Monday, January 19, 2009

DC SUPERHEROES & A WRITING CONTEST


Publishers DC Comics and Stone Arch Press have teamed up to bring students some new comic-based reading. According to the news release “the full-color chapter books feature contemporary adventure and crime fighting tales with appropriate language and content for students in elementary grades. The series will include a total of 48 titles published over a two-year span. Chapter books based on DC’s WONDER WOMAN character will be introduced in Spring 2010.”

Of these news books, Joan Berge, President of Capstone Publishers’ fiction division had this to say: “These books are unlike any other books in the market. Our DC SUPER HEROES series features new stories and original art in a chapter book format, helping readers transition from picture books and beginning readers to short paragraphs and chapters with lots of action.”

The Writing Contest
One of the most exciting aspects of this release include the accompanying writing contest for upper elementary students. To enter the FIND A HERO! writing contest, students in grades 3-6 should write about a real hero, someone from their school or life, someone who is a true hero in their eyes.

While super powered heroes are not required, creativity certainly is. Naturally, we were curious if original student stories could be in comic format and our contact at Stone Arch confirmed that comics are great. So go crazy, kids! And teachers, this is exactly what educational gurus and philosophers talk about when they encourage us to make learning authentic and real-world. Kids won't bother asking why they are doing this project.

As for the winner of the contest? Well, the first 50 entrants will get two free DC Super Heroes chapter books for free. One will go to the student and the other to the school library.

Get this. The first place winner, the big dog of the writing contest, the bard of elementary school will star in an upcoming DC SUPER HEROES book right along with Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman. That’s not all. Along with the student, his or her hero, the school and the principal will also be featured in the storyline. How cool is that?

I’m sure you are dying to learn more, to see more, to get a peak at some pages. Well click here to go the site and read up. By the way, these books have guided readling levels.

Contest runs through February 28. Entry forms are available here. Winning entries will be announced on March 15.

DC Super Heroes
56 pages each
Copyright 2009
Hardcover Price $18.99 (S/L) / $25.32 (List)
Paperback Price $5.95
Interest Level: Ages 8-12
Reading Level: Ages 7-8
Guided Reading Level: M

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