Coming TOMORROW to a Library and Bookstore Near You!

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure
A Progressive Story Game Played by
20 Celebrated Authors and Illustrators

It all starts with a train rushing through the night. . . . Well, actually, it starts when Jon Scieszka, former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, writes a cliff-hanger episode and passes it on to the next member of a cast of celebrated writers and illustrators, who continues the story and passes it on.

A collaboration between the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, The Exquisite Corpse Adventure originated as a national literacy outreach project for young people and helped launch the READ.gov website. 

 

The Exquisite Corpse Adventure has been published in hardcover, paperback, and audio formats by Candlewick Press. Read more about this innovative national reading and writing outreach project on The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance website. 

“First run in installments on the Web, the pro bono project shifts tone and atmosphere with the author, from Lemony Snicket to Natalie Babbitt, from Linda Sue Park to Nikki Grimes, from Jon Scieszka to Jack Gantos—and who would have guessed that Katherine Paterson would be such a dab hand at egg puns?—but never goes off on self-indulgent tangents.” –Kirkus Reviews

What Do Contributors Say About Their Experiences Writing and Illustrating The Exquisite Corpse?

Author and illustrator Steven Kellogg has loved children's books since he was a child and was always drawn to stories about animals. The prolific author says this about the challenge of writing for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, "The most challenging aspect of creating episodes for the ECA was choosing which characters and plot directions to concentrate on during the time that I was advancing the story, and then deciding how to conclude my segment with an intriguing detail that would propel both the readers and the waiting author into the next phase." Steven Kellogg is the author and illustrator of such books as the Pinkerton series, tall tales Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed, and The Pied Piper's Magic. Kellogg most recently illustrated Clorinda Plays Baseball (written by Robert Kinerk), which will be published early next year. Learn more about Steven's books on his  website.

 

Here is what Newbery medal winner Kate DiCamillo says about her experience writing two episodes for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, "I'm kind of a control freak, and writing with a bunch of other people means relinquishing control. But you know what? The most challenging thing was also the best thing. There is freedom in being part of something larger. I had such a good time."

Kate DiCamillo is the author of Because of Winn Dixie, The Magician's Elephant, Bink & Gollie, The Tale of Despereaux, and the Mercy Watson series illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. Learn more about Kate's books on her website.

 

Award-winning author Shannon Hale  writes for young adults and adults. She began writing at age 10 and has never looked back.   

She says this about writing for The Exquisite Corpse Adventure, "It's so hard to write your episode without knowing where the story will go. When writing my own book, I can rewrite the whole thing extensively to make sure all the parts work together, but with this kind of writing you have to write your little bit and then let it go." Shannon Hale is the author Princess Academy, Rapunzel's Revenge, The Actor and the Housewife, and the Books of Bayern series. Midnight in Austenland will be published in January 2012. Learn more about Shannon's books on her website. 

 
Available from Candlewick Press
in hardcover, paperback, and audio formats TOMORROW

CLICK HERE to Order!

Learn more about this innovative project and discover a wealth of coordinating activities and resources on the NCBLA's Exquisite Corpse Adventure Education Resource Center.