This post is sponsored by 20th Century Fox.
The new movie Epic, hits theaters today, May 24th. For our previous Epic Create a Caption, we gave you an image of M.K. and Mub the Slug. Now we have a few other images from the movie for you to fill in with your captions.
"I discovered a change at that moment, diary. If you see enough destruction, if you feel helpless in the face of it, if you've been terrified enough times, there does come a moment when you cannot bear one more thing to be lost. I was tired of being afraid." - Minnie Bonner
It is the spring of 1906. The tavern which has been in her mother's family for generations was lost due to a horrible gamble made by Minnie's father. Now, Minnie is being sent away from her home in Philadelphia to San Francisco to work as a lady’s maid of the new owners of the tavern. It is not the way she imagined her life would be, answering to the arrogant and fickle Mrs. Sump, as well as her daydreamer of a daughter Lilly.
Days after their arrival in San Francisco, a horrible earthquake devastates the city, including the brand-new Sump mansion. Shaken and alone, Minnie finds herself among the thousands of homeless residents of San Francisco. She must rely on the kindness of strangers as well as make decisions that challenge her morals in A City Tossed and Broken.
Let us know what you think of this new addition to the Dear America series in the Comments!
—Elysse, STACKS WriterLeaning Tower of Pisa Fun Facts
The Scholastic Summer Challenge continues. Have you logged your minutes for this week yet? You could have a chance to win prizes!
This week's reading milestone is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Did you know these true facts about this tilty tower in the city of Pisa, Italy?
Do you trust that the tower is now secure? Would you dare to climb up to the top? Let us know in the Comments!
"Leaning Tower of Pisa." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2013. Web. 1 May. 2013.
Create a Caption: Filly Puppy
Is that a dog or a frog?! Check out the tongue on Filly! It's got to be the longest dog tongue ever! I bet touching her tongue to her nose is no problem (I'm kinda jealous – I’ve always wanted to be able to do that). If I had to come up with a caption for this photo, I think it'd be this:
“Is that the best you've got? You do know that my tongue is a weightlifting superstar, don’t you? Tennis ball? Way too easy. Gimme a basketball. This isn’t Little League. Gimme something I can work with.”
What do YOU think Filly is doing or saying in this photo? Share in the Comments!
STACKS Field Day Games
Does your school have Field Day? It's a day usually at the end of the school year where everybody in school competes in different activities like kickball, relay races, water balloon toss, and other fun games. Well, we have fun games on the STACKS, too, so I thought we could have a STACKS Field Day!
Here is the schedule of events:
1) Play the Cupcake Switcheroo Game. This game is so addicting, I almost can't stand it, but I can't stop playing it either.
2) Play Goosebumps Ghost Hotel. It's not scary, I promise!
3) Play the newest STACKS game, Spyfall! Pretend you're a spy and you're skydiving to deliver top-secret documents that will save the world.
4) Dress up Abby in the Whatever After DressUp Game.
5) Pretend you're Pacman and chomp away in the Smiley Chomp Game.
Compete in 1 or all of these events and let us know your high scores in the Comments. Go, team!
Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews
Testing Day doesn’t go as 12-year-old Al Pilgrommor expects. Born into a wealthy family, he expects to follow in his successful father's footsteps. Of course, that all depends on the rank number Al receives at the testing. On a scale of one to seven, Al scores a zero, and the number is permanently tattooed on the back of his neck. Not good.
Now, instead of celebrating with his friends and family, Al needs to run away from the Cullers, men who hunt down zeroes . . . and put them to death. Left with a little bit of money and a sword he barely knows how to use, Al must use his wits to evade these ruthless assassins.
Surrounded by enemies, Al doesn’t know whom to trust. But as he meets other outcasts, he begins to suspect that he is a pawn in a larger game — and that he might have the power to tip the scales in a high-stakes struggle between man and dragon. Could the fate of the world rest in his hands? Can a zero become a hero?
This gripping book is a must-read for all fantasy and magic lovers. Filled with adventure, humor, and loveable characters, I could not put this book down! You cannot help but root for Al as he travels throughout the land, and while you’re reading, it feels like you are along for the ride.
Don’t you want to read this book? Let us know what you think in the Comments.
—Elysse, STACKS Writer
Niagara Falls Fun Facts and Anagram
The Scholastic Summer Challenge continues. Have you logged your minutes for this week yet?
This week's reading milestone is Niagara Falls! Did you know these true facts about Niagara Falls?
What other words can you find? Leave them in the Comments!
Matthai, James P. "Niagara Falls." Reviewed by Paul Gromosiak. The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.
Switched at Birth stars Katie LeClerc and Vanessa Marano were at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books to read to kids. Vanessa read aloud and Katie signed in American Sign Language. Afterward, we asked them which children’s book they loved most. Vanessa picked Dr. Seuss’ One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and Katie chose The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. In case you didn’t know it already, Katie pointed out that reading is essential “so that you can drive, function in life, and be a normal human!”
At another recent event, we also asked Oscar-nominated nine-year-old actress Quvenzhane Wallis what she likes to read. “I like to read all kinds of books. I like Judy Moody and Judy Blume books,” she said, adding that she most recently read Pinkalicious by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann.
Bindi Irwin is following in her father’s footsteps as the host of a new wildlife series on Starz Kids & Family. The daughter of the late Australian animal expert Steve Irwin, Bindi will take kids up close and personal with all kinds of animals in Bindi’s Bootcamp, which airs Wednesdays at 6 p.m. ET/PT beginning May 1. Shot on location at the Australia Zoo, the series puts three teams of kids through races and challenges as they learn about wildlife and compete to win a trip with Bindi to participate in an Irwin Family conservation program.
Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and One Direction were among the winners at the Radio Disney Music Awards, which will be available on May 5 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT on Radio Disney. Disney Channel will show highlights from the event during the weekend of May 10-12 every night starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Speaking of Selena, her “Come and Get It” video will have its world premiere on MTV on May 7 at 7:53 p.m. ET/4:53 p.m. PT.
Noah Munck from iCarly stars in the Nickelodeon movie Nicky Deuce as an over-protected teen who transforms into a tough guy when he spends the summer with his uncle in Brooklyn, New York. It premieres May 27 on Nick at Nite at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
A.N.T Farm comes back for a third season with a special one-hour episode on May 31 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon. This time around, the series about talented teens will be set in a boarding school. Star China Anne McClain sings a new song called "Stars Aligning” in the episode.
—Gerri, STACKS Writer
Artemis Fowl Graphic Novel Review
A couple days after reading and reviewing Artemis Fowl, I was walking through the book store when I saw a graphic novel version of that same book. “Preposterous!” I thought (with a British accent). “Downright farcical. The cheek! To turn Artemis Fowl into a comic. . . well!” OK, I didn't think that at all; that was pretty much my Artemis Fowl impression. Terrible, I know.
As it happens, I'm actually a big fan of graphic novels. Artemis Fowl is a very visual book, with lots of descriptions of the fairy world, Artemis's enormous manor, and crazy fairy inventions tearing Artemis's manor apart, so I couldn't resist the urge to pick up the comic and see that world come to life.
I'm not sure if the graphic novel version quite lives up to the (admittedly high) standard of the book, but pretty much everything is there – all the characters, all the plot points, all the sweet action and gadgets and magic and mayhem. I had small quibbles with the way some characters were drawn, but that's inevitable, I suppose. Personally, I pictured Foaly and Mulch much more like traditional Centaurs and Dwarves, and Artemis kind of like Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies . . . but again, that's personal taste, and I shouldn't complain about the art. In general, it was colorful, vibrant, creative, and well-executed.
— Jack, STACKS Writer
Summer Challenge: Clash of the Titles
As you know, summer reading is AWESOME because you get to read whatever you want as much as you want. You don't have to do homework or write book reports, and you don't have to get up for school in the morning, so if your parents let you, you can read in bed until way late! Ah, I remember those summer days and nights of endless reading . . .
The Scholastic Summer Challenge is kicking off this week, so you can put all that reading to good use. Log your reading minutes and you will reach reading milestones, have a chance to win prizes, and possibly help break the world reading record.
This week's milestone is The Coliseum. It is the ancient Roman stadium where gladiators used to fight for glory and honor. . . and their lives. We are not going to ask you to engage in hand-to-hand combat, obviously. But you can relive the glory of Ancient Rome by voting for your faves in the Clash of the Titles game. 2 books face off cover to cover, and YOU get to pick the winner.
Vote now! And may the best book win!
Future Job Personality Quiz Results
Last week's Future Job Personality Quiz asked you some questions to help you decide what is the best job for you when you grow up. Are you ready for the results? Read on. . .
Summer Reading at Scholastic!
The Scholastic Summer Challenge is on! Starting today, you can compete in the ULTIMATE summer reading challenge to set a new reading world record! Log your reading minutes every day, earn virtual badges, and participate in weekly challenges to win extra prizes. What could be more fun?
As you log your minutes, you’ll also read around the world as you move up the Reading Meter! The more you read, the farther you travel— from the Coliseum to the Taj Mahal to Mount Everest! With each landmark, you can watch fun videos from Scholastic News Kid Reporters, who share interesting facts about each place.
Plus, check out your summer reading profile page to track your personal reading stats and your school’s status, watch book trailer videos, and enter sweepstakes for a chance to win awesome prizes throughout the summer, including: a Harry Potter box set, a signed copy of The False Prince and The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen, a 39 Clues prize pack, and a Dear Dumb Diary prize pack.
Be sure to log your minutes for your school. The school that logs the most minutes will win a visit from Captain Underpants author Dav Pilkey! How cool is that?!
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