Kids can win $1,000 during "Million Dollar Throw" book tour

In conjunction with the upcoming highly-anticipated novel Million Dollar Throw by best-selling author and syndicated columnist Mike Lupica, (Philomel Books; 978-0-399-24626-5; On sale November 3, 2009; Ages 10 up; $17.99), Penguin Young Readers Group today announced that Lupica will host a series of local football-throwing contests in select cities nationwide this November.

The charge? Throw the football through the “Million Dollar Throw” custom target. The prize? One lucky child in each city will win $1,000, made possible by the Penguin Young Readers Group. Young readers will have the chance to meet Lupica, who will be on-site to give a presentation, sign books and present the winner with an oversized prize check.

The following bookstores will host football-throwing contests:

Willow Books & Café, Boston, MA – Monday, November 9, 6 PM
Chester County Books, Philadelphia, PA – Tuesday, November 10, 7 PM
Borders, Fairfax, VA – Thursday, November 12, 6 PM
Legacy Books, Dallas, TX – Monday, November 16, 6 PM
Tattered Cover, Denver, CO – Tuesday, November 17, 6 PM
Whale of a Tale, Irvine, CA – Wednesday, November 18, 6 PM

The first 200 young readers aged 8-15 to arrive at their local bookstore an hour before the event will receive a ticket for a chance to throw the football. Official and complete contest rules are included below for your reference.

Million Dollar Throw, which lands in bookstores nationwide on November 3rd, celebrates America’s favorite pastime: football. In the novel Lupica asks: What if you had the chance to win one million dollars? Thirteen year-old Nate Brodie is nicknamed “Brady” – not only for his throwing arm, but because he’s a huge Tom Brady fan. When, after saving all his pennies, Nate goes to buy a Tom Brady autographed football, he wins the chance of a lifetime – to throw a pass on national TV through a target at a Patriots game and win one million dollars. As the date gets closer, the pressure begins to mount. Money’s tight at home with his dad unemployed, and his best friend Abby is going blind. Will he be able to make the pass?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Lupica (www.mikelupicabooks.com), over the span of his successful career as a sports columnist, has proven that he can write for sports fans of all ages and stripes. He is the author of five consecutive New York Times best-selling young adult novels: Travel Team, Heat, Miracle on 49th Street, Summer Ball and The Big Field, and the four popular novels in the Comeback Kids series. He has also written many books for adults, including Wild Pitch and Bump and Run. Mr. Lupica’s column for The New York Daily News is syndicated nationally, and he can be seen weekly on ESPN’s The Sports Reporters. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and four children.


OFFICIAL RULES FOR THE
MIKE LUPICA “MILLION DOLLAR THROW” CHALLENGES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Open to legal residents of the Continental United States aged 8-15. Void where prohibited by law. All state and local restrictions apply.

HOW TO ENTER: To enter one of the Mike Lupica “Million Dollar Throw” Challenges (the “Contests”), you must attend one of the Sponsor’s Contest events (“Contest Events”). The exact dates, times and locations of the Contest Events are posted at www.mikelupicabooks.com. A maximum of 200 tickets will be distributed at each Contest Event. Tickets will be distributed approximately one hour in advance of the Contest Event start time. You must be a ticketholder to participate in one of these Contests. Limit one ticket per person. Ticket holders will be allowed one opportunity to throw a football into a target. Each entrant whose throw makes the target will be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win one of the Grand Prizes. The drawing will be held at the end of each Contest Event. Entrant must be present at the drawing to be eligible to win the prize.

PRIZES: There will be one Grand Prize Winner at each Contest Event. The Grand Prize is One-Thousand Dollars ($1,000). Odds of winning depend on number of entrants eligible for the random draw. Total Prize Value per Contest equals $1,000.

JUDGING: Sponsor’s representatives (the “Judges”) will conduct the throwing contest and the random drawing at each Contest Event. In the event that no throw makes the target, Sponsor will conduct a random drawing from among all ticketholders. The decisions of the Judges and Sponsor with respect to all matters relating to these Contests shall be final.

GENERAL

1. Each Contest Event will be run and administered as a separate contest. These rules apply to each separate contest.

2. All expenses, including taxes, (if any) on receipt of prizes are the sole responsibility of the winners.

3. Each Winner’s legal guardian will be required to execute an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release. In order for Winner to receive the Grand Prize, the affidavit must be returned within fourteen (14) days of notification or another winner will be selected. Once eligibility is confirmed, Prize will be mailed to Winner within thirty (30) days.

4. By accepting a prize the Winners grant to Sponsor and Mike Lupica the right to use their names, likenesses, and biographical information in advertising and promotional materials, without further compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.

5. By participating in any Contest and/or accepting the prize, contestants and their legal guardians release Mike Lupica, Sponsor, and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates and parent companies from any liability, injuries, damages, cost or expense, including reasonable attorney's fees, arising out of or connected to participation in any Contest.

6. If for any reason the Contests are not capable of being conducted as described in these rules, Sponsor shall have the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contests.

7. Employees, and their immediate family members living in the same household, of Mike Lupica, Sponsor, judges, their subsidiaries, affiliated or parent companies or the agencies of any of them are not eligible for these Contests.

8. Any dispute arising from these Contests will be determined according to the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law principles, and the entrants consent to the personal jurisdiction of the State and Federal courts located in New York County and agree that such courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all such disputes.

WINNERS’ LIST For a copy of the Winner’s list for each of the Contests, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by June 1, 2010 to: Penguin Young Readers, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, ATTN: Million Dollar Throw Challenges.

SPONSOR
Penguin Young Readers
A Division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

MILLION-DOLLAR THROW by Mike Lupica ▪ ISBN: 978-0-399-24626-5 ▪ 256 pages
Philomel Books ▪ Hardcover ▪ Middle Grade/Fiction ▪ Ages 10 up/Grades 5 up ▪ $17.99

Go to www.penguin.com/youngreaders for information on all Penguin Young Readers Group titles.