On April 11, Mayor Michael B. Hancock announced The Cardboard Kingdom as the selection for the Youth One Book, One Denver program. The YOBOD summer reading program offers children ages 9–12 a chance to read along with peers and enjoy fun, educational programming, with activities tied to the book’s themes. A goal of the program is to combat summer learning loss.
“The best thing about the Youth One Book, One Denver is that it really brings books and reading to life in the minds of our children, and because of it, students gain a life-long love for reading as they participate in the book-related events and activities,” Mayor Hancock said. “Chad’s wonderful graphic novel is especially appealing because it combines the visual and written arts to provide a whole new literary experience for every child who will pick it up and dive into its pages.”
According to the press release from the City and County of Denver, “Summer YOBOD programming includes group activities, workshops and classes, and self-directed activities found in the free activity guide. Events and activities are based on The Cardboard Kingdom and range from science and technology to arts and crafts to cooking to writing and community building.”
“When The Cardboard Kingdom came out last year, I never could have imagined that it would be selected for something like the Youth One Book, One Denver program, where thousands of kids throughout an entire city would read these stories and share in the summer-long activities that Denver’s Arts & Venues has put together!” said author Chad Sell. “Throughout every step of this process, I’ve been blown away by the incredible scope of the YOBOD program, by the planning, the activities, and the educator guides they’ve put together. As a brand-new author, it’s such an honor to think that so many kids throughout Denver will read this book, and I hope that they’ll be inspired to pick up some cardboard and embark on their own amazing adventures this summer!”
To learn more about Youth One Book, One Denver, visit the Denver Arts & Venues website where you can read fun facts about Chad Sell, download a FREE adventure guide, and submit photos of your projects. Plus, check out many additional resources!
In the image above, author Chad Sell, City Councilman Jolon Clark (rear), Mayor Michael B. Hancock, and College View Elementary School Principal Shelley Boberschmidt show off the next YOBOD choice: THE CARDBOARD KINGDOM!
About the Book
Welcome to a neighborhood of kids who transform ordinary boxes into colorful costumes and their ordinary block into a cardboard kingdom. This is the summer when sixteen kids encounter knights and rogues, robots and monsters—and their own inner demons—on one last quest before school starts again.
In the cardboard kingdom, you can be anything you want to be—imagine that!
The Cardboard Kingdom was created, organized, and drawn by Chad Sell, and includes writing from ten other authors: Jay Fuller, David DeMeo, Katie Schenkel, Kris Moore, Molly Muldoon, Vid Alliger, Manuel Betancourt, Michael Cole, Cloud Jacobs, and Barbara Perez Marquez. The Cardboard Kingdom affirms the power of imagination and play during the important years of adolescent identity-searching and emotional growth.
