The Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) Reading Planet (www.rif.org/readingplanet), an interactive website for children, has teamed up with Walt Disney Pictures, Walden Media, and HarperCollins Children’s Books to offer an art contest inspired by the classic children’s book series and upcoming feature film, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
RIF’s World of Narnia Art Contest invites children ages 5 to 15 to create their own artistic vision of the magical land of Narnia, the setting for the seven-book “Chronicles of Narnia” series by C.S. Lewis. Entrants may use paint, markers, collage, photography, computer animated graphics, or even crayons to present their ideas.
Two grand-prize winners will receive a private pre-screening for up to 200 guests of the Disney and Walden Media film “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” Ten runners up will each win a $50 book- buying certificate and a prize package featuring books from HarperCollins, as well as movie merchandise from Disney and Walden Media. RIF will also publish all winning artwork in an online gallery on the Reading Planet. For complete contest rules and entry form, visit the contest website at www.rif.org/narnia.
“Art and imagination are a particularly powerful way to tap into kids’ interest in books and reading,” said Heidi Okla, director of online communications at RIF. “We think giving them the power to create their own vision of a fictional world will build on their enthusiasm for the Narnia series and their anticipation for the new movie. Thanks to the generous support of Walt Disney Pictures, Walden Media, and HarperCollins, we’re also offering some pretty incredible prize packages for aspiring young artists.”
“Walden Media and our friends at Disney are proud to partner with RIF in this activity which underscores our company’s commitment to inspire and educate young people,” said Micheal Flaherty, President of Walden Media.
The “Chronicles of Narnia” books, written more than 50 years ago, follow the fantastical voyage of four children to the magical world of Narnia. The feature film adaptation of the first book in the series, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” combines live action and computer animation to bring the fictional world to life and opens in theaters nationwide Dec. 9.
The RIF Reading Planet is the child’s section of the larger RIF website (www.rif.org). Aimed at children ages 5 to 15 and updated weekly, the advertising-free site offers an interactive community that encourages and supports reading and writing. Through the site, kids of all ages can join the free RIF Reading Planet Club; design their own homepage; and find writing contests, reading games, activities and booklists.
Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF), founded in 1966, motivates children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through a national, grassroots network of community volunteers at 21,000 program sites, RIF provides 5 million children with 17 million new, free books and literacy resources each year. For more information and to access reading resources, visit RIF’s website at www.rif.org.