The
Essence Best-Sellers List, which appears each month in the magazine and
on-line, is the foremost measure of book sales within the African American
community. Jones are among the
dozens of authors who launched their writing careers in the pages of the
magazine .
"We are thrilled that Pearl Cleage's newest book is the first selection of
The ESSENCE Book Club Recommended Read program," said Bass. To
learn more about the contest, visit
http://www .

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ESSENCE Announces ESSENCE Book Club Recommended Read Program and Launches National Reading Campaign

He is an award-winning writer and editor, with an extensive
background in publishing covering books, lifestyle and popular culture.

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The game has
received media coverage in USA Today , Publishers Weekly, The Christian
Science Monitor, and The London Telegraph.

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Cleage
is also the lead author profile in ESSENCE's upcoming March 2006 issue, which
goes on sale February 7.
Her second novel "The Change" won the 2005 EPPIE for Best Young Adult
Novel. Her newest book "Rave New World," available from SparkNotes,
features over 1,000 SAT vocabulary words and definitions .

critical arts

com. "The Book Club
provides a key place for the African American community to share its thoughts
about the books that inspire them the most.

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Individuals can sign-up by logging on to http://www.essence .
Patrik Henry Bass, books editor for ESSENCE magazine, has been an integral
part of this evolution and thus has become the voice of African American
literature.

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"Reading strengthens education ," said Angela Burt-Murray, editor-in-chief
of ESSENCE magazine, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for more than seven
million African-Americans. Published by Essence Communications Inc.
Booktastic ! today announced the official
release of its Family Edition featuring children's literature. "Kids will
be too busy having fun to realize they are learning.

About Lynne Hansen

Lynne Hansen is the bestselling author of the Heritage of Horror series of
young adult historical novels from Hard Shell Word Factory.

literature by

"
The main element of the campaign is The ESSENCE Book Club Recommended Read
program, one of the largest book clubs of its kind. He has
also written and edited for a number of publications including The New York
Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, The Washington Post, Time
Out New York, Brooklyn Bridge, Entertainment Weekly and BET Weekend, where he
was a founding editor.

About Booktastic!

Booktastic! is a fun board game designed for readers, families and
educators.

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Throughout the year,
ESSENCE will select a recently released , classic fiction or non-fiction title
by an African-American author to be highlighted.
The first selection is New York Times best-selling author Pearl Cleage's
newest book, Baby Brother's Blues (One World/Ballantine Books, $24. Bass and photographer and artist Karen Pugh coauthored
In Our Own Image: Treasured African-American Traditions, Journeys and Icons
(Running Press, 2001).,
it is the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of
African American women's lives.com/FamilyContest."

Since its release in 2004, Booktastic! is now carried in over 1500 various
retail outlets and libraries throughout the United States.com.

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Also, the recently announced ESSENCE Short Fiction Contest received
more than 2,000 entries from regions as far as Africa and Japan. For more information about
The ESSENCE Book Club Recommended Read program, see the upcoming March 2006
issue of ESSENCE magazine or visit http://www. For more than 35 years, ESSENCE has celebrated
personal achievement, chronicled social movement, documented struggles,
showcased beauty, defined and set trends.
Booktastic!, a board game designed for book lovers, families and educators,
celebrated the release by kicking off a contest where children and young
adults can participate in future editions of the popular game.

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ESSENCE editors will also provide
online discussion questions and reader guidelines about the featured book.95). Terry McMillan, Gloria Naylor and Edward P.com. The "books" in each store contain
real-life information so players learn about bestselling books and authors.

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It was
announced today by Angela Burt-Murray, editor-in-chief of the preeminent
magazine for more than seven million African Americans. Book Club members will
receive a monthly e-mail containing details of the most recent book selection,
links to exclusive author forums, interactive internet chats, chapter
previews , upcoming book news and prizes."

Participants in the contest submit questions for possible use in future
editions of Booktastic! and are entered to win a personalized, autographed
novel by bestselling young adult author Lynne Hansen. The contest runs
through November 15, 2005, and prize winners will be randomly selected.

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In
addition, each selected title will feature The ESSENCE Book Club Recommended
Read logo on the book's cover, which will be sold in bookstores throughout the
country .

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NEW YORK, ESSENCE magazine will launch The ESSENCE
Book Club Recommended Read program and a national reading campaign. The far-reaching
campaign is designed to inspire adults, teens and children to read more,
underscore the importance of parents reading to their children, and to
stimulate public support for libraries that are sorely lacking resources in
urban areas.

ABOUT ESSENCE:
With more than seven million readers, ESSENCE is the preeminent lifestyle
magazine for African American women.booktasticgame.

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ESSENCE is the authority on African American literature.

author includes

Even people who do not read enjoy this game with its unique category of
questions with no wrong answer . For more
information, visit http://www.

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"Education increases achievement and impacts social
change .essence.

PRESS RELEASE Booktastic! Announces Release of Family Edition Board Game

booktasticgame. Players move around a quaint town square of bookstores to buy,
sell and trade popular titles with money earned from answering questions or
sharing opinions prior to each turn.

macleod poems

He is also the author of Like A Mighty Stream, The
March on Washington, August 28, 1963 (Running Press, 2002)."
Details about other components of the yearlong campaign, including a
parent's challenge to read to their children and ways to support public
libraries, will be announced in the coming weeks. Her first
novel "The Return" debuted at #1 on the Children's E-book Bestseller list.com.

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Since its
inception, ESSENCE has been the leading portal of introduction for emerging
African American literary talent, celebrating established authors and
reflecting publishing trends within the African American community.

"Booktastic! is covert education at its finest," said Hansen. For more information, visit
http://www .LynneHansen.

well authors

This important campaign is an opportunity to affect large-scale
progress.

"We continue to support teachers and librarians looking for innovative new
ways to keep kids learning ," said Laine Keneller, president of Booktastic!
"This contest provides young people an opportunity to have their writing
featured in a board game available throughout the United States.