Scholastic Releases Artwork for Deluxe Edition of Harry Potter and the Half-Blooded Prince  5/11/05

Scholastic Releases Exclusive Artwork for Deluxe Edition of Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince On Sale July 16, 2005

NEW YORK, May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Scholastic, the global children's publishing and media company, today released the exclusive deluxe edition artwork for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling's sixth Harry Potter book due in stores on July 16th. The deluxe edition will be published simultaneously with the trade edition. The dramatic art was created by Mary GrandPre, the acclaimed illustrator of all U.S. editions of the Harry Potter books.

"In this spectacular artwork for the Deluxe Edition, layers of mystery unfold in a forested glen, where we find Harry Potter and Dumbledore peering through dense branches," said David Saylor, Vice President, Creative Director, Scholastic. "Once again, Mary GrandPre's mysterious artwork beautifully features an eerie scene that tantalizes the reader with hints from the soon- to-be released, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The Deluxe Edition includes a 32-page insert featuring near scale reproductions of Mary GrandPre's interior art, as well as never-before-seen full-color frontispiece art on special paper. The custom designed slipcase is foil-stamped and inside is a full-cloth case book, blind-stamped on front and back cover, foil stamped on spine. The book includes full-color endpapers with jacket art from the trade edition and a wraparound jacket featuring exclusive art from Mary GrandPre. The deluxe edition will be a total of 704 pages and have a retail value of $60.00; the print run will be 100,000 copies.

Scholastic recently announced a first printing of 10.8 million of Harry potter and the Half-Blood Prince. J.K. Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was released on June 21, 2003, and was the fastest-selling book in history selling 5 million copies in the first 24 hours. All five Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as well as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, have been number one bestsellers in the United States, Britain, and around the world. The American editions of the Harry Potter books are published under Scholastic's Arthur A. Levine imprint.

Scholastic Corporation (Nasdaq: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. 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, school- based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, http://www.scholastic.com . SOURCE Scholastic

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