Silberling, Brad. (Director). (2005). Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures. Ages 9-12.

***Beware! This is not a happy movie!*** The Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus and Sunny, think their life can’t get any worse after finding out their house burned down and their parents were killed. But when they are taken to live with their nearest relative, Count Olaf, life most certainly does. Putting the children to work, he is determined to try and kill them, and no one will listen or believe them when they ask for help. After a close call on some train tracks, the children are finally taken away and live with a series of new guardians. But Count Olaf will stop at nothing to get what he wants—he’ll trick, kill, or even marry anyone who gets in his way, including three poor little orphans. Based on the first three novels in the series by Lemony Snicket.

Stephens, Sarah Hines, & Mann, Bethany. Show Off. Candlewick Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0763645991. Ages 10-14.

AMAZE others by faking a fall or twirling a drumstick! INVESTIGATE the use of morse code or invisible ink! CREATE a catapult or silhouette portraits! EXPLORE the outdoors by predicting a rainstorm or building a dam! COOK up some homemade fortune cookies or a Jell-O city! MOVE by freezing your own ice rink or rigging a zipline! Learn how to do all 224 of these awesome tricks and activities with Show Off's simple step-by-step instructions.

Caney, Steven. Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book. Running Press Kids, 2006. ISBN 978-0762404094. Ages 9-14.

Find everything you ever wanted to know about how to build things in this book. Learn about the history and different types of buildings and structures. Then gather the tools and materials you will need to create your own buildings with rods and connectors, bricks and blocks, and panels and planes. From toothpick bridges to sugar-cube castles to one-tarp tents, learn how to build just about anything with this inventive how-to guide.