Nosy Crow's Blog, page 17

What we got up to on Empathy Day 2022

Yesterday was Empathy Day! Empathy Day was founded in 2017 as part of a mission to inspire the rising generation and to drive a new empathy movement. Empathy Day aims to help everyone understand and experience the transformational power of empathy through stories.

We’re proud to have worked with EmpathyLab on the project for the last few years and to have had our books included in the Read for Empathy guides, which feature recommendations of great empathy-building books. This year, we’re delighted that The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook, The House on the Edge by Alex Cotter and How to be Me by Cath Howe were included – you can find out more about them in an earlier blog here.

At Nosy Crow, everyone was encouraged to take part in #EmpathyHour and spend their afternoon taking a breather and treating themselves, and/or others, with empathy.

Here’s how some of the Crows spent Empathy Day!

Publicity Manager Rebecca Mason and Senior Rights Manager Erin Murgatroyd donated blood and then went for lunch with friends.

Ruth Tinham, Field Sales Manager, took a moment to go for a nice walk (and it was also her birthday – Happy Birthday Ruth!).

Rebecca Anastasi, Assistant Editor for Picture Books, visited a local nursery and read to the children from the fantastic Every Bunny is a Yoga Bunny – and they even had time for some yoga poses and colouring too!

Catherine Stokes, Head of Sales and Marketing, visited her local school, where she had a cuppa and a chat and gave them some Nosy Crow titles that are perfect for starting conversation! Catherine said she was bowled over by the work they’re already doing and that their headteacher remarked: ‘Every day is empathy day here’.

Publicity Executive Sîan Taylor went for an Empathy Walk around her local area before making some phone calls to check in on friends and family.

Hester Seddon, Marketing Manager, brought some food to the food bank, and then baked some delicious vegan cookies that she shared in the office today (they were AMAZING – thanks Hester!).

Head of Non-Fiction, Activity, Pre-School and Illustrated Tie-In Publishing Rachel Kellehar and Senior Rights Executive Núria Martí i Pampalona also gave blood!

Head of Picture Books Lou Bolongaro said Empathy Day was the first time that all of the picture book editorial team were together in person! They had already planned a small lunch to mark the moment, and extended it to a riverside walk in the afternoon, too. She said that it felt pretty special to all of them and was just what they needed.

Michelle Saul, Office Manager, took the opportunity to pick up her young granddaughter from school as a surprise – something she can never usually do!

And finally, the Digital team went for a lovely long lunch together for the first time, before taking the rest of the afternoon for themselves.

We hope you had a wonderful Empathy Day!

The post What we got up to on Empathy Day 2022 appeared first on Nosy Crow.

Read the first chapter of Mouse Heart – an atmospheric new thriller from Fleur Hitchcock

This August we’re absolutely thrilled to be publishing Mouse Heart – an atmospheric new thriller, full of daring stunts and sinister villains, from the bestselling Fleur Hitchcock.

And today we’re very pleased to be sharing the first few chapters of the book – you can read an extract below!

Mouse, a foundling, loves her pieced-together family at the Moth Theatre fiercely. When their leading man, Walter, is wrongly arrested for murder, Mouse swears she’ll free him. But another member of the cast has a secret identity ­- as a ruthless killer. As Mouse’s investigation leads her ever closer to their true, deadly nature, can she outwit them without losing everything she holds dear?

Mouse Heart, a masterfully told adventure, is perfect escapism for readers aged 9+ and for fans of Philip Pullman, Katherine Rundell and Philip Reeve.

Take a look inside:

Mouse Heart will be published on August 5th – you can order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or from Amazon here.

If you’d like to stay up-to-date with all of our latest book news, including exclusive previews, giveaways, award news and more, you can sign up for our newsletter here.

 

The post Read the first chapter of Mouse Heart – an atmospheric new thriller from Fleur Hitchcock appeared first on Nosy Crow.

LGBTQ+ Open Submissions

Are you a member of the LGBTQ+ community?

We want your picture book stories!

At Nosy Crow, we have a diverse range of authors and illustrators who create amazing picture books. But we want our list of picture book creators to reflect more closely the diversity of the world around us.

With this in mind, we will be holding open submissions during Pride Month (June 2022) for LGBTQ+ picture book writers and writer-illustrators.

Texts must be suitable for children aged around 3–5 and can be in prose or rhyme (though, from the perspective of international selling, prose is probably preferable). Stories can feature human, animal or fantasy characters, or a mixture. They can be about anything you can imagine, although we are especially interested in submissions that are informed by the writer’s or the writer-illustrator’s LGBTQ+ identity and experience, such as (but not in any way limited to) alternative family structures and celebration of individuality.

Before submitting your stories to us, we would like to ask that you familiarise yourself with current fiction picture books for children aged around 3–5, especially if you’re new to writing for this age group.

Please send no more than three picture book texts to LGBTQPlus@nosycrow.com, along with a short biography in the body of the email. The window for submissions is for a limited time only, from the 1st of June 2022 to the 30th of June 2022. I’m afraid any submissions received after this time will not be considered. If you miss the deadline this time, please do submit the next time we run the open submissions window.

With the help of my colleagues in the picture book team, I will review all submissions, and we will respond to you by the 31st of August 2022 to let you know whether or not you have been shortlisted.

It’s free to submit stories, and we welcome submissions from around the world, but they must be in the English language and unpublished anywhere in any country. Writers and writer-illustrators must be aged 18 or older.

Texts should be no more than 1,000 words each and submitted as a Microsoft Word document (or similar document that can be opened in Microsoft Word) or Adobe PDF document. They should be sent as an email attachment (no paper submissions).

If you are a writer-illustrator, texts can be accompanied by your artwork. PDFs should be no more than 5MB in total. If you’re a writer-illustrator, please also include a link to your website and/or social media pages, where we can view more of your artwork.

If you’re not a writer-illustrator, you don’t need to include any illustrations. Feel free to include illustration notes if needed but keep these to a minimum.

Don’t worry if you forget to attach something to your email. Please resend the entire submission with an alert at the top to let us know to delete your earlier submission.

If you have any questions, email LGBTQPlus@nosycrow.com. I’m looking forward to hearing from you, either via your agent, or directly from you if you don’t have one.

Good luck!

Alice Bartosinski

Senior Commissioning Editor, Picture Books

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Read an exclusive extract from The Consequence Girl – a thrilling, unputdownable adventure from Alastair Chisholm

We’re very excited to be publishing The Consequence Girl next month, a brilliantly-imagined, ambitious and high-concept adventure from one of the most exciting new voices in children’s fantasy and science fiction, Alastair Chisholm.

And today we’re delighted to be sharing a preview of the book – you can read the first few chapters below!

The world of Colony is in ruins. No one knows what caused society to begin tearing itself apart – but the secret may lie with Cora, a girl living on the mountainside far away from others. Cora possesses an extraordinary gift: the power to see back in time, from an event back to its causes. Even more incredibly, sometimes she can change events. But the present is looking for Cora, and she is forced on the run – and must decide who she is, what she can do … and how to fix the future.

Read an extract:

The Consequence Girl will be published on June 2nd – you can pre-order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or from Amazon here.

Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter here to stay up-to-date with all of our latest books and news, including early previews, discounts and giveaways.

The post Read an exclusive extract from The Consequence Girl – a thrilling, unputdownable adventure from Alastair Chisholm appeared first on Nosy Crow.

Read an exclusive extract from Looking for Emily – the unmissable middle grade debut of 2022

We’re very excited to be publishing Looking for Emily next month, a hugely gripping, fast-paced mystery adventure, with brilliant twists and turns, from a fresh and exciting new voice in children’s books: Fiona Longmuir.

And today we’re delighted to be sharing a preview of the book – you can read the first few chapters below!

When twelve-year-old Lily moves to the sleepy seaside town of Edge, she’s sure that nothing exciting is ever going to happen to her again. But when she stumbles upon a secret museum hidden in the middle of town, she realises that there might be more to her new home than meets the eye.

The Museum of Emily is filled with the belongings of one seemingly ordinary girl – a girl who, many years ago, disappeared from the town without a trace. With the help of her new friends Sam and Jay, Lily is determined to solve the mystery and find out who Emily was, why she disappeared and who has created the strange, hidden museum.

Read an extract:

Looking for Emily will be published on June 2nd – you can pre-order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or from Amazon here.

Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter here to stay up-to-date with all of our latest books and news, including early previews, discounts and giveaways.

 

The post Read an exclusive extract from Looking for Emily – the unmissable middle grade debut of 2022 appeared first on Nosy Crow.

Discover some of the team’s top picks for Mental Health Awareness Week

For Mental Health Awareness Week, we asked some of the team to share their favourite Nosy Crow book that touches on themes of mental health. Here’s what they had to say (and make sure to read to the end to hear from one very special team member!).

 

Kate Wilson, Managing Director – Jeremy Worried About the Wind

SO difficult to choose. OK. So … my favourite Nosy Crow picture book that touches on mental health is Jeremy Worried About The Wind by Pamela Butchart and Kate Hindley for its exploration of a certain kind of catastrophising anxiety. Jeremy is so worried about everything – too-crunchy crackers, runaway dinosaurs and spotty bananas included – that he is sort of paralysed by fear, and doesn’t really enjoy life. Exposure to Maggie, whose mantra is “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” means that he is swept up – literally – into a world of risk, and finds that the reality of risk is less overwhelming than he thought it would be. As someone who catastrophises quite a lot, I found myself empathising with Jeremy and smiling at the (double-edged) ending.

Read an extract:

 

Lauren Fairgrieve, Junior Editor (Non-Fiction and Activity) – The House on the Edge

The House on the Edge is a phenomenal middle-grade debut from the wonderful Alex Cotter, and it’s a book that has really stayed with me as a reader. The titular house is teetering on the edge of a crumbling cliff when we first enter the story, but it’s the world of the family inside it that really threatens to come crashing down.

The reader experiences the story through the character of Faith, but it’s immediately clear that her younger brother, Noah, and their mother are also struggling. With whispered rumours around the fate of her father and seemingly no one to turn to for help, Faith decides to become the ‘adult’ and protect her family from unravelling completely. Faith’s situation is heartbreaking, but her denial of the physical and mental toll that her actions are taking on her is extremely relatable. She is infuriated with her brother’s daydreaming and belief in ghosts, and with her mother’s inability to get out of bed or deal with concerned teachers, and yet she too doesn’t understand why she has lost friends or why she becomes so furious when someone suggests her father may not return.

Each of the central characters are dealing with the fallout from the same trauma but their mental health is affected on an individual level, and there is no one solution that will allow them all to heal. However, all come to realise that by reaching out, trusting friends and asking for help they can feel more understood and less alone – and I think that is a beautiful message to share.

Read an extract:

 

Alice Bartosinski, Senior Commissioning Editor, Picture Books – The Girl Who Planted Trees & Super Milly and the Super School Day

Here are TWO books that sprang immediately to mind. I couldn’t choose between them!

In The Girl Who Planted Trees, I love the resilience of the main character, who dreams of planting a forest on a bare mountain side. But it’s not just through her own drive and creativity that her dream is realised. She’s inspired by the natural world and being outdoors, and isn’t afraid to try new things. We see her fail, too, which is really important. Ultimately, the girl discovers that through sharing her aspirations and worries with others, she can achieve more than she ever thought possible.

Read an extract:

 

My other book choice is Super Milly and the Super School Day. The protagonist, Milly, is constantly disappointed by her total lack of superhero powers, which is just hilarious! However, in times of crisis (including when she’s taunted by a classmate) she thinks hard about the strengths she does have inside herself and realises that she doesn’t need any superpowers to help her friends.

Read an extract:

 

Anastasia Shubnikova, Assistant Accountant – I Remember

I chose the book I Remember because this is a great story for understanding dementia.

This book is about the story of little boy George and his granny, who sometimes can’t remember even his name. But George knows that granny might not remember the little things but she always loves him.

I Remember will be released on the 4th August

 

Etty, Office Dog – Puppy Talk

Woof!

Read an extract:

The post Discover some of the team’s top picks for Mental Health Awareness Week appeared first on Nosy Crow.

Themes in The Insiders – a guest post by Cath Howe

This month we’re absolutely delighted to have published The Insiders – a wise, heartwarming story of friendship and family from Cath Howe, the highly-acclaimed author of Ella on the Outside, Not My Fault, and How to be Me. And today we’re very excited to be sharing a guest post from Cath on the main themes in the book!

—

I’ve been doing some thinking about what made me want to write The Insiders. Here’s some thoughts on the big themes in the book.

School at night

I’m fascinated by places at night: how different they feel. There’s a word for this, kenopsia-a place which is normally full of people so you feel weird being in it when it’s deserted. Everything’s changed at night; distances are confusing and sounds are magnified. When I was writing The Insiders, I thought a lot about other places at night; stadiums, shopping centres and office blocks. I suppose you’re always asking the question, “Is anyone else here too?” Much of the book was written in lockdown so many places which would normally have been full of people were eerily empty.

Friendship

A big theme for me is friendship. How do we support our friends? What would we do to help them if things got tricky? How does someone turn into a friend? My books test friendships; you don’t really know how strong a friendship is until you test it. And then there’s family- what happens when you keep something secret from your family to protect a friend? I love to create plots that give the characters key choices and then show to results of the choices they make.

 Thrillers

I like stories where the reader is the one who knows the most about what’s going on. The Insiders is a thriller; there are moments of Oh no don’t do that and then sometimes the viewpoint switches so the fate of a character is left hanging and you keep wondering about it. That’s one of the things that keeps you reading.

People are icebergs

Callie says, right at the start, that we think we know people but they are really icebergs with loads going on under the surface. I do think it’s true that we only ever know a small amount about a person and, as a result, we can easily jump to all the wrong conclusions. By having three narrators, the book lets you see deeper into the lives of the children and the mistakes they have made and go on making about each other.

Bullying

Bullying takes many forms. It affects a wider group than just a bully or victim. There’s a trickle- down effect from bullying which affects the whole community. This story begins with a practical joke on Ted but it also contains: cruelty in the way that Billy has been bullied, the power of the group in the way that people tease Ted, Ted’s revenge on Billy and a teacher who is harsh with his class. There are also inspiring moments of kindness and friendship. These are a balance to bullying and we see them everywhere in schools.

School

Schools should be places where we feel safe and happy. The Insiders was based on one actual school where I’ve done a lot of teaching over the years. I used the layout of the school and details of the library, hall and playground to help my descriptions and scenes feel real. There are gardens backing onto this school playground too. I’ve often thought about the children in the houses looking out onto the deserted playground at night-time and in the holidays and hearing the place come to life each day as it fills with people. And it’s definitely true, in my experience, that the children who live nearest to school are the most often late.

—

Thank you, Cath! You can order a copy of The Insiders from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or Amazon here.

Read the first few chapters below:

 

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Read an exclusive extract from The Insiders – a story of friendship and family from Cath Howe

We’re very excited to be publishing The Insiders next month, a wise, heartwarming story of friendship and family, from Cath Howe, the highly-acclaimed author of Ella on the Outside, Not My Fault, and How to be Me.

And today we’re delighted to be sharing a preview of the book – you can read the first few chapters below!

Secrets. Lies. Promises. Sometimes keeping things inside is dangerous.

Callie, Ted, Zara, and Nico are best friends. More than friends – they’re like family to each other. But since being embarrassed at school in a practical joke gone wrong, Ted has stopped talking to the rest of the gang.

And when Callie, Zara and Nico discover that someone has been living in their school, and sleeping in the building at night, they decide to investigate – without Ted.

Read an extract:

The Insiders will be published on May 5th – you can pre-order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or from Amazon here.

Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter here to stay up-to-date with all of our latest books and news, including early previews, discounts and giveaways.

The post Read an exclusive extract from The Insiders – a story of friendship and family from Cath Howe appeared first on Nosy Crow.

Bid for original, signed artwork by Axel Scheffler – and help raise money for Ukraine

Today we’re very pleased to launch auctions for five pieces of original, signed and dated artwork by Pip and Posy illustrator Axel Scheffler, raising money for Ukraine.

There are five different signed, dated original illustrations by Axel available to bid on, and all proceeds will go to the emergency Ukraine fundraising campaign by refugee charity Three Peas, raising funds to provide basic necessities at the Ukrainian border: food, warmth and hygiene products.

These five pieces have been created by Axel to show support for the people of Ukraine, featuring the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Here are each of the pieces being auctioned:

Bid for this piece.

Bid for this piece.

Bid for this piece.

Bid for this piece.

Bid for this piece.

Each piece of artwork is a signed and dated original – if you’ve always wanted your own original illustration by Axel, here’s your chance!

The auction will run for 10 days, and end on Sunday May 1st at 6pm.

Please do bid generously for this hugely important cause – and good luck!

You can also donate directly to Three Peas’ emergency fundraising campaign for Ukraine here.

About the artist:

Axel Scheffler is an award-winning, internationally-acclaimed illustrator of some of the most well-loved children’s books, including The Gruffalo, The Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Snail and the Whale, the Pip and Posy books, and many more. His books have been published in many languages and his work has been exhibited all around the world.

About the charity:

Three Peas was founded in 2016 to support those who have had to leave their lives behind. Their Ukrainian appeal is working to raise funds for their long term partners, now at Ukraine’s borders, to provide basic necessities: food, warmth and hygiene products.

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Introducing Princess Minna!

We’re very excited to be publishing Princess Minna next month – a new full-colour, illustrated chapter book series from Kirsty Applebaum and Sahar Haghgoo.

And today we’re delighted to be sharing a preview of the first two books – you can read the first few chapters of each below!

Princess Minna lives in Castle Tall-Towers with the King and Queen, Raymond the Wizard and her best dragon friend, Lorenzo. There are often mix-ups and mishaps in the kingdom and Princess Minna loves to sort them out! She can tame unicorns, kiss frogs and fight dragons (apart from Lorenzo) and she is very good at fixing things before it’s time for bed.

In The Enchanted Forest, Princess Minna has to wake a sleeping prince before nightfall. But along the way, she finds a swan, an old lady and a very fluffy sheep – all of them in a fix! Can she help them and still reach the prince before sundown?

In The Unicorn Mix-Up, Princess Minna is so tired she gets a bit muddled and fights a unicorn, kisses a dragon and tries to tame a frog – which won’t do at all! Can she sort it all out and make a new friend along the way?

Read an extract of The Enchanted Forest here:

 

Read an extract of The Unicorn Mix-Up here:

 

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