(1888PressRelease)
July 11, 2008 - New York, NY - Monster Detective Jason Edwards, author of the critically acclaimed and fun children’s novel Will Allen and the Great Monster Detective (ISBN 978-0-9789512-0-7, Rogue Bear Press, 2007) will be hunting monsters and inducting new members into the Monster Detective Agency in the New York City area in July. Three New York City area libraries have determined that their libraries may be infected with monsters and have called upon Edwards to conduct either a Monster Hunt or a MonsterMaker program to help rid the libraries of the monsters. The libraries are putting out an all call bulletin for children in the area and the young at heart to come and help Edwards locate the hidden monsters.
“The monsters that have been reported in the local libraries are very tricky and skilled at evading pursuit,” said Edwards, who is also a teacher. “I will need all the assistance I can obtain from the children in the area to apprehend the monsters.”
The Monster Hunts are designed for children ages seven through twelve. The Monster Maker program is designed for children ages five through ten. The Monster Hunts are designed to help children learn research skills by finding clues written in a secret code that are hidden in books throughout the library. Participants learn to use the library catalog and the Dewey Decimal System to locate the books that have the hidden clues, and use the decoded instructions to capture the “monster.”
The Monster Maker Program combines storytelling and craft-making into a single activity. Both programs end with the children being commissioned as deputy detectives in the Monster Detective Agency, certifying that they have demonstrated bravery in the face of fear. The programs are tied in with Edward’s book, Will Allen and the Great Monster Detective.
“I designed both programs so that children are having fun without realizing they are learning in the process,” said Edwards.
Edward’s schedule is:
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Monster Hunt
Scarsdale Public Library; 7:00 pm
54 Olmsted Road, Scarsdale, NY; 914-722-1300
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Monster Hunt
Warner Library in Tarrytown; 11:00 am
121 North Broadway, Tarrytown, NY; 914-631-7734
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
MonsterMaker Craft Activity
Ossining Public Library; 4:00 pm
53 Croton Avenue, Ossining, NY; 914-941-2416
Will Allen is a thrilling, new series about the adventures of a little boy named Will. In the first book of the series, Will Allen and the Great Monster Detective, Will is plagued by monsters that are manifestations of his fears. He searches fruitlessly for help until a mysterious business card appears, instructing him how to summon the Great Monster Detective, Bigelow Hawkins. With Bigelow’s help, along with the use of a special flashlight and magnifying glass that help him see the truth behind his fears, Will learns that he must confront his monsters and uncover the secret of the dreadful hidden beast before it’s too late.
Will Allen and the Great Monster Detective is part of the Accelereader Program. Each book in the series grows with the reader. All of the books help improve the language skills of the reader. As the reader reads each book they become more challenging in structure, theme, and vocabulary. In addition to doing traditional book signings, MonsterHunts, and MonsterMaker programs, Detective Edwards also does Story Plays for children ages 3 through 8. Story Plays are designed so that children can become part of the story themselves, choose their roles, and make up their own lines for the characters.
Additional information on Detective Edwards, the Will Allen series, and all the programs including how one can become an associate member of the Monster Detective Agency can be found at www.monsterdetectiveagency.com.
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