Simon & Schuster has announced a partnership with Everloop, the social media company launched in February that offers an online community platform for kids between the ages of eight and 13. On the network, S&S will host an interactive book club experience called S&S In the Book Loop, giving Everloop members access to two free middle-grade books each month via a Web view e-reader. The club’s first offerings, available now, are Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell and Spaceheadz (SPHDZ) Book #1 by Jon Scieszka.
Books that the club will spotlight in the future include novels by Brandon Mull, Tony DiTerlizzi, Jo Nesbo, and Andrew Clements. “We will be featuring books by bestselling authors, as well as some first-time authors,” says Lucille Rettino, director of marketing for Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. “We’ll include books we want to get word out about and get kids buzzing about.” Modeled on the publisher’s Pulse It Board, which provides book content online to teens, S&S In the Book Loop will also connect members with authors via virtual chat sessions and provide access to other book-related media, virtual goods, and programs.
Everloop’s comprehensive privacy protection, which includes user authentication, real-time moderation, a parental dashboard, and a reputation engine, is meant to ensure the network’s age-appropriateness for the tween audience. In addition, Everloop is compliant with COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which bars Web sites from collecting information from visitors under the age of 13 without the consent of parents. And Everloop’s recent partnership with i-Safe.org, publisher of media literacy and digital citizenship education materials and programming, will extend the network’s reach into some 56,000 grade K-8 schools.
“Everloop’s partnership with i-Safe is a great stamp of approval, and a wonderful way to get our books into schools,” says Rettino. “Social media is a perfect technology to connect children to their reading passions in a way that is entertaining and meaningful, and we are excited to create an online community where tweens can read and talk about books.”
