ALL SCHOLASTIC/PLANET EARTH BOOKS TO BE PRINTED ON
30% POST-CONSUMER WASTE RECYCLED PAPER

New York, NY  - May 1, 2008 - Planet Earth, the award winning television program from the BBC, will soon become a children’s book publishing program from Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company announced today. Scholastic holds U.S. and Canadian English and French rights for the Planet Earth children’s books program and will publish and distribute the titles through its Trade, School Book Club and School Book Fair channels. The books will be printed on 30% post-consumer waste recycled paper. The agreement was brokered by the Joester Loria Group, BBC Worldwide’s North American Licensing agent for Planet Earth.  

Scholastic’s publishing program will launch in September 2008 with a full-color, 48-page Planet Earth Scrapbook and a Planet Earth Reader featuring incredible full-color photography in an easy to read format. The program will continue with three January 2009 publications (a second reader, a board book and scrapbook), followed in April 2009 by a full-color 98-page Guide to the Planet timed to coincide with Earth Day.

Scholastic’s publishing program will include a variety of formats, including paperbacks, board books, phonics books, novelty, readers, and scrapbooks to reach a combination of readers from pre-schoolers, to the middle grades, to young adults—encouraging families to share in the wonderment of our planet. Each book will be a visual celebration of our planet, raising awareness and engendering a sense of appreciation. High-quality 30% post-consumer waste recycled paper will be used for all Planet Earth titles.

“We are proud to partner with the BBC on this award-winning series and bring the Planet Earth message of appreciating and marveling at the world in which we live to families and kids of all ages,” said Lynn Smith, Director of Licensed Publishing, Scholastic Trade. “This series is another step in Scholastic’s corporate commitment to responsible paper use and to educating children about the environment.”

“We are delighted to have Scholastic as a publishing licensee for Planet Earth,” said Debra Joester, President of The Joester Loria Group. “Scholastic’s experience and reputation for quality educational children’s books makes them the ideal partner, as does their ability to distribute books to schools and booksellers nationwide.”

The award-winning Planet Earth television series, which aired on the Discovery Channel in the United States, was the most watched cable event of all time reaching more than 100 million viewers. Scholastic now brings the incredible photography and amazing facts of the series to children to help them understand our extraordinary planet.

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. 

About BBC Worldwide
BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The company exists to maximise the value of the BBC’s assets for the benefit of the licence payer and invest in public service programming in return for rights. The company has seven core businesses: Global Channels, Global TV Sales, Magazines, Content & Production, Home Entertainment, Global Brands and Digital Media. In 2006/07 BBC Worldwide generated profits of £111 million on sales of £810 million.

About The Joester Loria Group
The Joester Loria Group, www.joesterloriagroup.com, is a full-service licensing and marketing agency providing its clients with a full array of services, including:  strategic planning, competitive analysis, and implementation of licensing strategy, management of publicity and advertising and marketing for licensing programs.  The Joester Loria Group represents Chrysler LLC for Jeep® and Chrysler; American Greetings for Care Bears; Pepsi-Cola North America for Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Aquafina; Baked Goods Leader, Entenmann’s Products; BBC series Planet Earth, Fashion/lifestyle brand Couch Potato, Fido Dido, Zippo and award winning pre-school property Baby Genius. 

For more information about Planet Earth children’s books, please visit www.scholastic.com.

Scholastic Contact:  Tracy van Straaten
Vice President of Publicity
Children’s Book Publishing
Scholastic Inc.
212/389-3782/ tvanstraaten@scholastic.com
  
Planet Earth Contacts: Jeff Klein / Karen Silberg
Dan Klores Communications
212/981-5189 / jeff_klein@dkcnews.com
212/981-5232 / karen_silberg@dkcnews.com