Name Russell Ginns Role Writer | ||
Occupation Writer, designer, composer, producer Books Leaping Lizards, Puzzlooney, Pipe Down!, Midnight Science, Dinosaur Dilemma, Double Trouble | ||
Alma mater University of Michigan | ||
Russell Ginns: 2018 National Book Festival
Russell Ginns (born 1965) is a game designer, writer, producer, and composer, primarily known for children's and educational books and games. He is the author of more than 100 books, including puzzles, educational titles, and young adult fiction. He has created or contributed to several notable software titles, including Castle Infinity, Hooked on Phonics, Reader Rabbit and Half-Life.
Contents
Publishing
In 1991, Ginns created the Nintendo Adventure Books series. Throughout the 90s, he created dozens of puzzle books, board books, puzzles, branching-adventure books, educational titles, and young adult fiction. Titles include Puzzlooney!, Go Figure, Midnight Science!, and The Big Book of Kids' Puzzles.
For Sylvan Learning, Ginns created more than 100 workbooks, including Third Grade Math Super Success and Fifth Grade Basic Math Success. He wrote 76 leveled reader books for the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read program. From 1989 to 1993, Ginns was magazine editor for 3-2-1 Contact Magazine and Electric Company Magazine.
In 2013, Ginns wrote four collections of board books (The Little Box of Love; The Little Box of Laughs; The Little Box of Bedtime; and The Little Box of Classics) for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This series includes Is There a Chance You’ve Seen My Pants?, Bird on My Head, and Monster Love.
Ginns has also published with the names Clyde Bosco, P. C. Russell Ginns, Jacques Barniarde, Kravis Winewater, and Hans Shingle.
Games and interactive media
In 1996, Ginns was the creator and designer of Castle Infinity, the first MMORP for kids. He has also contributed to titles including Half-Life, Pop!(Video Game), Hooked on Phonics, and Lode Runner.
He created toys and software products at Sesame Street including Sesame Street Countdown, Let's Make a Word, and the Sesame Street Learning Series.
In the late 1990s, Ginns joined Zero Entertainment, including Crop Circles, Balloon Dog, and AlphaNatix.
His published board games include Wordspot, Schmear, and Chess on the Loose.