series is for you.

Lone Wolf, Book 1 of the brand new Wolves of the Beyond series is not coming out until December 29, but you, dear Ink Splot 26 readers, can be the first to read Chapter 1 right here (PDF).

In other news, the Guardians of Ga'Hoole movie is coming out in September 2010, which feels like an awfully long time, so it's a good thing we have this new series to read while we're waiting!

Create Your Own Agent Card for THE 39 CLUES

Thanks to all the fans of The 39 Clues, and congratulations on being top-level Clue-hunters! World domination doesn't come easy, does it? That's one of the first lessons Amy and Dan learn.

You may not have all 39 Clues yet, but you can still showcase your Clue-hunting prowess by designing your very own agent card on www.the39Clues.com. Check out my card right here.

First you have to create a Cahill alias. That's me – Desert Squall1. Then it's time to show off your skills.

There are tons of cool images to add to your card – background designs, animals, weapons, characters from the series, etc. And of course, a little bragging never hurts. You get to display all your Clue-hunting accomplishments. But the coolest part is this: your card will have a unique code. So when you send the code to your friends (and rivals?!) your card will be added to their card galleries. My code is P2DTMN4WXP.

Risky? Perhaps. There's no guarantee that your card won't fall into Madrigal hands. But let's face it – no guts, no glory. The Clue hunt is no place for wimps.

So when you create your agent card, rest assured I'll be watching. The bigger question is: Who else will be?

See you on the hunt! And if you haven't joined the hunt for the Clues yet, it's never too late to join!

— The 39 Clues Author, Gordon Korman (aka Desert Squall1, Card Code: P2DTMN4WXP)

LIVE CHAT with Author Nancy Krulik!

Nancy Krulik, the author of the How I Survived Middle School series will be joining us in our November Live Chat. Here is your chance to ask her all your burning questions about the series, about middle school, and about what it's like to be a real live published author! (Believe me, she knows. She's written more than 150 books!)

WHEN: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 6-7 PM (E.T.)
WHERE: THE STACKS
TOPIC: Chat with author Nancy Krulik!

To find out more about Nancy and read her books before the chat, visit the How I Survived Middle School website. There are also some very fun games and quizzes there. Hope to see you at the chat!

Also, write your questions for Nancy in the Comments now, and we will make sure to ask those during the chat!

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UPDATE: 11/20 — Thanks for joining the chat. In case you missed it, or want to relive the memories, here is the transcript! Please come join us on December 5 for the next Live Chat.