Warcraft: Traveler - A Scholastic series for kids

I was pretty excited when Blizzard announced that they were collaborating with Scholastic to make a series of books based on Azeroth for kids aged 8 to 12.

A young human boy gets lost in Azeroth with his magic compass and a sketchbook and with Makasa (2nd mate on his father's ship) they meet all various races of Azeroth.

What made it even more exciting was that Greg Weisman, who worked on Disney's Gargoyles and the Young Justice animated series - both of which I have watched and really enjoyed - is going to be writing the series! How exciting that one of the co-creators of my fave animated series of all time is going to be working on books based on my favourite game of all time!

I have often wished there are Warcraft stories for kids - there is of course a fair bit of fan fic out there, and of course I have my own poems and Pandaren Fables that I did with Mataoka and Kallixta. My children often asked me to read my stories to them as bedtime stories and even now my son still asks me to read him my Horde ABC poem as well as look at the pictures when we're lying in bed.

I'll probably be fighting my daughter for first dibs on the Warcraft: Traveler book (or maybe I'll read it when she's sleeping) - I wonder how big it will be! Hopefully not too big - the Harry Potter later books are a bit of a turn off for my daughter as they are so big and heavy to read (and she's on the small side).

Everyone looks so excited about the project on the trailer - James Waugh, Greg and Chris seemed so animated and thrilled that this project was happening. It's contagious and I can't wait till November.

I was a bit disappointed that Godmother was so scathing in her thoughts on the subject - that the females never get to be in charge and women are typecast as companions or mothers. The writer is a man, of course he's going to write about a boy, as he understands that best. Do you really think a grown man would be able to write from the perspective of a teenage girl? That's just asking for trouble. I myself would find it difficult to write about something from a young boy's perspective as I write from personal experiences. The nuance and perceptions that I could bring to a female character I wouldn't be able to do justice to a male one. And I'm sure Mr Weisman would feel the same.

And before anyone says why didn't they ask for a female writer - I am sure that they chose the BEST writer, the one who would be most enthusiastic about the project. Greg Weisman seems to be as enchanted with Azeroth as Duncan Jones is about his upcoming movie, Warcraft, and when someone is excited about the project then you know they will pour their heart into it.

The conversation with my daughter went something like this:

"Guess what! They are going to make Warcraft stories for kids!"

"Can we get it?"

"Yes, I'm going to get it as soon as it comes out. I'm going to read it too!"

"Can you read it to me?"

"You can read it yourself."

"How can I read it if you're reading it?"

"I'll read it when you're asleep."

"But you'll make me lose my page."

"I"ll put a bookmark for you."

"What if it falls out?"

"I'll look and see what page number you were up to just in case it falls out."

"What if you forget?"

I think I was rolling my eyes here. "Then you'll have to read it until you can find it again!"

"What if my brother wants to read it too?"

"He can't read properly yet, this book is too big for him."

"Will it have Navimie in it?"

"No. It's about a boy who gets lost in World of Warcraft and he has a magic compass and he's trying to find his dad."

"Won't the red bad monsters kill him?"

"Not if he sticks to the roads. Like I told you to do."

"Will he have a pet to fight for him like my hunter?"

"No, he has a girl with him and they can fight together I think."

"When are we going to get this book?"

"They said it will be out in November. That's ages away."

"Awwwww...."

Hmm out in November. I wonder if it will be available at Blizzcon? I look finding out what other WoW playing parents with kids the same age as mine will think (eg Kyxyn, Moogyver/Natanie, Peggy)