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It’s official: Hollywood has turned to Young Adult books for movie magic inspiration. The large fanbase for these books provides an opportunity to bring new stars in the limelight, make big bucks, and show off new special effects. After the explosion and mania of Harry Potter and Twilight took hold, followed by The Hunger Games, Beautiful Creatures, Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Divergent, The Maze Runner, The Book Thief, and The Fault in Our Stars.

As a fan of several of these books, I’m equally thrilled and anxious to see the result when I walk into the theater. More often than not, the fans of the books enjoy the film adaptation, but movie reviewers don’t—always—and poor reviews can stop or stall future productions (Looking at you, Mortal Instruments.)

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Hey Quirk fans!

We’re currently seeking babies from 12 to 24 months old for an upcoming Fall 2014 book, though there’s probably a little wiggle room on either end of that age range. And while we can’t dish out details about the project just yet, you can think of it as Quirk’s version of an Anne Geddes book.

Right now we’re looking in the Philadelphia and New York City region, as the photographer lives here in Philly and also makes regular trips to NYC. The photographer of the book will stop by your house to take the photo.

There’s no compensation, but your baby will be featured in an amazing Quirk book! And of course, you’ll get a really great professional photo of your child. Interested parents can email me ([email protected]) headshots of their babies, and we’ll forward them on to the photographer.

Thanks!

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Not to be a total Grinch about it, but some of the lyrical content of traditional wintertime songs is seriously wanting for poetic rigor. For every lovely midnight clear and gladsome tidings, there’s a clunker of a couplet that carolers everywhere must tongue-twist their way around year after year. Christmas carols may not be high art, per se, but that doesn’t mean they have to be awful. So, in the spirit of public shaming Christmas, here are the most egregious offenders to watch out for.

No matter your faith, creed, or religion, there’s one altar we all worship at come December: the television. It’s the time of year when people around the world hunker down with a nice cup of eggnog or a spiced cider and watch holiday movies as a family. It’s almost impossible to avoid the classics: White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol, The Star Wars Holiday Special…I could go on, but you’re already yawning.

Don’t get me wrong, all of these films are fine if you want traditional fare, but tradition is boring. Fortunately, there are some great movies that take place around wintertime holidays that are completely free of jolly fat men in red suits, snow covered fields, heart warming family reunions and important lessons about the spirit of giving. Here are TK movies for your family viewing that are—technically!—holidayesque.

Die Hard: It would be impossible to ignore this great action movie. John McClane is by far, one of Bruce Willis’s most memorable characters. Poor John flies to L.A from New York to be with his family at Christmas only to find himself fighting a group of international terrorists in a high rise building. Though this film never forgets it takes place on Christmas, it sure isn’t about holiday cheer.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that some of the best parties are birthday parties. Since Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is celebrating 200 years of publication, now seems like a great time to throw a literary birthday party—for the book or for yourself!

Excellent news for the year’s end: the creepy-cool The Resurrectionist has been selected as one of the iBooks Best of 2013 in the Fantasy category, while the much-anticipated Hollow City and the loveable Find Momo have been picked as some of Winter’s Biggest Books!

We’re super-excited. Head to the iBookstore to download or pre-order your own copies!