Time Off

Books

In the Middle

November 1, 2018

In Blended, 11-year-old Isabella splits her time between two families and two identities. Her parents are divorced. As she takes turns living with them, Isabella struggles to understand how the world sees her—and how she should see herself. Is she…

Music and Theater

Return of the Beasts

November 1, 2018

In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the beasts are not simply magical creatures. They are heroes—and targets. The film was written by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. It is the second Fantastic Beasts movie in a planned series of…

History

Ben's Big Adventure

October 25, 2018

We know Benjamin Franklin as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Now we get to learn what he may have been like as a boy. Gen-Z Media has created a podcast called Young Ben Franklin. Listeners meet…

Books

Kid Power

October 24, 2018

CHELSEA CLINTON is the daughter of former U.S. president Bill Clinton and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. But Chelsea is more than just a famous daughter. She’s an activist. That’s a person working to make the world a better place.…

Books

Uncovering History

October 18, 2018

Two Roads, by JOSEPH BRUCHAC (pictured), tells the story of 12-year-old Cal and his dad, Pop. It’s set in 1932, during the Great Depression, when many people struggled with poverty. Pop, an Army veteran, joins a march on Washington, D.C.,…

Movies and Television

Realms of Wonder

October 18, 2018

In Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, a young girl named Clara goes to a holiday party and finds the key to a priceless treasure. She loses the key when she is transported to another realm. There, she meets…

Books

Mysterious Mission

October 12, 2018

The Vickery twins have lived in a house in Poplar Wood for as long as they can remember. Lee Vickery lives in the west wing with their mother. She works for Memory. Felix Vickery lives in the east wing with…

Movies and Television

A Spooky Movie

October 11, 2018

An angry pumpkin. Scary garden gnomes. A gang of giant gummy bears. Those are just a few of the creepy curiosities in the new movie Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. The film, based on the popular Goosebumps books by R.L. Stine,…

Books

Girl-Powered

September 26, 2018

Girls Think of Everything was first published in 2000. At the time, author CATHERINE THIMMESH didn’t even have Internet access. To do research, she combed through library books, searching for history’s overlooked female inventors. Two decades later, women and…

Movies and Television

Dancing Duos

September 26, 2018

ABC’s Dancing with the Stars: Juniors debuts on October 7. The show pairs 12 celebrity kids with professional junior ballroom dancers. Each duo has an adult mentor. These seasoned pros guide the young dancers through choreographed routines showcasing different dance…