Level Up: Pairing Video Games with Children’s and YA Books (Minecraft)

Minecraft (Everyone 10+)

Minecraft is considered a sandbox video game which means that players have freedom to choose what they do and where they do it with no specific goals that must be accomplished.  Its main focus is on building with blocks mined in-game and interacting with creatures within the game.  The books listed below focus on adventure and STEM concepts perfect for architects of all types!

Choose Your Own Adventure series
Choose Your Own Adventure books are just that, readers are given the chance to choose what direction the story goes with decisions spread throughout the book.  This is a great interactive, albeit older series that is great for choosy readers looking for something different.  These work well for independent readers or can be read aloud together where younger children are given the choice to decide what happens next.

The Lego Ideas Book by Daniel Lipkowitz
The Lego Ideas Book is the perfect book for builders of all ages with six themed chapters — transportation, buildings, space, kingdoms, adventure, and useful makes.  The perfect choice for Lego fans and builders everywhere.

Minecraft Handbooks published by Scholastic
If you weren’t already aware, Scholastic has published at least five handbooks based on different aspects of the Minecraft game teaching concepts including mining, construction, combat and more.  These books are great for kids who love gaming, but are not as much fans of reading.

Nick & Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab (Nick & Tesla’s series) by Bob Pflugfelder
11-year old twins, Nick and Tesla move in with their uncle and soon realize that strange things are happening in their new neighborhood.  But with a knack for all things science, the twins begin engineering their own gadgets and head out to solve the mysteries.  Each book includes instructions for five experiments your gamer/reader/inventor can create themselves.

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang
A graphic novel for the kids who would rather be in front of a screen instead of in front of a book.  Hooper and Eni are on a mission to solve the mysteries surrounding Stanley Academy using logic puzzles and basic programming instructions.  A great introduction to computer coding for kids.

Each Thursday this summer, I’ll be posting a video game and corresponding book list.  This is just a fun, personal project that was actually the brainchild of my boyfriend who thought that A) it sounded awesome and B) that there are a lot of parents who would love to have some resources for those kids who would rather be in front of a screen than a book.  I’m hoping these titles will appeal to both boys and girls who love gaming and who do love storytelling; they just need the right book to make them readers. Each list will include the Entertainment Software Rating Board’s (ESRB) rating for the game.  I know that every family is different, but want to make sure this information is provided as I’ll be offering lists for games for younger kids as well as teens.

Video Game Booklists:

• Assassin’s Creed
• Call of Duty
• Destiny
• Disney Infinity
• Fallout
• Grand Theft Auto
• Halo
• Just Dance
• The Legend of Zelda
• Lego Games
• Mario Brothers
• Minecraft
• Pokémon Go
• Skylanders
• Sports Games