BOSTON — For the third consecutive year, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) has partnered with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) on a school-based fundraising contest to raise money for childhood cancer research. Students and classes will read The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies and, using the business concepts they learn, run lemonade stands, with all proceeds going to the Foundation.
As part of “The Great Lemonade War Contest,” schools will compete against each other to determine who can raise the most money through their lemonade stand project or other events. HMH will donate copies of The Lemonade War to participating schools, while the Foundation will provide schools with resources to help them along the way, including a program guide, a personal fundraising page, and access to a fundraising specialist for additional guidance.
The school that raises the most money will win a visit from Ms. Davies and an ALSF co-founder, with runner-up schools receiving Skype visits and classroom sets of books. Previous seasons have seen over fifty schools participating, raising more than $50,000. Registration is now open at http://www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/great-lemonade-war. Fundraising will kick off on Monday, February 10, 2014 and run through Friday, April 11, 2014, and the winner will be announced mid-April.
“HMH is committed to making a difference in the lives of children through the power of books, and Jackie Davies and The Lemonade War are the perfect ambassadors to do just that. We are thrilled to partner with ALSF once again in this wonderful cause,” said Gary Gentel, President of HMH Trade Publishing.
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996–2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since that first stand, the foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of volunteers across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501 (c)3 charity, has raised more than $50 million toward fulfilling Alex’s dream, funding more than 200 pediatric cancer research projects nationally.
“It is an honor and privilege to once again partner with Jacqueline Davies and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for another Great Lemonade War contest,” said Jay Scott, Co-Executive Director of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. “The Lemonade War series teaches kids so many important lessons, including one of the lessons that our Foundation was built upon – that you are never too young to make a difference in the lives of others. I look forward to once again seeing these schools compete with each other, yet coming together to help us find better treatments and ultimately cures for all kids with cancer.”
The popular series for young readers began with The Lemonade War in 2007, which introduced readers to business concepts; The Lemonade Crime tackled justice on and off the playground; The Bell Bandit focused on family relationships; and The Candy Smash explored the right (and cost) of keeping secrets.
In the forthcoming The Magic Trap (April 1, 2014; HMH Books for Young Readers)—the fifth and final book in the series— the characters take on the challenges of magic and illusion, all while discovering some hidden truths about their own family.
A Spanish edition, La guerra de la limonada, translated by F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada, will be available in March 2014.
About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Publishing
For nearly two centuries, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Trade division has published some of the world’s most renowned novels, non-fiction, children’s books and reference works in hardcover, trade paperback, and eBook formats. Its distinguished author list includes eight Nobel Prize winners, forty-seven Pulitzer Prize winners, thirteen National Book Award winners, and more than one hundred Caldecott, Newbery, Printz, and Sibert Medal and Honor recipients. HMH publishes such distinguished authors as Philip Roth, Temple Grandin, Tim O'Brien, and Umberto Eco, and a celebrated roster of children’s authors and illustrators including Lois Lowry, Chris Van Allsburg and David Wiesner. HMH is also home to The Best American series®; The American Heritage® and Webster’s New World™ dictionaries; Betty Crocker®, Better Homes and Gardens®, How to Cook Everything®, The Gourmet Cookbook, and other leading culinary properties; the Peterson Field Guides®; CliffsNotes; books by J.R.R. Tolkien; and many iconic children’s books and characters including Curious George®, The Little Prince and The Polar Express. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.
About Jacqueline Davies
Jacqueline Davies, whom Books for Kids calls “one of the best writers for the middle grades around,” has also written picture books, including The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon. Her books have been Junior Library Guild selections, named to the IndieNext list, and received numerous starred reviews. Ms. Davies, who frequently travels the country doing in-school writing workshops, lives in Needham, Massachusetts, with her family. To learn more about Jacqueline, her books, and the lemonade stand fundraiser, visit Jacqueline’s website at www.lemonadewar.com.