As video games continue to captivate kids around the world, Scholastic AFK—or "Away From Keyboard"—books aim to harness that gaming passion, and convert it into a literacy tool.
To learn more about this initiative, we sat down with Michael Petranek, an executive editor at Scholastic, and Matthew J. Kirby, the author of the Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants series.
They tell us about what they love about gaming as well as some of the many benefits these books provide to growing readers: they encourage time away from screens, while also supporting reading and literacy by keeping fans engaged in the worlds they love.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about AFK
- See all of our AFK books
- Learn more about Matthew J. Kirby
- Read more about the study around Assassin's Creed Discover Mode
Guests:
- Michael Petranek is an executive editor at Scholastic
- Matthew J. Kirby is the author of Last Descendants: An Assassin's Creed Novel Series
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
