Bookworm Games

Junk-Food Fiction

• Cut up several issues of tabloid-type newspapers or print some from the computer using appropriate fonts; the crazier the headlines are, the better. Glue each headline onto a sheet of paper. (For a variation, use the improbable titles of some books and make up some of your own.) Number each sheet and tape them to a wall or window. Each arriving guest gets a paper and pencil to vote on whether each headline or title is "fact" or "fiction." Whoever gets the most right wins.

Visual Scavenger Hunt

• Split the guests into teams and give each a digital or disposable camera and a copy of a list of items they will be seeking. Send the teams out to virtually capture an image of each item. Keep the bookworm party theme by creatively listing items such as "Miss Spider's tea party" or "Pooh's blustery day." Let the kids re-create each item in any creative way they choose to interpret. One option is to have available copies of the books referenced on the list to give the seekers inspiration.

Metamorphosis

• If your birthday girl or boy is having a slumber party, let the bookworms "race" for bookworm-themed bookmarks, book lights or other small goodies: Each guest gets into a sleeping bag feet first; think of it as the very padded cousin of a potato sack. Once the players are in and zipped, let each lie down -- stomach, back or side, it's up to the individual player. Line up everyone at a starting point; at the signal, send all of your bookworms slithering toward the finish line. This game works best if you have room for a fairly lengthy course. For a variation, let the kids zip into sleeping bags in clothes and change into pajamas while in the sleeping bag; when the colorful butterflies emerge from their cocoons, let them fly around a bit before feeding them nectar and saying "goodnight."

Bookworms Love Tasty Stories

• Everyone sits in a circle. Let the host begin telling a story by making up one sentence; each guest gets to add one sentence to build a story. Have an adult write down each line as you go around the circle; go around as many times as you need to complete the story. Use a computer to type up the story and and print parts of it onto several sheets of paper; give one book to each guest to illustrate and take home.