FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SCHOLASTIC
TO PUBLISH INFINITY RING,
A
NEW MULTI-PLATFORM TIME TRAVEL ADVENTURE SERIES
MULTI-AUTHOR SEVEN-BOOK SERIES LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE SEPTEMBER
2012
WITH FIRST AND LAST BOOK WRITTEN BY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
JAMES DASHNER
New
York, NY — December 20, 2011 — Scholastic, the global children’s publishing,
education and media company, and the pioneering force behind the groundbreaking
and international bestselling The 39 Clues™
book series, expands its innovative multi-platform publishing program with the worldwide
launch of Infinity Ring™, an
alternate-history time travel series for readers ages 8-12. To be written by a
team of six authors, this exciting new adventure combines books, an interactive
“Hystorian’s Guide” map feature (named for a centuries-old secret society
featured in the books), and a fully-immersive online game experience where
readers travel back in time to fix history. Infinity Ring will launch simultaneously in September 2012 in the
United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, with “Book 1: A Mutiny in Time,” written by New York Times bestselling author James
Dashner (The Maze Runner), who also
outlined the program’s overall story arc. Dashner will be followed by a team of
bestselling and acclaimed authors including Carrie Ryan (Book 2; November 2012),
Lisa McMann (Book 3; February 2013), Matt de la Peña (Book 4; June 2013),
Matthew J. Kirby (Book 5; September 2013), and Jennifer A. Nielsen (Book 6;
December 2013). The last book in the Infinity
Ring series also will be written by James Dashner (Book 7; March 2014).
Each
book in the series will be packaged with a unique “Hystorian’s Guide,” a
collectible map that includes a special code to unlock exclusive content on the
Infinity Ring online game. The multi-dimensional game experience on www.infinityring.com (site currently
under construction) will allow kids to play as the main characters from the
books as they travel back in history to fix the “Great Breaks,” key events that
have gone wrong, altering history as we know it. The online game—available on
the web, smartphones, iOS and Android tablets—features a fully realized virtual
world, where players can interact with other characters, and explore key events
in history alongside Christopher Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, and other figures featured
in the books.
“As an innovator and publisher of breakthrough multi-media properties
including The 39 Clues, Skeleton Creek, and Trackers, we are excited to launch Infinity Ring—a thrilling new series with relatable characters, fast-paced
adventure with fun and educational content, and an online game developed with
the latest in gaming technology, giving kids a wholly interactive reading
experience,” said Ellie Berger, President, Scholastic Trade.
“People like to think that reading and gaming are two very
separate experiences for kids, but with Infinity Ring, we’re crashing them
together into something that’s deeply satisfying for both their reader and
gamer sensibilities. The web experience is going to be unlike anything you’ve
ever seen before, creating a fully immersive reading and history experience,”
said David Levithan, Publisher and Editorial Director, Scholastic Press.
“Scholastic has been a part of my reading life for over
thirty years, and it’s both surreal and exciting to now be working on this project
together,” said James Dashner. “I’m so honored and looking forward to launching
Infinity Ring. I know readers and gamers of all ages are in for a unique and
unforgettable experience.”
About Infinity Ring:
History is broken, and a long-feared Cataclysm seems
imminent. The capital of the United States is Boston.
Scholastic, a leader and
innovator in multi-platform publishing, broke new ground in September 2008 with
the launch of The 39 Clues™, the first series of its kind in the
publishing industry which includes an integrated combination of books,
collectible cards, and an online game. The phenomenally popular franchise
maintains a massive global following with readers in all 50 states and 191
countries, and with the online game
which has attracted more than 1.7 million registered users to date. There are
currently more than 11 million copies in print worldwide for The 39 Clues and The
39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers book series. Scholastic recently announced the
expansion of The 39 Clues franchise in the digital realm with the launch of “The 39 Clues: Rapid Fire,”
a series of seven original eBook short stories to be released on seven
consecutive days during the holiday season (December 25-31, 2011).
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the
world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in
educational technology and related services and children’s media. Scholastic
creates quality books, print and technology-based learning materials and
programs, magazines, multi-media and other products that help children learn
both at school and at home. The Company distributes its products and services
worldwide through a variety of channels, including school-based book clubs and
book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, on-air, and online at
www.scholastic.com.
# # #
Press Contact:
Charisse Meloto
Executive Director of
Publicity for Print & Digital Publishing
Scholastic Inc.
212/389-3785