The Kid Who Saved Superman, Available June 15, 2009
Hakeem Bennett, student at P.S. 36K, The Nathanael Greene School in Brooklyn, New York, is the first place winner. Hakeem will receive the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to star alongside SUPERMAN in the upcoming book The Kid Who Saved Superman. Readers will uncover the crucial role Hakeem’s character plays in the story when SUPERMAN becomes trapped by deadly kryptonite rocks. Hakeem’s teacher, Mr. Brown, and school principal Johanna Schneider, will also be incorporated into the storyline. The book will be available June 15, 2009.
The contest for grades 3-6 invited students nationwide to write about a real hero at their school, describing in their opinion what makes the person a hero. More than 230 entries flooded in from kids across the United States and Canada sharing stories about their heroes. Kids wrote about their teachers, especially gym teachers, librarians, principals, custodians, classmates and friends, one who was battling leukemia, and even a seeing-eye-dog named Licorice.
“My teacher Mr. Brown is visually impaired,” wrote Hakeem. “That [is] not what makes him a hero. It is because he takes public transportation every day with Stanley his dog to school. That is why he is a true everyday superhero. In our class we had a project of being blindfolded and trying to find our way around the class it was hard for me. . . .I feel sad he can't see the beautiful things around. That bothers me. To ride the train to East NY in Brooklyn is chaotic and not the safest even for people who do not have a disability. The travelling in the snow and ice with Stanley make[s] him even more courageous. Mr. Brown is my pick for our school superhero. He could serve as a superhero for all.”
“We were amazed at how well young kids could articulate the ‘super powers’ of the real heroes in their lives,” said Joan Berge, President of Capstone Publishers, Fiction. “While it was extremely difficult to choose just one first place winner, Hakeem’s touching story about his teacher Mr. Brown stood out from the rest. We’re so excited to feature him as the hero in our book and can’t wait for him to see the finished product. He’s a very excited kid to be starring alongside SUPERMAN in a book!”
In addition to selecting a first place winner, Stone Arch Books also selected the top 50 contest entries to receive two free DC SUPER HEROES chapter books, one for the student and one for the school library.
The DC SUPER HEROES series debuted in January with 12 titles. The books pair new stories by Stone Arch Books authors with original art by DC Comics illustrators. 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.
About Stone Arch Books
Stone Arch Books publishes funny, scary, mysterious and adventurous novels and SAFE graphic novels that kids from elementary through junior high school find irresistible. Offering kids exciting choices that meet their interests, Stone Arch Books transforms reluctant readers into reading enthusiasts. Stone Arch Books is part of Capstone Publishers, a family-owned group of children’s book publishers supporting the reading needs of preK to high school students through nonfiction, fiction, picture books, interactive and audiobooks, and literacy programs. For more information on Stone Arch Books, visit www.StoneArchBooks.com.
About DC Comics
DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as SUPERMAN, BATMAN, WONDER WOMAN, and the SANDMAN. These DC super heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action)
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Capstone Publishers, the leading publisher of high-kid-appeal children’s books for school and public libraries. Imprints include Capstone Press, Compass Point Books, Picture Window Books, Stone Arch Books, Red Brick Learning, and Heinemann-Raintree.
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