To celebrate the 190th birthday of the Father of Science Fiction (don’t tell H.G. Wells I said that), we’re giving away classroom sets of one of his most thrilling tales of adventure and improbable geology: Journey to The Center of the Earth!

And to get you in the Jules Verne mood, here are 5 fun facts about the author: 

1. He wasn’t always an author.
Before finding his literary footing, Verne studied law, wrote libretti and even had a stint as a stock broker.

2. His second manuscript was rejected.
Paris in the 20th Century, Verne’s second book, was resolutely rejected by his publisher for being too pessimistic. It’s about a young man living in a world of calculators, automobiles, skyscrapers and “electric concerts”–can you imagine?! It lay forgotten in a safe until it was rediscovered and published in 1994.

3. He was an avid boater.
Upon finding success as an author, Verne and his wife bought a boat and enjoyed sailing the seas and seeing the sights. Their travels provided continuous fodder for his writings.

4. He was chummy with Alexandre Dumas & Victor Hugo.
Jules Verne hung out in Paris with the authors of The Three Musketeers and The Hunchback of Notre Dame–quite the literary trifecta!

5. He is one of the world’s most translated authors.
Second only to Dame Agatha Christie, and let’s face it, she’s hard to beat.

Enter Our Jules Verne Classroom Giveaway! 

Here’s your chance to win a classroom set of Jules Verne classic Journey to the Center of the Earth! Giveaway closes Sunday, March 18 at 11:59 p.m. Only one entry per person, please. 

(Please note that we can only ship titles to a school address.)

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winners!