SEATTLE (December 19, 2007) — Bella Sara™, the collectable, horse-themed trading cards and online world for girls, is riding high after being named one of the best stocking stuffers this holiday season by About.com. Bella Sara’s publisher, Hidden City Games, has entered into an agreement with distributor Diamond Books to place Bella Sara products in Hudson News, Hudson Booksellers and Kids Works stores in airports and transportation terminals throughout North America.

Bella Sara trading card packs and the Bella Sara Collector Tin will be available across the country, from LAX to JFK, this holiday season, making these ideal stocking stuffers convenient last-minute gift purchases for holiday travelers.

“Bella Sara’s Collector Tin and trading cards, already gifts that keep the fun going year round by unlocking virtual horses in our online world for girls, are now also convenient choices for busy holiday gift-givers,” said Peter D. Adkison, CEO of Hidden City Games. Adkison is also the entrepreneur who previously launched the Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon trading card phenomena in North America. “Bella Sara, with its focus on encouragement and self-esteem, has a positive effect on playtime that parents can feel good about,” continued Adkison.

“Part of the joy of the holiday season is to see the face of a daughter, cousin or niece light up when she gets something she will love as a gift,” said Laura Samuels, director of corporate communications for Hudson Group. “We are excited to be able to add Bella Sara to the lineup of great choices Hudson Group provides busy holiday travelers.”

Developed by Danish social worker Gitte Odder Brændgaard, each Bella Sara trading card features a fairytale-like illustration of a horse along with a positive message such as “Beauty comes from within” or “Be the hero in your own story.” These messages stimulate pro-social dialogue both among girls and between girls and their parents and educators. Each horse card comes with a code that unlocks a virtual version of that horse at www.bellasara.com, a family-friendly Web site with horse jumping and riding games, puzzles, coloring books, interactive stories and more.

Over 30 million Bella Sara cards have been sold worldwide, attracting more than 1.3 million registered users from 240 countries to www.bellasara.com. Since its nationwide debut earlier this year, Bella Sara has received the “Seal of Approval” from the National Parenting Center, the “Seal of Excellence” from Creative Child magazine, the “2007 Excellent Product” and “2007 Outstanding Product” designations from iParenting Media and the “Best Products — Spring 2007” award from Dr. Toy.

Look for these Bella Sara products in Hudson News, Hudson Booksellers and Kids Works this holiday season:

Bella Sara Ancient Lights — This 7-card pack from the latest Bella Sara series is based on Greek and Roman mythology. Each horse card has a unique code that can activate that horse online. Rare energy cards have codes that unlock digital objects or enhance the online experience. $2.99 MSRP

Bella Sara Collector Tin —This embossed tin, featuring Bella herself, contains five card packs and can be used for storing cards or knick-knacks. The card packs include one from the very rare Bella Sara First Edition, which was available only in limited markets prior to the national launch; two from Bella Sara Second Series; one from Bella Sara Northern Lights, featuring horses influenced by Celtic and Norse mythology; and one pack from the most recent release, Bella Sara Ancient Lights, with horses inspired by Greek and Roman legends. Also included in every tin is one extra-rare “shiny” Zephyros card. $9.99 MSRP

 

About Diamond Books
Diamond Book Distributors is a division of Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books and related merchandise. Diamond Book Distributors is dedicated to making a wide selection of graphic novels and other pop culture collectibles available to the mainstream book market.

About Hudson Group
Hudson Group operates more than 500 newsstands, bookstores, cafes and premier specialty retail shops in 69 airports and transportation terminals throughout North America. The company’s flagship concept, Hudson News, is North America’s only national newsstand brand. Under the familiar blue sign can be found the most complete selection of magazines in the aviation industry, along with newspapers and a wide variety of travelers’ necessities, snacks and bottled soft drinks. Hudson Group specialty retail shops include such proprietary brands as Hudson Booksellers, Kids Works and Euro Café. National brands partnering with Hudson Group include Life is good, Crabtree & Evelyn, Godiva Chocolatier, Sunglass Hut, Roots, House of Blues and Quiznos.

About Hidden City Games, Inc.
Hidden City Games, Inc., a venture-backed game publisher headquartered in Seattle, develops and markets tabletop and online games to interactively engage players and collectors of all ages. The company is best known as the exclusive licensor of Bella Sara, the inspirational, horse-themed trading cards and magical online world launched nationwide in the United States in March 2007. Bella Sara, the most successful trading card product ever developed for girls, links to a safe, fun-filled virtual world for kids at www.bellasara.com. Founder and CEO Peter D. Adkison formerly founded Wizards of the Coast, Inc., which created the world’s first trading card game, Magic: The Gathering, and introduced the Pokémon trading card phenomenon to North America.

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Artwork available at http://pressroom.bellasara.com/pr/bellasara/photo.aspx

Media Contact:
Jonathan Zaleski
Schwartzman & Associates, Inc.
(310) 446-8310
jzaleski@schwartzmanpr.com

©2007 Hidden City Games, Inc. BELLA SARA is a trademark of conceptcard and used by Hidden City Games under license. HIDDEN CITY GAMES is a trademark of Hidden City Games, Inc., in the U.S.A. and elsewhere. www.hiddencitygames.com