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For the last few weeks Marvel has been rolling out teaser images for Fall’s Marvel Now event/promotion/whatchamadoodle. Today’s reveal included the above puzzle which I’m sure the internet is busily assembling right this minute. Previous piece included a bunch of images by Mike Deodate with a “shattered” motif, and it all seems to point […]
2 Comments on Marvel Now: Putting together the pieces of what we know, last added: 7/1/2016
A theory is inconsistent if we can prove a contradiction using basic logic and the principles of that theory. Consistency is a much weaker condition that truth: if a theory T is true, then T consistent, since a true theory only allows us to prove true claims, and contradictions are not true. There are, however, infinitely many different consistent theories that we can construct.
Today I was writing a book review (that you can read next door at my other blog, Victorian Scribbles) and it got me to thinking about what makes a good read in fiction. I read lots of books, and I review books in various genres, but the ones that stick in my mind seem to share certain characteristics, no matter what their genre.
1. Some kind of a problem to be solved. Yes, "the story problem" that creates the story arc for the protagonist, etc. The plot. Still, reading it that way, it seems so . . . pedantic. For me, "plot" or "story problem" boil down to some kind of a puzzle or challenge that needs to be worked out--one that engages the reader as well as the protagonist. You really want to know how it will end. One of the appeals of a good mystery is that you find yourself hot on the trail, trying to solve it along with the protagonist.
2. Interesting characters that can make me suspend disbelief enough to go along for the ride. For me, they don't have to be the p.o.v. character. Watson, purported teller of Sherlock Holmes tales, is the perfect filter to make me suspend belief regarding Sherlock Holmes's astounding mental and physical prowess, because Watson is believable, and he believes in his friend. Nick, in The Great Gatsby, pulls the reader into his awe of Gatsby so that a reader is invested in the outcome for this tragic figure. In The Lightning Queen, a YA novel about gypsies and Mexican-indians, the author, Laura Resau, makes us care about the dignity of both groups and their traditions, while pulling us into their world of fate and magic and healing through the eyes of two endearing characters.
3. A reader learns something they didn't know, even though it's fiction. This is true in all of the above. But let me add Cara Black's Aimee LeDuc adult mystery series, where every new mystery is a free trip to Paris, and Kate Morton's novel, The Secret Keeper, where a reader travels back and forth in time to unravel a dying woman's story behind the mesmerizing event witnessed years ago by her daughter--a secret going back to World War II. Right now I'm reading a gripping middle grade novel by Julie T. Lamana, Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere, that takes a reader into the terrifying lead-up to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Many of us read about Katrina in 2005 when the storm hit New Orleans, but this book makes you live through it.
4. Emotional involvement. I love a book that plays on my emotions, and all of the above books do that. A special emotional aspect I enjoy, though, is humor--witty humor, not slapstick. For me, one of the simple pleasures in reading is to find myself chuckling, or even laughing out loud. The Sherlock Holmes mystery I reviewed next door--Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Ruby Elephants--was one such book, but library shelves and bookstores abound with good, humorous fiction, and for those of you who write, I would advise you to find a way to inject a little humor in your story. It's almost irresistible to re-read a truly funny book.
How about you? What do you find the most important elements in a good read? Can you tell me the titles of some good reads you think I (and others) might enjoy?
0 Comments on What Make a Good Read in Fiction? as of 1/30/2016 6:38:00 PM
The Liar paradox is often informally described in terms of someone uttering the sentence: I am lying right now. If we equate lying with merely uttering a falsehood, then this is (roughly speaking) equivalent to a somewhat more formal, more precise version of the paradox that arises by considering a sentence like: "This sentence is false".
The Maze Stone, which has the power to turn the whole of Opera City into a maze, has been stolen, and you – dear reader – are needed to help track down the culprit and restore this magical object.
Why should you take up this challenge?
Because en route…
you’ll journey by air balloon, through the most impressive treehouses you’ve ever seen, in and out of Escher-esque buildings, across giant octopus infected oceans and through a bizarre underground fleamarket where just about anything you can imagine is up for sale.
you’ll enter a strange hybrid land set in the 1920s-30s, half-video game half-astonishing book, collecting extra points and hidden items, watching out for traps and more. All you need to do is imagine the soundtrack.
you’ll be dazzled by incredibly intricate illustrations packed with many more stories than the primary one following the fate of the maze stone. Every “wrong” turning as you try to crack the maze on each page will give you reason to wonder what’s been happening, and what will happen next!
If you’ve a child poorly in bed, or it’s just a rainy day calling out for a duvet on the sofa, Pierre the Maze Detective is a rich and rewarding rabbit hole ready for anyone who loves losing themselves in an adventure of almost unimaginable detail and scale.
This stop-motion video showing how one of the double page spreads was planned out gives you a good impression of the labyrinthine, meticulous nature of the illustrations:
A picture book for older children (and their grown-ups) who love a challenge or who are inspired by the imaginative possibilities of vast landscapes and settings, Pierre the Maze Detective helpfully comes with a key to all the mazes, and also a page of extra delights to go back and look for – all printed in the style of a vintage newspaper.
Playful, precise, interactive and highly imaginative, this incredibly well produced book (with its lovely paper and large size) is original and eye-opening. As I said, it’s quite something!
Pierre the Maze Detective owes something, I believe, to the work of another Japanese picture book creator: Mitsumasa Anno. Anno created a whole series of detailed wordless picture books where a tiny character wends his way through different landscapes, and although his books weren’t mazes as such, they share with Pierre the sense of journeying, immense details, and rich stories being told away from the most direct path to the final destination.
Having enjoyed the mazes, the details and the adventures in Pierre the Maze Detective we decided it was time to make our own mazes. Using the basic design principles outlined here, we decided to build our maze out of lego and turn it into a marble run.
We all really enjoyed making each other different mazes to try out. The lego made it really easy to create new mazes and kept the kids happily occupied for a good couple of hours – longer than I had anticipated!
Whilst creating our mazes we listened (rather eclectically) to:
Missing in the Corn Maze by vogelJoy
It’s A Maze from the Original Broadway Cast Recording of “The Secret Garden”
A recent meme circulating on the internet mocked a US government programme (ObamaCare) saying that its introduction cost $360 million when there were only 317 million people in the entire country. It then posed the rhetorical question: "Why not just give everyone a million dollars instead?"
Book Scavenger Written by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman Illustrations by Sarah Watts Christy Ottaviano Books 6/02/2015 . . …978-1-62779-115-1 . . . .354 pages Age 8—12 Junior Library Guild Selection “Twelve-year-old Emily is on the move again. Her …
In Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, author Chris Grabenstein cleverly captures reader’s imaginations by combining the suspense of a thrilling game with the majestic nostalgia of great libraries, librarians, books and authors of past and present.
Why should you study paradoxes? The easiest way to answer this question is with a story:
In 2002 I was attending a conference on self-reference in Copenhagen, Denmark. During one of the breaks I got a chance to chat with Raymond Smullyan, who is amongst other things an accomplished magician, a distinguished mathematical logician, and perhaps the most well-known popularizer of `Knight and Knave’ (K&K) puzzles.
K&K puzzles involve an imaginary island populated by two tribes: the Knights and the Knaves. Knights always tell the truth, and Knaves always lie (further, members of both tribes are forbidden to engage in activities that might lead to paradoxes or situations that break these rules). Other than their linguistic behavior, there is nothing that distinguishes Knights from Knaves.
Typically, K&K puzzles involve trying to answer questions based on assertions made by, or questions answered by, an inhabitant of the island. For example, a classic K&K puzzle involves meeting an islander at a fork in the road, where one path leads to riches and success and the other leads to pain and ruin. You are allowed to ask the islander one question, after which you must pick a path. Not knowing to which tribe the islander belongs, and hence whether she will lie or tell the truth, what question should you ask?
(Answer: You should ask “Which path would someone from the other tribe say was the one leading to riches and success?”, and then take the path not indicated by the islander).
Back to Copenhagen in 2002: Seizing my chance, I challenged Smullyan with the following K&K puzzle, of my own devising:
There is a nightclub on the island of Knights and Knaves, known as the Prime Club. The Prime Club has one strict rule: the number of occupants in the club must be a prime number at all times.
Pythagoras paradox, by Jan Arkesteijn (own work). Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
The Prime Club also has strict bouncers (who stand outside the doors and do not count as occupants) enforcing this rule. In addition, a strange tradition has become customary at the Prime Club: Every so often the occupants form a conga line, and sing a song. The first lyric of the song is:
“At least one of us in the club is a Knave.”
and is sung by the first person in the line. The second lyric of the song is:
“At least two of us in the club are Knaves.”
and is sung by the second person in the line. The third person (if there is one) sings:
“At least three of us in the club are Knaves.”
And so on down the line, until everyone has sung a verse.
One day you walk by the club, and hear the song being sung. How many people are in the club?
Smullyan’s immediate response to this puzzle was something like “That can’t be solved – there isn’t enough information”. But he then stood alone in the corner of the reception area for about five minutes, thinking, before returning to confidently (and correctly, of course) answer “Two!”
I won’t spoil things by giving away the solution – I’ll leave that mystery for interested readers to solve on their own. (Hint: if the song is sung with any other prime number of islanders in the club, a paradox results!) I will note that the song is equivalent to a more formal construction involving a list of sentences of the form:
At least one of sentences S1 – Sn is false.
At least two of sentences S1 – Sn is false.
————————————————
At least n of sentences S1 – Sn is false.
The point of this story isn’t to brag about having stumped a famous logician (even for a mere five minutes), although I admit that this episode (not only stumping Smullyan, but meeting him in the first place) is still one of the highlights of my academic career.
Frances MacDonald – A Paradox 1905, by Frances MacDonald McNair. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Instead, the story, and the puzzle at the center of it, illustrates the reasons why I find paradoxes so fascinating and worthy of serious intellectual effort. The standard story regarding why paradoxes are so important is that, although they are sometimes silly in-and-of-themselves, paradoxes indicate that there is something deeply flawed in our understanding of some basic philosophical notion (truth, in the case of the semantic paradoxes linked to K&K puzzles).
Another reason for their popularity is that they are a lot of fun. Both of these are really good reasons for thinking deeply about paradoxes. But neither is the real reason why I find them so fascinating. The real reason I find paradoxes so captivating is that they are much more mathematically complicated, and as a result much more mathematically interesting, than standard accounts (which typically equate paradoxes with the presence of some sort of circularity) might have you believe.
The Prime Club puzzle demonstrates that whether a particular collection of sentences is or is not paradoxical can depend on all sorts of surprising mathematical properties, such as whether there is an even or odd number of sentences in the collection, or whether the number of sentences in the collection is prime or composite, or all sorts of even weirder and more surprising conditions.
Other examples demonstrate that whether a construction (or, equivalently, a K&K story) is paradoxical can depend on whether the referential relation involved in the construction (i.e. the relation that holds between two sentences if one refers to the other) is symmetric, or is transitive.
The paradoxicality of still another type of construction, involving infinitely many sentences, depends on whether cofinitely many of the sentences each refer to cofinitely many of the other sentences in the construction (a set is cofinite if its complement is finite). And this only scratches the surface!
The more I think about and work on paradoxes, the more I marvel at how complicated the mathematical conditions for generating paradoxes are: it takes a lot more than the mere presence of circularity to generate a mathematical or semantic paradox, and stating exactly what is minimally required is still too difficult a question to answer precisely. And that’s why I work on paradoxes: their surprising mathematical complexity and mathematical beauty. Fortunately for me, there is still a lot of work remains to be done, and a lot of complexity and beauty remaining to be discovered.
This adventure book aims to reignite the all-ages genre by combining the high-impact visuals of comics while engaging the reader with Where’s Waldo-like hidden-object games, mazes and puzzles. The story follows a group of friends who must save their science professor by travelling through different dimensions and battling the robotic minions of evil scientist Dr. Kadoom.
“This campaign has definitely been an adventure all of its own,” says Lamug. “We’ve been lucky enough to have a great launch and consistent pace. Friends and social media have made a huge impact on getting the word out. Now we just have to make it across the finish line.”
New add-on rewards and incentives have been added for current and future backers, including exclusive art prints and free domestic shipping. Backers who wish to be part of the book as a character can still pledge under the Monster Package.
Currently, the project is 75% funded with less than two weeks to go, ending on June 10th.
Rings of seahorses that seem to rotate on the page. Butterflies that transform right before your eyes into two warriors with their horses. A mosaic portrait of oceanographer Jacques Cousteau made from seashells. These dazzling and often playful artistic creations manipulate perspective so cleverly that they simply outwit our brains: we can’t just take a quick glance and turn away. They compel us to look once, twice, and over and over again, as we try to figure out exactly how the delightful trickery manages to fool our perceptions so completely. Of course, first and foremost, every piece is beautiful on the surface, but each one offers us so much more. From Escher’s famous and elaborate “Waterfall” to Shigeo Fukuda’s “Mary Poppins,” where a heap of bottles, glasses, shakers, and openers somehow turn into the image of a Belle Epoque woman when the spotlight hits them, these works of genius will provide endless enjoyment.
Hi all! I made a short video to share with you what's been going on lately! Clocks in at about 3:45. This is Part 1. There is Part 2, which I'll have for you SOON! It will have a few fun surprises so I look forward to sharing that with you as well.. Enjoy!
Last week I did something reeeaaally reckless. I pulled out the Witches' Wardrobe 1,0000 piece puzzle that I did for Andrews & Blaine for Barnes & Noble. I put the box on my dining room table, and dumped out the contents. In doing so, I declared war. I had never done the puzzle before, and I've had it for over a year. I've thought about doing it, several times. But...
The puzzle lives in a glass-doored cabinet in the living room. I see it every day. Just by virtue of it being in my field of vision, I think it was actually raising my blood pressure.
So... We'd been having staring contests over the past few weeks. It had to stop. Finally, I decided to do it. Suck it up. Face the challenge. It was time.
The honest truth is, it's almost never a "good time" to start a puzzle around here, because I am usually pretty busy. But the larger, bigger reason for this, is because I am simply not a "casual" puzzle person. This is a naked truth I only just confirmed this about myself by doing this puzzle.
In the past, I chalked up my puzzling compulsiveness and conviction with reasonable excuses, such as "I did the art for the puzzle, of course I am going to be a little obsessive about it" or "Who wouldn't get obsessive when putting together a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle that's this detailed?" (Both convincing arguments). Of course there's also my general, um, 'aggressive enthusiasm' for some things, of which puzzles would understandably be included. And then, there is also the "puzzle-obsessed brain" that I think everyone must experience when they are knee-deep in the jungle of a big puzzle. Right? (...right? )
But I can't just leave it on the table and co-exist with it... do a few pieces here, a few pieces there. I now know this to be true. If I break out a puzzle, it's "Game On". It's basically "The Old Man and The Sea" redux— with me, dining room table and puzzle, instead of old man, his gear, and the fish.
During the time I am in the puzzle haze, I sacrifice, I make the time where possible in my everyday life, to just complete the thing as swiftly as possible. Without losing sleep or missing meals. It's like being completely consumed by a novel you cannot put down. I have to finish it just so I can "get my life back". Okay, I am not a generally uptight individual! But puzzles... they kinda turn me into Tracy Flick. Watershed moment.
So, last week, I was sucked into the vortex yet again. And yes it was torture.. But yes, I admit that I loved it! (Plus, I could actually feel parts of my brain doing squats and lunges. I kid you not.)
And yes, it was fun...
But after my puzzle session on day one (of five total), my earlier "Yay! This is fun!" had melted into a "Hmphh... this one is a bit.. um... tougher than I thought..." which by (past my) bed-time had morphed into "Hmmmm... THAT'S ALL I got done in ONE night??"
By day two, I was REALLY ready to slay this dragon. And I still was running off first-blush-puzzle-endorphins. I was also under the false delusion that I could finish and still have the rest of the day to catch up on my errands. (Pfft. Yeah, right.) I worked diligently and I saw progress, but it wasn't so visible to others yet. (I didn't quite feel the sting yet, but I was getting whupped.)
By day three, I was practically salivating to finish (when I wasn't stretching the kinks out of my neck and back, or circling the table mumbling to myself). I was also starting to really question what on earth was possessing me to so fervently, diligently work on this puzzle to completion. WHERE was the drive coming from to finish this ridiculously tough and altogether unnecessary task? It was like I was being faced with this stranger in my own brain... So, by this time, I was past the point of no return. I mean, I was having philosophical puzzle conversations with myself, like
"WHY am I doing this, again?
But WHY can't I finish this NOW?
WHY is this puzzle so HARD?
And WHY do I HAVE to FINISH it?!?!"
All the while my brain multi-tasking this whiny conversation with myself with my darting eyeballs searching, searching the puzzle junkyard for a tiny bit of red on a mold-green piece, for a little toe of pink boot, surrounded by grey... Put that one in the pile that makes up the closet door... Oh, wait, there's a separate pile for the closet handle, and one for the front door, and one for the bottom frame... Oh wait the designs are different on each side of the closet... and the four tiny skull's eyeballs all go in different directions... Aaaargh!! Sound like fun? (Oh, quick, before I lose it-- grab the piece with the rat tail's end!)
Day four... Day four, day four... It was a haze. Finish or Bust. Every part of the puzzle I attacked and conquered like tiny villages within this puzzle town. I couldn't get myself to focus on anything else until this puzzle was finally put to bed. But soon, I was putting myself to bed... with a still-unfinished puzzle on the table.
Day Five!! The Day I Would Finish The Puzzle! Why do people think the edges are the easiest to put together?? They're NOT. I saved them for last and believe me this was not a case of "saving the best for last". Come to think of it, virtually no part of this puzzle was "easy". It's all just varying degrees of "hard". (It WAS FUN!!! But, no bones about it (...well, yes, bones about it.. But, no bones about it), this sucker was HARRRD!!!)
I found myself questioning my own puzzle abilities with this one. It was so tricky (read: cruel) in parts. Time and again, I thought "Gee, am I rusty?? Or do I just stink at this??" The art is so deceiving. It looks so carefree, silly and whimsical. And it is... But, let me tell you this... it bites!! Hard!!
When I finally finished it, I was euphoric, overjoyed!! (Aaaahhh!! Sigh..) I also took stock of the fact that I once again had climbed my own personal version of Mount Everest and I could be really proud of my accomplishment. On a more general but no less personal note, I also once again experienced the really unique, unusual, authentic mental challenge that only a crazy-insane puzzle can deliver!!
Oh, and I also needed a long nap. (My brain did a LOT of squats and lunges.)
So now, I am already itching (just a tiny, tiny bit) to start my latest. But, at this point I'm pretty sure it's just leftover endorphins... Give me six months, and maybe I'll be ready for another puzzle. :)
0 Comments on The Truth About Puzzles. as of 9/5/2013 7:08:00 PM
Pencil puzzles with numbers can be fun as well as challenging. Using the style of a crossword puzzle, you need to decide where to place the selected numbers, so that all are used and all “fit” in the diagram. Numbers can go left to right or top to bottom.
In this classroom puzzle book, Rich Rollo has created a series of challenges in varying levels of difficulty. A teacher guide is also available, with answers to the puzzles.
I have to qualify my comments about this book by first stating that I am a math nerd. I enjoyed number puzzles of great difficulty when I was in high school, and would eagerly spend hours or even days working on the same puzzle. Number puzzles can be incredibly fun. However, this book provides a very simple version of these puzzles, geared toward younger children. Adults or older students will not find much challenge in these puzzles that may only take five minutes to solve.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
0 Comments on Number Cross Puzzles as of 6/5/2013 12:55:00 PM
Or if you'd like to discover how to write a Limerick, check out this information and write an example on a shamrock, no less.
And of course, there are always fun Irish stories to read. In A POT OF GOLD by Kathleen Krull, you'll be sure to find plenty of entertaining shenanigans.
Thanks to illustrator, Kit Grady, for this lovely fairy picture. She's the awesome illustrator for two of my Pet Grammar Parade books, DOGGIE DAY CAMP and HAMSTER HOLIDAYS.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
0 Comments on St. Patrick's Day Shenanigans as of 3/14/2013 2:29:00 PM
The poster and bookmark for this year's Children's Book Week (May 12-19, 2013) has been released and they are, as always, wonderful. The poster was done by Brian Selznick, author/illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck.
The poster very cleverly pays homage to two of Selznick's fellow author/illustrators and legends in their own right - Remy Charlip and Maurice Sendak - both of whom we lost in 2012. The little parachuting boy reminds us of the cover of Charlip's classic book Fortunately, a story about the good and bad things that happen on a young boy's trip to a surprise party in Florida.
And of course, if you look closely, you can see that the boy is holding a copy of Sendak's Where the Wild Thing Are.
The accompanying bookmark this year was done by fellow author/illustrator Grace Lin, whose wonderful work Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was a 2010 Newbery Honor book. The bookmark has the same sense of Chinese tradition that pervades Lin's work and makes it so awesome. What is really special about this bookmark is that it comes with instructions for drawing a dragon's face using letters of the alphabet. AND along the same line, the face of the bookmark contains a puzzle - finding the hidden letters in the image.
Can you find the letters? Click to enlarge
You can download and print Grace's lovely bookmark (and the answer to the puzzle) here
I used to love Hidden Object Puzzles when I was a kid. They always came in some comic books, or kid's magazines like Highlights, Jack and Jill, or Children's Playmate, and in our Weekly Reader. Thinking about this, I remembered I have a few issues of Child Life that were published during the war and sure enough, they all contained the Hidden Object Puzzle. Here, then, are three puzzles for your solving enjoyment (click each one to enlarge it).
This one is pretty easy - from February 1943
This was a little harder - from January 1943
I found this one more difficult - from July 1943 (OK, I confess
this had me stumped for a long time)
To see posters Children's Book Week from1939 to 1945 see my previous post here
4 Comments on 2013 Children's Book Week Poster and Bookmark with a Puzzle, last added: 2/24/2013
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HIGHLIGHTS magazine has a Valentine's Day challenge for you with a special hidden picture, "Cupid's Target Practice." Can you find all the objects? The picture makes for a fun coloring page as well. Enjoy!
0 Comments on Happy Valentine's Day! as of 2/14/2013 11:07:00 PM
5 stars Bible Detective: A Puzzle Search Book Peter Martin Lion Children's Books 48 Pages Ages: 4+ .............. ……………………. Are you a super sleuth? Have you got an eagle eye? Back Cover: This book is a treasure trove of fabulously detailed pictures from the world of the Bible. You’ll have hours of fun trying to [...]
Halloween has always been a fun time of year for me. I love dressing up in costume. It's very much like creating the characters in my stories, only in costume I become a character for real. In fact, I bring some costume pieces along with me when I do school visits and help the students devise new and interesting characters.
So today's post is a collection of interesting Halloween(ish) news I've unearthed of late.
Of course, you know I love libraries, so how cool is a haunted one? That's right, in Deep River, Connecticut, the public library (a former home built in 1881 by a local businessman) has not just one ghost but many. Wouldn't that make for some interesting storytimes?
The American Library Association's GREAT WEBSITES FOR KIDS isn't too scary, but there are a frightfully wonderful number of cool places to visit there. Take for example this website on BATS--the kind that fly in the night. That's kind of spooky.
Or try National Geographic's CAT site. Have you ever seen a cat skeleton?
So I admit, Math was always a little scary for me. That's why I've included this site here called COOL MATH--An Amusement Park of Math and More. Check it out for puzzles, games, and Bubba Man in his awesome Halloween costume.
If all these Halloween antics make you hungry, stop by the For Kids section here on my site and find the recipe for SPIDER SNACKS. Then you can munch along as you do the HALLOWEEN CROSSWORD, lurking just around the corner.
Nice to see Mousey is getting around. I discovered this website in India with a nice Mousey picture on the front page... right next to Bruce.
I'd say Mousey is nearly famous. It's an especially long way to go for a very short mouse to travel. And it's not true that elephants are afraid of mice... that's just a myth.
What do you do when you have yet to complete your jigsaw puzzle, but you find yourself in a pickle, temporarily needing the space of your dining room table? You don't want to undo all of your hard puzzle work, so storing the partially-finished puzzle becomes a necessity. But where, and how? With limited space, it's time to get creative.
First, place your puzzle on a sturdy base. Here are some ideas: • Puzzle mats (you can buy 12x12 sized pieces at any super store) • Foam core (20" x 30" single pieces available at Staples and other office and craft stores) • A large, low-walled box (such as the type that cases of soda can be purchased in)
Something to cover and protect your puzzle is necessary, so it does not get damaged or grimy. Any of the above can also be placed over your puzzle to protect it. As long as your puzzle is resting in a space safe from activity or potential harm, you could instead use a large piece of heavy paper or kraft paper weighted on the edges, a folded sheet or towel, or a section of an old yoga mat large enough to cover the puzzle.
Places to temporarily store your puzzle Some flat, larger spaces that might not get a lot of play are a great potential puzzle-layover places: • On top of the fridge • On a top shelf in the pantry, kitchen or storage room. Since the puzzle itself is light in weight, it will be safe on a high shelf, provided the air up there does not knock it around. • In a flat file. Flat files can be found at Ikea or architectural and art supply shops. These days, you can probably find some at craft shops as well! And don't forget to try craigslist. • Under a couch or bed
Congratulations! You finished your puzzle! Now it's time to put your puzzle away for next time. • Here is a short ehow article on ideas for ideas for safe long-term puzzle storage. There are some good tips here, just make sure to skim over the sponsored links. • Here's a short, tip-laden article on Helium.com
For more cool options for storage and transporting, check out: • Portapuzzle •the Puzzle Store
5 Stars Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms By Lissa Evans Sterling Publishing Co. 978-1-4027-9806-1 No. Pages: 272 Ages: 8 to 12 ............................ Back cover: When ten-year-old Stuart stumbles upon a note daring him to find his great uncle’s hidden workshop, full of wonderful mechanisms, trickery, and magic, he sets out on a Willy Wonka-like adventure of a [...]
Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: Fun with Music – August 2012 Issue Welcome to the August 2012 issue of Guardian Angel Kids Ezine. We call it GAK because that’s the name of our gecko mascot! This month we celebrate the Fun of Music. The GAK staff can’t think of anything more universal than children enjoying music. They learn to respond and participate to music at a very early age.
As a child, Guardian Angel Publishing and Guardian Angel Kids publisher, Lynda S. Burch, loved to sing in the choir, learned the piano, and taught herself to play the organ. She enjoyed playing in the high school band from 7th grade through senior year of high school. She played the clarinet, soprano clarinet, and alto clarinet. Ms. Burch also sang in the school chorus and smaller groups and competed around the state just like Glee. As an adult Ms. Burch always made up songs and sang them to kids. One day she decided to write and record them instead of just singing them. These songs turned into over a hundred musical children’s books to be played on computers. Ms. Burch’s extended family from around the globe break into song about the weather, fun noodles in the swimming pool, or even a new alphabet song. What fun she has had with these musical books! We hope you develop a love for music as much as Ms. Burch and the GAK staff have.
Letter from the PUBLISHER: Lynda S. Burch
Featured Book: The New Alphabet Song Musical Flip Book by Lynda S. Burch and Photo Art by Lynda S. Burch and MarySue Roberts SPECIAL FEATURE:God Will Take Care of You Music Video – sung by a two year old and his family, the Buctots.Children’S poetry, ACTIVITIES, SHORT STORIES, and articleS:“Jenny’s Song,” poetry by Debra Mayhew – learn how to let your song out. “Canary Choir,” by Carol J. Douglas and illustrated by Lisa Griffin – overcoming obstacles. “A Box with Bellows,” by Juilana M. Jones and illustrated by Clara Batton Smith – mother and daughter bond through the love of the accordion.
“Whale Songs,” by Shari L. Klase – The glory of the ability to sing.“Fabulous Music Activities for Young Children,” by Kathy Stemke – children need to learn the basics of music early in life to develop creative intelligence.“New Teacher Tips on How to Prepare a Lesson Based on a Unit or a Theme,” by Dorit Sasson – lesson planning is a skill which takes focus and organization. Visit Guardian Angel Kid today and www.guardian-angel-kids.com and enjoy a child safe and ad free Ezine. We also invite you to stay connected with Guardian Angel Kids through our Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Guardian-Angel-Kids-Ezine/163785080346247. Please feel free to drop Editor-in-Chief, Donna McDine an email at [email protected] and let them know what you think of Guardian Angel Kids and what you'd like to see in the future. They aim to please.
The Guardian Angel Kids Ezine staff and contributors look forward to your visit. Thank you for your time and interest.
0 Comments on AUGUST GUARDIAN ANGEL KIDS - FUN WITH MUSIC as of 1/1/1900
5 Stars Psst! If you are a kid, come closer. If you’re not a kid, stop reading! Right now. We’re not kidding. This book is FOR KIDS ONLY. Okay, now here’s what’s inside: Open to any page and find fascinating facts and brain-building activities guaranteed to make you smarter, funnier, more interesting, and better [...]
I want to tell you about the marvelous things I have been doing and reading..... but all I seem to do is Sudoku puzzles. And I'm a mathphobe, too. Hmmmmmm.
I have made a resolution. I will do NO Sudoku puzzles before bedtime. I will do no puzzles AT ALL before bedtime. If I find myself watching television and I need something to do with my hands, I will make paper beads, exercise during the commercials, crochet, take notes for story ideas, fold wash - ANYTHING BUT PUZZLES.
A puzzle or two when I am tucked up in bed - ok. That's acceptable. But NO going to bed early just to do puzzles. And I would. If I could. Anyway, that's one reason this blog has been skimpy lately. Sudoku.
1 Comments on Curse you, Sudoku!, last added: 6/3/2012
I do a hand held electronic solitaire game. A lot...I think these things are necessary when you are fried and recharging your batteries. The question is...why do we feel so guilty for giving ourselves a rest? Hugs, Mickster
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This is awesome. Like this very much!
this is a reflection of marvels broken identity. they are slowly pushing me out of the marvel universe. its all just so bland and corporate anymore.