Island Creator Kit

This kit offers a firsthand look at creating a custom island Poptropica style. Written by the popular Web site's creative team, this unique how-to book guides fans through every step in the process of creating their own Poptropica island, with coloring and connect-the-dot activities. Illustrations. Consumable.

Based on a concept by New York Times bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney comes Poptropica, a brand-new graphic-novel series by Mitch Krpata and Kory Merritt that takes readers on an adventure beyond the incredibly popular online role-playing world. In book two, The Lost Expedition, Oliver, Mya, and Jorge continue their search for home, with a few hilarious stops along the way. As the friends set sail for new sights, they find the evil Octavian is still hot on their trail, and he’s determined to get his hands on their magical map. To make matters worse, a mysterious organization is keen on expelling the three friends from Poptropica. As the pals travel, they find that each island is filled with its own unique brand of peril, and the mystery surrounding the map and Poptropica itself begins to unfold. Will our trio be able to once again outfox Octavian and discover the identity of this secret society? Presented in vivid full-color comic book illustrations, The Lost Expedition is perfect for kids who love a sense of adventure while learning about history in a fun way. Book one in the series, The Mystery of the Map, received incredible praise. KirkusReviews said, “Bright, animated colors and zippy cartoonlike action make for an easily accessible first offering that provides just enough exposition to hook young readers and keep them seeking out subsequent adventures. A peppily paced adventure yarn sure to delight fans of the franchise, both old and new.” And Booklist raved, “Based on the online role-playing game developed by the ever-popular Jeff Kinney, this new adventure comic series gets off to a flying start . . . The lively art mirrors that on the website, featuring bold, colorful panels and characters with giant heads and expressive eyes. Fans of the online game will delight in reading a story about one of Poptropica’s many islands, and newcomers will have no trouble falling into this adventure.”

In this exciting third installment of the Poptropica series, we find Mya, Oliver, and Jorge in the custody of a secret society whose mission is to protect and preserve Poptropica—a mysterious, uncharted island world. These Protectors, as they call themselves, believe that any outside interference with the islands of Poptropica could have catastrophic results on the course of history in the real world. As if things aren’t bad enough, Octavian has finally claimed possession of the confounding map, thwarted the society’s attempts to capture him, and is determined to alter the time line. The trio must join forces with the Protectors and find Octavian before he can go through with his evil plot, or all of human history might be changed—or worse—destroyed!

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first official Minecraft novel! The author of World War Z tells the story of a hero—stranded in the world of Minecraft—who must unravel the secrets of a mysterious island in order to survive. “A rollicking adventure yarn; Robinson Crusoe for the digital age.”—NPR Washed up on a beach, the lone castaway looks around the shore. Where am I? Who am I? And why is everything made of blocks? But there isn’t much time to soak up the sun. It’s getting dark, and there’s a strange new world to explore! The top priority is finding food. The next is not becoming food. Because there are others out there on the island . . . like the horde of zombies that appears after nightfall. Crafting a way out of this mess is a challenge like no other. Who could build a home while running from exploding creepers, armed skeletons, and an unstoppable tide of hot lava? Especially with no help except for a few makeshift tools and sage advice from an unlikely friend: a cow. In this world, the rules don’t always make sense, but courage and creativity go a long way. There are forests to explore, hidden underground tunnels to loot, and undead mobs to defeat. Only then will the secrets of the island be revealed. Collect all of the official Minecraft books: Minecraft: The Island Minecraft: The Crash Minecraft: The Lost Journals Minecraft: The Survivors’ Book of Secrets Minecraft: Exploded Builds: Medieval Fortress Minecraft: Guide to Exploration Minecraft: Guide to Creative Minecraft: Guide to the Nether & the End Minecraft: Guide to Redstone Minecraft: Mobestiary Minecraft: Guide to Enchantments & Potions Minecraft: Guide to PVP Minigames Minecraft: Guide to Farming Minecraft: Let’s Build! Theme Park Adventure Minecraft for Beginners

Following the epic penultimate conclusion of The Secret Society, Oliver, Mya, and Jorge find themselves at an impasse: The Protectors’ headquarters lie in ruins; the nefarious Octavian is nowhere to be found; and they have no idea how their tampering with the timeline of Poptropica might affect history. As our heroes band together to save the mysterious, uncharted island world and find a way home, they are reminded of crucial events from their pasts—including how they were transported to Poptropica in the first place. The trio suddenly finds itself in the heart of Poptropica, where the Protectors discover the nexus of all time and are offered the opportunity to see what their lives would be like if they could change just one thing from their pasts. But will they choose to go down these alternate paths? Filled with heart and humor, this is the breathtaking finale Poptropica fans have been waiting for.

"Games are increasingly becoming the focus for research due to their cultural and economic impact on modern society. However, there are many different types of approaches and methods than can be applied to understanding games or those that play games. This book provides an introduction to various game research methods that are useful to students in all levels of higher education covering both quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. In addition, approaches using game development for research is described. Each method is described in its own chapter by a researcher with practical experience of applying the method to topic of games. Through this, the book provides an overview of research methods that enable us to better our understanding on games."--Provided by publisher.

The Pacific of the early eighteenth century was not a single ocean but a vast and varied waterscape, a place of baffling complexity, with 25,000 islands and seemingly endless continental shorelines. But with the voyages of Captain James Cook, global attention turned to the Pacific, and European and American dreams of scientific exploration, trade, and empire grew dramatically. By the time of the California gold rush, the Pacific's many shores were fully integrated into world markets-and world consciousness. The Great Ocean draws on hundreds of documented voyages--some painstakingly recorded by participants, some only known by archeological remains or indigenous memory--as a window into the commercial, cultural, and ecological upheavals following Cook's exploits, focusing in particular on the eastern Pacific in the decades between the 1770s and the 1840s. Beginning with the expansion of trade as seen via the travels of William Shaler, captain of the American Brig Lelia Byrd, historian David Igler uncovers a world where voyagers, traders, hunters, and native peoples met one another in episodes often marked by violence and tragedy. Igler describes how indigenous communities struggled against introduced diseases that cut through the heart of their communities; how the ordeal of Russian Timofei Tarakanov typified the common practice of taking hostages and prisoners; how Mary Brewster witnessed first-hand the bloody "great hunt" that decimated otters, seals, and whales; how Adelbert von Chamisso scoured the region, carefully compiling his notes on natural history; and how James Dwight Dana rivaled Charles Darwin in his pursuit of knowledge on a global scale. These stories--and the historical themes that tie them together--offer a fresh perspective on the oceanic worlds of the eastern Pacific. Ambitious and broadly conceived, The Great Ocean is the first book to weave together American, oceanic, and world history in a path-breaking portrait of the Pacific world.