Walden Media Fans

NBC’s Today Show Selects Newbery Honor Winner SAVVY for Next Al Roker Book Club

Paul Martin

NBC’s Today show announced this morning that Ingrid Law’s Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestseller SAVVY will be Al Roker’s next Book Club Pick. The TV host and young fans will have a chance to interview the author in the studio during a live show later this summer. SAVVY was published under the joint venture between Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, and Walden Media and will soon be a major motion picture from Walden Media.

Al’s Book Club for Kids has become synonymous with outstanding children’s literature. The club began in 2007 as a way to get kids to keep reading and not experience the “summer slide”. Roker chooses books for kids between the ages of 9-11 and then gives them the opportunity to discuss what they are reading. Past selections have included The Golden Compass, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and The Tale of Despereaux, in addition to other acclaimed titles.

Ingrid Law is thrilled to be part of this growing institution and said, “It’s wonderful to have the opportunity to share SAVVY with Al’s Book Club. After all, the only ‘summer slide’ we should aim for in children’s reading is the one kids can find in the playgrounds of their imagination.”

Lauri Hornik, President and Publisher of Dial Books for Young Readers commented, “Al Roker has such perfect taste! All of our hopes for the fabulous SAVVY have now come true with this exciting news, and we couldn’t be happier.”

Francis X Flaherty, EVP Publisher of Walden Media is equally enthused and said, “Walden Media has always worked to bring classic stories to a wide audience through our films and publishing division. We are so glad that through Mr. Roker’s book club SAVVY can continue in that tradition.”

SAVVY (Dial Books for Young Readers/Walden Media; May 2008; ages 8-12) is the story of the Beaumonts, an eclectic family who can move mountains, stir up hurricanes and spark electricity. Each of them possess a “savvy”– a special power that erupts when they turn thirteen — and young Mibs Beaumont is celebrating her big birthday in two days. Mibs is eager to blow out her thirteen candles, but more importantly, she can’t wait to discover her savvy. When her day arrives, she finds herself on an odyssey that will force her to make sense of growing up — and of others, who also might have a few secrets hidden just beneath their skin.

Ingrid Law is a big fan of words and stories, small towns and big ideas. Born in New York, Ingrid’s family moved to Colorado when she was six years old. Now the mother of a teenage daughter, Ingrid still lives in Colorado, where she is hard at work on a sequel to SAVVY. Scumble is scheduled for publication in fall 2010.

Dial Books for Young Readers, established in 1961, is a hardcover division publishing approximately 50 titles a year for children of all ages. One of the first houses to publish high-quality board books and an early leader in multicultural publishing, Dial continues to focus on books that combine artistic excellence and kid-relevance, and has expanded its reach to novels for children and young adults.

Walden Media specializes in entertainment for the whole family. Past award-winning and highly successful films include: The Chronicles of Narnia franchise, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Charlotte’s Web. Upcoming films include The Tooth Fairy starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ramona and Beezus based on the best-selling books by Beverly Cleary.

For more information, visit www.walden.com

Awards for SAVVY include:

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