New York, NY (October 12, 2005) -- This fall, comedian and talk show host Jay Leno has teamed up with Scholastic Book Clubs, a division of Scholastic, the global children’s publishing and media company, and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing to find the funniest kids in Jay Leno’s How to Be the Funniest Kid in the Whole Wide World Contest. Two grand-prize winners, one in grades 2-3, and one in grades 4-6, each to be selected by Leno, will each receive an all-expenses paid trip (with a guardian) to Los Angeles to visit the set of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for an exclusive backstage tour. In addition, the winners’ classrooms each will receive a phone call from Jay Leno, as well as a classroom library of humorous books.
 
To enter Jay Leno’s How to Be the Funniest Kid in the Whole Wide World Contest, students are asked to send in their funniest joke, along with their name, address, age, telephone number, grade level, name of their school, and a parental consent form. Complete rules of the contest are available online at www.scholastic.com/clubcontests and www.simonsayskids.com. The contest also is featured in the October and November order forms for Scholastic Lucky® Book Club, and the October order form for Arrow® Book Club. (No Book Club purchase is necessary to enter or to win).  The deadline for entries is November 15, 2005.  
 
“We are delighted to partner with Jay Leno and Simon & Schuster and encourage kids to explore their funny side,” said Ann Marie Resnick, Vice President, Marketing and Promotion, Scholastic Book Clubs. “We know that by offering powerful incentives and creative, motivating assignments such as the Funniest Kid in the World Contest we encourage students to improve their reading and writing skills.” 
 
Jay Leno’s How to Be the Funniest Kid in the Whole Wide World Contest coincides with the publication of Jay Leno’s second children’s book, How to Be The Funniest Kid in the Whole Wide World (Or Just in Your Class), published October 1, 2005 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.  The book is filled with “knock-knock” jokes, hilarious puns, wacky wordplay, and is essential to all kids looking to find what Leno calls their “funny.” In addition to jokes, Leno describes how he discovered his own “funny,” his first “professional” gig, what makes for the best jokes, how to build a routine, what to do when being heckled, how to combat stage fright¾not to mention sidebars full of information on other famous jokers and legendary acts, mini-routines, and words to live by.  Leno will donate 100% of his profits from the sale of this book to Concerns for Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS), an organization that benefits surviving families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
 
For 56 years, Scholastic Book Clubs have provided monthly catalogues offering top quality books and reading materials from all publishers to teachers in pre-school through high school. Today thirteen different Scholastic Book Clubs reach over one million teachers each month, providing the most sought-after titles at affordable prices for children in classrooms nationwide. 
 
About Scholastic
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology.  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, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, www.scholastic.com.

About Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, part of the entertainment operation of Viacom Inc., is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and multimedia formats. Its divisions include the Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Online, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.simonsays.com

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