Each of the 50 states has its own “official state” tree, gemstone, fish, animal, dance…you name it! Here is a look at some of them. State Outdoor Drama of Alabama William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker, about the early life of Alabama native Helen Keller, was produced for the first time in 1962 at Ivy Green […]
Here’s the story behind two of the best-known names in America.
Like any other kind of artist or creative person, film directors don’t want to do the same thing all the time. They want to stretch their creative muscles once in a while. Result: Movies directed by about the last person you’d expect.
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The treatment and disposal of a dead body is a sacred ritual in every culture, but each one does it a little bit differently.
They say August is the one month without any major holidays—but that’s only if you don’t consider “Ride the Wind Day” to be a major holiday. August 3: National Watermelon Day While watermelon is now available year-round, there’s just something about it that screams summer. It’s a cool and refreshing fruit enjoyed by millions at […]
Stuff your brain with some stories about these snacks that are great for stuffing in your face.
Cold, hard facts about the cold, hard continent.
The Simpsons has been airing for nearly 30 years. South Park has been going for 20. Family Guy has been going strong for well over a decade. But not every prime-time cartoon aimed at an audience of mostly adults has such longevity.
What comes before success? Preparation, practice…and rejection. Here are some people who went on to do big things despite some early roadblocks.
I scream. You scream. We all scream for…online trivia quizzes about ice cream! See how well you do on this quiz, and then we bet you’ll help yourself to a bowl of the ideal summer treat.
Quitters never win…or do they?
Here are few stories of times that somebody other than the wife of the president has served as First Lady. Jefferson Martha Wayles Jefferson, the wife of third president Thomas Jefferson, died at age 33 in 1782—nearly 20 years before Jefferson took office in 1801. So, stepping in to take on the First Lady’s duties of […]
We’ve been making Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader for 30 years now, and to think, before we came along, people had to read magazines in the bathroom. Magazines?! They’re so unreliable! They can just up and fold at any time—like these ones did. Dynamite Scholastic publishes children’s books—including Harry Potter in the U.S. But before that, […]
Paul McCartney was “the cute Beatle,” Ringo Starr was “the funny Beatle,” and George Harrison was “the sequel Beatle.” Continuations of stories are obviously common in movies, books, and TV shows. Not so much in the world of music, probably because modern pop and rock songs don’t tell full stories, but rather present feelings or […]
Some dinosaurs are extinct…and others we only wish were extinct—like Barney. You have to wonder why anyone thought the Barney blitz would succeed…and then you have to wonder why it did. Here’s one version, written by Jack Mingo, the author of How the Cadillac Got Its Fins.
Most airport names are self-explanatory: Denver International Airport, or Los Angeles International Airport, for example. But what about all those major airports that have been named after major figures? Ever been to one and wondered about the person they’re named after, and you didn’t know because you weren’t from that area? Here are those stories. […]
It’s summertime: Will you be spending it riding rides at one of America’s many
theme parks? Get ready by taking this quiz…which is also a great way to kill
some time while you’re waiting in line to ride those rides!
