Have you ever wanted a career in film or television?

If so, Enslow's Careers in Film and Television series might be what you are looking for. Written for the middle school reader, the five books in this series will guide the reader in his/her quest to be an actor; a director; a screenwriter; work in animation or special effects; or someone who wants to work in set design, costuming, or makeup.

These 128-page books include biographical and historical information on figures and events related to specific filmmaking and television careers, include various career opportunities, as well as cinematic techniques in text and in sidebars.

Video Games

I bet video games are on your Christmas shopping list. I know they're on mine. Still popular with kids and adults, the first video game was invented by Ralph Baer in 1968 and looked more like a console covered with brown wood-grain paper. It was stuffed with three hundred parts and could run several simple games. It wasn't until 1970 when Magnavox, a leading TV set manufacturer, offered to pay Baer royalties to develop and market his game ideas that his work finally paid off. Baer's first check in the amount of $100,000 was presented to him in the hospital where he was waiting for an operation.

Enslow's title The Guy Who Invented Home Video Games: Ralph Baer and His Awesome Invention is part of our Genius at Work Great Inventor Biographies series. If your school or library hosts a gaming program, you may want to introduce this title to your participants so they can have a better understanding as to how millions of video games today are the result of Ralph Baers lone question, "What Else Can a TV Do?"