DAVID KIRK, AWARD-WINNING CREATOR OF THE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL MISS SPIDER SERIES, RETURNS WITH NOVA THE ROBOT LANDING IN BOOKSTORES JANUARY 13, 2005

NEW YORK, January 13, 2005. For Immediate Release . . . Callaway & Kirk, the publishers of the hugely successful Miss Spider series of children’s books by master artist and storyteller David Kirk, will launch a new series of books by Kirk based on his 1999 best-selling futuristic fable Nova’s Ark. The Nova the Robot series will be released online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com, and at major bookstores nationwide on January 13, 2005.

The titles this season include a softcover reissue of Nova’s Ark, the Nova’s Ark Book & Toy Set, and Twinkle Twinkle, Little Hedgehog. The books are recommended for children ages 4 and up.

Nova the Robot is a precocious eight-year-old with a lot of heart and a penchant for space exploration. In Nova’s Ark, Nova accidentally rockets himself into space during a class field trip and discovers the energy source his planet needs for survival. The Nova’s Ark Book & Toy Set includes a Nova toy with interchangeable mix-and-match magnetic joints. Twinkle Twinkle, Little Hedgehog tells the heartwarming tale of Twinkle’s transformation. He goes from being a sharp-spiked, spark-shooting hedgehog whom everybody avoids to a lovable pet everybody wants to cuddle.

Kirk’s Nova series has been heralded for its groundbreaking animation. He has rendered Nova’s world in 3-D computer-generated imagery (CGI), the same technique used in feature films like The Incredibles, Shrek 2, and Finding Nemo.

David Kirk has been hailed as one of today’s most innovative and exciting creators of books and toys for children. His Miss Spider series of children’s books has sold over 5 million copies in seven languages around the world, and his top-rated television series Miss Spider’s Sunny Patch Friends— which airs daily on Nick Jr. and weekends on CBS—is viewed by over 1 million children daily. Sunny Patch, a line of children’s apparel, garden tools, home décor, and toys based on Kirk’s bug-themed characters, launched in Target Stores in 2003.

Callaway & Kirk is a division of Callaway Arts & Entertainment. Founded in 1980 by Nicholas Callaway, the firm is best known for its Miss Spider book series, as well as the internationally acclaimed series of children’s books by Madonna. The company specializes in family entertainment across all media—book publishing, 3-D computer animation for film and television, and product design.

For more information, images from the books, or to interview David Kirk, please contact:
ANDY SHEARER (212) 843-8061, Rubenstein Communications for Callaway Arts & Entertainment
ashearer@rubenstein.com