Chloe Moretz and the Hugo Movie

Have you read the amazing book by Brian Selznick, The Invention of Hugo Cabret? If not, you totally should especially since the movie version (Hugo, rated PG) is out now. It is the story of a wily and resourceful boy named Hugo whose quest to unlock a secret automaton leads him on a wild adventure. For more about the movie, also check out the Hugo Movie Companion book also by Brian Selznick.

Chloe Moretz plays Isabelle, Hugo's partner in crime in his adventure. You may recognize her from The Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie. Here she is to answer some of our questions. . . .

Kid Power! Toys for Tots Holiday Giving

Kid Power! Kids can make a difference! Every Thursday on Ink Splot 26, we'll show you a new idea for how YOU can make the world a better place.

The holidays are coming! Aside from staying warm and spending time with your family, it is a time to get and give gifts! But there are many children whose parents can't afford to buy them gifts this year. If you have a little extra money, you can help make it a happy holiday season for a child in need by donating to Toys for Tots.

• What
  Toys for Tots is a program sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to deliver presents to needy children.
• How
  Buy any gift from this Toys for Tots Holiday Wish List and drop it off (unwrapped) at a Toys for Tots collection box.
• Where
  There are collection boxes at every Toys R Us and Babies R Us store, but there may be collection boxes at other places in your community, too.
• When
  Before December 6

If you don't have any money to buy something yourself, ask your parents to buy the gift and give you 1 less gift this year. It is a small sacrifice on your part that will make a huge difference to a needy child. When you are opening all your presents, you can think about the other person who is also having a happy holiday because of you!

Listen to your heart for creative ideas to help others, and remember that a little act of kindness goes a long way. Happy Holidays!

— Glory, Scholastic Intern (a.k.a. CupcakeChateau4)

Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby

What it must be like to be the daughter of a king. It must be wonderful to live the life of a pampered princess, to wear a jeweled crown, live in a grand castle, and have anything your heart desires.

However, Solveig is not your average princess. The main character of Matthew J. Kirby’s latest book, Icefall, Solveig is forced to spend her winter hiding from her father’s enemies, far from home on a frozen fjord. Solveig is joined by her younger brother Harald, the heir to her father’s throne, and her older sister Asa, who spends most of her days locked in her room, as they wait out the winter with little supplies and little hope.

Authors Trivia Quiz

Famous authors live the most interesting lives. When they aren't writing award-winning novels, they become involved in the most exciting adventures and have such interesting stories to tell. Sometimes these personal adventures even make appearances in the authors' books! For today's Trivia Tuesday, I bring you a quiz about the lives of my favorite authors.

1. What character was J.K. Rowling asked to play in the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone movie?
   A) Molly Weasley
   B) Minerva McGonagall
   C) Lily Potter
2. Percy Jackson author, Rick Riordan, once went to college to study what musical instrument?
   A) Tuba
   B) Guitar
   C) Violin
3. What special day was Meg Cabot married on?
   A) April Fools Day
   B) St. Patrick's Day
   C) Fourth of July
4. How many books did Gordan Korman have published before he graduated high school?
   A) 3
   B) 4
   C) 5
5. Dav Pilkey chose to set the Captain Underpants series in Piqua, Ohio because this town hosts what event each year?
   A) Underwear Festival
   B) Toilet Bowl Appreciation Day
   C) Comic Book Writing Day
6. R.L. Stine says he began writing at what age?
   A) 7
   B) 9
   C) 11
7. What type of make-up does Baby-sitters Club author, Ann M. Martin, hate to wear because it feels weird and smells funny?
   A) Eye shadow
   B) Lipstick
   C) Blush
8. Before she wrote The Hunger Games (for ages 12 and up), Suzanne Collins wrote scripts for
   A) Movies
   B) Plays
   C) Television

Post your answers in the Comments below and check back next Tuesday for the answers!

— Brian, STACKS Writer (a.k.a. BlackBird268)

Thanksgiving Word Jumble Answers

Last Tuesday, I brought you a Thanksgiving Word Jumble. Now that the parades are over and your stomachs are all full with turkey and too many desserts to count, I bring you the answers! Did you decode them all? Check the answers below to find out!

Pokemon or Percy Jackson Writing Prompt

This week's Write On! Writing Prompt presents choices. Pokemon or Percy Jackson? Both heroes, both residing in a magical world, both taking part in awesome battles . . . and of course, both starting with the letter "P." So check out this week's 2 Writing Prompts.

The first one was submitted by Corey:
What would you do if you found yourself in the Unova Region of Pokemon?

And the second one by moth821:
You are in the world of Percy Jackson. Who is your godly parent and how do you contribute to the series?

The choice is in your hands. Percy? Or Pokemon? Or dare I say both? Leave your answers in the Comments below!

—Ratha, Stacks Writer

Sterling Beaumon from Clue

Did you catch the Clue mini-series (rated TV-PG) on The Hub last week? It's based on the board game and one of the stars is 16-year-old Sterling Beaumon. The new live-action, five-part miniseries follows six young sleuths who stumble upon an adventure they never imagined after witnessing a murder. Along the way, the six very different kids discover they have a lot more in common than they thought as they uncover hidden treasures and decipher cryptic knowledge to reveal a secret society.

Encore marathons will run throughout this week in case you missed it, and we have Sterling Beaumon here to talk about his role in the show, his most embarrassing experience, and his opinion of bullies.

Q: Tell me about Clue. Is the storyline closely based on the game?

Kid Power! Thanksgiving

Kid Power! Kids can make a difference! Every Thursday on Ink Splot 26, we'll show you a new idea for how YOU can make the world a better place.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Not only do we get a break from school, but we get to spend time with our families. Some people will visit a soup kitchen this Thanksgiving, either as a guest or to volunteer to help serve. But, you don't have to go far to help during Thanksgiving. You can help out right at home. In my family, everyone is responsible for contributing to the feast. Whether your family has a large buffet-style Thanksgiving or a small gathering around the dinner table, you can still help out your parents.

Here are 5 ways you can help during Thanksgiving to show your parents you are grateful:

The Son of Neptune Riordan Interview

Author Rick Riordan returns to his Heroes of Olympus series with Book Two: The Son of Neptune. It gets a rave review from Scholastic News Kid Reporter Zach Dalzell, who says, "Riordan made sure this book is different from his other novels . . . Read the book! You won't be sorry you did!"

If that's not enough to convince you, another Kid Reporter, Cassandra Hsiao, actually spoke to Rick Riordan about the new book, his life as an author, and hints of what's coming in the third Kane Chronicles book!

KR: What is something that readers would be surprised to find out about you?
Riordan: Something readers might be surprised to find out is that when I was young I stopped writing for a while and took up the guitar and for a while I thought I was going to be a rock star. But that didn't work out so well. So I went back to teaching, and I'm glad I did because that led me to write The Lightning Thief eventually.

This is just a taste of what you'll get if you read the entire interview! Go read it and let us know what you think in the Comments and on the Rick Riordan Message Board thread.

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Thanksgiving Word Jumble

Happy Thanksgiving, Ink Splotters! It's that time of year when we get together with our families, watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and eat all the turkey we can fit in our stomachs. So, in honor of this special day, I bring you a special Thanksgiving-themed Word Jumble! Below are 10 words about Thanksgiving with their letters all mixed up. It's your job to unscramble them. So get your thinking caps on and start decoding!

Rewrite the Ending Writing Prompt

Write On! Change the End of Your Favorite Book

This week's Write On! Writing Prompt is a good one. It comes to us from Robyn who asks:

If you had to change the end of your favorite book, how would you change it?

SPONSORED POST: Happy Feet Two

This post is sponsored by Happy Feet Two.

In Happy Feet Two (rated PG), Mumble, The Master of Tap, has a problem. His tiny son, Erik, is choreophobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven—a penguin who can fly! But when the world is shaken by powerful forces, Erik and Mumble bring together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures—from tiny krill to giant elephant seals—to put things right! See it in 3D or 2D in select theaters and in IMAX starting November 18, 2011.

 

 

What do you think these dancing penguins are saying? Leave your Caption in the Comments. Then help Erik dance his way away from the elephant seals in this maze game!

Images Courtesy of Warner Bros.