April 7, 2010 “Exquisite Corpse Adventure” Launches Guess the Mystery Author Contest

A new author will soon be joining Team Corpse, the writers and illustrators who have come together to take kids of all ages on “The Exquisite Corpse Adventure,” the unpredictable episodic story available exclusively on Read.gov. Can you guess who it will be?

This story project is a collaboration between the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance (NCBLA), a Center for the Book reading-promotion partner. The NCBLA, in collaboration with the Butler Center for Children’s Literature at Dominican University, also offers an online educational resource center on its website to accompany “The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.” Another center partner, WETA, initiated a writing contest, called The Exquisite Prompt, to accompany the biweekly episodes.

Now, WETA’s AdLit.org and the NCBLA are joining to launch the Exquisite Corpse Adventure Mystery Author Contest. Currently, clues are being posted on the NCBLA’s blog every Monday and Wednesday at www.thencbla.blogspot.com and every Friday at www.AdLit.org.

The final clue will be posted on Wednesday, April 21. Every class that solves the mystery will be entered into a drawing to win a collection of books valued at more than $500 for their classroom or school library, plus a phone call from the mystery author. All entries must be received by 11 p.m. PDT on Friday, April 23. One classroom winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries received. Complete details are available at www.thencbla.org/Exquisite_Corpse/exquisite_home.html.

The Center for the Book (www.loc.gov/cfbook) was established by Congress in 1977 “to use the resources and prestige of the Library of Congress to promote books, reading, literacy and libraries.” With its many educational programs that reach readers of all ages, through its support of the National Book Festival and through its dynamic state centers in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Center for the Book has developed a nationwide network of organizational partners dedicated to promoting the wonders and benefits of reading.

The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance (www.thencbla.org) is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit education and advocacy organization created in 1997 by award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators. The NCBLA acts as a freelance, nonpartisan advocate, creating and developing special projects and events that promote literacy, literature, libraries, humanities and the arts; educating the public about practical literacy and education solutions; and ensuring young people’s right to read.

AdLit.org (www.AdLit.org) is a national multimedia project offering information and resources to the parents and educators of struggling readers and writers in grades 4-12. AdLit.org and its sister project, Reading Rockets (www.readingrockets.org), are educational initiatives of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation’s capital.