Wimpy Kid Actress, Peyton List

Holly Hills in Diary of a Wimpy Kid

You know 13-year-old Peyton List from her role as Holly Hills in Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules. But she and her twin brother, Spencer, have been acting for a while. In this interview she talks about working on the Wimpy Kid movie, embarrassing stories from her childhood, and her baby brother's hilarious nickname for her.

Q: What was the most fun acting job you've had?
Peyton: One of the most fun projects I got to work on was Diary of a Wimpy Kid, because I mean they had so many kids on the set. It was like summer camp. It was so much fun. Every night we would go out to dinner and we would go swimming, and we'd pull pranks on each other.

Books About the Titanic Disaster

On a calm April night in 1912, the world's largest ship, Titanic, sank after crashing into an iceberg. On board were wealthy businessmen, movie stars, senior members of governments, and also poor immigrants dreaming of a new life in America. The most expensive cabin cost $80,000.00 in today's dollars!! They all believed the Titanic was "unsinkable," but they were wrong. More than 1,500 people died in the shipwreck.

I can't explain why, (I mean, it's totally sad that all those people died) but I have to admit being fascinated by this story. The ship was just so huge and expensive and nobody thought anything could ever happen to it. They didn't even have enough lifeboats on board to save all the people!

Lately, I've been seeing lots of books about the Titanic disaster, so for this month's book club, instead of just reading one book, I'm going to recommend a few Titanic books. Read one or read them all and tell us which is your fave. . .

Titanic: Unsinkable by Gordon Korman
Paddy is a stowaway, escaping a deadly past. Sophie's mother is delivered to the ship by police - after she and Sophie have been arrested. Juliana's father is an eccentric whose riches can barely hide his madness. And Alfie is hiding a secret that could get him kicked off the ship immediately. The lives of these four passengers will be forever linked with the fate of Titanic. And the farther they get from shore, the more the danger looms. . .

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic by Lauren Tarshis
Ten-year-old George Calder can't believe his luck—he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. The ship is full of exciting places to explore, but when George ventures into the first class storage cabin, a terrible boom shakes the entire boat. Suddenly, water is everywhere, and George's life changes forever. Read an excerpt here.

Dear America: Voyage on the Great Titanic by Ellen Emerson White
When Margaret's orphanage receives a request from an American woman looking for a traveling companion, Margaret's teachers agree that she is the perfect candidate to accompany Mrs. Carstairs on the Titanic. But her journey is thrown into a frozen nightmare when the ship collides with an iceberg. Margaret's diary records the unimaginable drama and anguish only a survivor could comprehend. Read an excerpt here.

Can you imagine what you would have done if you were on the Titanic that night? I'm pretty sure I would have been screaming my head off.

Do you know of any other good Titanic books to add to this list? Let me know in the Comments.

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Animorphs Animal Trivia Quiz

Imagine this: Earth has been invaded and you stumble upon a downed alien spaceship and its dying pilot, who gives you an incredible power: you can transform into any animal you touch. This is the premise of the Animorphs series by K. A. Applegate about five kids/Animorphs who can "morph" into an animal to fight the alien invaders.

Cool, but what would it actually be like to be in the body of an animal? How much do you really even know about animals? The Animorphs site has a quiz to test your knowledge. Here are a few sample questions.

Red-tailed hawks mostly eat
a) insects
b) rodents
c) nuts and seeds
d) other birds

Which animal poses the biggest threat to dolphins?
a) sting rays
b) whales
c) giant squid
d) humans

Where is gorillas' natural habitat?
a) Asia
b) Africa
c) South America
d) the zoo

Visit the Animorphs site to take the rest of the Animal Facts Trivia Challenge and find out the answers. You can also take the quiz to find out which animal morph is right for YOU.

— Sonja, STACKS Staffer

Mother's Day Trivia Answers

Last week I posted some Mother's Day Trivia. Did you need help from mom for the answers? Check out the answers below.

1. What animated TV mom is mother to Bart, Lisa, and Maggie?
ANSWER: Marge Simpson. From The Simpsons of course.

2. How do you say "Happy Mother's Day" in Spanish?
ANSWER: Feliz dia de las Madres.

3. What were the first states in the U.S to celebrate Mother's Day?
ANSWER: Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It wasn't made an official national holiday until 1914 though, when President Woodrow Wilson declared it so.

4. What would your husband or wife's mother be to you?
ANSWER: Your mother-in-law!

5. What children's board book by P.D. Eastman features a baby bird hatched from an egg? When he can't find his mother he asks a kitten, hen, dog and cow if they are his mother? Hint: It has the word "Mother" in it.
ANSWER: Are You My Mother? A classic! 

6. According to Wikipedia, what is the most popular item purchased for a Mother's Day gift?
ANSWER: Flowers, coming in at $2.6 billion dollars. It is followed by pampering gifts (like spa treatments, and greeting cards). But, I think the homemade ones are the most fun.

7. During which month of the year are the most babies born?
ANSWER: August! According to CDC (the government's Center for Disease Control) August is usually first, although sometimes edged out by September or July. The month with the least births is February.

What did you do for your mother on Mother's Day? Let us know in the Comments below.

— Ratha, Stacks Writer

Create a Caption: Kittens!

In most ways (I like to think) I am a perfectly normal adult, but oh my goodness, in the presence of kittens I just go crazy! Look at these guys! Are they not adorable???