There are some pretty weird grown-ups living in Bailey City. Could the small woman selling T-shirts at the carnival really be an evil troll?

Despite the advent and explosion of videogames, boardgames--from fast-paced party games to intensely strategic titles--have in recent years become more numerous and more diverse in terms of genre, ethos and content. The growth of gaming events and conventions such as Essen Spiel, Gen Con and the UK Games EXPO, as well as crowdfunding through sites like Kickstarter, has diversified the evolution of game development, which is increasingly driven by fans, and boardgames provide an important glue to geek culture. In academia, boardgames are used in a practical sense to teach elements of design and game mechanics. Game studies is also recognizing the importance of expanding its focus beyond the digital. As yet, however, no collected work has explored the many different approaches emerging around the critical challenges that boardgaming represents. In this collection, game theorists analyze boardgame play and player behavior, and explore the complex interactions between the sociality, conflict, competition and cooperation that boardgames foster. Game designers discuss the opportunities boardgame system designs offer for narrative and social play. Cultural theorists discuss boardgames' complex history as both beautiful physical artifacts and special places within cultural experiences of play.

Discover the foundations of software engineering with this easy and intuitive guide In the newly updated second edition of Beginning Software Engineering, expert programmer and tech educator Rod Stephens delivers an instructive and intuitive introduction to the fundamentals of software engineering. In the book, you’ll learn to create well-constructed software applications that meet the needs of users while developing the practical, hands-on skills needed to build robust, efficient, and reliable software. The author skips the unnecessary jargon and sticks to simple and straightforward English to help you understand the concepts and ideas discussed within. He also offers you real-world tested methods you can apply to any programming language. You’ll also get: Practical tips for preparing for programming job interviews, which often include questions about software engineering practices A no-nonsense guide to requirements gathering, system modeling, design, implementation, testing, and debugging Brand-new coverage of user interface design, algorithms, and programming language choices Beginning Software Engineering doesn’t assume any experience with programming, development, or management. It’s plentiful figures and graphics help to explain the foundational concepts and every chapter offers several case examples, Try It Out, and How It Works explanatory sections. For anyone interested in a new career in software development, or simply curious about the software engineering process, Beginning Software Engineering, Second Edition is the handbook you’ve been waiting for.

When he builds his raft, a twelve-year-old boy never dreams that it will serve as the sole means of escape for himself and his grandmother when hostile Indians threaten their prairie cabin.

LOOK, MAYBE YOU’RE A NICE GIRL, but we’re guessing you’re more like us or you probably wouldn’t have picked up this book. Not that we have a problem with girls who are nice people. But being nice is just not the way to get what you want. And this book is about getting what you want. Not in like a finding happiness, giving back to the world, being grateful for what you have sort of way. But in a ruling your world, being the most desired, powerful badass in the room way, so you can come out on top of any situation: guys, career, friends, enemies, whatever. How does a betch make that happen? Here are some highlights: DON’T BE EASY. DON’T BE POOR. DON’T BE UGLY. We didn’t come up with these life lessons. We’re just the ones who wrote it all down. This is not self-help. Self-help is for fat people and divorcées. This is how to deal with your problems when you have no problems. You’re welcome.

The Bailey School kids investigate to see if Mrs. Jeepers is turning the town's kids into monsters during Halloween. Includes puzzles and activities.

After Melody becomes convinced that Eddie's new math tutor is really a sea serpent, Melody, Eddie, Liza, and Howie set out to discover the truth

Indexes popular fiction series for K-6 readers with groupings based on thematics, consistant setting, or consistant characters. Annotated entries are arranged alphabetically by series name and include author, publisher, date, grade level, genre, and a list of individual titles in the series. Volume is indexed by author, title, and subject/genre and includes appendixes suggesting books for boys, girls, and reluctant/ESL readers.