As video games continue to captivate kids around the world, Scholastic AFK—or "Away From Keyboard"—books aim to harness that gaming passion, and convert it into a literacy tool.

To learn more about this initiative, we sat down with Michael Petranek, an executive editor at Scholastic, and Matthew J. Kirby, the author of the Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants series.

They tell us about what they love about gaming as well as some of the many benefits these books provide to growing readers: they encourage time away from screens, while also supporting reading and literacy by keeping fans engaged in the worlds they love.

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