Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Extra! Extra! Read--And Hear!--All About It!


In the past year or so, I have written five (and am about to start on my sixth) kids chapter book for Stone Arch Books. These are fun little stories, running about 4,000 words, starring Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, and are done in the animated style. There are 54 of 'em so far in the DC Super Heroes line, although you're unlikely to find them in bookstores; Stone Arch produces books for readers with reading difficulties, so while the stories are aimed at 5th graders, the language is aimed at the 2nd to 3rd grade levels. They're sold primarily to the education market and to libraries. Friends and colleagues including Bob Greenberger, Martin Pasko and Martin Powell have also contributed stories to the series.

I was asked to write a Superman book that was to feature the winner of an essay contest about a real life hero who inspired them, along with guest-appearances of said inspiration. I wrote a story that allowed for names and locations to be easily plugged into the story about a kid who saves Superman, the winning essay (by a kid from my native Brooklyn!) was selected by the publisher and announced, and now the book, strangely titled The Kid Who Saved Superman is finished and making the news...well, the New York Daily News anyway...

...And now New York's NBC News affiliate as well...

...And MSNBC.com...

...And WNYC.com, New York's Public Radio Station...

...And the Kansas City Star...

...The Hartsford Examiner...

...The Charleston Daily Mail and numerous other media outlets.

Nice!

1 comment:

rob! said...

A friend of mine does a lot of illustration work for Stone Arch; I've never actually seen the cover of one of their books until now.

Any chance you could slip in a guest appearance by Aquaman one of these times? :)