NEW YORK, NY — October 27, 2008— Scholastic invites kids around the world to participate in a live global webcast on December 1, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. EST as award-winning actor and children’s book author Whoopi Goldberg interviews Gordon Korman, author of The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note, and asks questions submitted by fans of the #1 New York Times best-selling multi-media adventure series The 39 Clues™. Also today, Scholastic releases the first chapter of The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note in advance of the book’s simultaneous publication in the U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada on December 2, 2008. The exclusive excerpt can be online game that allows readers to play a part in the story and compete for prizes. Movie rights for The 39 Clues have been acquired by DreamWorks Studios with Steven Spielberg eyeing to direct.

The first book in the multi-media series, The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan, was published on September 9, 2008, and was an instant #1 New York Times best-seller. The online game also launched on the same day with children in all 50 states and in countries around the world logging on to join the hunt. Whoopi Goldberg immediately declared herself a fan, writing in her online column, "...well-thought-out and smartly written and I think that kids will really dig it! I’m loving it."

During the live webcast, children around the world can submit their questions for Mr. Korman, and Ms. Goldberg will ask him some of those questions along with her own. Mr. Korman will continue answering questions following the webcast in a live online chat. Both the live hour-long webcast, beginning at 1:00 p.m. EST on December 1, 2008, and the one-hour live chat will be available at www.scholastic.com/the39clues.

Gordon Korman is the author of more than sixty books for kids and young adults, most recently Swindle and The Juvie Three. His writing career began at the age of 12 when his seventh grade English assignment became his first novel, which was then published when he was a freshman in high school. Now, thirty-two years later, he is a full-time writer, with more than 14 million copies of his novels in print. His books have been translated into French, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Norwegian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Greek, and Thai. Each year he travels extensively, visiting schools and libraries, bringing his trademark humor and adventure style to readers everywhere. A native of Ontario, Canada, Korman lives with his family in Long Island, New York.

Whoopi Goldberg is one of an elite group of artists who have won a Grammy Award (Whoopi Goldberg, 1985), an Academy Award (Ghost, 1991), a Golden Globe (The Color Purple, 1985 and Ghost, 1991), an Emmy Award (as host of AMC’s Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel, 2002) and a Tony Award (as producer of Thoroughly Modern Millie, 2002). She is equally known for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the battle against AIDS, as well as many other causes and charities. Among her many charitable activities, Goldberg is a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations. She recently became the first woman to be honored with the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humour. She has written numerous children’s books including Alice, Whoopi’s Big Book of Manners, and Sugar Plum Ballerinas.

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology and children’s media. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs and school-based book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, television networks and the Company’s Internet Site, www.scholastic.com.

For more information, visit http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/The39Clues or www.the39clues.com.

Contact:

Charisse Meloto
212-389-3785
cmeloto@scholastic.com

Scholastic Inc.
Kyle Good
212-343-4563
kgood@scholastic.com