Just launched…

from Hot Key Books, a free interactive online writing project for KS2 children, for the first time supported by Booktrust. This new Adventure is with award-winning author Jim Eldridge. The second half of his new book THE WRESTLING TROLLS has disappeared and he needs help to rewrite it in just 8 weeks!

Running through to 16 December 2013, Jim will post a new chapter of the book on www.thestoryadventure.com each week and ask children what THEY think should happen next. Not only will they have the chance to influence the story and watch their creativity come alive, but Adventurers whose ideas are chosen by Jim will be credited in the final published book.

Children and schools can sign up as a whole class / library group or join individually.

Alongside the interactive parts of the story there is also a schedule of activities reviewed by primary school teachers that the children can get involved in which fit into the Reading and Writing Curriculum (EN1, EN2 and EN3) including non-fiction, drawing, science, maths and journalistic tasks that will support and further their learning.

Using a secure site hosted on a Ning community platform, www.thestoryadventure.com already has over 400 subscribers following an earlier ‘Story Adventure’  in which 2,000 children helped author Fleur Hitchcock to write the sequel to Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week SHRUNK! The sequel SHRUNK! MAHEM AND METEORITES will be published in January 2014.

Jim Eldridge says: ‘I’ve been earning my living as a writer for over 40 years, but it all began for me in childhood: reading, and making up little stories of my own. I am absolutely delighted to be doing the next Story Adventure because – who knows – with children helping to create and write the next WRESTLING TROLLS book, some of them may go on to develop ideas of their own and see it in book or story form. The writers of the future are here, now, and they’re doing The Story Adventure. How great is that!’

Hot Key Books Editorial Director Sara O’Connor says: “I’m thrilled to be part of building a community of young readers who think the creation of books is exciting – we already have kids drawing dragons and forests. Jim is the perfect author to carry on Fleur’s creative energy and Booktrust is the perfect partner to support it.”

Alison Keeley, Head of Schools at Booktrust says: “Booktrust is delighted to support a scheme that not only engages children in writing, but gives them a tangible reward in the form of a credit in a published book. Children are natural storytellers and hopefully this will highlight for them the enjoyment in writing. Hot Key Books have shown themselves to be creative innovators and we look forward to working with them.”

Jim Eldridge www.jimeldridge.com has over 250 TV, and 250 BBC Radio 4 scripts to his name. He has had 79 books published which have sold over 3 million copies. His television works include THE GHOST HUNTER, JULIA JEKYLL AND HARRIET HYDE and the Sci-Fi series POWERS amongst many others. His radio work includes the long running BBC Radio 4 series KING STREET JUNIOR and the comedy classic PARSLEY SIDINGS. Jim is particularly concerned with the rising rate of illiteracy, particularly amongst boys.

Hot Key Books, part of Bonnier Publishing, only launched its list last year but their books have already been widely critically reviewed and their third book, MAGGOT MOON by Sally Gardner, won the 2012 Costa Children’s Book Award and 2013 Carnegie Medal.

Bonnier Publishing is one of the fastest growing publishers based in the UK, with offices in Australia and France and 250 employees worldwide. It is owned by Bonnier Books, which is a top 20 world publisher with a turnover of £600m. Bonnier Publishing is primarily the English language arm of Bonnier Books and it owns children’s publishers Hot Key Books, Templar Publishing, Autumn Publishing, The Five Mile Press, Weldon Owen Publishing UK, Piccolia in France and the newly launched Red Lemon Press. This year Bonnier Publishing scooped both the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals with MAGGOT MOON by Sally Gardner (Hot Key Books) and BLACK DOG by Levi Pinfold (Templar Publishing).