Stone Arch Books Announces Sports Star Contest Winner

Online, April 15, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Capstone imprint Stone Arch Books, children's fiction publisher, announces the winner of its Create Your Own Sports Star nationwide contest, inspired by the publisher's partnership with SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS. The winner was selected from more than 23,000 total votes cast from kids nationwide from March 20 through April 11.

Receiving more than 70% of the votes, Justin Cox, a 4th grade student from Timmerman Elementary School in Pflugerville, Texas, was selected as the first place winner. Justin's fictional character, Dash the Flash, will be the featured character in a Sports Illustrated KIDS Graphic Novel available Jan. 1, 2011, in hardcover and paperback formats. Justin, along with his school, will be included in a page at the back of the book.

"We're so proud of all of our finalists. They each created exciting characters that will thrill readers!" said Lori Benton, General Manager/Publisher of Capstone Fiction. "Kids came out in full force, casting their votes for their favorite characters and we now have a clear winner. We couldn't be happier to start production on FULL COURT FLASH, a graphic novel starring Dash the Flash."

The Create Your Own Sports Star contest invited students in grades 3-6 to create their own fictional sports super star to be the featured character in an upcoming Sports Illustrated KIDS Graphic Novel. Five finalists were selected in March from the more than 840 entries. Descriptions of the finalists' characters, as well as professionally-illustrated sketches were then posted online at www.CapstoneKids.com. Kids were encouraged to visit the site and vote for their favorite character.

Capstone partnered with SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS in 2009 to create a new line of high-interest fiction and nonfiction sports stories for elementary and middle school grades, especially for struggling and reluctant readers. Sports Illustrated KIDS Graphic Novels, Greatest Sports Stars, and The Science of Sports debuted in January 2010 under the publishers' imprints Stone Arch Books and Capstone Press. For more information on these series, visit www.CapstonePub.com or call 800-747-4992.

About Capstone
Capstone is the leading publisher of children's books and digital products and services, offering everything from nonfiction, fiction, and picture books to interactive books, audio books, and literacy programs. Imprints and divisions include Capstone Press, Compass Point Books, Picture Window Books, Stone Arch Books, Red Brick Learning, Capstone Digital, and Heinemann-Raintree. Visit us at www.CapstonePub.com.

About SI Kids:
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS, the first sports magazine written for kids ages 8 and up, connects with its readers through their passion for sports. The magazine offers kids the access to athletes and sports information that they want with in-depth reporting, action photography, first-person athlete accounts and other features. The magazine, books and website www.sikids.com, promote positive values, good sportsmanship and the fun of reading.