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I take back what I said. When I learned that
Al Roker had paired with Scholastic Books to bring us his new bright n' shiny summer reading thingy (I think he went and called it
Al's Book Club) I got all snarky and started trying to predict what books he'd do. Needless to say, and I don't think this was much of a stretch, I said he'd do all Scholastic titles. And certainly book #1 was
Hugo Cabret, just as I thought. Now
they've announced book #2 though, and my pet theory has taken a dive head-first out the nearest window.
The second book for Al’s Book Club for Kids is Rick Riordan’s book, “The Lightning Thief.” This is the first book in his “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. The main character is a 12-year-old dyslexic boy who discovers that he is the modern-day son of a Greek god. For the series, Riordan draws upon his experience teaching kids Greek mythology. “The Lightning Thief,” chosen as an American Library Association Notable Book, was optioned for a feature film to Twentieth Century Fox.
Well, you can just knock me over with a feather then. That's not a Scholastic title! That's Miramax's baby. I can attest that it is also a great bookgroup book. I did it with my homeschooler group a month or two ago. It went over like gangbusters too.
So let's do a quick search here. If this announcement came out on May 18th then how many holds are on
The Lightning Thief in the New York Public Library System? Survey says:
9. And five of those are for the large print edition. Perhaps Al is not the mover and shaker I supposed him to be. I remain very impressed that his Book Club is doing more than Scholastic titles, though. Very impressed indeed.
Thanks to
bookshelves of doom for the link.
People tend to think that it is a very big deal when The Today Show speaks with the year's Newbery and Caldecott winners. For one brief and shining moment, children's books are front and center in the news (unless one is able to locate the word "scrotum" in a the text, of course). So it was with interest that I saw the title NBC's 'Today' Launches 'Al's Book Club For Kids'.
Each month during the summer, Al and a group of young book club members, ages 9-11, will meet in Rockefeller Plaza for their monthly book club meeting to talk about the selected book and ask questions of the author. "Al's Book Club For Kids" plans to meet four times, and kids everywhere are encouraged to visit "Today" on the Plaza when the club convenes and bring a copy of Al's monthly pick to be signed by the author. Stay tuned for date announcements.
"Al's Book Club For Kids" will have extensive online components at Todayshow.com and scholastic.com/summerreading. Parents and kids alike from across the country can be part of the club by e-mailing questions for the authors, who will answer a select few live on "Today." Todayshow.com will continue the discussions with the author online after each book club segment airs. In addition, at Scholastic.com/summerreading (launching May 15) kids can access fun book-themed activities, join a book community and create their own reading log. Parents, teachers and librarians can also find expert advice on reading and age-appropriate summer book lists for kids in English and Spanish, as well as downloadable materials that will help engage kids in reading.
Well played, Scholastic. You can bet that there's a publishing house or two out there kicking themselves over this loss. No word yet on the four books that'll be discussed. We'll have to wait until May 15th, it seems. As such, we'll reserve judgment for a little while.
My book predictions:
Hugo Cabret,
Harry Potter,
Chasing Vermeer, and
Gregor the Overlander. Even money, people. Lay down your bets.
I also wonder vaguely if
The Today Show made overtures to New York Public Library at any point. It'd be nice to tie all this into library use as well.
Thanks to
Galleycat for the link.
Yesss...BUT, The Lightning Thief must be one of the biggest sellers in the Scholastic book fairs/book sales in schools.
Not that I'm complaining--love The Lightning Thief--but I do think Scholastic makes money off it through the schools.
Oh ho! Good call, Kelly. Scholastic Book Fairs completely slipped my mind. Cheeky little devils, aren't they?
True, but Scholastic Book Fair time is pretty much over at this point in the school year (at least down here), and since it's a summer reading club, sales will be now through summer, not next fall when it's book fair time again.
Your quick look at the holds on Lightning Thief suggests that Al is more a mover/shaker with the Large Type set than with the youngsters...
Maybe a more appropriate way to use the guy to move books is for him to do a Janette Oke / Karen Kingsbury book club!
In the June Scholastic Arrow book order that 5th and 6th grade students across the nation will be taking home, teacher's can order a six pack of paperback Lightening Thief novels.
Convenient? I think deliberate.
Oh well, they suckered me into buying a set. I think Scholastic will do just fine.