The Walkthrough offers a rare peek behind the curtain of the secretive video game industry from an unlikely perspective, that of a career strategy guide writer. For eighteen years, Doug Walsh was one of the most prolific authors of officially licensed video game strategy guides. One part memoir and one part industry tell-all, The Walkthrough takes players on an entertaining march through gaming’s recent history, from the dawn of the PlayStation to the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Switch. Follow along as Walsh retraces his career and reveals how the books were made, what it was like writing guides to some of the industry’s most celebrated — and derided — titles, and why the biggest publishers of guidebooks are no longer around. Walsh devotes entire chapters to many of gaming’s most popular franchises, including Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Gears of War, and Diablo, among others. From inauspicious beginnings with Daikatana to authoring the books for the entire Bioshock trilogy, with plenty of highs, lows, and Warp Pipes along the way, Walsh delivers a rare treat to twenty-first century gamers. The Walkthrough is sure to satisfy the curiosity of anyone who grew up with the works of BradyGames and Prima Games sprawled across their laps. With over one hundred books to his credit, and countless weeks spent at many of the most famous studios in North America, he is uniquely qualified to give an insider’s perspective of a little-known niche within the multi-billion-dollar industry.

In the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel Minecraft: The Island, a stranded hero stumbles upon another castaway—and discovers that teamwork might just be the secret to survival. Wandering a vast, icy tundra, the explorer has never felt more alone. Is there anything out here? Did I do the right thing by leaving the safety of my island? Should I give up and go back? So many questions, and no time to ponder—not when dark is falling and dangerous mobs are on the horizon. Gurgling zombies and snarling wolves lurk in the night, and they’re closing in. With nowhere to hide, the lone traveler flees up a mountain, trapped and out of options . . . until a mysterious figure arrives, fighting off the horde singlehandedly. The unexpected savior is Summer, a fellow castaway and master of survival in these frozen wastes. Excited to find another person in this strange, blocky world, the explorer teams up with Summer, whose impressive mountain fortress as a safe haven . . . for now. But teamwork is a new skill for two people used to working alone. If they want to make it home, they will have to learn to work together—or risk losing everything.

Engaging Teachers in Classroom Walkthroughs is a practical guide to planning and implementing brief but focused classroom observations that involves teachers in every step of the process. Drawing from their study of 40 schools in the United States and Canada, the authors show how administrators and teacher leaders moved teachers from resisting to embracing the practice. Readers will learn how to Foster a school culture that supports walkthroughs. Implement the components of successful walkthroughs, such as focus and "look-fors," data collection methods, and meaningful follow-up strategies. Get all teachers involved and actively participating. * Evaluate the walkthrough process and measure its effectiveness. Use walkthroughs to support professional development related to the Common Core State Standards. This book demonstrates that when teachers learn from one another in a cycle of continuous professional growth--through observation, shared inquiry, dialogue, and follow-up--they develop a sense of collegiality and a common mission. By opening their doors to their peers, they also contribute to broader school improvement efforts that positively affect teaching and learning throughout the school.

Build better schools by training better leaders A Principal Manager’s Guide to Leverage Leadership answers the question that district leaders have been asking across the country: if Leverage Leadership is a roadmap for principals on how to lead great schools, what can principal managers and districts do to support them on that path? A Principal Manager’s Guide to Leverage Leadership offers a step-by-step guide to coaching principals to the highest levels of achievement, and it is rooted in studying the most successful principal managers and districts across the country. It can be used by principal managers/supervisors, superintendents, district and state leadership, and principal training organizations to accelerate the growth of principals in your community. Used in conjunction with Leverage Leadership 2.0, this book identifies the key actions principal managers should take to create exceptional school leaders, integrating the seven levers of leadership into district culture from the principal manager on up. With a particular emphasis on the two “super-levers” of data-driven instruction and student culture, this book is packed with advice, professional development materials, and real-world videos of principal managers in action, offering principal managers a valuable resource for bringing about change. A Principal Manager’s Guide to Leverage Leadership introduces a new unifying approach that is also highlighted in Leverage Leadership 2.0: See It, Name It, Do It. It gives you the tools to See it (see models of effective practice and identify gaps), Name it (name concrete actions for improvement) and Do it (provide means to practice these action steps until a principal masters them) With A Principal Manager’s Guide to Leverage Leadership in hand, principal managers, superintendents and principal training organizations can facilitate district-wide and state-wide transformations and hasten the benefit to the students and community as a whole.

Want to ensure effective and efficient execution of the Risk Assessment Standards? AICPA has the resources you need: Audit Risk Assessment Tool (available online only) Assessing and Responding to Audit Risk in a Financial Statement Audit - AICPA Audit Guide The Audit Risk Assessment Tool walks an experienced auditor through the risk assessment procedures and documents those decisions necessary to prepare an effective and efficient audit program. Designed to be used in lieu of cumbersome checklists, it provides a top down risk-based approach to the identification of high risk areas to allow for appropriate tailoring of audit programs which will result in audit efficiencies. The tool is available in the Online Subscription format and includes access to the full Risk Assessment Guide. The AICPA Audit Guide Assessing and Responding to Audit Risk in a Financial Statement Audit is the definitive source for guidance on applying the core principles of the risk-based audit methodology that must be used on all financial statement audits. This guide is written in an easy-to-understand style that enables auditors of all experience levels to find answers to the issues they encounter in the field. Unique insights, examples and a comprehensive case study clarify critical concepts and requirements. Disclaimer This Audit Risk Assessment Tool is designed to provide illustrative information with respect to the subject matter covered and is recommended for use on audit engagements that are generally smaller in size and have less complex auditing and accounting issues. It is designed to help identify risks, including significant risks, and document the planned response to those risks. The Audit Risk Assessment Tool should be used as a supplement to a firm's existing planning module whether in a firm-based or commercially provided methodology. The Audit Risk Assessment Tool is not a complete planning module. The AICPA recommends the Audit Risk Assessment Tool be completed by audit professionals with substantial accounting, auditing and specific industry experience and knowledge. For a firm to be successful in improving audit quality and efficiencies, it is recommended that a 5+ years experienced auditor completes the Audit Risk Assessment Tool or the engagement team member with the most knowledge of the industry and client (often Partner in small/medium firms) provides insight to whomever is completing the ARA Tool. The AICPA recommends this should not be delegated to lower-level staff and just reviewed – it should be completed under the direction of the experienced auditor (if you delegate to inexperienced auditor you will be at risk for less effectiveness and efficiencies because the tool is intended to be completed by an experienced auditor). The Audit Risk Assessment Tool does not establish standards or preferred practices and is not a substitute for the original authoritative auditing guidance. In applying the auditing guidance included in this Audit Risk Assessment Tool, the auditor should, using professional judgment, assess the relevance and appropriateness of such guidance to the circumstances of the audit. This document has not been approved, disapproved, or otherwise acted on by a senior committee of the AICPA. It is provided with the understanding that the staff and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. All such information is provided without warranty of any kind.