Penguin Young Readers Group and Walden Media Preempt Ingrid Law's Savvy

Walden Media acquires rights to develop story into feature film

July 11, 2007

PENGUIN YOUNG READERS GROUP AND WALDEN MEDIA PREEMPT INGRID LAW’S SAVVY
Walden Media acquires rights to develop story into feature film

NEW YORK, NY (July 11, 2007) — In a joint acquisition, Penguin Young Readers Group and Walden Media acquired North American rights to Ingrid Law’s debut novel Savvy in a preemptive multi-book deal with agent Daniel Lazar at Writers House. Additionally, Walden Media has secured the rights to develop Savvy into a feature film. The acquisition was announced today by Lauri Hornik, Vice President and Publisher of Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, and Micheal Flaherty, President and co-founder of Walden Media. Savvy will be published by Dial Books for Young Readers/Walden Media in May 2008 and edited by Alisha Niehaus.

Lauri Hornik commented: “Savvy is a true original – I was awed by Ingrid Law’s stylish, commanding voice and by the cleverness of the story itself. I read the novel in one sitting, smiling all the way through. This is a book with so much kid appeal, and with so much heart. I can’t imagine any reader not responding to Mibs and her quest.”

“We were all blown away by this book,” said Deborah Kovacs, Senior Vice President of Publishing at Walden Media. “Ingrid Law is a major new talent with a fresh, original voice. We love how kind the characters are to one another, how funny and bittersweet the story is, and the originality of the setting. The story has a sense of mystery and magic that leaps off the page, and that we know will translate beautifully to the big screen as well.” 

Savvy is the enchanting story of the Beaumont family, who for generations have harbored a magical secret: their thirteenth birthdays bring the discovery of a unique supernatural power—their “savvy”. Twelve-year-old Mississippi “Mibs” Beaumont anxiously waits to find out what her savvy will be—her brother Rocket can make it rain for days, and her other brother Fish can create furious gusts of winds. But on the eve of her birthday, Mibs’s life is turned upside down when a tragic accident befalls the Beaumont family. Mibs and her family find themselves in a frantic race against time to make things right—and she’s desperate to prove her emerging savvy will help. But will Mibs’s contention only make things worse?

Ingrid Law is both a writer and an artist. She is the author and illustrator of two e-books for children, The Faerie Wedding Tale and A Quilt for Uncle Paul. Law’s artwork has appeared in local and national art shows and her art quilts and was reviewed in The Denver Post and The Boulder Weekly, among others. Ingrid currently lives in Colorado with her 12-year-old daughter. This is her first novel. 

Savvy is the fifth book to be published under the rapidly expanding joint venture between Walden Media and Penguin Young Readers Group, and the third to be optioned for feature film. The joint venture is designed to identify the next generation of great stories that families can enjoy, similar to the stories Walden Media has already adapted for the big screen, such as Narnia, Holes, Bridge to Terabithia and Because of Winn-Dixie.

Walden Media head of production Alex Schwartz will oversee the development of the film adaptation on the company’s behalf. Executive vice president of business and legal affairs Jim Meenaghan negotiated the film rights on behalf of Walden Media.

About Walden Media
Walden Media specializes in entertainment that sparks imagination and engages young people in the learning process. Producing both original works and adaptations of acclaimed children’s literature, Walden Media projects are enhanced by comprehensive outreach and supplemental programs for teachers, librarians, and parents. In August 2006, Walden Media entered into a joint venture with Twentieth Century Fox to market and release family films for audiences of all ages.

About Penguin Young Readers Group
Penguin Group (USA) is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Plume, Puffin Books, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson (FTSE: PSON; NYSE: PSO). Pearson is an international media company with market leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing. For more information, visit www.pearson.com.