Nosy Crow's Blog, page 101

Shadowing the Carnegie with Abingdon Schools

Last Monday I had the privilege of being one of five judges at the Abingdon Schools Carnegie Forum. The forum is now in its twelfth year and has come about thanks to brilliant efforts from school librarians and teachers with the aim of fostering a shared enjoyment of reading.

Around 100 pupils from years seven and eight across six local schools have shadowed the CILIP Carnegie Medal since March. They aimed to read and review as many of the eight shortlisted Carnegie Medal books as they could before the winner was announced.

The children assessed the books using the same criteria used by the Carnegie judges, discussed each book and wrote reviews. As part of the forum the students attended a Carnegie Tea to launch the scheme, a Carnegie Quiz, and finally they came together to create group presentations about their favourite book last Monday, on the day the Carnegie winner was announced.

The children spent the morning planning and practising three-minute presentation about their favourite book, guided by PGCE English Students from the Department of Education at Oxford University who had volunteered to facilitate the groups. Meanwhile the judges spent an intense morning, heavily incentivised by tea and biscuits, deciding on our favourite book review for each shortlisted title. Competition was tough – we even had to create some new prizes, including ‘best hatchet job’, in order to give fair rewards.

We judged the best group presentation in the afternoon. With approaches ranging from news reporter-style interviews with characters, dramatic re-enactments of key scenes, and chaired debates about moral questions raised by the story, the presentations were fantastic. I was so impressed by the students’ mature consideration of the books and by the whole event’s collaborative and thoughtful atmosphere.

At the end of the day the children voted for the book they thought should win the Carnegie. This year’s judges would be pleased to learn that Abingdon schools overwhelmingly voted for Salt to the Sea as their favourite too.

Come and work for Nosy Crow: we’re hiring a Rights and Contracts Assistant

We have a really exciting opportunity for a hardworking, organised individual, who is probably at the start of their career in publishing, to join Nosy Crow’s rights department. Impressive rights sales were a key reason we won the title of Children’s Publisher of the Year at both The British Book Awards 2017 and the 2017 Independent Publishers Guild Awards, and this is your chance to be part of and contribute to our success in this fast-moving, fascinating, international area of our business.

Purpose of the Job:

The role of the Rights and Contracts Assistant is to provide administrative support to the rights department to enable the sale of translation rights and co-editions of our frontlist and backlist, create contracts for all foreign rights and co-edition sales, and contribute to the smooth running of the department.

The Rights and Contracts Assistant reports to the Rights Manager (with, at least initially, a dotted line report to the Commercial Director, who is currently responsible for generating all of our contracts).

We are a very small team and we value the organisational and creative input that we can all provide to help shape our products to be the best they can be.

Key responsibilities and tasks:

Creating and amending contracts for all foreign rights sales, and coordinating their sending and return
Creating rights appointment schedules for all book fairs attended by the Nosy Crow rights-selling team
Assisting in coordinating the sending out of the follow-up material after the fairs
Assisting in organising selling material for the Bologna and Frankfurt fairs
Organising appointment schedules and sales material for foreign trips outside of the main fairs
Organising travel and accommodation arrangements for foreign trips, including fairs
Updating the rights database containing information on all submissions, rejections and licences of our books
Coordinating the mail-out of foreign copies to authors, illustrators and their agents
Providing general administrative support required by the rights department
Providing some general office administrative support

 

Key skills, characteristics and capabilities:

Strong organisitional skills
Excellent attention to detail
The ability to multitask and prioritise tasks
The ability to work under pressure
Great initiative and the ability to work independently
Strong numeracy skills
Knowledge of at least one foreign language, in addition to perfect written and spoken English
Excellent communication
A strong interest in children’s literature

 

The successful candidate will have the right to live and work in the UK.

To apply, please email your CV, accompanied by a covering letter, to Ola Gotkowska (ola at nosycrow dot com).

The closing date for applications is Sunday 16 July at midnight (UK time).

Come and work for Nosy Crow: we’re hiring a Rights and Contract Assistant

We have a really exciting opportunity for a hardworking, organised individual, who is probably at the start of their career in publishing, to join Nosy Crow’s rights department. Impressive rights sales were a key reason we won the title of Children’s Publisher of the Year at both The British Book Awards 2017 and the 2017 Independent Publishers Guild Awards, and this is your chance to be part of and contribute to our success in this fast-moving, fascinating, international area of our business.

Purpose of the Job:

The role of the Rights and Contracts Assistant is to provide administrative support to the rights department to enable the sale of translation rights and co-editions of our frontlist and backlist, create contracts for all foreign rights and coedition sales, and contribute to the smooth running of the department.

The Rights and Contracts Assistant reports to the Rights Manager (with, at least initially, a dotted line report to the Commercial Director, who is currently responsible for generating all of our contracts).

We are a very small team and we value the organisational and creative input that we can all provide to help shape our products to be the best they can be.

Key responsibilities and tasks:

Creating and amending contracts for all foreign rights sales, and coordinating their sending and return
Creating rights appointment schedules for all book fairs attended by the Nosy Crow rights-selling team
Assisting in coordinating the sending out of the follow-up material after the fairs
Assisting in organising selling material for the Bologna and Frankfurt fairs
Organising appointment schedules and sales material for foreign trips outside of the main fairs
Organising travel and accommodation arrangements for foreign trips, including fairs
Updating the rights database containing information on all submissions, rejections and licences of our books
Coordinating the mail-out of foreign copies to authors, illustrators and their agents
Providing general administrative support required by the rights department
Providing some general office administrative support

 

Key skills, characteristics and capabilities:

Strong organisitional skills
Excellent attention to detail
The ability to multitask and prioritise tasks
The ability to work under pressure
Great initiative and the ability to work independently
Strong numeracy skills
Knowledge of at least one foreign language, in addition to perfect written and spoken English
Excellent communication
A strong interest in children’s literature

 

The successful candidate will have the right to live and work in the UK.

To apply, please email your CV, accompanied by a covering letter, to Ola Gotkowska (ola at nosycrow dot com).

The closing date for applications is Sunday 16 July at midnight (UK time).

Summer reading review round-ups!

The Guardian and The Sunday Times both reviewed their favourite children’s books of the Summer over the weekend, and we were delighted to see some Nosy Crow books included!

In The Guardian, Imogen Russell Williams reviewed two of our first books published in collaboration with the British Museum – 123 and ABC. Russell Williams writes: “For the very youngest picture-book fans this month, Nosy Crow’s collaboration with the British Museum yields two enticing board-books, 123 and ABC. The alphabet book features stylish photographs of exhibits from around the world, ranging from Japanese porcelain elephants to Austrian woodcuts of oranges; the counting book gives infant curators the delightful illusion of handling ancient hats, dolls, keys and rings.”

You can read read The Guardian’s full Summer children’s books round-up here – and here’s a look at the two new books.

Buy the book.

Buy the book.

And for The Sunday Times, Nicolette Jones reviewed There’s a Werewolf in my Tent, the latest hilarious book in the Baby Aliens series, written by Pamela Butchart and illustrated by Thomas Flintham. Jones writes: “Teachers are evidently the scariest creatures imaginable, as proven in Pamela Butchart’s tale, for 5-8s, of a school camping trip in which missing sausages and Miss Moon’s hairy legs convince young Izzy that There’s a Werewolf in My Tent!. Accessible and lively, this is a romp about friendship, imagination and misunderstandings, with bold illustrations by Thomas Flintham that recall the work of Jacqueline Wilson’s illustrator Nick Sherratt.”

You can read read The Sunday Time’s full Summer children’s books round-up here – and here’s a look inside There’s a Werewolf in my Tent:

Buy the book.

Warming the new Crow’s Nest!

Last night we celebrated our – and our new Crow’s Nest – with a Summer party for authors, illustrators, agents, librarians, booksellers, reviewers, and other friends of Nosy Crow. And here are a few photos from the evening!

Authors Karen McCombie, Patrice Lawrence, Robin Stevens, Catherine Johnson, and Louie Stowell

Nosy Crow’s Managing Director, Kate Wilson, and Commercial Director, Adrian Soar

Illustrators Ros Beardshaw and Deborah Allwright, Nosy Crow’s Head of Picture Books, Louise Bolongaro, and author Caryl Hart 

Nosy Crow’s Senior PR Manager, Clare Hall-Craggs, and agent Helen Mackenzie Smith (with canapés supplied by our  neighbours at Borough Market)

Authors Robin Stevens and Louie Stowell and journalist Imogen Russell Williams

Author-illustrator Hrefna Bragadottir, author Greg Gormley, illustrator Paula Metcalf, and agent Anne Clark

Agent Jodie Hodges, author Sally Nicholls, and Nosy Crow’s Managing Director, Kate Wilson

Agent Hilary Delamere, Nosy Crow’s Managing Director, Kate Wilson, and National Trust Publisher Katie Bond

Illustrator Kate Hindley, agent Sallyanne Sweeney, and illustrators Steven Lenton, Leigh Hodgkinson, and Sarah Horne

Axel Scheffler reads from “Nosy Crow’s Party”

Authors Caryl Hart and Elli Woollard

Illustrators for Three Peas

Today sees the launch of the Illustrators for Three Peas auction – a charity artwork auction featuring work by some of the UK’s best loved children’s book illustrators, including Axel Scheffler, Chris Riddell, Emily Gravett, Oliver Jeffers, Lauren Child, Liz Pichon, Tony Ross, and more.

All of the funds raised will go to the Three Peas charity, helping stranded refugee families and individuals in Greece. You can learn more about Three Peas here.

The auction launches today, and bidding will end on July 2nd – if there’s a piece of artwork that catches your eye, get bidding and help support a very worthwhile cause!

Signed copies of Fleur Hitchcock’s books now available!

Last year, we published Murder in Midwinter by Fleur Hitchcock – a fantastically exciting, gripping murder mystery for 9 – 12 year olds, from an author who has, in the words of The Times’ Alex O’Connell, “cornered the market in hard-boilers for beginners.” We loved the book’s striking cover so much that we commissioned its illustrator, Robert Ball, to re-illustrate Fleur’s first two books for Nosy Crow: Dear Scarlett and Saving Sophia – and signed copies of all three books are now available to buy from the Nosy Crow shop!

These are absolutely BRILLIANT stories for middle-grade readers – contemporary thrillers that will keep you guessing until the final page. Here’s a look inside each book.

Take a look inside Dear Scarlett:

Buy a signed copy.

Take a look inside Saving Sophia:

Buy a signed copy.

Take a look inside Murder in Midwinter:

Buy a signed copy.

The Nosy Crow Masterclass is nearly sold out

Last week we announced the return of one of our Nosy Crow Masterclass events, How to Write Picture Books – an intensive, all-day writing event, with sessions from authors, editors, agents, staff at Nosy Crow, and more.

The day will include practical suggestions, advice on every aspect of writing, as well as guidance about what comes after – finding an agent, understanding a contract, and international selling. And as part of the masterclass, there’ll also be one-on-one manuscript critiques for every attendee who has selected this ticket option.

And the masterclass is already very nearly sold out! Tickets with manuscript feedback are currently sold out, but there are still four Saver Ticket places available – so if you’re interested in attending, book your spot now!

The masterclass will take place on Saturday September 9th, here at the Nosy Crow office (14 Baden Place, Crosby Row, London SE1 1YW).

Ticket price includes tea and coffee breaks throughout the day, lunch, and a glass of wine at the end of the day.

We’ll be announcing our first speakers for the day very shortly – we hope to see you there!

Authors for Grenfell Tower

Yesterday, Harriet Reuter Hapgood (author of The Square Root of Summer), Molly Ker Hawn (agent at the Bent Agency), and Sara Barnard (author of Beautiful Broken Things) launched Authors for Grenfell Tower – an online auction raising money for the British Red Cross London Fire Relief Fund for residents affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.

The auction is now open – and there are some fantastic items on offer, from signed books, to manuscript critiques from editors and agents, to one-of-a-kind experiences including cookery classes and book-browsing dates.

Amongst the lots on offer are a complete signed set of books by award-winning author David Solomons – My Brother is a Superhero, My Gym Teacher is an Alien Overlord, and My Evil Twin is a Supervillain. You can bid here.

And Nosy Crow’s commissioning fiction editor Tom Bonnick is offering a manuscript critique (along with tea and cake) – you can bid here.

You can find the full list of auction lots here, and more about the auction itself here. To bid, leave a comment on the item with your amount in GBP sterling. Bidding ends at 8:00 p.m. BST on Tuesday 27 June 2017, and winning bidders will be contacted by Authors For Grenfell with the information they need to donate to the British Red Cross London Fire Relief Fund.

Get bidding, and good luck!

Our new July books are almost here!

We have a great mix of new titles arriving in bookshops this July,and there’s plenty to get excited about – from new fiction, to picture books, novelty books, and books bursting with things to make and colour, there’s plenty here to keep little hands busy this Summer. Take an early peek at what’s new from the Nosy Crow nest!

We’re thrilled to introduce an incredibly stylish duo of novelty books from our new Lois and Bob series: Lois looks for Bob at Home and Lois looks for Bob at the Park.  With fresh, contemporary illustrations by Gerry Turley, this is a visually arresting and wonderfully quirky lift-the-flap series. All little readers will love helping Lois search for her friend Bob behind the different objects, and encountering new friends along the way!

Also publishing this July is Mummy! –  a lift-the-flap adventure through ancient Egypt for little readers. A little Egyptian girl can’t find her mummy . . . and she needs your help! After discovering a whole host of Egyptian animals, from cats to crocodiles, she discovers that there is more than one kind of mummy! Published in partnership with The British Museum, Mummy! is an ingenious piece of narrative non-fiction, illustrated by Lerryn Korda, ending with an adorably reassuring spread as mummy and toddler reunite.

Rounding off July’s new board books is Blocks, written and illustrated by Irene Dickson. Sharing is never easy when you’re little! Follow Ruby and Benji as they build with their coloured blocks and learn that by sharing their blocks and building together they can have even more fun! This timeless story of sharing is perfect for little readers, and shows that playing nicely together means more fun for everyone!

Take a look inside:

If you were hoping for even more Irene Dickson, then get ready for Stick, her brand new picture book. Head outdoors and discover that there are SO many things you can do with a stick. You can throw it for your dog, balance with it, float it down a stream, draw pictures in the sand and, if you’re lucky, it might even help you make new friends! All it takes is a good, useful stick and a bit of creativity.

Here’s a peek at what’s inside:

Our second picture book, coming out this July, is Troll Stroll, a fun and rhyming story by Elli Woollard with illustrations by David Barrow. Troll is fed up with eating boring old goats, so off he strolls in search of some scrumptious children. But the children are clever, and outwit Troll time after time as they tell him to wait because there’s something FAR tastier coming along the road after them… At last, the children turn the tables on the Troll, who makes a quick exit back to his mountain cave! Troll Stroll is publishing in hardback and paperback in a few weeks time.

Take a look inside:

Next up we have two new activity books, published in partnership with The British Museum.

Get creative with The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Amazing Animas & Beautiful Birds. This amazingly innovative colouring book is full of beautifully designed cards and envelopes to tear out and colour, all illustrated in stunning detail by Rachel Cloyne. The twenty-four gorgeous designs are inspired by animals and birds found in The British Museum and are perfect for all ages to decorate and send to family and friends. Use the handy index at the back to take inspiration from the Museum objects themselves or get experimental – try unusual colours and different materials to make each card truly unique! With enough blank space inside for a message, envelopes to customise and colour stickers to seal your card, this is the complete creative package!

We’re thrilled to be publishing the Around the World Colouring Book, illustrated by Thomas Flintham and packed full of information and facts from The British Museum. Take a tour around sixteen incredible civilisations, from Mayan temples in Central America to the palaces of ancient Persia, and many more in between. Colour in and learn about the bustling markets of ancient Greece, then turn the page and discover a traditional Chinese dragon parade. Complete your pictures with over 70 stickers of historical artefacts from each civilisation!

Look out for the latest book in the Zoe’s Rescue Zoo series, The Picky Puffin, written by Amelia Cobb. When Great-Uncle Horace brings back lost and homeless animals from his travels around the globe, it falls to Zoe, and her mum, the zoo vet, to settle them into their new home. Zoe’s very good at this, because she can understand what they say and talk to them, too. But that’s a secret! Puffins are Zoe’s favourite ever animal, so when Poppy arrives at the Rescue Zoo, Zoe is very happy to help her settle in. But Poppy is very picky! She doesn’t like her enclosure … or her burrow … or even her food! Can Zoe and Meep work out what is making Poppy the puffin so picky, and come up with a plan to make the little puffin feel happy in her new home? This chapter book is great for young readers who are growing in confidence, and is illustrated throughout with beautiful black and white artwork from Sophy Williams.

Take a look inside the latest Zoe’s Rescue Zoo:

And finally, we are very excited to publish My Evil Twin is a Supervillain – the third installment in the series of Luke’s laugh-out-loud adventures by David Solomons, the author of My Gym Teacher is an Alien Overlord and My Brother Is a Superhero, winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and the British Book Industry Awards Children’s Book of the Year.

When Luke is confronted with Stellar, his superpowered twin from another dimension, he is highly suspicious. No one travels through time and space without a plan, and that plan is usually EVIL. So what does Stellar want? And why is he so UNBELIEVABLY IRRITATING? From his superhero hair to his rocket-powered shoes, Stellar is up to no good, and Luke must BRING HIM DOWN!

Here’s a sneak peek, before it’s published:

Don’t forget – you can stay up to date with all of our book news by signing up to our books newsletter at this page, or with the form below – you’ll never miss a thing!

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