Casting Call!

Huge news!!! Did you know that Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid is going to be turned into a movie? To add to the elation, Twentieth Century Fox is putting out a casting call for the role of Greg Heffley. They are looking for a regular kid--just like you!

What are you waiting for? Click here to get all of the info!

And don't forget your fourth grade teacher when you are walking the red carpet...

Take a break from auditioning by visiting these popular Wimpy Kid webpages:

http://www.wimpykid.com/

http://www.gregheffley.blogspot.com/

Any recipe ideas???

Popcorn Alert!

Although the movie version almost NEVER compares to the book, here are a couple of childhood favorites to get excited about:

Judi and Ron Barrett's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Release Date: Friday, September 18, 2009
Plot:A scientist trying to solve world hunger encounters a problem of global proportions, as food begins to fall from the sky.

Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are
Release Date: Friday, October 16, 2009
Plot: An adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's story, where Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world--a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler.

Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox
Release Date: Friday, November 6, 2009
Plot: Angry farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with a sly fox, look to get rid of their opponent and his family.

Information courtesy of Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Recipe to Read By: Caramel Corn

Pull these books off your shelf, blow off the dust, and munch away on this scrumptious snack while rereading the classics. Be careful--sticky fingers equals sticky pages!

Ingredients:
1 large package microwave popcorn (10-12 cups)
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Preparation:
Prepare popcorn according to package directions. Pour into a serving bowl.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in corn syrup and brown sugar.
When the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture turns a caramel color, remove from heat and pour over poppped popcorn. Toss to coat well.

Begin counting the days until the movie release date. 109, 108, 107...

The results are in: Newbery Award Winners are Announced!

Call me a nerd, but I spend the month of January counting down the days until the ALA (American Library Association) announces the year's Newbery Medal and Honor winners. NERD.

(By the way--how cool would it be if they had one of those little advent-type calendars for counting down the days until the Newbery announcement! Maybe there could be a bookmark behind every door instead of chocolate!!!) Don't judge me.

For those who are interested (or mildly obsessive), the results can be found on

the ALA webpage.

Congratulations to The Graveyard by Neil Gaiman

Read The New York Times article

Watch Al Roker's Today Show Interview with Newbery Award Winning Authors:

Oh, the horror: Neil Gaiman wins Newbery Medal
Author received top prize in children’s lit for spooky ‘The Graveyard Book’

Newbery Medal and Honor Winners from 1922-Present