Jumping For Joy

If the 1930s was the Swing Era, then the years from 1937 on might well be called the Jump Era. That summer Count Basie recorded "Jumping at the Woodside," and suddenly jump tunes seemed to be everywhere. Along with the bouncy beat came a new dance step -- the high-flying aerials of the jitterbuggers -- and the basketball games that took place in the dance halls of African America became faster, higher, and flashier. Duke Ellington and a cast of hundreds put the buoyant spirit of the era on stage with their 1941 musical revue, Jump for Joy, a title that captured the momentum and direction of the new culture of exuberance. Several high-profile public victories accompanied this increasing optimism: the spectacular successes of African American athletes at the 1936 Olympics, the 1937 union victory of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and Joe Louis's 1937 and 1938 heavyweight championship fights. For the first time in history, black Americans emerged as cultural heroes and ambassadors, and many felt a new pride in citizenship. In this book, Gena Caponi-Tabery chronicles these triumphs and shows how they shaped American music, sports, and dance of the 1930s and beyond. But she also shows how they emboldened ordinary African Americans to push for greater recognition and civil liberties -- how cultural change preceded and catalyzed political action. Tracing the path of one symbolic gesture -- the jump -- across cultural and disciplinary boundaries, Caponi-Tabery provides a unique political, intellectual, and artistic analysis of the years immediately preceding World War II.

A Playful Path, the new book by games guru and fun theorist Bernard De Koven, serves as a collection of ideas and tools to help us bring our playfulness back into the open. When we find ourselves forgetting the life of the game or the game of life, the joy of form or the content, the play of brain or mind, body or spirit, this book can help us return to that which our soul is heir.

The platformer is one of the most well-loved video game genres ever, having entertained players for over 40 years. Jumping For Joy is a celebration of everything platform games have to offer, spanning their entire history. The first part of the book is a complete guide to every platform game starring Mario, Nintendo’s mascot and the most popular video game character of all time. With nearly 80 games featured in this section, it’s the definitive history of a true gaming hero. There are always two sides to every story, though, so the second part of the book focuses on every one of the 50+ platformers starring Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario’s former rival. After this it’s the book’s main course: a huge 100-page section detailing 50 other iconic and notable platform games covering the entire history of gaming, from the days of the Atari 2600 and ZX Spectrum all the way up to the Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Whether you’re a long-time veteran of platform gaming or a newcomer who wants to learn more about one of the most entertaining genres in video games, this is the perfect book for you. And there are some bad jokes in there too, if that’s your thing.

WAKING UP LOOKING FORWARD TO A FULL DAY OF SCHOOL AND LOTS OF PLAYTIME AND WONDERFUL ADVENTURES WHILE ENJOYING THE DAY LIGHT SUNSHINE. LEARNING SHAPES COLORS AND ACTING OUT OUR FAVORITE ANIMAL ADVENTURES.

Have you ever been talked into or just done something you thought wasn't such a good idea? I bet you have, and if your like me it generally didn't go so well. This is a collection of humorous stories based on such ingenious endeavors. I've thrown in a few enhanced versions of a couple historical events as well.

THE STORY: In this dark comedy, wily, manipulative Emily Mavin has summoned her uptight Manhattanite brother, Michael, to their family home in Maryland, using the excuse that their father, Samuel, has suffered a mild heart attack. Emily is a bright

Can you jump? Most animals can jump too. Some can jump up high and some can jump over things. Which ones are the best jumpers? Why? Fiction Reading Level 1/F&P Level A

Describes aerobic exercises to be performed on a rebounder, a small portable trampoline, and offers tips on nutrition and maintaining physical fitness