Nosy Crow's Blog, page 24

Nosy Crow has been shortlisted for three IPG 2021 Independent Publishing Awards!

The 2021 IPG Independent Publishing Award shortlists have been announced today – and we are absolutely thrilled that Nosy Crow has been shortlisted in three categories!

We have been shortlisted for the Clays Children’s Publisher of the Year Award, against Sweet Cherry Publishing and Usborne Publishing. In their commendation, the IPG said: “Nosy Crow has won this award five times in the last ten years and had another stellar year of growth. Judges particularly admired the way it had sustained international sales, set up its own field sales force in the UK and published a free digital book about Coronavirus for children. ‘There’s so much to like about Nosy Crow. It made some brave decisions in a difficult year, and the Covid book was an important piece of publishing.'”

We have been shortlisted for the Denta International Achievement Award, against Jolly Learning and Sweet Cherry Publishing. In their commendation, the IPG said: “Nosy Crow has won this award four times in the last eight years, and it achieved yet more international growth in 2020. Judges particularly liked the way it responded to the cancellation of book fairs and travel with animated catalogues and virtual meetings. ‘Nosy Crow have amazing people who go the extra mile. They listen to their customers, understand their markets and respond brilliantly… it’s a textbook international operation.'”

And, finally, we have been shortlisted for the IPG Marketing Award, against Kogan Page and Pluto Press. In their commendation, the IPG said: “Nosy Crow is shortlisted for its interactive Frankfurt rights guide, an innovative response to the cancellation of book fairs. Featuring videos introducing books, animations of novelty titles, turn-the-page features, the guides went down well with customers and helped to achieve hundreds of rights or coedition deals. ‘This was a quick and clever reaction to Covid—it looked great and obviously played a big part in sustaining sales,’ judges said.”

You can find out more about all the award shortlists here. The winners of the awards will be revealed at a special presentation on September 21nd at the OXO Tower Brasserie in London.

Wish us luck!

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Alastair Chisholm sends a message from the future…

We’re absolutely thrilled to be sharing this video of Alastair Chisholm introducing his new book, Adam-2 – a hugely gripping science fiction thriller featuring robots, civil war, tonnes of action and incredible twists!

The robot Adam-2 has been locked in the basement of a lost building for over two hundred years – until one day he is discovered by two children, and emerges into a world ruined by a civil war between humans and advanced intelligence.

Hunted by both sides, Adam discovers that he holds the key to the war, and the power to end it – to destroy one side and save the other. But which side is right?

Surrounded by enemies who want to use him, and allies who mistrust him, Adam must decide who – and what – he really is.

WARNING: Incoming transmission from the future…

From the highly acclaimed author of Orion Lost, Adam-2 is an exciting new adventure, perfect for fans of Eoin Colfer, Anthony Horowitz, and Philip Reeve.

Read the first few chapters below:

Adam-2 is available now – you can order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or Amazon here. And don’t forget to sign up to our books newsletter here to stay up-to-date with all of our latest news, including early previews, giveaways and more.

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From Craigmillar Castle to Calton Hill: the locations that inspired Adam-2 – a guest post by Alastair Chisholm

This month we’re thrilled to have published Adam-2 – a hugely gripping, action-packed sci-fi adventure from the highly acclaimed author of Orion Lost, Alastair Chisholm. Set in a futuristic Edinburgh devasted by civil war between humans and advanced intelligence, this is a tense, thought-provoking new story about a robot who has the key to the war and the power to end it. But first, he must survive killer robots, murderous humans and something called The Trial…

And today we’re delighted to share a blog from Alastair about the Edinburgh locations that inspired this new book.

—

Adam-2 is my new science fiction adventure, and it’s wonderful to see it out in the world – and one thing I’m really delighted about is where it’s set. My first novel, Orion Lost, took place aboard a starship in deep space, billions of miles from Earth, but this one’s a bit closer – my own home city of Edinburgh!

Dan Mumford’s wonderful cover for Adam-2, featuring Edinburgh Castle under a silver dome, and a rather battered Balmoral Clock Tower.

I love Edinburgh. Everything about it feels like it’s in a story. It has an Old Town full of twisty lanes and hidden passages, built on top of even older parts, wrapped around tales of heroes and villains. Its “New Town” is over two hundred years old. It has cellars and streets that have been covered up for centuries; palaces, abbeys, ancient walls, a huge loch that became a garden and a train station – and everything is dominated by a mighty castle, sitting on top of an extinct volcano!

The city of Edinburgh (photo by Carsten Ruthemann).

The Edinburgh of Adam-2 isn’t quite the same as our one, as the book is set in the future, over two hundred years away. That was fun because it gave me a chance to play with things. What would have changed? What would still be the same? How would it feel to look out onto a place you thought you knew, and see it so different?

In the book, the world has been devastated by a war between humans and robots. The robots have taken over Edinburgh Castle and made it their base. The humans have been driven out, with the last survivors holding out in Craigmillar Castle to the South-East.

Craigmillar Castle, the human stronghold (photo by Dave Drury).

(If you get a chance, go and visit Craigmillar Castle – it’s one of my favourites. It looks really impressive and fortified, but also like somewhere you can imagine people actually living. I had great fun planning how the humans would occupy it.)

In the middle of this war arrives Adam: a robot, but not like the others. He’s been living in the basement of a building for hundreds of years and has no idea what’s happened. His creator, the man he called Father, was very rich and powerful, so I decided he would live in one of my favourite locations in the whole city – Calton Hill.

Calton Hill has a bit of everything. It has a tower, the Nelson Monument, so tall that it was used by ships in the Forth as a timekeeper. It has a colossal, half-built structure known as the National Monument (and sometimes, because the money ran out before it was finished, the “National Disgrace”). It has an observatory, and a high school, and monuments to poets… And a graveyard, and at one point a notorious jail. It’s like a slice through the grandeur and grime of Edinburgh history, and from its top, you can see the whole city.

The West of Edinburgh from the top of the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill. From here you can see the half-finished National Monument, and Arthur’s Seat, if you squint, perhaps even my house. I’m waving.

I thought: if I was the richest man in the world, and didn’t care about other people, where would I build my house? And I realised: I would build it here, right on top of Calton Hill. And I’d make it very big, and put it in front of everything else, so that everyone in the city had to look up to me…

So, the book roams between the Funk-controlled city streets, the human stronghold at Craigmillar, and Adam’s basement on Calton Hill, and one final location. A woman who calls herself the Cailleach rules a forest in the North of the city. This forest is another place I love – the Royal Botanic Garden. When the heroes arrive at the Cailleach’s realm, they see huge silver gates, just like the ones there now, and they walk along paths that really exist. But these gardens have grown wild. (And anyone who knows the Botanics won’t be surprised to hear that the rhododendrons have taken over everything.)

The Silver Gates at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

Setting the book in my own city was wonderful. Everywhere the characters went, I could see them, and feel the buildings around them, and imagine how they might have changed. I even got to tap into some old Scottish stories. The Cailleach, for example, is a winter witch from Scottish mythology – sometimes good, mostly bad, but very powerful. When Linden tells hir mother’s old tales, they’re based on actual Scottish stories, but with little twists. In Linden’s version, the infamous Edinburgh villains Burke and Hare appear as evil robots. Finn MacCool, a Celtic hero, now fights metal enemies instead of magic ones. I even got to slip in a tiny reference to the film Trainspotting – something not many children’s books can claim!

I loved placing the characters and working out how they would get through the city, and I loved imagining what would change, from buildings to folk tales. But above all, as I wrote, I realised how much joy I got just from being in my own city.

So, I hope you get a chance to read Adam-2, and I hope you enjoy it, and I hope that it makes you want to come and visit soon. And I promise: as far as I know, in the real Edinburgh, there are no killer robots… yet.

—

Thanks, Alastair! You can order a copy of Adam-2 from our website here, Waterstones here, or Amazon here.

Read the first few chapters below:

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Watch our video preview of Axel Scheffler’s Flip Flap Zoo

This month we’ve published Axel Scheffler’s Flip Flap Zoo – the ninth book in this fun and quirky flipbook series, featuring Flip Flap Minibeasts, Flip Flap Dinosaurs and Flip Flap Frozen amongst others.

And today we’re delighted to share a video preview of the book – showcasing some of the crazy creature combinations inside!

What do you get if you cross an alligator with a moose? It’s an alligoose, of course! And how about a camel with a hippopotamus? Why, that’s a camotamus! With over 121 possible creations, silly names and strange noises to make you giggle, this new Flip Flap book is perfect for preschoolers and ideal for animal fans. With a hilarious rhyming text and brilliant artwork from Axel Scheffler, simply flip the pages to create some seriously zany zoo animals.

Axel Scheffler’s Flip Flap Zoo is out now – you can order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or Amazon here.

If you’d like to stay up-to-date with all our latest book news, you can sign up to our books newsletter with the form at the bottom of this page, and you’ll never miss a thing.

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Introducing Great Britons: 50 Amazing People Who Have Called Britain Home!

This October we’re absolutely delighted to be publishing Great Britons: 50 Amazing People Who Have Called Britain Home – an inspiring book of stories about 50 key figures in Great Britain’s history, who have impacted the way we live, think and feel today.

And today we’re sharing an early preview of this fantastic new non-fiction book – you can take a look inside the book below!

Throughout the centuries, the history of this small island nation has been shaped by the people who were born in Britain or arrived on its shores. From early Britons to modern pioneers, leaders, writers, athletes and activists, this country has contained a wealth of incredible talent, only made ‘greater’ by our history of immigration, integration and innovation.

Discover the enthralling and diverse stories of 50 brilliant Britons through the ages, from the warrior queen Boudicca of early Britain, who rose in revolt against the Romans, to activist Malala Yousafzai, who fights for every girl’s right to an education today. The gripping tales include key figures from all areas of British life – science, medicine, entertainment, sports, activism and more.

Featuring the inspirational lives and achievements of amazing people such as Florence Nightingale, Alan Turing, Mary Prince, Stormzy, Charles Darwin and Noor Inayat Khan, Great Britons is not only a celebration of our history as an island, but also as part of a far larger and greater world.

Told by talented writer and children’s book critic Imogen Russell Williams and brought to life by Sara Mulvanny’s vivid illustration, Great Britons is a wonderful addition to any children’s bookshelf – and the perfect book for children curious about British history.

Take a look inside:

Great Britons: 50 Amazing People Who Have Called Britain Home will be out in October! You can pre-order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or Amazon here.

If you’d like to stay up-to-date with all of our book news, including exclusive previews, giveaways, and offers, you can sign up for our newsletter at this page.

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Take a look inside Time to Move South for the Winter

This September we’re very excited to be publishing Time to Move South for the Winter, written by Clare Helen Welsh and illustrated by 2019 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winner, Jenny Løvlie – a breathtaking new picture book about animal migration, filled with arctic wildlife and a subtle message about caring for our planet.

Over the cold, mirrored waters of the Arctic, a tiny tern sets off on the world’s longest animal migration. On her way, she passes humpback whales, caribou, Canada geese, leatherback turtles and monarch butterflies, each on their own incredible journey south for winter. When the Arctic tern finally arrives, she must find a new home on the Antarctic shore… until it’s time to return to the northern skies once again.

Time to Move South for the Winter is a beautiful, lyrical story, perfect for young animal fans and environmentalists, with a map and double-page spread of non-fiction facts at the end.

Take a look inside:

You can pre-order a copy of Time to Move South for the Winter from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org, an independent bookshop supporter, here, or from Amazon here.

Don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter here to be the first to know about all of latest books, including early previews, award news, giveaways and more.

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Nosy Crow looks into the future with hugely exciting middle grade acquisitions from debut author Simon Fox

Nosy Crow is delighted to announce the acquisition and publication of two unputdownable middle grade adventures from début author, Simon Fox. Running Out of Time, the first, is set to publish in August 2022 and will be followed by the second in 2023.

Tom Bonnick, Senior Commissioning Editor at Nosy Crow, bought world rights to two middle grade titles from Eve White at the Eve White Literary Agency.

Perfect for fans of Inception and Artemis Fowl, Running Out of Time is a thrilling time-twisting debut, stuffed full of extraordinary twists and incredible action, from an exciting new voice in children’s fiction.

The future of the universe is written.

Vasily can steal time – the most he can take at the moment is fifteen seconds, which is not a lot. His grandmother took almost three minutes once, and she told him she’s done more, but he never saw it. She says there are stories of someone who can take all the time in the world, but how can that be right?

Newly arrived in England, Vasily must use his extraordinary gift to find his father – whilst hiding from the police, criminal gangs, people smugglers, and corrupt government forces that are chasing him.

Author Simon Fox comments: “It’s been so exciting working with Tom and Nosy Crow to get this project moving. It means a huge amount to me and I really hope it’s the start of a long relationship. Unlike the character in my story, I can’t see the future, but I can’t imagine a better team to face the unknown with!”

Tom Bonnick, Senior Commissioning Editor at Nosy Crow, comments: “Running Out of Time is one of the most extraordinary and ambitious debut novels that I’ve ever read: an ingenious concept, unbelievably gripping, fast-paced writing, and some truly fantastic twists. Simon is an incredible new talent, and I can’t wait to see this book in the hands of readers!”

Eve White, Simon’s agent, comments: “I’m so excited about the Simon Fox/Tom Bonnick team and couldn’t be happier that Nosy Crow is going to be taking Running Out of Time to middle grade readers around the world.”

Simon Fox lives in Sussex with his wife and two teenage children. Running Out of Time is his first novel after twenty years trapped in the dungeon of accountancy. He is determined to never go back.

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Take a look inside Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Santa’s Stolen Sleigh – the latest book in the much-loved series from Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton!

This October we’re absolutely delighted to be publishing Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Santa’s Stolen Sleigh – a fantastically festive new book in the much-loved picture book series, from award-winning Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton.

And today we’re very excited to share an early preview of the book – you can see the first few festive pages below!

Shifty and Sam are off to Lapland to bake a festive feast for Santa and his elves. But there’s a Christmas crisis – the elves are unwell and can’t finish the toys! Does mysterious stranger and gadget queen, Flo Frost, really want to help? Or could she have her eyes on the most magical gadget of all… Santa’s flying sleigh?! It’s up to Shifty and Sam to race across the snowy slopes and save Christmas for everyone!

With an action-packed plot, read-aloud rhyme and comic capers galore, Santa’s Stolen Sleigh is the perfect gift for fans of the series and newcomers alike.

Take a look inside below:

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: Santa’s Stolen Sleigh will be out on October 7th – you can pre-order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or Amazon here.

Don’t forget to sign up to our books newsletter here to be the first to know about all of our latest books, award news, early previews and exclusive giveaways.

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Two Nosy Crow books shortlisted for the 2021 Teach Early Years Awards!

The shortlist for the Teach Early Years Awards were announced last week – and we’re absolutely thrilled that both Somewhere, written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Anastasia Suvorova, and When a Dragon Meets a Baby, written by Caryl Hart and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, have been recognised in the Picture Book category!

The Teach Company Awards celebrate the very best in educational resources from early years through to KS4 (0-16), across their three brands: Teach Early Years, Teach Primary, and Teach Secondary. The Teach Early Years Awards feature six categories, covering key areas of learning and development from ages 0-5, as well as picture books, and CPD. The winners will be chosen by an expert panel of early years leaders, consultants, and educators.

Perfect for reading at bedtime, Somewhere is a heartwarming story about the power of imagination, the importance of family and what it means to call a place home. With beautiful artwork and foil throughout, this is a wonderful addition to any toddlers bookshelf.

At the bottom of Oscar’s garden is a magical place called Nowhere, where extraordinary things can happen. Oscar can fly an incredible kite, build an enchanted castle and even set sail in a pirate ship! He can do just what he likes, and there are no grown-ups asking questions. But when Nowhere begins to feel a little lonely, will Oscar find himself wishing for Somewhere that feels more like home?

Buy the book.

For little ones with a new baby brother or sister, When a Dragon Meets a Baby is the perfect read – a charming follow-up to the much-loved When a Dragon Comes to Stay and When a Dragon Goes to School that deals with all those tricky toddler emotions that bubble up when a new baby arrives.

When a new baby comes home with Mummy and Daddy one day, will a dragon share her squishiest toy, fetch the changing mat and help to tidy the house while Mummy has a nap? Or will she refuse to say hello, and bash and crash her toys at bedtime? It’s going to be hard to behave herself . . . she is a DRAGON after all!

Buy the book.

You can find out more about the Teach Early Years Awards, and view the shortlist, here. The winners of the awards will be announced this October.

Congratulations  Jeanne, Anastasia, Caryl and Rosalind – and good luck!

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Adam-2 is Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the Month

Blackwell’s Booksellers have announced their Children’s Book of the Month for August – and we’re absolutely delighted that Adam-2, the thrilling new science fiction adventure from Alastair Chisholm, has been chosen!

From the highly-acclaimed author of Orion Lost, Adam-2 is an action-packed, brilliantly imagined thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat – perfect for fans of Eoin Colfer, Anthony Horowitz and Philip Reeve.

The robot Adam-2 has been locked in the basement of a lost building for over two hundred years – until one day he is discovered by two children, and emerges into a world ruined by a civil war between humans and advanced intelligence.

Hunted by both sides, Adam discovers that he holds the key to the war, and the power to end it – to destroy one side and save the other. But which side is right?

Surrounded by enemies who want to use him, and allies who mistrust him, Adam must decide who – and what – he really is.

Read the first few chapters below:

You can order a copy of Adam-2 from Blackwell’s here.

Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter here to be the first to know about our latest news, including exclusive previews, discounts and giveaways.

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