Over 170 fun, safe, and ready-to-use activities to help create meaningful play experiences for children.

“[A] combination of history and meaning behind favorite playground games and the verses . . . virtually guaranteed to make you laugh and sing” (Fiona Shoop, author of How to Deal in Antiques). This delightful book records favorite childhood games and recalls forgotten rhymes. With more children suffering from obesity, Susan Brewer looks at the social games we used to play from skipping to chase games that used up our energy during recess. Instead of costly computer games, we used rhyming games, played Jacks, and showed our balancing skills during competitive games of hopscotch. A charming book, full of anecdotes and nostalgia for how we remember our favorite place at school—the playground.

We could all use a break. This guide to the schoolyard games of childhood is “something special” (The Wall Street Journal). Remember recess? It was that refreshing break between classes that cleared the cobwebs, refreshed the mind, and got everyone moving. Recess is the ultimate illustrated guide to the best games of the playground, for inside or outside, kids or grownups. With detailed instructions, diagrams, and a can-do attitude, this fun guide includes the rules to more than 150 games and variations, including more than two dozen international games from schoolyards around the world, plus tips and strategies for winning! “Remember, your 30-year-old self isn’t quite as adept at dodging a ball as your 10-year-old self was, but spending your lunch hour at work playing in the parking lot is a lot better than catching up on your friends’ boring Facebook updates.” —Gizmodo

Grade level: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, k, p, e, i, s, t.

UNBORED Games has all the smarts, creativity, and DIY spirit of the original UNBORED (“It's a book! It's a guide! It's a way of life!” -Los Angeles Magazine), but with a laser-like focus on the activities we do for pure fun: to while away a rainy day, to test our skills and stretch our imaginations-games. There are more than seventy games here, 50 of them all new, plus many more recommendations, and they cover the full gambit, from old-fashioned favorites to today's high-tech games. The book offers a gold mine of creative, constructive fun: intricate clapping games, bike rodeo, Google Earth challenges, croquet golf, capture the flag, and the best ever apps to play with Grandma, to name only a handful. Gaming is a whole culture for kids to explore, and the book will be complete with gaming history and interviews with awesome game designers. The lessons here: all games can be self-customized, or hacked. You can even make up your own games. Some could even change the world. The original UNBORED has taken its place as a much beloved, distinctly contemporary family brand. UNBORED Games extends the franchise -- also including UNBORED Adventure -- in a new handy flexibound format, illustrated in full color throughout. This is a whole shelf of serious fun the whole family can enjoy indoors, outdoors, online and offline.

An irrepressible new girl dethrones the reigning recess bully by becoming her friend in this infectious playground romp. Mean Jean was Recess Queen and nobody said any different.Nobody swung until Mean Jean swung.Nobody kicked until Mean Jean kicked.Nobody bounced until Mean Jean bounced.If kids ever crossed her, she'd push 'em and smoosh 'emlollapaloosh 'em, hammer 'em, slammer 'emkitz and kajammer 'em.Until a new kid came to school!Parents and teachers will appreciate the story's deft handling of conflict resolution (which happens without adult intervention)."A lively story about the power of kindness and friendship" -- Publishers Weekly"A lighthearted look at a serious topic in schools and on playgrounds everywhere..." -- School Library Journal"Great for reading aloud and joining in." -- Booklist

A child brings a dragon to the library and learns a valuable lesson--libraries and dragons do not mix.