Scholastic plans major push for 39 Clues
By Staff -- Playthings, 12/18/2007 9:46:00 AM
NEW YORK—Scholastic Media announced today that it will launch The 39 Clues, a multi-platform adventure series for ages 8 to 12, in September 2008. The series will include 10 books (to be released by Scholastic’s trade publishing division over a 24-month period) as well as 350 collectible cards and an online game.
All components of the program will launch simultaneously in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
Rick Riordan, author of the New York Times bestselling Percy Jackson books, has written the first book in the series, The Maze of Bones, which will debut in September followed by the official, worldwide start of The 39 Clues game online on Sept. 9, 2008. Riordan also outlined the program’s 10-book story arc. Authors for subsequent books in the series will include Gordon Korman (January 2009), Peter Lerangis (April 2009) and Jude Watson (July 2009); additional authors have yet to be announced.
"With the breakthrough concept of The 39 Clues, Scholastic is uniquely positioned to reach millions of young people who are readers, gamers, collectors, or all three, and encourage them to participate in a multi-dimensional 21st Century reading experience," says Ellie Berger, president of Scholastic Trade. "With this innovative series, Scholastic will reach millions of kids worldwide—getting them excited about books in a whole new way."
Adds Deborah Forte, president of Scholastic Media, "The 39 Clues is an immersive experience, whose high powered, adventurous storylines and characters are perfect for development across both traditional and new media platforms."
The series centers around the powerful Cahill family; players will try to decipher the mystery of the family's power by assembling 39 clues hidden around the world throughout history.
Each of the 350 collectible cards in the series—six of which are included with each book—will be marked with a unique code, which kids can register online at www.the39clues.com, currently under construction. Assorted packs of 16 cards will also be sold separately. The site will help kids track their points and clues, manage their card collections and "travel" the word looking for artifacts and more clues. In addition, kids are able to win prizes (worth more than $100,000 in all through the duration of the series) by finding clues and earning points online, and those children who solve all 39 clues will be able to compete for a grand prize of $10,000.
