14-PART ADVENTURE STORY BEGINS TODAY

Today the Southeast Missourian launches "Adventure on Ocracoke Island," a serialized adventure story that will be published 14 consecutive weeks in the Learning section of Tuesday's papers.

It tells the tale of 11-year-old Delia Parrish, who left her Virginia home in the early days of World War II to stay with her aunt on Ocracoke Island, N.C. But all is not so safe and sound. It turns out that German submarines are waging war on ships not far from the island's shores.

It is a story about family trials, acceptance and most of all courage.

"Adventure on Ocracoke Island" first appeared in 1999 in The Roanoke Times. It was written and illustrated by two staff members for the paper's Newspaper in Education program. This is the second serial written by Karen Adams Sulkin and illustrated by Robert Lunsford for the Roanoke paper. The two first produced "The Mystery of Roanoke" for the NIE program in 1998.

Each chapter is about 850 words in length. The series will run through May 23.

The fact this new adventure serial appears each Tuesday should be a boost to the schools that participate in the local Newspaper in Education program, said Kim McDowell, NIE coordinator.

The Southeast Missourian's Newspaper in Education program distributes 2,800 papers each Tuesday to YELL schools in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City. Both private and public schools benefit from the program.

McDowell believes the serialized adventure story will help children get into the reading habit.

"Comics and serials are known to be an excellent way to encourage younger readers to open the newspaper at breakfast," she said. "The Southeast Missourian looks forward to offering these morning serials to children and adults."

In fact, the serials are a great way to bring parents and children together for reading, she said.

McDowell said the timing of the serial couldn't be better with the approach of the national Newspaper in Education Week, which begins March 3.