Buy new:
-41% $17.71
FREE delivery Tuesday, October 22 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: Booksworm
$17.71 with 41 percent savings
List Price: $30.00
The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, October 22 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 4 hrs 40 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$17.71 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.71
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.70
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
This book is in good condition with some signs of wear. Ships from Amazon This book is in good condition with some signs of wear. Ships from Amazon See less
FREE delivery Monday, October 21 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Saturday, October 19. Order within 4 hrs 40 mins.
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$17.71 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.71
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the authors

See all
Joshua Glenn
Follow
John Edgar Park
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun Hardcover – October 16, 2012

by Joshua Glenn (Author), Elizabeth Foy Larsen (Author), Tony Leone (Illustrator),
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 204 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.71","priceAmount":17.71,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"71","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"kjqzpVAsAa2LoxO9Qev%2F79LJxGyYKThQLaehsZ09W6dYU5KQjfatZ1Q9qUZtG84aSCPPRfooHu9FEfD8qGd40W814CbB7JpXDXP8ibyhlWWhVSni4axDfvZ98r2lA56DFOLwVSGeCWbHaUKaI7J%2Fh4G2pmekNa40uMmXiJB1Ail5DS%2FOSpCarO6dyKVi1z1Z","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.70","priceAmount":9.70,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"70","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"kjqzpVAsAa2LoxO9Qev%2F79LJxGyYKThQBWU%2BIoYuMGiDJNWB1b5zere1ER0kXvH6paKn3tIUCzbzNjMzP9uDaf1gMKCeSICK7rjXe7BLRC5W9lBPuoYZg%2Fd0a01Sbsl67ZM6ZIO7u%2B2gIx3FGR9fsBXYQ3YbWk8yK%2BFLkPildKLM%2BfJKWJZlTg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Unbored is the guide and activity book every modern kid needs. Vibrantly designed, lavishly illustrated, brilliantly walking the line between cool and constructive, it's crammed with activities that are not only fun and doable but also designed to get kids engaged with the wider world.

With contributions from a diverse crowd of experts, the book provides kids with information to round out their world view and inspire them to learn more. From how-tos on using the library or writing your representative to a graphic history of video games, the book isn't shy about teaching. Yet the bulk of the 350-page mega-resource presents hands-on activities that further the mission in a fun way, featuring the best of the old as well as the best of the new: classic science experiments, crafts and upcycling, board game hacking, code-cracking, geocaching, skateboard repair, yarn-bombing, stop-action movie-making-plus tons of sidebars and extras, including trivia, best-of lists, and Q&As with leading thinkers whose culture-changing ideas are made accessible to kids for the first time.

Just as kids begin to disappear into their screens, here is a book that encourages them to use those tech skills to be creative, try new things, and change the world. And it encourages parents to participate. Unbored is exciting to read, easy to use, and appealing to young and old, girl and boy. Parents will be comforted by its anti-perfectionist spirit and humor. Kids will just think it's awesome.

Contributors include Mark Frauenfelder of MAKE magazine; Colin Beavan, the No Impact Man; Douglas Rushkoff, renowned media theorist; Geoff Manaugh, author of BLDGBLOG; John Edgar Park, a CG supervisor at DisneyToon Studios; and Jean Railla, founder of GetCrafty.com and Etsy consultant.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Reading age
    6 years and up
  2. Print length
    352 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    7 - 9
  5. Dimensions
    7.75 x 1.35 x 10.25 inches
  6. Publisher
    Bloomsbury USA
  7. Publication date
    October 16, 2012
  8. ISBN-10
    1608196410
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1608196418
  10. See all details
Next slide of product details
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Frequently bought together

Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun
This item: Unbored: The Essential Field Guide to Serious Fun
$17.71
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Oct 22
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Booksworm 📚📚📚 and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
UNBORED Adventure: 70 Seriously Fun Activities for Kids and Their Families
$13.25
Get it as soon as Monday, Oct 21
Only 9 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
UNBORED Games: Serious Fun for Everyone
$13.10
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Pro Reads and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

See Activities from Unbored

Backyard Parkour (Click here for a larger image) Rock Out (Click here for a larger image) Learn More About the World (Click here for a larger image) Gross Facts About the Bedroom (Click here for a larger image)

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-This mixture of step-by-step how-tos, inspirational articles, comics, and excerpts from literature puts a priority on having fun and learning new skills, all while becoming more independent. An introduction by the editor of Make magazine and an opening interview with Tim Hodgkinson, editor of Idle magazine, make this intent clear. Four chapters loosely define the sections of the book and build from "You" to "Home," "Society," and finally "Adventure." Each section is subdivided further. "Society," for example, includes "Get Social," "Your School," "Save the Planet," "Make Your Own Media," and "Getting Around." Each subsection begins with an introductory article by a leader in the field. Additional articles, activities, experiments and games, lists of movies, time lines, how-tos, comics, secret messages, and section resources round-out the chapters. Activities range from traditional ideas such as knot tying to more current projects such as making "LED graffiti" or a "remote-controlled water blaster." They vary from sedentary to active and from indoor to outdoor with something for every inclination. Cartoon drawings appear on most pages, and photos are sprinkled throughout the two-column text. Many how-tos include illustrations. The book opens with a cautionary disclaimer, and additional safety and etiquette advice is included where needed. This resource will be referred to time and time again for ideas and inspiration for those unprogrammed days.-Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury USA; 1st edition (October 16, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1608196410
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1608196418
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 6 years and up
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.8 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.75 x 1.35 x 10.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 204 ratings

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Joshua Glenn

    Joshua Glenn

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    JOSHUA GLENN is a consulting semiotician and editor of the websites HiLobrow and Semiovox. The first to describe 1900–1935 as science fiction’s “Radium Age,” he is editor of the MIT Press’s series of reissued proto-sf stories from that period. He is coauthor and co-editor of various books including the family activities guide UNBORED (2012), The Adventurer’s Glossary (2021), and Lost Objects (2022). In the 1990s, he published the indie intellectual journal Hermenaut.

    See more on the author's page
  2. John Edgar Park

    John Edgar Park

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    John Edgar Park is an author, maker, animation filmmaker, technical/artistic problem solver, educator, TV host, builder of quirky electro-mechanical contraptions, husband, and father of two.

    John has worked as a 3D artist, character rigger, and CG supervisor for games, visual effects, and animated feature films since 1994 at such studios as Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Sony Imageworks. He is currently the Director of Digital Production & Technology at Disneytoon Studios, overseeing CG filmmaking and technology research and development on such films as Disney’s Planes, Planes: Fire & Rescue, and the Disney Fairies.

    John has taught Maya at Sony Pictures Imageworks, Disney, The Animation Guild Local 839, Friedman 3D, and Studio Arts.

    He’s the co-founder of the hardware peripheral company WingShield Industries, and co-creator of its premiere offering, the ScrewShield for Arduino.

    John hosted the American Public Television show Make: television and has presented talks at many Maker Faires. He writes for Make: magazine, Boing Boing, Cool Tools and other places online and in print, including authoring the book Understanding 3D Animation Using Maya.

    John’s obsessions include coffee roasting/brewing/making/drinking, robots, tools, beatboxing, sharing self-portraiture, and admittedly strange human body tricks. His control of individual face muscles led to his use as the baseline calibration model for facial motion capture systems and rigs in many visual effects movies.

    See more on the author's page
  3. Elizabeth Foy Larsen

    Elizabeth Foy Larsen

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Elizabeth Foy Larsen is a freelance writer and editor whose stories have appeared in numerous local and national publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, The Daily Beast, Slate, Travel + Leisure, Parents, Family Circle, and StarTribune. Elizabeth is the co-author of the bestselling UNBORED series of family activity books, which taught her how to stop feeling like her family's office manager and enjoy goofing around with her three kids. A native Minnesotan, Elizabeth is also the author of 111 Places in the Twin Cities You Must Not Miss, a guidebook to Minneapolis and St. Paul's hidden gems, including a curling club, former gangster hangouts, and a store with the largest selection of turntable needles in the world. She was an extra in "Purple Rain."

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
204 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book full of ideas, activities, and challenging projects. They say it's fun for every age and parenting style. Readers also appreciate the nice hardcover design and great illustrations. They describe the pictures inside as vivid and colorful.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
IdeasFun for kidsDesignGift value
31 customers mention "Ideas"31 positive0 negative

Customers find the book full of ideas, activities, and challenging projects. They say it has good suggestions and a great mix of modern and technology-related ideas.

"...There is so much info and it is obviously directed at both kids and adults. Years of fun for every age and parenting style...." Read more

"This is definitely the perfect field guide for making your own fun, but it's so much more than that...." Read more

"There's a lot to like about this book, and certainly plenty of material and ideas in it...." Read more

"...So plenty of imagination sparking ideas and helped him manage to fill the better part of a day with many plans for more...." Read more

22 customers mention "Fun for kids"17 positive5 negative

Customers find the book full of fun activities for kids of all ages. They say it's an entertaining and fun read/gift for anyone who ever complains about being bored. Readers also mention the book is useful for kids, adults, and the whole family. They also mention it's a perfect holiday book with a modern touch, oriented to older children.

"...Years of fun for every age and parenting style...." Read more

"...It's a wonderful life-embracing book, full of adventures for all senses, mind and overall body...." Read more

"...It's smart and quirky and fun, and it goes well beyond what you would expect from a typical family activity book...." Read more

"...I enjoy reading those types of books but this one seemed well, boring. The Popular Science Big Book of Hacks was more like what I wanted...." Read more

6 customers mention "Design"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the design of the book nice, colorful, and vivid. They also say it's engaging and informative.

"...Very, very nicely done." Read more

"...It's engaging, informative and has great illustrations. HIGHLY recommend it." Read more

"...It is very colorful and full of ideas for any situation...." Read more

"...Excellent for random discussions with friends over wine. Nice hardcover design looks great on the coffee table...." Read more

3 customers mention "Gift value"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the gift value of the book. They mention it's a great gift.

"Great gift!..." Read more

"A great gift for families!..." Read more

"Child loved the gift...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

JE
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Good Times
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2013
Verified Purchase
I just received this book a week ago, but can already tell that it is in a league of its own. There is so much info and it is obviously directed at both kids and adults. Years of fun for every age and parenting style. I especially love how he sneaks in exciting excerpts of some of my favorite novels by HG Wells and others. A much better way to get a kid to pick up Dracula than a list or recommendation. Indoor, outdoor active or sedentary this book, no encyclopedia, has you and your kids covered. No excuse... get Unbored!
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
annonymos
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun: How It's Made
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is definitely the perfect field guide for making your own fun, but it's so much more than that. It includes parenting tips, home remedies, and other contemporary child-rearing advice. It contains amazing reviews of books and movies from a variety of genres. These authors have a scope of knowledge so beyond my own, that I might not otherwise have introduced these books and movies to my children. AND it's for older kids, because in my house we have definitely outgrown sock puppets and paper plate masks (although both might work for our first stop-action film - see p. 232).
18 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Dr G
4.0 out of 5 stars Good with some annoyances
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
There's a lot to like about this book, and certainly plenty of material and ideas in it. I won't repeat all the stuff the other reviewers have said; I just want to point out one thing I found annoying. The book is full of "Best Ever" lists, like "Best Ever Musicals" and "Best Ever Graphic Novels". In a future edition I would suggest the authors change this to "Recommended", because there are glaring omissions from these lists. Foe examples, musicals doesn't list Mary Poppins, Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Fiddler on the Roof, Little Shop of Horrors, or West Side Story but it has the Spongebob Movie, Spice World and John Waters' Hairspray. The graphic novel list has Asterix and TinTin, which is good, but no Bone? And if you can recommend Hairspray, then you could probably include Blankets and Scott Pilgrim in the graphic novel list, let alone Watchmen and Smile. I haven't looked at any other lists yet but I expect they are similarly far from 'best ever'.
7 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Orange Monkey
5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING BOOK!
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2021
Verified Purchase
I grew up in Sweden, wild and free - going out by myself on the lake, fishing, cross-country skiing, horse-back riding. Our daughter who is now growing up in strange-times in the US, got this book as a gift. It's a wonderful life-embracing book, full of adventures for all senses, mind and overall body.
I don't like the snowflake-culture developing, some of the reviews make it sound as though this is one of those, I'd say it's definitely not. It even has Banned Books You Should Read and so on, The Giver is on there; potentially describing a future dystopian America? - unless your kids can be educated out of it.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
JK
5.0 out of 5 stars Here's Your Answer to "I'm bored!"
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2012
Verified Purchase
Occasionally my son will give me the "I'm bored!" thing (code for can I play video games now?). So the last time he resorted to this I handed him this book. Within a few minutes there was clearly much discovery going on and questions like "do we have a (fill in the blank), I want to make/do/try this (again fill in the blank)". So plenty of imagination sparking ideas and helped him manage to fill the better part of a day with many plans for more. I hope they come out with a second version soon!
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kayla
3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I thought it was...
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
I bought this for my almost 14 year old boy thinking he would enjoy it for Christmas after many years of having "The Dangerous Book for Boys". I was thinking it was more like that. I enjoy reading those types of books but this one seemed well, boring. The Popular Science Big Book of Hacks was more like what I wanted. I think the verdict on this one is that my son is too old for most of the activities, I would say are geared more toward 8-10 year olds.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
MaryEllen Boudman
5.0 out of 5 stars UNBORED
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2012
Verified Purchase
I was looking for a Christmas Present for all my family that would be fun for all the age groups. This meets my family group requirements (!) I have been a resource teacher for pre-school ; an art teacher in elementary and high school and college level weaving teacher for the last 30 years. I'm also a cousin to Josh and his Mom. I believe in what this book proposes! (it supports our family traditions that have worked to help us find and appreciate each other's talents and to have new experiences using all our senses.) This book helps us realize that sitting behind a computer or any 'device' that keeps us sitting still for hours on end is not really meeting our needs. Our youngest members still might like Steven Caney's project books.... ages 7-8 on up will love UNBORED !
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lauren
5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2012
Verified Purchase
Unbored is the perfect holiday book. It's packed with information, and with activities that kids will want to do on their own or with their families. It's smart and quirky and fun, and it goes well beyond what you would expect from a typical family activity book. I can't recommend it highly enough to families with kids who have ever complained that they're bored -- so, that's everyone!
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
T-Boston
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on May 3, 2018
Verified Purchase
Fantastic book-great for any kind of day or adventure.
Report
Bertilak Hautdesert
5.0 out of 5 stars Serious Fun!!! (like it says)
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2015
Verified Purchase
My twelve year old lad borrowed this from the library and I was so impressed I felt he deserved his own copy. It's precisely what it says and it has got him active and engaged with the real world. Thanks so much Joshua Glenn, you wrote the book I would have wanted to write.
Report
Ariane Reinhard
5.0 out of 5 stars geniales Buch!
Reviewed in Germany on April 18, 2013
Verified Purchase
Dieses Buch ist unglaublich prall gefüllt mit Ideen und Anleitungen die wirklich Spass machen! Es sind alle Bereiche für sämtliche Altersklassen abgedeckt... von Gestalten, Schreiben, sich Draussen beschäftigen, experimentieren und sinnvollem Umgang mit neuen Medien - alles dabei. Sehr empfehlenswert!
Report
Arjun Basu
5.0 out of 5 stars My 13 year old loves this
Reviewed in Canada on February 28, 2013
Verified Purchase
Got a lull in your day? Open this book. This is more than an activity book, this is, as the book, says, serious fun.
Report
J. Walker
5.0 out of 5 stars How to fill a childs 6 weeks summer!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 12, 2013
Verified Purchase
This book is excellent if you need to stop the constant.... I'm bored over the summer holidays! They can learn without thinking they are learning!

I am a teacher and I have been using this as a book to help give me some ideas of what to do in the dreaded activities week.. so many ideas! Well worth the money!
Report