Russell Ginns

Russell Ginns
Alma mater University of Michigan
Occupation Writer, designer, composer, producer

Russell Ginns (born 1965) is a game designer,[1][2][3] writer,[4][5][6] producer, and composer, primarily know 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, and Half-Life.

Publishing

Ginns created the Nintendo Adventure Books series.[7] He is the author of more than a hundred books, including board books, puzzles, branching stories, educational titles, and young adult fiction. Titles include Puzzlooney!,[8][9][10] Midnight Science!,[11] and Big Book of Kids' Puzzles.[12][13]

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?,[14] Bird on My Head, and Monster Love.

As Director of Product Development at Sylvan Learning, Ginns oversaw the development of a series of 90 math workbooks, including Third Grade Math Super Success[15] and Fifth Grade Basic Math Success.[16] He wrote and edited 36 titles 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.

Ginns has also published with the names Clyde Bosco, P. C. Russell Ginns, Jacques Barniarde, Kravis Winewater, and Hans Shingle.

Games and Interactive Media

He has been a creator[17] or contributor to software titles including Castle Infinity,[18] Half-Life, Pop!(Video Game), and Hooked on Phonics,[19] and Lode Runner.

Ginns created 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 created software at Zero Entertainment, including Crop Circles,[20][21] Balloon Dog,[22] and AlphaNatix.[23]

His published board games include Wordspot,[24] Schmear, and Chess on the Loose.

References

  1. ↑ Boardgamegeek.com Designers Profile, Seven published board game titles as of July 2013.
  2. ↑ Mohammed, Arshad (November 12, 2005). "Atari Invites Parents to Travel Back to the '70s". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Russell Ginns
  4. ↑ Russell Ginns "About the Author"
  5. ↑ Russell Ginns
  6. ↑ Russell Ginns
  7. ↑ Gamebooks: Nintendo Adventure Books Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  8. ↑ Ginns, Russell (1994). Puzzlooney: Really Ridiculous Math Puzzles. Scientific American Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0716765322. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  9. ↑ Bamford, Rosemary A.; Kristo, Janice V. (1998-10-01). Making facts come alive: choosing quality nonfiction literature K-8. Christopher-Gordon Publishers. p. 129. ISBN 9780926842670. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  10. ↑ Whitin, David J.; Wilde, Sandra (1995). It's the Story That Counts: More Children's Books for Mathematical Learning, K-6. Pearson Education Canada. p. 222. ISBN 0435083694. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Books". Tuscaloosa News. February 28, 1995. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  12. ↑ Ginns, P.C. Russell (1992). Big Book of Kids' Puzzles. Bantam Books. ISBN 9780553370744. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  13. ↑ Roback, Diane (March 1, 1993). "Odds-on favorites: big action at the box office boosts front list sales". Publishers Weekly.
  14. ↑ "Book Set Review: "The Little Box of Laughs" by Russell Ginns". Examiner.com. August 20, 2014.
  15. ↑ Third Grade Super Math Success
  16. ↑ Fifth Grade Basic Math Success
  17. ↑ Ernst, S. (August 25, 2000). "Software teaches toddlers, also tracks their progress". Puget Sound Business Journal.
  18. ↑ "Picks and Pans Review: The Buddy System". People Magazine. October 21, 1996. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "Plants Versus Zombies". Media Macaroni. August 29, 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  20. ↑ "Anxious Aliens Have No Appetite for Bad Beef!: Zero Entertainment Reveals Crop Circles". PR Newswire. April 21, 1998.
  21. ↑ "Cattle On a Hot Tin Roof! Zero Entertainment Launches Crop Circles". PR Newswire. August 27, 1998.
  22. ↑ "Save This Balloon Dog - Or Bust!; Pop! The Balloon Dog Puzzle Game Is Now Available Online". PR Newswire. March 19, 1998.
  23. ↑ "Computer Game Captures Kidney Thieves. Zero Entertainment Releases AlphaNatix: Urban Legends Edition". PR Newswire. June 2, 1998.
  24. ↑ Wordspot