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January 15-31, 2005 Edition

Penguin Young Readers

Group Signs #1 Best Selling

Author Cussler for Kids Novel

NEW YORK, NY/01/04/05—Penguin Young Readers Group has signed up best selling author, Clive Cussler’s first book for young readers. Clive Cussler is a #1 New York Times best selling, adult thriller author and is most famous for his Dirk Pitt novels, published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Berkley. The deal was brokered by Michael Green, Associate Publisher and Editorial Director of Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group and Peter Lampack of Peter Lampack Agency, Inc. Cussler’s newest adult novel, Black Wind, is currently #5 on the New York Times Best Seller list.

When asked about adding such a well known, adult author to the Penguin Young Readers Group line-up, President Doug Whiteman said, “Clive’s flair for adventure stories makes him ideal for the young adult genre, and his name gives us instant impact with booksellers and parents. I expect big things from this book, and I hope that Clive will write for young adults again in the near future.”

The book, entitled, Vin Fiz is a novel for young readers (ages 8 and up) and is slated for a spring 2006 release. It follows the adventures of Lacey and Casey, siblings who discover a magical way to transform any toy into the real thing. Using Casey’s model of a Wright Brothers biplane, they fly cross country, rescuing people in peril along the way—including those aboard a runaway train and a town full of children held hostage in a gold mine. Vin Fiz is a rollicking, old-fashioned tale full of magic, adventure, and heroism. Michael Green says, “I’ve been a fan of Clive Cussler’s writing for years, and am thrilled to have acquired his first novel for young readers. Vin Fiz is something different from Clive, a story in the tradition of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and will introduce him to a whole new generation of readers.”

Penguin Group (USA) is the U.S. affiliate of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Plume, Puffin Books, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson (FTSE: PSON; NYSE: PSO). Pearson is an international media company with market leading businesses in education, business information and consumer publishing. For more information, visit www.pearson.com.