Nosy Crow's Blog, page 105

David Solomons looks back on last year’s British Book Industry Awards

The British Book Awards take place night (we are shortlisted in four categories) – and to commemorate the event, we asked David Solomons for his recollections of last year’s ceremony, where he was awarded the Children’s Book of the Year prize for his debut children’s novel, My Brother is a Superhero.

The day of the British Book Awards began with a significant triumph. I fitted into my dinner suit. After that, I figured anything else would be a bonus. In truth, I arrived at the Grosvenor House hotel with little expectation of picking up anything other than a glass of wine. The first surprise of the evening was the setting. It’s not called the Great Room for nothing. Seemingly endless ranks of round tables lit by dangling chandeliers, and an imposing stage flanked by two giant screens. By the time the room filled up with the great and the good of British publishing, I confess I was hoping I hadn’t won – the thought of standing up in front of the entire industry filled me with anxiety. I recall feeling physically unwell at the prospect. (Remember this bit – it’s what we in the business call foreshadowing). Thankfully, I was amongst friends at the Nosy Crow table. We settled down to enjoy the show, applauding politely as winners were announced, and when appropriate commiserating with others – ‘You were robbed!’ The children’s category was one of the last of the night. Even though I’d arrived at the awards with low expectations, by the time it came around I was trembling with anticipation. What happened next is something of a blank. I remember hearing the title of the book boomed across the PA system, and stumbling on-stage with my editor, Kirsty Stansfield, to mutter a few words of thanks. The presenter, Mariella Frostrup, had asked everyone to keep their speeches short. I can honestly say that wasn’t an issue for me. Fabulous golden trophy in hand, I made my way back to my table, through a sea of congratulations. So, after that, it’s all floating on champagne bubbles, right? Not so fast. The potent combination of anxiety and anticipation landed and I was convulsed with the worst indigestion of my life. I groaned my way through two interviews and gurned for the photographer. I’m not saying that at that moment I would’ve swapped my award for some Gaviscon, but… Stabbing pain aside, it was an amazing experience. I’ve spent the majority of my career not winning, so last year came as something of a shock and delight. The trophy sits proudly on my bookcase – it’s one of the first things I see each morning when I sit down to write. I hope this year’s winner enjoys their year as much as I’ve enjoyed mine.

Thank you, David! You can take a look inside David’s award-winning book below – good luck to all of this year’s British Book Award nominees!

Little Bits of Sky has been shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award!

The shortlist for the Branford Boase award has just been announced, and we are absolutely thrilled to see that it includes Little Bits of Sky, the debut novel by S.E. Durrant!

The Branford Boase award is given annually to to reward the most promising new writers and their editors, as well as to reward excellence in writing and in publishing. It’s the only award that recognises a book’s editor in this way, and alongside S.E. Durrant, Little Bits of Sky’s editor, Kirsty Stansfield, is also shortlisted.

We are INCREDIBLY pleased and proud for Sue, Kirsty, and the book. Moving, wise, and beautifully written, Little Bits of Sky is a breathtaking debut for 9-12 year old readers, and an uplifting story of loss, love and finding your place in the world.

If you’ve not discovered this fantastic story yet, here’s a look inside the book:

Buy the book online.

The winner of the Branford Boase will be announced in July – congratulations, Sue and Kirsty, and good luck!

Sweet Pizza by G.R. Gemin has been shortlisted for the Little Rebels Children’ Book Award!

The shortlist for the 2017 Little Rebels Children’ Book Award has been unveiled, and we are thrilled to see that it includes Sweet Pizza, by G.R. Gemin!

The Little Rebels Award recognises children’s fiction which promotes social justice or social equality, challenges stereotypes or is informed by anti-discriminatory concerns. It is given by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB), and this year is administered by radical bookshop Housmans. There are six titles on this year’s shortlist, and the winner will be annouced at the London Radical Bookfair on June 25th.

A great story that has immigration at its core, Sweet Pizza is perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and Michael Morpurgo – it’s got fantastic dramatic writing, strong characters, and big-hearted social realism.

Joe’s family run the local cafe in Bryn Mawr. It’s seen better days and Joe’s mam wants to sell it. But it was started before the war by Joe’s Italian great-grandfather, and he can’t bear to see it shut. And Joe loves his Italian heritage: the language, the opera, the lasagne! As Joe looks down the depressing High Street, he’s determined to bring this diverse town together through good food and fine times! He vows to save the family business, and find out more about his past at the same time….

Here’s a look inside the book:

Buy the book.

Congratulations, Giancarlo!

It’s our May publication day!

First up is a wonderfully vivid and squashy book for the very young. Part of our new Tiny Little Story series, Park follows Baby Boo as they spend a day of discovery at the park. With bold images and the simplest of stories, this is the perfect first book to share with a baby. Created by Lisa Jones and Edward Underwood, it comes with a velcro-fasten buggy handle and special crinkly pages!

We’re excited to publish two more additions to our Felt Flaps series this month, gorgeously illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius. Can you find the friendly animals hiding behind the bright felt flaps? There’s also a mirror on the final page! A perfect book to share with very little ones. With flexible flaps that are soft to the touch, little readers will grow in confidence as they turn the pages and discover all the hidden animals. Here’s a look at the two titles – Where’s Mr Owl and Where’s Mrs Hen?

There is a new Violet Rose book in the series out today – just in time for some (hopefully!) summery weather. School’s out for the summer and Violet Rose and her friends are going on holiday! Help them to set up camp, decorate sandcastles on the beach and go on a nature scavenger hunt. At the end, make a holiday scrapbook to remember all the fun! Beautifully illustrated by Jannie Ho, and with over 175 stickers, press outs and free printable available online, there’s plenty to make and do. Here’s a look at Violet Rose and The Summer Holiday:

It’s publication day for the latest instalment of our popular Press Out and Colour series, illustrated by Zoe Ingram! Each press-out butterfly is intricately decorated with foil and perfect for all ages to colour in. Featuring ten unique butterfly species, each with a contrasting pattern on the undersides of their wings, the press-out pieces can be easily slotted together to create cheerful hanging ornaments. From a stripy zebra longwing to a beautifully ornate blue morpho, these gorgeous butterflies look elegant in white and silver, but even better when you add colour to create a hanging kaleidoscope of butterflies! Take a look at Press Out and Colour: Butterflies:

We’re also publishing TWO new picture books today!

It’s publication day for The Treasure of Pirate Frank – a brand new picture book written by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham. A boy and his dog set sail in search of treasure, braving stormy seas . . . mountains snowy and cold . . . the forest where the monkeys swing . . . the swamp where the bullfrogs sing . . . and other challenging obstacles, before finally reaching the end of their quest. But wait – they might be in for a BIG surprise! Jez Tuya‘s illustrations are full of detail and humour, and the rhythmic lines will soon have you chanting along with the story!

Take a look inside:

And That Bear Can’t Babysit is out today, too – a new picture book full of brilliantly naughty bunnies and one very dreamy bear, written by Ruth Quayle and illustrated by Alison Friend.

When Mr and Mrs Burrow hire a babysitter, they are not expecting Bear. And Bear is NOT expecting seven little bunnies who are full of mischief. Together, the bunnies persuade Bear to read a scary book, give them sweets and chocolate spread for dinner, and go crazy with the garden hose! But when the bunnies find Bear sailing the high seas in a make-believe ship, suddenly he isn’t such a bad babysitter after all. When Mr and Mrs Burrow return, all the bunnies are peacefully tucked up in bed… Well, almost all of them. Alison Friend‘s illustrations are simultaneously sweet and mischievous as the bunnies try to push the boundaries with their new babysitter – a real delight!

Take a look inside:

And today we’re also the first paperback edition of Pip and Posy: The New Friend, by Axel Scheffler. Pip and Posy are having a lovely day at the seaside, collecting shells and digging the sand. But when Posy has a nap, Pip makes friends with a boy called Zac who has lots more toys and beach gear. A funny and dramatic story about working out that two’s company and three’s a… PARTY!

Take a peek inside the latest in the Pip and Posy series here:

This month we’re publishing not one, not two, but FIVE new titles in partnership with the British Museum.

First up, we have two books in our new British Museum: First Concepts series for little readers. Featuring amazing objects from the British Museum, this series of captivating board books encourages children to engage with early learning concepts. In 123, inquisitive toddlers will enjoy learning to count from one to twenty. In ABC, they’ll discover the alphabet from A to Z. With gorgeous photographic images on every page, and an informative index at the back (and a QR code to scan and find out even MORE!) there’s a lot to discover, whatever your age. Here’s a look at the two new books:

Get creative with a new book in the The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes series. Publishing this month, in partnership with The British Museum, Fabulous Flowers and Perfect Patterns is an amazingly innovative colouring book, full of beautifully designed cards and envelopes to tear out and colour. Rachel Cloyne‘s twenty-four gorgeous designs are inspired by patterns found in the British Museum and are perfect for all ages to decorate and send to family and friends. 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 stickers to seal your card -this is the complete creative package! For the curious – there’s also an informative index at the back of the book so you can discover the historical inspiration behind the intricate designs! Here’s a look:

Discover the ancient art of Origami with the British Museum’s Origami, Poems and Pictures, and learn how to make your own, too! This stunning book features three beautiful Japanese art forms in one gorgeous gift format. For each animal or object, children will be able to read the haiku, enjoy a painting from the British Museum collection… and then make the origami figure. With fifty sheets of origami paper, you can fill your home with your very own paper creations!

Who ever said History or Museums were boring clearly hadn’t read this – Maurice the Museum Mouse’s Amazing Ancient Book of Facts and Jokes is out today, published in partnership with The British Museum. Written by Tracey Turner and wittily illustrated by Mark Beech, this joke book is full of side-splittingly hilarious jokes and fascinating facts about civilisations found in the British Museum. Full of bite-size facts about amazing ancient worlds and jokes that will have you howling, Maurice the Museum Mouse’s comical collection is just as entertaining as the British Museum’s own collection!

Take a look inside:

The Secret Diary of John Drawbridge, a Medieval Knight in Training is in shops today! This is the first in our National Trust: Secret Diary series, illustrated by Jamie Littler, and the latest book from Philip Ardagh, author of The Grunts.

John Drawbridge has moved to Widemoat Castle to learn to become a knight. And there is a LOT to learn. . . How to charge with a lance on horseback without falling off. Why the spiral staircases always go up in a clockwise direction. How to defend the castle against invading parties. Why the plates served at banquets are made of stale bread (and why you shouldn’t eat them…). And much, MUCH more. So it’s no wonder that John decides to keep a diary (even if it is only an imaginary one…) of his time at the castle. Things REALLY liven up when the castle is attacked by an invading Welsh party – but can John foil their plot before it’s too late…?

Go on! Take a look inside:

And finally – this May we’ll be publishing There’s a Werewolf in my Tent!, the exciting new instalment in the award-winning and utterly hilarious Izzy series. Another brilliantly funny longer read for the newly confident reader from the best-selling, award-winning, author-illustrator team, Pamela Butchart and Thomas Flintham.

Izzy and her friends are SO EXCITED about their school trip. They’re going camping and there’ll be marshmallows and no washing and everything. But then WEIRD things start happening! There are howling sounds at night, and some sausages have gone missing, and it’s nearly a full moon… But it’s when they see their new teacher’s hairy legs that they KNOW! There’s a werewolf on the school trip and they’re all DOOMED!

Take a peek inside and prepare to HOWWWWL with laughter:

Congratulations to today’s new authors and illustrators!

 

Take a look inside My Evil Twin is a Supervillain – the brand new book from David Solomons!

This June we are thrilled to be publishing My Evil Twin is a Supervillain – the third fantastic book by David Solomons, and the follow-up to the award-winning, best-selling My Brother is a Superhero and My Gym Teacher is an Alien Overlord.

Finished copies of the new book recently arrived in the office, and they look GREAT. And today, for the first time, you can take an early look inside My Evil Twin is a Supervillian – we’re sharing the opening two chapters!

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.

Laugh-out-loud funny, and hugely exciting, this is another incredible adventure that’ll have you gripped. And here’s a look inside!

My Evil Twin is a Supervillain  won’t be in shops until June, but if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning an exclusive proof copy of the book, sign up to our books newsletter, either at this page or with the form below – we’ll be giving away some rare proofs in a competition for subscribers next week.

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Won In Translation: Two Nosy Crow Books Win Presigious European Awards On The Same Day

The French translation of Nosy Crow’s My Brother Is A Superhero (Mon Frère Est Un Super-Héros) by David Solomons, published by Gallimard Jeunesse, and translated by Karine Chaunac, has won the Prix Enfantaisie in Switzerland. Author David Solomons was presented with the award on 26 April in Geneva at a ceremony at the prestigious National Book Fair, le Salon du Livre de Genève. The prize is run by Payot Libraire in partnership with the Swiss Youth & Media Institute. In the UK My Brother Is A Superhero won the British Book Industry Award for Children’s Book of the Year and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Rights to My Brother Is A Superhero have been sold by Nosy Crow to 19 countries and the UK edition alone has sold 160,000 copies. David’s new book, My Evil Twin Is A Supervillain, is published by Nosy Crow on 29th June 2017.

French publisher, Christine Baker, Editorial Director of Gallimard Jeunesse, comments: “Mon Frère Est Un Super-Héros is a very special book, as intelligent and sensitive as it is hilarious and beautifully written. I was eager to make a success of it in France, and we were much helped in this by the graphic genius of Nosy Crow’s choice of cover design and illustrations, and of course by their own outstanding marketing success. There are few children’s book awards in French-speaking territories, and even fewer that will consider non-native French books, so it is especially exciting news for us all to win this prize, especially as this involves thousands of children voting along with the main bookshops.”

Author David Solomons says: “I am thrilled to win a literary award in a language I scraped a ‘B’ in the last exam I took in French at school. I assume that this, my first international book award, now grants me entry to the suave, jet-set author circuit that until now I’ve only read about in the Sunday supplements. But seriously, it was a real honour to collect the prize.”

Here’s a look inside My Brother is a Superhero:

Buy the book online.

On the same day, Nosy Crow’s Don’t Wake Up Tiger (Ssst! De Tijger Slaapt) by Britta Teckentrup won the most important Dutch picture book prize, the Picture Book of the Year Award (Het Prentenboek van het Jaar). The book, published by Gottmer, was selected by librarians. Rights to Don’t Wake Up Tiger have been sold to 6 countries, and has sold 35,000 copies in hardback since publication last summer,  Britta’s latest book for Nosy Crow, Neon Leon, was published in February 2017.

Dutch publisher, Melanie Lasance, Managing Director of Gottmer, comments: “Each year a jury of librarians chooses from all the picturebooks that were published the year before in The Netherlands the 10 most beautiful picture books. The main criteria of the jury are that the book should not only have a good story and attractive illustrations, but should also offer starting points for interaction with toddlers and stimulate them in their play. The chosen books for toddlers and preschoolers will be at the heart of ‘De Nationale Voorleesdagen’ (the national reading aloud campaign) which starts in January2018. We are so proud that our book, Ssst! De Tijger Slaapt by Britta Teckentrup, was chosen from among these 10 books as The Picture Book of the Year. This means that during the whole of 2018, our sleepy tiger will be the image of the Dutch Reading Foundation’s reading aloud campaign.”

Author/illustrator, Britta Teckentrup, comments: “It was such a surprise and an honour to win this hugely prestigious award. I hope that Tiger encourages lots of adults to share books with children in 2018 and beyond.”

Here’s a look inside Don’t Wake Up Tiger:

Buy the book online.

Congratulations, David and Britta!

Pip and Posy and Hugo: A Reader’s Review

In March, we received a particularly cheering letter from someone we didn’t know: Melanie Stephens is three year-old Hugo’s mum, and she said:

“We are writing to you to say thank you for Pip and Posy!

I have a three year-old called Hugo and he is a massive fan of these books. The illustrations are brilliant, but the stories!

They are so simple, but really go to what little babbas are worried about: the early beginnings of friendships; leaving your favourite toy behind; learning to compromise and share; potty training… Amazing! Absolutely amazing!

My son loves them. Our favourite is ‘The Big Balloon’ – the way it’s resolved with bubbles and the wording is just perfect.

To us, there’s nothing on the market that is anything like Pip and Posy, and we recommend the books to other mums all the time. Hugo began to read them from two years-old and they seemed perfectly suited for his age. We love that every book ends in “Hooray!”, and we cheer and smile each time we read them.

So thank you for putting books like this out there. They are fantastic!”

As a publisher, this is just the most fantastic feedback. We put so much time and energy into making each of the books we publish and we are truly motivated in our task by the idea of the children (and their parents or carers, teachers and librarians) enjoying them, and, we hope, loving them and reading them again and again.

As well as sharing this with Axel Scheffler and Camilla Reid who work on these books together, I called Melanie to thank her for the letter, and we spoke together about the importance of sharing books with children from the earliest stage. I asked her to share some of her thoughts about reading aloud with us as part of a blog post. This is what she wrote:

“I think that the greatest gift you can give a child is the joy of reading. And the best time to start is at the beginning. As soon as my children were born, they had a cloth book and a bath book: you’d be amazed how early babies can turn a page! A favourite with all three of my children was Peepo by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. The rhyming repetitive words create a natural melody, speaking to a baby’s love of music. The child also recognises one of the most instinctive game parents play with their babies: peek-a-boo. Every book you read with them benefits your children. Books with large flaps encourage independence as children grapple with them themselves; books with textures encourage the baby to explore the world around them; and one of the best series for 2-4 year olds is Pip and Posy by Axel Scheffler. Each Pip and Posy story seems simple but is completely relatable to little toddlers and is presented in such a fun and friendly way.

Books are more available than ever before whether you buy them or borrow them. It has never been easier to share that special moment with your child. Turn off the world and share the experience together. Laugh at the funny bits, feel sad when things go wrong, and cheer with the “hoorays” at the end. Have fun with stories and your child will want to hear them again and again. Take books with you wherever you go, and you will give them a love that will last a lifetime.”

Thanks to Melanie and to Hugo, pictured above.

Here’s to stuffed and varied bookcases of loved books like Hugo’s.

Two Nosy Crow books shortlisted for a CrimeFest Award!

The shortlists for the 2017 CrimeFest Awards have been announced, and we’re incredibly pleased that two Nosy Crow books have been shortlisted in the Best Crime Novel for Children category!

This brand new award category recognises the outstanding contribution that crime novels for children make to the genre, as well as celebrating the burgeoning interest of children in fiction as a whole.

And we’re thrilled that both Rose Campion and The Stolen Secret, by Lyn Gardner, and Murder in Midwinter, by Fleur Hitchcock, have been shortlisted!

Set in the glitzy world of the Victorian music hall, Rose Campion and The Stolen Secret is the first book in the gripping Campions series – it has more twists and turns than a snake charmer’s act. As a baby, Rose was left by her mother at the door of Campion’s Palace of Variety and Wonders. It’s her home, and she loves it, but she never stops wondering who she really is. When murder threats to destroy the music hall, Rose will need all her performance skills to crack the crime and delve into a murky past of blackmail, subterfuge and abduction… Here’s a look inside the book:

Buy the book.

A tense, snowy drama that keeps you guessing until the very last page, Murder in Midwinter is thrilling, gripping middle-grade reading. When Maya takes a photo from the top of a bus, she has no idea of the trouble it will bring. The bright shop window is gorgeous but the couple arguing in front of it look as if they want to kill each other. And when her flash goes off, they look as if they want to kill her too… Then a body turns up. The police suggest that Maya should go away for a while – somewhere remote, somewhere safe. Her aunt’s farm in the Welsh mountains is the perfect place to hide, and soon it’s snowing hard enough to cut them off completely. No one can get in and no one can get out. But does that mean there’s nothing to fear? Here’s a look inside the book:

Buy the book.

You can find the full shortlists for the CrimeFest Awards here – the winners will be announced at a gala dinner on May 21st. Good luck, Lyn and Fleur!

Murder in Midwinter included in Bookbuzz 2017!

The first titles to be included in Bookbuzz 2017 have been announced, and we are thrilled that Murder in Midwinter by Fleur Hitchcock has been selected for this year’s programme!

Bookbuzz is a reading programme from BookTrust that aims to help schools inspire a love of reading in Year 7 and 8 students. Students in Bookbuzz schools can choose their own book to keep from the list – and all schools who sign up get two sets of the Bookbuzz books for their library.

A tense, snowy drama that keeps you guessing until the very last page, Murder in Midwinter is thrilling, gripping middle-grade reading. When Maya takes a photo from the top of a bus, she has no idea of the trouble it will bring. The bright shop window is gorgeous but the couple arguing in front of it look as if they want to kill each other. And when her flash goes off, they look as if they want to kill her too… Then a body turns up. The police suggest that Maya should go away for a while – somewhere remote, somewhere safe. Her aunt’s farm in the Welsh mountains is the perfect place to hide, and soon it’s snowing hard enough to cut them off completely. No one can get in and no one can get out. But does that mean there’s nothing to fear? Here’s a look inside the book:

You can find out about the first nine titles to be selected here – the final eight Bookbuzz books will be revealed in the first week of May.

Come and work for Nosy Crow: we’re hiring a Head of Non-fiction and Activity

We’re looking for a Head of Non-Fiction and Activity to replace someone who’s relocating to the USA. You’ll combine shaping Nosy Crow’s recently-launched and very successful non-fiction and activity lists with hands-on editing of your own projects.

You’ll already have a strong background, and convincing track record, in editing full-colour books for children. You are as likely to have experience of children’s novelty and picture book publishing as of children’s non-fiction and activity books. You’ll be creative and dynamic with a strong aesthetic sense – you’ll be working closely with our design team – great organisational skills and a passion for accuracy. You’ll be a diplomat and capable ambassador, as you’ll be a key contact for our high-profile partners, including the National Trust and the British Museum, as well as with authors and illustrators (and their agents).

The books you work on will be truly distinctive: children’s non-fiction is changing and Nosy Crow is a leader of this change. They will be beautiful and innovative as well as informative  and will, above all, engage the child reader.

This is a full-time role based in our offices near London Bridge. If you can’t work full-time in our offices, but can work a minimum of four days and would like to be considered, then it might still be worth applying. And if you’re not quite at Head of Non-Fiction and Activity level, but might be at more of a Senior Commissioning Editor level then, again, it might still be worth applying.

To apply, please send your CV with a covering letter to kate@nosycrow.com by 14 May 2017.