You are reading the archives for June 2010.

Great Science Fiction Books For Kids

Great Science Fiction Books For Kids

Science Fiction seems to be out of popularity at the moment but there are signs it may soon come back into flavour with readers young and old. Time was you could find as many sci fi novels in junior fiction or young adult fiction sections of the bookstore or library as there were fantasy novels. In the last ten years however that number has dwindled to the point that now it is rare to find even one.

Chances are this has alot to do with the phenomenon known as Harry Potter. As publishers are want to do, once Harry Potter was released and became a success then they started to place all their attention on finding the next young wizard series. As a result we saw many books being released with a similar magic and fantasy theme. Not only that but movies such as Lord Of the Rings allowed fantasy to come out from Science Fiction’s shadow and become the dominant genre for “Otherworld” books.

But perusing publisher’s catalogues it is obvious that some are beginning to branch out and are discovering that kids like Sci Fi books too. If you are looking for some great kids sci fi books then take a look at these classic and modern novels set in space.
“Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (A trilogy in five parts)” by Douglas Adams
“Citizen Of The Galaxy” by Robert A. Heinlein (and others by this author)
“Outernet” by Steve Barlow (More in this series)
“Larklight” by Phillip Reeve (More in this series)

Older kids may also enjoy “Ender’s Game” and others in the series by Orson Scott Card.

There are many more science fiction books for kids to read, especially if they are into robots and technology and no doubt there will soon be many more to choose from.

More Fiction Books For Kids Articles

Pacific Play Tents Playchute 10′ Parachute (Colors and Designs May Vary)

Pacific Play Tents Playchute 10′ Parachute (Colors and Designs May Vary)

a886ada445cac7d6625f4e69f05c681b Pacific Play Tents Playchute 10 Parachute (Colors and Designs May Vary)

  • Promotes cooperative group play while helping to build muscles
  • Great at birthday parties and picnics
  • There are over 100 different games a child can play using these ¿Playchutes¿
  • Separate hand handles spaced evenly around for group play
  • Durable and machine washable

Use this rainbow-colored Playchute for a multitude of activities. It’s sure to inspire young imaginations as they invent a hundred different games and activities for the Playchute. Or you can even use it as a ground cover for other outdoor activities. It features handles spaced evenly around the perimeter for little hands to grasp. Encouraging non-competitive play, it’s ideal for outdoor group activity. Lift it up and run under before it falls. Bounce balls on top like popcorn. There’s no limit to the games you can imagine! Made of durable high quality nylon. Machine washable. Measures 10′ in diameter. Includes a storage sack.The parachute gambit is a teacher’s secret weapon–a tried-and-true way to annihilate the afternoon blahs. At approximately 9 feet in diameter, with handles all the way around for little (or big) hands to grab, this sunny Playchute Parachute is just smaller than the classroom standard. Fling it into the air and watch it drift down. Run underneath it and watch the colors rain down. Throw a few stuffed animals in the center and bounce them around. Simple, satisfying thrills, and worth every penny. –Claire Dederer

Rating: 4 5 Pacific Play Tents Playchute 10 Parachute (Colors and Designs May Vary) (out of 45 reviews)

buynow big Pacific Play Tents Playchute 10 Parachute (Colors and Designs May Vary)

List Price: $ 27.95

Price: $ 16.99

Haunted Castle on Hallow’s Eve (Magic Tree House)

Haunted Castle on Hallow’s Eve (Magic Tree House)

Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve (Magic Tree House)

The intrepid Jack and Annie are summoned once again to the fantasy realm of Camelot. There, Merlin the Magician tells them that the Stone of Destiny has been stolen. The answer to its disappearance lies within a haunted castle. With a young magician named Teddy, Jack and Annie take on the challenge in an adventure that takes them to new heights and places they couldn’t even imagine!
a Stepping Stone Book™In the second of the “Merlin Missions”–hardback additions to Mary Pope Osborne’s Magic Tree House series–plucky heroes Jack and Annie must once again must travel back in time to rescue Camelot from looming danger.

One wonders why Merlin can’t handle this sort of thing himself, but then of course we wouldn’t get a chance to see Jack and Annie have another seat-of-the-pants adventure, getting mixed up with shape-shifting magic, armies of birds, a puzzling gem of power, and all sorts of other trouble. With the help of their old pal Teddy (Morgan le Fay’s apprentice, last seen in dog form in four earlier Tree House stories), the two “Master Librarians and Magicians of Everyday Magic” must solve the mystery behind a castle full of ghosts and a menacing army of ravens. Not surprisingly, half the trouble comes in unraveling Merlin’s riddles and helping Teddy use his rhyming magic correctly.

Osborne doesn’t challenge readers overmuch (including the constant restatement of plot elements, perhaps worried that kids might otherwise forget or lose interest) and many parts of the story barely convince (like Teddy’s “period” dialogue, e.g., “‘Tis cool indeed”), but fans of the Magic Tree House will no doubt love another installment. (Ages 6 to 9) –Paul Hughes

Rating: 5 Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve (Magic Tree House) (out of 21 reviews)

buynow big Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve (Magic Tree House)

List Price: $ 11.95

Price:

Word Harmony [Game Download]

Word Harmony [Game Download]

1b9b695c74f6f1f0a79188517eb3eeee Word Harmony [Game Download]

  • Thought-Provoking Puzzler
  • 3 Game Modes
  • Dynamic Themed Soundtrack
  • Reach Word Game Nirvana.

Reach word game nirvana with this thought-provoking puzzler. Choose between a relaxing, no-pressure mode or a fast-paced challenge — Word Harmony has something for everyone. Breath-taking visuals and clever puzzles make this a refreshingly different word game.

buynow big Word Harmony [Game Download]

Price: $ 6.99

More Products

Braid [Online Game Code]

Braid [Online Game Code]

5b6d409afcec6a7b50fde9e9957f80fe Braid [Online Game Code]

  • Full Game

Braid is a puzzle-platformer, drawn in a painterly style, where the player manipulates the flow of time in strange and unusual ways. From a house in the city, journey to a series of worlds and solve puzzles to rescue an abducted princess. In each world, you have a different power to affect the way time behaves, and it is time’s strangeness that creates the puzzles. The time behaviors include: the ability to rewind, objects that are immune to being rewound, time that is tied to space, parallel realities, time dilation, and perhaps more. Braid treats your time and attention as precious; there is no filler in this game. Every puzzle shows you something new and interesting about the game world.

Rating: 4 5 Braid [Online Game Code] (out of 10 reviews)

buynow big Braid [Online Game Code]

List Price: $ 14.99

Price: $ 14.99

Clue/Mouse Trap/Perfection/Aggravation

Clue/Mouse Trap/Perfection/Aggravation

29694376710f29b79b97c98234017ae9 Clue/Mouse Trap/Perfection/Aggravation

  • 1-2 Player
  • Classic board games brought to life
  • Wireless Multiplay on Nintendo DS

A collection of four classic board games — Clue, Mouse Trap, Perfection and Aggravation — made portable for the DS. CLUE – Welcome to Tudor Mansion. Your host, Mr. John Boddy, has met an untimely end-he¿s the victim of foul play. To win this game, you must determine the answer to these three questions: Who did it, where and with what weapon? MOUSE TRAP – Can you build a better mouse trap? Find out in this fun-filled game of crazy mechanical gadgets and chain reactions! Race to the finish and nab your opponent¿s mouse before your own gets caught! PERFECTION – Be the quickest to fit all 25 shapes into the matching spaces. Sixty seconds! That¿s all the time you have to complete this, otherwise¿Out they pop!! AGGRAVATION – Be the first player to move all four of your colored marbles around the game board from Base to Home. You don¿t have to “Aggravate” the other players to win, but it sure helps!

Rating: 3 5 Clue/Mouse Trap/Perfection/Aggravation (out of 22 reviews)

buynow big Clue/Mouse Trap/Perfection/Aggravation

List Price: $ 19.99

Price: $ 22.98

Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set

Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set

2d3b78c160db54a78491ed575df79d33 Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set

  • New BPA, PVC and phthalate free
  • Different sizes and colors keep your baby playing in and out of the bath
  • Cups fit together for easy storage
  • PVC-free and phthalate free Polypropylene
  • Set includes 8 stackable cups with draining holes

For over two decades i play., Inc. has been researching children’s health issues to make safer feeding accessories that come in contact with babies’ mouths and foods. Due to recent safety issues in children’s toys we saw a need for toys free from potentially harmful toxins. So in 2008 we launched a new line of PVC, phthalate, BPA and nitrosamine free toys made from eco-friendly materials. Inside Baby: Pregnancy and early childhood are critical times in babies lives because they are growing and developing so rapidly. During this time they are vulnerable to elements in their environment, and parents should protect them as much as possible from exposure to potentially harmful substances. The first priority for growing babies is to make sure everything babies put inside their mouth is healthy, safe and promotes the development of strong immune system. PVC free and Phthalate free: PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC) is a hard plastic that requires harsh chemical softeners, such as phthalates, to make it appropriate for use in soft plastic baby toys such as squirty toys. In 2003 we discovered that phthalates were shown to disrupt reproductive functions and cause other developmental problems, so we launched a line of toys free from PVC and phthalates. BPA free: Bisphenol-A (BPA) is used in hard, clear plastics sometimes used in baby toys to prevent breakage. In 2006 we learned that BPA also disrupts reproductive functions and causes other developmental problems, so we added a line of BPA free toys to our line. Nitrosamine free: Nitrosamines are found in latex products such as some infant teethers. They have been shown to cause cancer in many animals, so all our teethers and soothers are nitrosamine free.

Rating: 4 5 Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set (out of 26 reviews)

buynow big Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set

List Price: $ 5.99

Price: $ 3.74

Related Products

Shiver

Shiver

1499c2451a26938d0ca6cb06fc1564ff Shiver

  • ISBN13: 9780545123273
  • Condition: NEW
  • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf–her wolf–is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human–or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Rating: 4 Shiver (out of 421 reviews)

buynow big Shiver

List Price: $ 8.99

Price: $ 6.04

More Products

Rhem 3 Reviews

Rhem 3

560438f603e35559ae17266e9c6931b4 Rhem 3 Reviews

  • Fantastic world full of mind-bending puzzles
  • Hidden rooms and secret passages await!
  • Atmospheric stereo environment sound
  • Non-violent, non-linear game play
  • ESRB Rated RP for Rating Pending

In this third installment in the popular RHEM series of intricate pure-puzzle first-person adventure games for PC and Mac, the adventures of brothers Kales and Zetais continue in the mysterious land of RHEM. Like its predecessors, RHEM 3 features non-linear gameplay, non-violent story, and mind-bending puzzles. Set in a labyrinthine world of hidden rooms and secret passages, strange vehicles and odd machines, RHEM 3 opens the door to a new journey of mystery and adventure. In search of a certain black gem, hints hidden in a secret library and clues offered by the peculiar inhabitants of RHEM will assist you in your quest. With an adventurous spirit, logical thinking, and keen puzzle-solving, you will slowly but surely divine the location of this curious treasure and unveil the secret it holds.

Rating: 3 Rhem 3 Reviews (out of 11 reviews)

buynow big Rhem 3 Reviews

List Price: $ 29.99

Price: $ 14.98

Monopoly Streets

Monopoly Streets

8e338c438e1a1de15dd29f836fc1841f Monopoly Streets

  • The board comes alive. See your city grow from the ground up! From fun animations of the classic tokens to the ritzy hotel you can build on Boardwalk, experience Monopoly in a whole new and interactive way
  • Extensive multiplayer options. Play with your friends live and online or be matched with someone of similar skills from around the world via PSN
  • Streamlined play. Different modes allow you to play a game in however much time you have
  • Auction properties. Add competition to the game by auctioning properties with your friends. See if you can snatch a great deal or break someone’s bank!
  • Play on multiple boards including City, Future, and Classic

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, the world of Monopoly comes to life through a living, breathing city that you can build, own, and monopolize. Monopoly Streets has everything you love about the board game, presented as a street level tour of Mr. Monopoly’s fully animated world. Engage in a head-to-head race to build the greatest city and accumulate the most wealth. Play against your friends live and online or be matched up against players with similar skills from around the world!

buynow big Monopoly Streets

List Price: $ 39.99

Price: $ 39.99

More Products