New York, NY (March 14, 2008) -- NBC “Today” anchor, Al Roker, announced The New York Times best-selling children’s novel Chasing Vermeer by author Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist, as Al’s Book Club For Kids next book pick. To encourage kids to read more, Al Roker selects titles geared toward children ages 8-12 years old and invites them to read along and e-mail questions for the author. Blue Balliett will appear live on TODAY in May to answer questions from viewers. For more information about Al’s Book Club For Kids, visit www.todayshow.com, and to learn more about Chasing Vermeer, visit www.scholastic.com/kids.

NBC, along with Scholastic, launched Al’s Book Club For Kids in summer 2007 as a way to help kids and parents find great books and engage kids in reading. Al’s Book Club for Kids has since continued throughout the year and selects quality children’s books to feature on TODAY.

The New York Times best-selling children’s novel, which Newsweek hailed as "The Da Vinci Code for tweens," is written by Blue Balliett and illustrated by Brett Helquist, the illustrator of The New York Times best-selling Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket. Chasing Vermeer has garnered rave reviews with The New York Times praising it as "suspenseful, exciting, charming and unexpectedly moving" and The Chicago Tribune hailing it as "an amazing page-turner for adults and children ... a lively reading experience." The book has been translated into more than 30 different languages and the movie rights have been optioned by Warner Bros. Pictures and Plan B Entertainment. Balliett has since published the bestselling sequel, The Wright 3, and a third book in the series, The Calder Game, will be published by Scholastic Press in May 2008.

About NBC News’ “Today”
NBC News pioneered the morning news program when it launched “Today” over 55 years ago, with Dave Garroway as host. The four-hour live broadcast provides the latest in domestic and international news, weather reports and interviews with newsmakers from the worlds of politics, business, media, entertainment and sports. The program is unparalleled in its ratings dominance in the morning news arena, serving as America’s overwhelming favorite for more than twelve consecutive years.

About Scholastic
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.

Contacts:
Scholastic
Sara Sinek
212-343-6899
ssinek@scholastic.com

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

NBC
Megan Kopf
212-664-6205
megan.kopf@nbcuni.com