Nosy Crow's Blog, page 36

Take a look inside The Boy Who Met a Whale

In January we’re thrilled to be publishing The Boy Who Met a Whale, by the bestselling author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant, Nizrana Farook – a thrilling adventure, jam-packed with peril, kidnap, and a huge blue whale!

Razi, a local fisherboy, is watching turtle eggs hatch when he sees a boat bobbing into view. With a chill, he notices a small, still hand hanging over the side… Inside is Zheng, who’s escaped a shipwreck and is full of tales of sea monsters and missing treasure. But the villains who are after Zheng are soon after Razi and his sister, Shifa, too. And so begins an exhilarating adventure in the shadow of the biggest sea monster of them all…

Here’s an early preview of the book – you can read an extract below:

The Boy Who Met a Whale is out on January 14th – you can pre-order your copy from Waterstones here, The Hive here, and Amazon here.

Don’t forget to sign up to our books newsletter to stay up-to-date with all of our books news at this page, or with the form below, and you’ll never miss a thing.

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Watch the video for Jingle Bells – a Christmas sound button book for toddlers!

This month we’re very excited to have published Jingle Bells – a Christmas sound button book for toddlers, illustrated by Nicola Slater. Jingle Bells is a charming, beautifully illustrated book, with five sound buttons to press – the perfect gift for toddlers this Christmas.

And today you watch the video preview!

Push the buttons to hear the four individual instruments (glockenspiel, cello, ukelele, saxophone), then join in with the big band version of the full Jingle Bells song…



Buy the book.

If you like this, you might also like Nicola Slater’s other sound button books – the Meekoo series,  Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Happy Birthday to You! – which are all equally as delightful and fun!

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

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100 First Words has won a 2020 Junior Design Award!

The winners of the 2020 Junior Design Awards have been announced today – and we are thrilled that 100 First Words, illustrated by Edward Underwood, has won Broze in the Best Baby Book 0-3 category!

Run by parenting magazine Junior, the Junior Design Awards celebrate “the very best and most beautiful products on the planet” and are designed to champion brands big and small.

The judges said: “A fun, joyful book that showcases Edward Underwood’s brilliant mid-century inspired illustrations to perfection and will definitely appeal to younger children with its bright colours and smiley faces. The large lift-the-flaps on every page make this title interactive, fun and educational with the bonus of being incredibly stylish to boot. 100 First Words is a book to delight children and adults alike. A true JDA worthy, winning book.”

100 First Words is a beautifully illustrated first words book and must-have for any nursery bookshelf. Featuring gorgeous artwork by homeware designer Edward Underwood, which is sure to appeal to parents and toddlers alike, little ones will love discovering what’s under the bold, easy-to-lift card flaps.

Take a look inside the book:



Buy the book.

You can read more about the Best Baby Book category here, and the overall awards, which covers books, toys, lifestyle, travel, food and much more, here.

Congratulations Edward!

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There’s a Mouse in My House: Why I done it.

Today’s guest post is by author-illustrator Ross Collins, on the origins of his brand new picture book, There’s a Mouse in My House, the long-awaited sequel to the award-winning There’s a Bear on My Chair.

It’s been five years since my book There’s a Bear on My Chair was published. It feels like ten. It feels longer because I think I’ve read this book, performed it to audiences, more times and in more places than anything else I’ve ever written.

People like it and buy it and say very nice things to me about it. I had a letter from a wee girl called Nina from Sammamish about it yesterday. Where’s Sammamish? I have no idea.

Approximately half of the people who talked to me about it asked me the same question: “When’s There’s a Mouse in My House coming out?” They never asked me what the sequel would be called – they just told me what it would be called. Eventually I figured that if I ever did do a sequel it would be churlish to call it anything else.

But I wasn’t that keen to do a sequel. For two reasons.

Firstly because a lot of sequels of successful books are rushed out. They tend to have that ‘second album’ cash-in syndrome where they are never as good as the first and are quickly forgotten. They can even tarnish the original if you’re not careful.

It would take time to come up with something worthy of following Bear.

Secondly because ‘Bear’ turned out to be an amazing single rhyme. Meanwhile ‘Mouse’ ain’t so good. Think about it. Douse. Grouse. House. Louse. Nous. Spouse. There are only so many scenarios I can think of that involve a mouse and a grouse.

So I sat on it, did other things, but eventually after being asked by a particularly persistent little red headed girl on Guernsey when There’s a Mouse in My House was coming out, I decided to have a go at it.

I discarded ‘mouse’ as a rhyme and instead considered ‘go’, as in, ‘he has to go’..

How he got in I’d like to know

He’s unpacked all his stuff just so.

That rodent can’t live here, oh no!

I’ll tell him that he has to go.

That works.

All of a sudden I got to play with images of taekwondo, Andy Warhol mice, big banana boots and air-guitaring to soft rock. Who knew?

But the main joy of doing There’s a Mouse in My House was in swapping the dynamic of the characters. In the first book Bear is in control and Mouse is the one who is slowly losing his mind. Wouldn’t it be fun to see the tables turned?

A great deal of the joy of illustrating animals is to instil human emotions in them through their body language and micro expressions. I really enjoyed turning the smug bear into a beleaguered grouch and the angry mouse into a devil-may care unwanted guest.

As I worked it seemed to make more sense. Doing this book balances the scales. The mouse’s revenge for all he went through in the first book. It seemed right. They sit well together.

And the ending? Well hopefully it draws a nice line under the power struggle of this unhappy pair.

There definitely won’t be a third one.

Definitely not.

And if you do see a book in the shops in 2025 about a mouse and a bear shooting grouses with their spouses then please address complaints to my publishers.

Thank you, Ross! There’s a Mouse in My House is out now – you can take a look inside the book below, and buy it online from Waterstones here, from Bookshop.org here, and from Amazon here.

The post There’s a Mouse in My House: Why I done it. appeared first on Nosy Crow.

Christmas gift guide: the best children’s books to give as gifts!

Give the gift of reading this Christmas with these children’s books! From festive toddler books to beautiful Christmas stories and books for the whole family to share, discover the best books to give to children this Christmas.

Jump to a section:

Christmas gift ideas for babies and toddlers

Christmas gift ideas for children aged 2-5

Christmas gift ideas for children aged 5-9

Christmas gift ideas for children aged 9-12

Christmas gift ideas for the whole family

Christmas gift ideas for babies and toddlers

Jingle Bells, by Nicola Slater:

This festive sound button book is the perfect gift for toddlers this Christmas! Follow the band on their journey to the concert and join in with the big band version of Jingle Bells at the end. With five beautifully illustrated spreads, and buttons to press on every spread, this is a wonderful book to share with little ones.

Buy the book.

Where’s Santa Claus, by Ingela P Arrhenius:

From our bestselling series, this Christmas board book with easy-to-grab felt flaps, is great for sharing with babies and toddlers this festive season. Find all the Christmas characters and then spot yourself in the mirror at the end!

Buy the book.

Pip and Posy: The Christmas Tree, by Axel Scheffler:

It’s Christmas time and Pip and Posy are decorating the tree with candy sticks, biscuits and a beautiful sugar star. But every time Posy goes out of the room, she returns to find decorations missing from the tree. Eventually there are no decorations left at all, oh dear! Could Pip have something to do with it?

Buy the book.

Christmas gift ideas for children aged 2-5

What Are Little Girls Made of?, by Jeanne Willis and Isabelle Follath:

Think you know your favourite nursery rhymes? In this witty collection of rhymes with a feminist twist, Georgie Porgie doesn’t dare make the girls cry, Little Bo-Peep’s sheep are all present and correct, and it’s the queen, of course, who fixes Humpty Dumpty.

Wonderfully funny and beautifully illustrated, these reworked rhymes prove that girls can be the hero of any story. This is a wonderful gift for daughters and granddaughters this Christmas.

Buy the book.

A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes and Poems, by Frann Preston-Gannon:

Give them a book to treasure this Christmas with this enchanting collection of 101 nursery rhymes, poems and songs. Filled with familiar favourites, from Humpty Dumpty to Little Miss Muffet, the Owl and the Pussycat to the Animal Fair, this is a charming anthology that will delight the whole family and be enjoyed for years to come.

With a clothbound cover, foiled jacket, ribbon marker and luxurious paper, this is a beautiful book to behold. If you’re looking for a truly special gift this Christmas, this is the book for you.

Buy the book.

A House for Christmas Mouse, by Rebecca Harry:

Mouse is very excited for Christmas, but first she needs to find a home to spend it in. On her way through the forest, she meets Fox, Bunny, and Bear, all in need of a little help – which she gladly offers – but as the sun sets, it looks like she won’t have anywhere cosy to spend Christmas.

This touching tale about a little mouse with a big heart is a wonderful gift to curl up with this festive season.

Buy the book.

Christmas gift ideas for children aged 5-9

A Donkey Called Mistletoe, by Helen Peters:

When Jasmine learns that Mr Hobson has grown too old to take care of his pet donkey, Mistletoe, she is determined that they won’t be parted. Of course, this means Mistletoe will have to come and live with her. With Christmas coming, can she convince her parents to give her this most unusual present?

This seasonal story is a wonderful gift for children who love animals, with beautiful black-and-white illustrations to encourage young readers.

Buy the book.

National Trust: 2021 Nature Month-By-Month: A Children’s Almanac, by Anna Wilson and Elly Jahnz:

For children who love nature and exploring, this 2021 Children’s Almanac is the perfect gift this Christmas. Packed with brilliant things to see, make, and do throughout the year – from nature spotter guides to craft activity ideas, seasonal recipes to tips for budding gardeners.

A wonderful gift to treasure and explore over the coming year, this gorgeous almanac, which has been updated with one-third of new material, will encourage children to connect with nature.

Buy the book.

Magnificent Mabel and the Christmas Elf, by Ruth Quayle and Julia Christians:

Sometimes life isn’t fair for Mabel Chase. Like for instance a naughty Christmas Elf gets her into LOTS of trouble. And the new boy in her class at school REFUSES to be her friend. And no-one lets her look after her little cousin, even though she is BRILLIANT with toddlers. But none of that matters in the end… because Mabel is still MAGNIFICENT.

Join Mabel in this hilarious new book of festive short stories – the second book in this highly illustrated new series for young readers and the ideal gift for children who love to laugh.

Buy the book.

Christmas gift ideas for children aged 9-12

YouthQuake: 50 Children and Young People Who Shook the World, by Tom Adams and Sarah Walsh:

Gorgeously illustrated and written, this collection contains fifty inspiring stories of incredible young people who have shaped the world we live in. With wise words from each person, fascinating facts, beautiful photographs, and beautiful artwork through, this fantastic book will engage, entertain, and inspire young people everywhere.

This is a wonderful gift for children to enjoy, parents to pour over, and the whole family to treasure.

Buy the book.

Earth Heroes, by Lily Dyu and Amy Blackwell:

For young climate activists, this stunning new edition of Earth Heroes, fully illustrated by Amy Blackwell, is the ultimate gift this Christmas. From Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough to Isatou Ceesay and Yin Yuzhen, each tale is a beacon of hope in our fight for the future of the planet.

Buy the book.

Another Twist in the Tale, by Catherine Bruton:

You have heard, no doubt, the tale of Master Oliver Twist – the rags-to-riches boy; the parish orphan who became heir to the Brownlow fortune. But what few know is that there was a second Twist – a girl, brought into this world moments ahead of her brother.

Rediscover the Artful Dodger, Fagin, and Oliver Twist himself, alongside a host of fantastic new heroes and villains, in this brilliantly-imagined, rip-roaring sequel to Dickens’ much-loved classic.

Buy the book.

A Christmas In Time, by Sally Nicholls, with artwork by Rachael Dean and Isabelle Follath:

Alex and Ruby have time-travelled through their aunt’s magic mirror into a Victorian Christmas! But all the candles and carols can’t cheer little Edith up – she’s being sent away to a horrible boarding school on Boxing Day. Can Alex and Ruby find another future for Edith under the Christmas tree?

This festive time-travel story is the ideal gift for young readers who love fast-paced, action-packed adventures!

Buy the book.

Christmas gift ideas for the whole family

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright, collated by Fiona Waters and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup:

Introduce children to poetry with this gorgeous collection of 366 animal poems, one for every day of the year, and complemented by breathtaking artwork by Britta Teckentrup. From well-known classics to new gems, this is a beautiful collection for the whole family to enjoy this Christmas – and throughout the year.

Buy the book.

We hope this Christmas gift guide has given you some inspiration! What books are on your wishlist this year?

The post Christmas gift guide: the best children’s books to give as gifts! appeared first on Nosy Crow.

Watch Catherine Bruton discuss the inspirations behind Another Twist in the Tale

This month we’re delighted to have published Another Twist in the Tale by Catherine Bruton – a brilliantly-imagined, rip-roaring sequel to Dickens’ much-loved classic, Oliver Twist.

And today we’re sharing a video of Catherine discussing the inspirations behind her new book (you’ll find the writing resource sheet Catherine mentions here):

You have heard, no doubt, the tale of Master Oliver Twist – that rags-to-riches boy; the parish orphan who became heir to the Brownlow fortune. But what few know is that was a second Twist – a girl, brought into this world moments ahead of her brother.

This is the story of Twill Twist – and her journey through the gambling dens and workhouses of London, as she attempts to make a life for herself, rescue her friends, and uncover the mystery of her past – while meeting some familiar faces along the way…

Read the first few chapters:

Another Twist in the Tale is out now – you can buy a copy from Waterstones here, Amazon here, and Hive here. If you’d like to stay up-to-date with all of our book news, you can sign up to our books newsletter here, and you’ll never miss a thing.

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Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright wins a 2020 Books Are My Bag Readers Award!

Last night the winners of the Books Are My Bag Reader Awards were announced – and we’re delighted that Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright: An Animal Poem for Every Day of the Year, collected by Fiona Waters and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup, has won the Poetry Award!

Launched in 2016 and sponsored by the National Book Tokens, the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards are the industry’s only awards curated by bookshops and voted for by readers. Last year, No Ballet Shoes In Syria by Catherine Bruton, won the Children’s Fiction Award – and we are thrilled to have another Nosy Crow book recognised this year!

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright is a lavishly illustrated gift book of 366 animal poems – one for every day of the year – ranging from unforgettable classics to contemporary works from around the world, including poetry in translation. From William Blake and Roger McGough to Grace Nicols, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson and many more, this is a breathtaking collection, complemented by artwork that brings the richness and wonder of the animal kingdom to life.

Here’s what some people have said about the book:

“There is a whole world inside this glorious book; a poem for every day. This is a wonderful introduction to nature and all our fellow creatures.” – Michael Morpurgo

“A thing of visual and verbal beauty […] this rewarding safari will brighten a year of bedtimes and lodge in the minds of children for a lifetime.” – Sunday Times

“One of the most stunning children’s books of the year, it’s a tome that will be treasured by generations to come.” – The Independent

You can watch the book trailer here:

And take a look inside the book:

You can find out more about the awards here – and you can buy a copy of Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright from Nosy Crow here, Waterstones here, or the Hive here.

Thank you to everyone who voted in the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards. Congratulations, Fiona and Britta!

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A Cosy Homemade Christmas – a guest post by Anna Wilson

Last month we published the National Trust: 2021 Nature Month-By-Month: A Children’s Almanac, written by nature-lover and wild swimmer Anna Wilson and b eautifully illustrated by Elly Jahnz. This fantastic, fully illustrated guide to 2021 includes nature spotter guides, indoor and outdoor craft and activity ideas, seasonal recipes and celebrations of religious festivals and special events.

And today we’re very pleased to share a piece by Anna on some cosy Christmas activities featured in the book, which you can read below.

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Christmas might be a bit different this year, depending on where you are living at the moment. You might not be able to see all the people you would usually get together with but hopefully we can all still have fun and enjoy the festivities. We certainly need something to cheer us all up after this tricky year!

One of the best things about Christmas is the preparation and the excitement in the build-up to the big day. I have always enjoyed making things for Christmas, whether it’s baking, or making decorations, or making jam and mincemeat to give away as presents. I usually put on some Christmas music while I am doing this, to get me in the mood.

This Santa table decoration activity is one that I did with my own children when they were small. They are both grown up now, but we still have to get the decorations out every year to avoid disappointment, otherwise I find I am in big trouble! The Santas and reindeer are a bit bashed about nowadays, but they are still as well-loved as they were when they were first made.

Remember to put the decorations away carefully once Christmas is over so that you can get them out again next year!

I love all the cooking before Christmas. I usually get all my ingredients ready for the Christmas pudding, mincemeat and cake at the end of November on a day traditionally called ‘Stir-up Sunday’. This year Stir-up Sunday is on November 22nd. This is the last Sunday before Advent, which is the period of time in which Christians prepare for Christmas. In the old days, it was a time for families to get together to mix and steam the pudding. Everyone would take a turn to stir the pudding and make a special wish for the year ahead. In some houses silver coins were added to the pudding mix as finding a coin on Christmas Day was supposed to bring good luck.

Here is a recipe for homemade mincemeat for your mince pies – make it on November 22nd and leave it for a few weeks so that it develops a lovely flavour for your pies! It also makes a great gift for the grown-ups in your family.

Another lovely homemade present is cranberry jam. This can be used to eat with the cold meat after Christmas and is also delicious on toast or crumpets for a Christmassy breakfast or teatime snack.

You will need:

Large saucepan

Wooden spoon

Metal spoon

Sterilised jars

Waxed paper discs

225 g fresh or frozen, defrosted, cranberries

225 g caster sugar

Zest of one orange

1. Heat the cranberries and sugar over a low heat for about 10–15 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries begin to pop.

2. Add the orange zest and stir in.

3. Turn up the heat and boil the mixture rapidly for about 7 minutes.

4. Do the ‘wrinkle test’ to check that the jam has set.

3. Take off the heat and put into sterilized jars.

Top tip: The ‘wrinkle test’ involves dropping a teaspoon of jam on to a plate that you have put in the freezer before starting to make the jam. The hot jam hits the freezing surface and if it has set, it will wrinkle when you push it gently with your finger.

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Thank you, Anna!  The National Trust: 2021 Nature Month-By-Month: A Children’s Almanac is available now, here. You can take a look inside the book below:

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Another Twist in the Tale is now available as an audiobook, read by Miriam Margolyes

Today we’re delighted to share a brand new audiobook edition of Another Twist in the Tale by Catherine Bruton, author of the award-winning No Ballet Shoes in Syria, read by none other than BAFTA-winner Miriam Margolyes – and you can listen to a preview of the audio edition below.

A brilliantly-imagined sequel to Dickens’ much-loved classic, Another Twist in the Tale is the story of Oliver Twist’s long-lost twin sister, Twill – and her journey through the gambling dens and workhouses of London, as she attempts to make a life for herself, rescue her friends, and uncover the mystery of her past, while meeting some familiar faces along the way…

With beautiful writing, and an incredible atmosphere and setting, Another Twist in the Tale will bring a much-loved classic to a new generation of readers.

And we’re thrilled that the audiobook has been read by Miriam Margolyes, who won a BAFTA for her role in Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, and is also known for playing Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film series, as well as roles in Babe, Romeo + Juliet, Ladies in Lavender, and numerous other films.

Here’s what Catherine Bruton said about Miriam’s reading of the book: “Miriam brings every page, every character so vividly to life, each twist in the tale is delivered with such delicious gusto, each character is more glorious and grotesque and funny and absurd and moving and brilliant than the last! I feel quite sure that Mr Dickens would have loved it every bit as much as I did!”

You can buy the audiobook of Another Twist in the Tale from Audible, Amazon, Apple, and Cloudaloud now – and you can listen to a preview below.

You can also read the opening of the book below:

And you can buy the print edition of My Life as a Cat from Waterstones here, from Bookshop.org here, and from Amazon here.

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New books out in November!

It’s our November publication day! From Christmas board books and picture books to activity books and brilliant new fiction, there’s a book for everyone this season.

Here’s a closer look at the new Nosy Crow books you can find in bookshops, and online, this month.

Sing Along With Me! We Wish You a Merry Christmas, by Yu-hsuan Huang:



Buy the book.

Sing Along With Me! Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, by Yu-hsuan Huang (published November 19th):



Buy the book.

Jingle Bells, by Nicola Slater:



Buy the book.

A House for Christmas Mouse, by Rebecca Harry:



Buy the book.

Press Out and Colour: Birds, by Zoe Ingram:



Buy the book.

Magnificent Mabel and the Christmas Elf, written by Ruth Quayle and illustrated Julia Christians:



Buy the book.

Another Twist in the Tale, by Catherine Bruton:



Buy the book.

Unicorn Academy: Zara and Moonbeam, written by Julie Sykes and illustrated by Lucy Truman:



Buy the book.

A Forever Home for Luna, written by Linda Chapman and illustrated by Sophy Williams:

Buy the book.

Congratulations to all of our fantastic authors and illustrators with books out today! If you’d like to keep up-to-date with all of our book news and future releases, you can sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of this page.

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