You're on it! THE STACKS is Scholastic's site about books and reading for kids, where you can create profiles and interact with other kids about books, authors, etc. in a safe environment. No personally identifiable information (full name, address, email, phone number) is required to create or use a STACKS account.

Yes, but this is only a beta version. That means we're still working on making it the best it can be, and not all of the features are ready yet. In the meantime, you're getting a preview of what the finished version will be like. Don't you feel special?

Btw, the URL is www.scholastic.com/thestacks — in case you want to bookmark it on your computer, send to a friend, or plaster on a home-made shrine to our greatness.

As part of our profile system, everyone gets something called "My Stack," which is a collection of "widgets"— saved on your profile page. If you see the "Add to Profile" link on an activity, then that means you can add it to your personal Stack!

Still confused? Check out our FAQs section just about My Stack, below.

Whoa, are you some kind of tech whiz? We salute you, but actually, you don't need any special programs to visit THE STACKS; you should be able to view the site as long as you have Flash. If you have Flash on your computer and are still having trouble viewing the site, you can try downloading the latest version of Flash, just in case. (Be sure to ask for your parents' permission first!)

Download the latest version of Flash for free.

We definitely want to hear from you guys, and we've set up a Stack Back Message Board just to get your opinions! What are your favorite things about THE STACKS? What do you think needs improvement? Tell us!

Remember, all posts are reviewed by a moderator and stripped of personally identifiable information before they are posted.

For more information about our information collection and use practices, see our Privacy Policy.

Ouch. Even so, we still want to hear from you, and we've set up a Stack Back Message Board just to get your opinions! What are your favorite things about THE STACKS? What do you think needs improvement? Tell us!

Remember, all posts are reviewed by a moderator and stripped of personally identifiable information before they are posted.

For more information about our information collection and use practices, see our Privacy Policy.

Any personally identifiable information that is collected on THE STACKS is optional and used in accordance with our Privacy Policy. For example, you can sign up for newsletters, sweepstakes, and contests by submitting your email address along with an email address for your parent or guardian. This information is not combined with your STACKS registration information and is not included in or displayed on your STACKS public profile. Personal information collected from the entry form is retained in accordance with Scholastic's policies. For all entries, we save the info for one year following selection of the winner; for winners, we save it for up to three years, plus any statutory retention periods. In these instances, the user's email address is used only to respond more than once to that child's specific request in connection with a particular newsletter, sweepstakes, or contest, and the parent/guardian email address is collected solely to provide parental notice and an opportunity to let us know that he/she does not want the child to participate in such activity, to notify the parent if the child is selected as a potential winner and to coordinate fulfillment of the prize. We may collect the user's first name in connection with such parental notice, but solely for the purpose of providing such notice, and the first name is not retained (unless it was collected separately in connection with the user's STACKS registration, for users who registered under an earlier STACKS registration system, or in connection with another feature or transaction on Scholastic.com, such as from the user's parent in connection with purchases from Scholastic Book Clubs online).

THE STACKS also offers e-cards or "email this" or "invite a friend" or "share this" features enabling users to share site features with others. These features may require you to provide your first name and last initial or Screen Name together with the first name, last initial, and e-mail address of the lucky person you are emailing. This information is not combined with your registration information in our database and is not included in or displayed on your STACKS public profile. Sender and recipient information is not saved after the e-card is sent (except if the information may have been collected separately in connection with another activity). Sorry, you cannot freely type a message to include with the e-card or in the subject line.

We've recently updated STACKS registration.

At the top of every page on THE STACKS, there's a "Profile" button. Click on that, and you'll be asked to sign in. Below the sign-in, there is a button that says "Join Now." Click that button and follow the instructions. No personally identifiable information (full name, address, email, phone number) is required to create or use a STACKS account.

First, use our registration tool to create a unique Screen Name from drop-down menus. We'll automatically assign a number at the end of the name you come up with, so that's why you'll see a number show up once you've created your name. If you don't like the result, you can keep changing your choices until you're happy with the final product.

After you create your Screen Name, you'll need to enter a password. (VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS: DO NOT INCLUDE ANY PERSONAL INFO IN YOUR PASSWORD, SUCH AS YOUR LAST NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, OR YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.) We'll also ask you to choose and answer a security question, in case you ever forget your password.

The final step is to tell us your gender, age, country and the state/province you're from. This information will not be connected to your account or stored with your Screen Name and password. We also won't show it in your profile or to others. We ask these questions so we can get the big picture of who's visiting our site, and we won't use your answers to advertise or promote anything to you.

And then. . . you're done! We suggest printing out your Screen Name and password, so they're always handy when you want to log in. (If you want to frame your print-out and hang it on your wall, that's fine by us. That's entirely your business.)

YES! We're all one big happy family here! You can sign in on THE STACKS with the Screen Name and password that you use for You Are What You Read. You don't have to register again.

Most likely! If you participated in Summer Challenge 2009, 2010, 2011 or if you're participating in Summer Challenge 2012, then you can use the same Screen Name and Password for THE STACKS now. You don't have to register again.

No, your STACKS profile is not connected to The 39 Clues, so even if you have an account on The 39 Clues, you will still have to create a separate STACKS account before you can get a profile and participate on our message boards. It is a teeny bit of extra work, but it's worth it!

At the top of every page on THE STACKS, there's a "Profile" button. Click on that, and you'll be asked to sign in.

Of course! At the top right of your profile page, there is a link that says, "Sign Out."

We recently updated our Sign In & Sign Up pages, so things might look a little different. If you already have a STACKS account, it'll still work — so just sign in as you have in the past!

Easy — just click on the "Profile" button in our site navigation. For your convenience, we've put it at the top of every page in THE STACKS!

You can also SIGN IN to your profile through this URL: http://kids.scholastic.com/community/my_profile.htm

Heck, no! We're not here to make you do more work! If you already have a STACKS Screen Name and password, then you can use them to get to your profile.

If we had both Allie Finkle profiles and STACKS profiles on the site, then life would be like this:

You know how when you share a bedroom with your brother or sister and all of your stuff gets mixed up with theirs and all of their stuff gets mixed up with yours and then your parents yell at you for making a mess and never being able to find anything and maybe they even ground you and you miss out on a really good birthday party and then everyone is talking about it at school on Monday and you feel really left out and it's all because of having to share a room with your darned sibling?

Yeah, life would be like that . . .

BUT we don't have both Allie Finkle profiles and STACKS profiles on the site, so now life will be like this:

If you used to have an Allie Finkle profile, then you automatically have a STACKS profile — and all of your old faves and waves are waiting there for you. To get to your STACKS profile, just click on the "Profile" button at the top of the page.

If you want to keep track of your Rules Notebook on your STACKS profile page the way you used to on your Allie Finkle profile, you can do that too! You can:

• Click the "Add More" button next to the "My Stack" header on your profile page, and then select the Allie Finkle Rules Notebook from the next page.

OR

• Go to the Allie Finkle site and click the "My Rules Notebook" button. There's an "Add to Profile" link right there.

Sign in to your profile page. Click the "Change my avatar" link. When you're finished making changes, click the "Save" button. Voila!

Every avatar must have eyes, eyebrows, ears, lips, and a nose. All of the other categories are optional (for example, hat, hair, shirt). To get rid of your selection in one of those categories, choose the "None" option.

Sorry, you can only wear one item from each category. But honestly, who can see earrings under headphones that big anyway?

Patience, grasshopper — we will be adding new options to the Avatar Maker in the future.

Click the "Save" button. You will get a confirmation message.

Hm, you might need to download the latest version of Flash. (Be sure to ask for your parents' permission first!)

Download the latest version of Flash for free.

Lots of ways:

1. Click the "Profile" button in the navigation bar.
2. Put your mouse over the "Profile" button in the navigation bar, and then click the small version of your avatar that displays underneath.
3. Click the "Back to My Profile" text link that is right above the Avatar Maker.

You just need to make sure your profile page is refreshed:

On a Windows PC computer, hold down the "Ctrl" button and "F5" — your profile should refresh.

On a Mac computer, hold down the "Shift", "Apple" and "R" — your profile should refresh.

You earn rankings by participating on our message boards. Your rank is based on a combination of number of posts, views, logins, and minutes online. You have to meet the requirements for each category before you are promoted to the next level.

Here are all of the rankings in order of lowest to highest:

• New to the Community
• Rookie Visitor
• Visitor
• Regular Visitor
• Frequent Visitor
• Contributor
• Regular Contributor
• Frequent Contributor
• Super Contributor

It is, but it's not working exactly how it used to. Sigh." :-/ For now it will look like your stats are much lower than they used to be. We know this is a problem, and we're working on it! Once it is fixed, you will be able to see your actual ranking by clicking on the "My Message Board Stats" bar on your profile.

Other people can see the "My Message Boards Stats" section of your profile too — so when they view your profile, they can see your ranking and get to all your brilliant posts!

My Selects is a list of your favorite things and hobbies that let other kids know more about you.

Go to your profile page. In the My Selects section, click on the "Edit" link. Then you can select to your heart's content. Tell the world what you want them to know about you by choosing your favorite cookie, your special talents, what you'd take with you to a desert island, and more from the multitude of options provided. When you're done, just click the "Save" button on the bottom or top of the page. Your selections will be saved, and you can always come back later to add or change your Selects.

Nope, you can make however many (or few) selections you want at a time.

When you're done, just click the "Save" button on the bottom or top of the page. Your selections will be saved, and you can always come back later to make more or change the ones you've made.

Shout-Outs are messages that kids can post to each other's profiles. There are tons of pre-written messages to choose from. AND you can also send your friends an icon — like a Magic 8 Ball, a robot, or slimy goop!

You have to go to the other person's profile first. You can do this in a few ways. You can click on their Screen Name in the Message Boards or in your Friends list, or you can use this link with their Screen Name at the end.
http://kids.scholastic.com/community/my_profile.htm?username=SCREENNAME

The person's Screen Name goes after the = (equals sign).

For example, Allie Finkle's Screen Name is AllieF, so her link is
http://kids.scholastic.com/community/my_profile.htm?username=AllieF.

Once you're there, follow these steps to send a Shout-Out:

1. Click on the "My Shout-Outs" bar on their profile so that the Shout-Out section opens.
2. Click on the link that says, "Send a Shout-Out!" If you don't see this link, it might mean that you're not signed in. So, go sign in already!
3. Choose the message and/or icon you want to send. Then click "Post" at the bottom. This will send your Shout-Out to that one friend.

If you want to send another Shout-Out, go to that other person's profile and repeat Steps 1-3.

We totally understand, but safety reasons prevent us from letting you write your own Shout-Outs. We tried to come up with a wide range of options so that everyone will be able to find something they like in each category. And we add new Shout-Outs all the time, so keep checking back for different ones.

Nope, sorry. What's done is done.

The only way to get a Shout-Out is to have someone else send it to you. Why don't you start by giving a Shout-Out to a friend and see what you get back?

Click the "X" to the right of the name, date, and time it was sent. Bye-bye, Shout-Out!

Sorry, no can do.

My Stack is your personalized collection of quizzes, activities, and more — lined up all nice and pretty on your profile page. You get to choose what goes in YOUR My Stack.

We call the individual parts of My Stack "widgets." In other words, every game, quiz, or activity that you add is a widget. We'll keep making more widget options, so keep an eye out for your favorite characters and series!

Click the "Add More" button next to the "My Stack" header on your profile page. That will take you to a page with all available widget options. Ta da! Pick your widget and click the blue "Add to My Profile" button.

Also, as you're exploring THE STACKS, you may happen upon "Add to Profile" links here and there. That means there's a widget available for that activity!

Click the "Add More" button next to the "My Stack" header on your profile page. Then click the gray "Remove from My Stack" button in that widget's section.

Just click its name.

Your STACKS friends aren't necessarily your friends from real life — they're your online buddies! When you find another member of THE STACKS who you think is cool, you can send them a friend request. Then you can see all of your STACKS friends in the My Friends box to make it easier for you to visit their profiles and send them Shout-Outs!

First, find someone you want to be friends with and go to their profile. You can do this in a few ways. You can click on their name in the Message Boards or in the STACKS Stars or Seen in the Scene, or anywhere else you see people's Screen Names.

If you already know their Screen Name, you can use this link with their name at the end.
http://kids.scholastic.com/community/my_profile.htm?username=SCREENNAME

The person's Screen Name goes after the = (equals sign).

For example, Allie Finkle's Screen Name is AllieF, so her link is
http://kids.scholastic.com/community/my_profile.htm?username=AllieF.

Once you find your potential friend's profile, click the button that says, "Add as Friend." It's right above the avatar. This will send the person your friend request.

If you don't see the "Add as Friend" link, that might mean that you've already sent a friend request to that person. Or it might mean that you're not signed in. So, go sign in already!

Hold your horses! People won't show up in your list of friends until they have accepted your friend requests.

No, it will always be eight random friends.

If you have new friend requests, there will be a link at the top of the My Friends section of your profile that says "99 new friend requests!" (or however many new friend requests you have that day). That link goes to a page with all of your pending friend requests. You can accept or decline each request individually, or you can click the link to accept all requests at once.

Um, no.

Nope, sorry. But you can go to that person's profile and send a new friend request to the person.

Yup. Click on the "remove x" link under their name on your View All Friends page. Sayonara!

Everyone's profile page has a URL like this:
http://kids.scholastic.com/community/my_profile.htm?username=SCREENNAME

The person's Screen Name goes after the = (equals sign).

For example, Allie Finkle's Screen Name is AllieF, so her profile URL is http://kids.scholastic.com/community/my_profile.htm?username=AllieF.

You're probably not signed in with a Scholastic Kids account (aka a STACKS account). Register for a new account now.

Click on the button that says "Message Boards" — it's at the top of every page in THE STACKS

Yes, but it's not working exactly how it used to. Sigh." :-/ For now it will look like your stats are much lower than they used to be. We know this is a problem, and we're working on it! Once it is fixed, you will be able to see your actual ranking by clicking on the "My Message Board Stats" bar on your profile.

Other people can see the "My Message Boards Stats" section of your profile too — so when they view your profile, they can easily get to all your brilliant posts!

Sometimes we do change the Message Boards. But no worries, we'll be sure to let you know of any changes we plan to make!

You have to be signed in first. Click the "Sign In" link towards the top left of the page.

Then you have two choices.

1. Reply to someone else's message by clicking "Reply" above the original poster's name.
2. Start a brand new message thread of your very own by clicking "New Message."

Remember, all posts are reviewed by a moderator and stripped of personally identifiable information before they are posted.

For more information about our information collection and use practices, see our Privacy Policy.

Whoa there, it's not IM! The moderators have to review what you wrote and approve it before it will appear in the Message Board. All message board posts and similar postings on THE STACKS (like comments on blogs) are submitted to a moderator and not posted until they've been reviewed to make sure they are appropriate and don't contain any personally identifiable information.

For more information about our information collection and use practices, see our Privacy Policy.

Yikes! Please tell us right away! In the bottom right corner of the post, click on the link that says "Report This Post." Choose the reason that describes the problem, and then click "Submit." We appreciate your concern!

Nope. If you already have a STACKS Screen Name and password, then you can use them to sign in to the Message Boards.

We're not trying to trap you here! When you're signed in to the Boards, you'll see your Screen Name on the top left of the page. Right next to that, there's a "Logout" link

You used to be able to choose from a whole bunch of different pictures to show up under your Screen Name. For now, all the board icons have disappeared, but we are working on a plan so your board icon will automatically be your STACKS profile icon. Hopefully we will get that working soon.

Only adults can be STACKS moderators. Sorry!

On special occasions, we have a Live Chat on THE STACKS where you sign in and talk in real time with other STACKS-type people. The moderators are there reviewing messages before they go up, almost as fast as you post them, making sure the conversation is safe and appropriate. It is a really fun way to make new STACKS friends, and we sometimes have special guests like authors or celebrities join us and chat.

To join the chat, first go to the blog post with the latest chat announcement. You can see all the past chats here: http://blog.scholastic.com/ink_splot_26/live-chats/ (Check the date of the blog post! If the date is past, then you have to wait for the next chat.) On the day of the chat, the blog post will give you all the instructions you need.

If you want to get an email every month telling about the next chat, you can sign up for our Chat Reminders. (http://www.scholastic.com/kids/stacks/scene/chat_sign_up/)When you sign up, we'll ask for your email address, plus your parent or guardian's email address to let them know that you signed up.

For more information about our information collection and use practices, see our Privacy Policy.

A "signature" is just a really fancy term for text or an image (or a combo!) that you put at the end of all your Message Board posts — like how you always sign your name the same way. Get it?

We are working on a way for you to copy and paste some special STACKS graphics into your posts to show your fandom for series like Allie Finkle, The Hunger Games, and some other cool quotes and stuff. We promise that is coming soon!

Our blog is called Ink Splot 26, and it's your daily source for breaking news and juicy behind-the-scenes tidbits on all things book related. Test your trivia, gasp at spoilers, and catch interviews with your favorite authors and celebs - all right on the STACKS homepage. It's right up top in the nav bar where it says "Blog"

Or you can get straight to The Splot through this URL: http://blog.scholastic.com/ink_splot_26

Whoa, Nelly! We get it — you have a lot of questions about the blog! Well, you're in luck because we have a ton of info about the blog on Ink Splot 26 itself:

• The WHAT
• The WHO
• The YOU

Enjoy!