90-Second Treasures

October 14, 2021

With the right equipment, we can make anything.

The past 30 years of technology advancement has given us remarkable new tools for telling stories:. What used to be possible only for professionals with expensive gadgets can now be accomplished by the average preteen who borrows your iPhone, shoots some video, and, in the space of a few hours, edits it into a story anyone can appreciate. Today I'm showcasing a fun and FREE way for your kids to do exactly that!

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is the brainchild of author James Kennedy. Each year, teams of kids all over the world read a book that has been the recipient of the annual Newbery Award for children's literature (here's a list of those books). Usually with a bit of guidance from handy adults, they compress the whole story into 90 seconds of dialogue and then film the result for the world to see. The results are usually side-splittingly funny, especially when kids incorporate their own style or twist: Even the most profound or disturbing stories that you can't believe actually are kids' books (think Bridge to Terabithia or The Yearling) become hilarious when pushed into a 90-second space and acted and directed by kids. My own kids have participated in past years, with 90-second renderings of A Single Shard, Hoot, and The Whipping Boy.

It's easy to participate, and it costs nothing! First, grab your kids and check out past years' winners at 90secondNewbery.com to get inspired. Then read the directions for creating a 90-Second Newbery in five steps, get some kids on board to write, act, and direct, and EUREKA, you'll wind up with a brainy-yet-riotous entry that you can post to YouTube and send to relatives...and maybe be one of the 2022 winners! Last year during lockdown, submissions came mostly from families, but in a safer environment, it's also perfect for schools, friend groups, clubs, libraries, and scouts! Just get it submitted by January 14, 2022!

KidsOutAndAbout.com is the 2021-2022 National Media Sponsor of the 90-Second Newbery. So if your team wins a space in the festival, please let me be the third to know... I'll be almost as proud as you and Grandma!

—Deb