Claiming that it has received "numerous expressions of interest" from parties interested in acquiring all or part of its business, Hungry Minds has hired Morgan Stanley to evaluate its strategic alternatives, including possible deals with companies that have already contacted the company. Hungry Minds announced on March 29 that, faced with falling sales and a cash crunch, it intended to hire a financial adviser to help it explore its options. As Hungry Minds weighs its future options, the company signed a publishing agreement with HowStuffWorks Inc. to develop books based on the www.howstuffworks.com Web site. The site provides information on how everyday items work. The first two books under the partnership, HowStuffWorks and How Much Does the Earth Weigh?, will be released in September. Hungry Minds and HowStuffWorks will co-promote the books on their respective Web sites.