Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun

Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun

Unbored is the guide and activity book every modern kid needs. Vibrantly designed, lavishly illustrated, brilliantly walking the line between cool and constructive, it's crammed with activities that are not only fun and doable but also designed to get kids engaged with the wider world. With contributions from a diverse crowd of experts, the book provides kids with information to round out their world view and inspire them to learn more. From how-tos on using the library or writing your representative to a graphic history of video games, the book isn't shy about teaching. Yet the bulk of the 350-page mega-resource presents hands-on activities that further the mission in a fun way, featuring the best of the old as well as the best of the new: classic science experiments, crafts and upcycling, board game hacking, code-cracking, geocaching, skateboard repair, yarn-bombing, stop-action movie-making-plus tons of sidebars and extras, including trivia, best-of lists, and Q&As with leading thinkers whose culture-changing ideas are made accessible to kids for the first time. Just as kids begin to disappear into their screens, here is a book that encourages them to use those tech skills to be creative, try new things, and change the world. And it encourages parents to participate. Unbored is exciting to read, easy to use, and appealing to young and old, girl and boy. Parents will be comforted by its anti-perfectionist spirit and humor. Kids will just think it's awesome. Contributors include Mark Frauenfelder of MAKE magazine; Colin Beavan, the No Impact Man; Douglas Rushkoff, renowned media theorist; Geoff Manaugh, author of BLDGBLOG; John Edgar Park, a CG supervisor at DisneyToon Studios; and Jean Railla, founder of GetCrafty.com and Etsy consultant. See Activities from Unbored Backyard Parkour (Click here for a larger image) Rock Out (Click here for a larger image) Learn More About the World (Click here for a larger image) Gross Facts About the Bedroom (Click here for a larger image) Gr 5-8-This mixture of step-by-step how-tos, inspirational articles, comics, and excerpts from literature puts a priority on having fun and learning new skills, all while becoming more independent. An introduction by the editor of Make magazine and an opening interview with Tim Hodgkinson, editor of Idle magazine, make this intent clear. Four chapters loosely define the sections of the book and build from "You" to "Home," "Society," and finally "Adventure." Each section is subdivided further. "Society," for example, includes "Get Social," "Your School," "Save the Planet," "Make Your Own Media," and "Getting Around." Each subsection begins with an introductory article by a leader in the field. Additional articles, activities, experiments and games, lists of movies, time lines, how-tos, comics, secret messages, and section resources round-out the chapters. Activities range from traditional ideas such as knot tying to more current projects such as making "LED graffiti" or a "remote-controlled water blaster." They vary from sedentary to active and from indoor to outdoor with something for every inclination. Cartoon drawings appear on most pages, and photos are sprinkled throughout the two-column text. Many how-tos include illustrations. The book opens with a cautionary disclaimer, and additional safety and etiquette advice is included where needed. This resource will be referred to time and time again for ideas and inspiration for those unprogrammed days.-Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “The first kids' book to truly encourage a hands-on approach to creating a personally meaningful life.” ― Mark Frauenfelder, editor-in-chief of MAKE magazine, co-editor for BoingBoing “This is what we've been waiting for! A playful and informative journey built on exhilarating activities and adventures. This is not just a book, it's a way of life for kids and parents alike.” ― Anthony T. DeBenedet, M.D., coauthor of The Art of Roughhousing “What a treasure trove Glenn and Larsen have created! Parents, teachers, and anyone else who wants kids to have fun--and wants to have fun with kids--will love, love, love this book. It's an amazing resource. I can't recommend it more highly!” ― Edward Hallowell, M.D., coauthor of national bestseller Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction “This year's hottest activity book for kids may well be Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun by Joshua Glenn and Elizabeth Foy Larsen. Gathering contributions from the likes of media theorist David Rushkoff and GetCrafty.com founder Jean Railia, among many others, the 350-page book highlights science experiments, crafts and upcycling, board gam hacking, and geocaching, and is packed with q&as and trivia.” ― Publishers Weekly “This is the ultimate craft and curiosity book...the coo