As some of you may be aware, Christinabean and I started The Paperback Princesses because we wanted a platform to recommend YA books for ISU studies. So I was really thrilled when I heard about this new series of books by Nicholas Sparks. I just had to pass along this information as I'm sure it will be of interest to any librarians or teachers who happen to read the blog. Thank you so much to Angela at Goldberg McDuffie Communications for giving us the heads up. Check out the following press release:
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Sparks’s
A Bend in the Road and Dear John added for 2013
Series helps teens prepare for college entrance exams and
aligns with ELA Common Core standards
New York, NY (July 24, 2013)—New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks’s Novel Learning Series (NLS) will be expanded this summer with three more titles for teenage readers, Grand Central Publishing announced today. The three new books, which will be published in new formats including study guides and “question and explanation” sections, are Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Sparks’s own Dear John and A Bend in the Road.
“I am delighted to expand the options in the Novel Learning Series with these selections,” Sparks said. “My hope is that by introducing teenagers to these stories in a manner that is fun, illuminating, and educational, we will encourage them to read more for pleasure this summer and for the rest of their lives.”
Sparks and Grand Central Publishing launched the NLS in 2013 with four of Sparks’s books: The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, The Last Song, and Three Weeks with My Brother. The publisher also announced that three of the books in the series—The Notebook, Dear John and The Last Song—will be part of Walmart’s back to school promotions beginning in stores across the country this week.
“The Novel Leaning Series is truly resonating with consumers across America,” said Jamie Raab, President and Publisher, Grand Central Publishing. “Studies show that students who read for enjoyment become more proficient readers, and that motivated readers tend to read more, leading to improved vocabulary and comprehension skills. If we are able to excite more young people about reading, while also introducing them to popular and enduring works such as Frankenstein and The Notebook, that is a winning combination.”
Each student guide in the Novel Learning Series features the full book’s text interspersed with learning guides. The NLS also addresses the needs of teachers: each title in the series is aligned with the ELA Common Core State Standards and fulfills protocol requirements used by almost every state.
Special features included in the books:
· Questions and explanations about the text after every few chapters to check comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and usage, style and characterization and literary terms
· Standard test questions format style throughout to help students prepare for standardized tests with SAT- and ACT-style questions using vocabulary and grammar from the books
· Step-by-step sample writing prompts and essays and evaluation rubrics to guide students through the elements of an above-average, average and below-average essay – and explain why
· English Language Arts (ELA) Common Core State Standards alignment
The Novel Learning Series provides students and teachers with seven compelling, dramatic novels packed with additional resources that help with critical thinking and comprehension skills development. Future publishing plans include more titles from Sparks as well as other classic works by a variety of noted authors. The titles in the series are available wherever books are sold.
ABOUT THE CREATORS
Nicholas Sparks is one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. All of his books have been New York Times bestsellers, with over 89 million copies in print worldwide. Eight of his novels have been adapted into major motion pictures. Sparks is a household name to a generation of teens who have grown up devouring his books and eagerly seeing his films upon release.
Micah Sparks has worked extensively with John Wiley and Sons, publishers of CliffsNotes, and has spent years working with English teachers across the country. Their passion for education and student enrichment led him to develop the concept of integrated learning, the foundation for the development of the Novel Learning Series.
Rich Wasowski has been teaching high school English for nearly twenty years, has written model curriculum for the Ohio Department of Education and has served as a content-area consultant for Reading & Writing across the Curriculum: STEPS for the Common Core.
THE NOVEL LEARNING SERIES:
A WALK TO REMEMBER: 978-1-4555-0856-3; $14.99, PB;
THE NOTEBOOK: 978-1-4555-1559-2; $14.99, PB
THREE WEEKS WITH MY BROTHER: 978-1-4555-1561-5; $14.99, PB
THE LAST SONG: 978-1-4555-1560-8; $14.99, PB
DEAR JOHN: 978-1-4555-2944-5; $14.99, PB
A BEND IN THE ROAD: 978-1455529421; $14.99, PB
FRANKENSTEIN: 978-1455529438; $14.99, PB
