CARLSBAD, Calif.— When PJ Haarsma wrote his first book, a science fiction novel for preteenagers, he didn’t think just about how to describe Orbis, the planetary system where the story takes place. He also thought about how it should look and feel in a video game.
The online game that Mr. Haarsma designed not only extends the fictional world of the novel, it also allows readers to play in it. At the same time, Mr. Haarsma very calculatedly gave gamers who might not otherwise pick up a book a clear incentive to read: one way that players advance is by answering questions with information from the novel.

“You can’t just make a book anymore,” said Mr. Haarsma, a former advertising consultant. Pairing a video game with a novel for young readers, he added, “brings the book into their world, as opposed to going the other way around.”

Mr. Haarsma is not the only one using video games to spark an interest in books. Increasingly, authors, teachers, librarians and publishers are embracing this fast-paced, image-laden world in the hope that the games will draw children to reading.

Spurred by arguments that video games also may teach a kind of digital literacy that is becoming as important as proficiency in print, libraries are hosting gaming tournaments, while schools are exploring how to incorporate video games in the classroom. In New York, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is supporting efforts to create a proposed public school that will use principles of game design like instant feedback and graphic imagery to promote learning…

9/16/2008 | MemoReport | Amanda Lenhart Joseph Kahne Ellen Middaugh Alexandra Rankin Macgill Chris Evans Jessica Vitak

The first national survey of its kind finds that virtually all American teens play computer, console, or cell phone games and that the gaming experience is rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement. The survey was conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, an initiative of the Pew Research Center and was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The primary findings in the survey of 1,102 youth ages 12-17 include –

Game playing is universal, with almost all teens playing games and at least half playing games on a given day. Game playing experiences are diverse, with the most popular games falling into the racing, puzzle, sports, action and adventure categories.

Game playing is also social, with most teens playing games with others at least some of the time and can incorporate many aspects of civic and political life.

Another major findings is that game playing sometimes involves exposure to mature content, with almost a third of teens playing games that are listed as appropriate only for people older than they are.

The newest Magic the Gathering expansion card set, SHARDS OF ALARA, will be released Friday and WE WILL HAVE IT IN STOCK!  Join us on Friday when we open at 3 pm to be the first folks in the area to try out the newest set of cards, and stick around for a BOOSTER DRAFT from 6 to 9 - $16 gets you 4 boosters, and then we use three boosters (and borrowed mana) to build and play a deck for prizes.  It’ll be a blast!  We’re also getting a selection of new Intro packs and Tournament decks - prepay to reserve yours today!

Saturday will be a BIG day at BIG ROBOT - we’re having a Star Wars Party with guys from the 501st to celebrate the launch of the new Star Wars game title, THE FORCE UNLEASHED and help us raise money for Child Care Choices. The party will run from 4 to 6 at the store and GAMING WILL BE FREE! Come down, meet members of the 501st, Star Wars’ premier costumed reenactors, take pictures, and new customers can enter to win a free VIP Season Pass.

Then stick around for our FIRST ALL-NIGHTER - get the run of the store and play EVERYTHING WE HAVE for only $20 ($25 at the door). Try out all the latest games as we LOCK THE and you party from 11 PM Saturday night to 8 AM Sunday morning. It’s going DOORS to be crazy! For rules and restrictions, chat with a Big Robot employee. And get in here - it’s going to be a blast!

Here’s how it works:

1. Figure out the number of party participants (there is no charge for adult chaperones at children’s parties).
2. Multiply by the number of hours you want your party to last.
3. Multiply that by $4 per hour.

That’s the “Party Price”! For example, 5 kids times 2 hours time $4 is just $40 for a 2-hour party for 5!

UPDATE: THIS EVENT WILL BE SANCTIONED BY WIZARDS OF THE COAST.  Get your DCI cards here and get nationally ranked!