Nosy Crow's Blog, page 41

Nosy Crow has been shortlisted for three IPG 2020 Independent Publishing Awards!

The 2020 IPG Independent Publishing Award shortlists have been announced – and we are absolutely delighted that Nosy Crow has been shortlisted in three categories!

We’ve been shortlisted for the Blackwell’s Children’s Publisher of the Year Award, against Sweet Cherry Publishing, Walker Books, and Wonderbly. In their commendation, the IPG said: “Nosy Crow has won this Award four times in just nine years of publishing, and it had another remarkable year of growth in 2019. The judges were impressed by its energetic marketing, international reach, dedication to new and longstanding children’s writers and illustrators and commitment to issues like diversity and sustainability. ‘It’s a consistently impressive business with a brilliant team of people across sales, rights and editorial.'”

We’ve been shortlisted for the IPG International Achievement Award, against Kogan page and Walker Books. In their commendations, the IPG said: “Nosy Crow is seeking to win this Award for a fourth time. Its tireless team achieved more stellar international rights growth last year, with the US and China among the best performers. Export sales grew too, after it brought management of them in-house for the first time. ‘Nosy Crow’s achievements in rights and coeditions are extraordinary… it’s an international powerhouse and getting even better,’ said the judges.”

We’ve also been shortlisted for the IPG Sustainability Award, against Cambridge University Press and Lonely Planet. In their commendations, the IPG said: “Nosy Crow makes this shortlist for its commitment to reducing environmental impacts including its use of paper, plastics and packaging, office energy consumption and involvement in industry action groups. Judges also liked its wider work on ethical and social responsibility. ‘They’re obviously mindful of carbon emissions in everything they do, and you can see their engagement – their heart is really in it,’ they said.”

And Michela Pea, Nosy Crow’s Rights Manager, has also been shortlisted for The Bookseller Young Independent Publisher of the Year Award. In their commendation, the IPG said: “Michela Pea at Nosy Crow has made a huge impact on her company since joining in May 2016. Initially as rights assistant and now as senior rights manager, she has kept Nosy Crow’s international sales growing fast, excelling in rights and coeditions and in the Chinese market in particular. ‘Considering she’s only a few years into publishing she’s achieved an outstanding amount. She is obviously right at the heart of the business already,’ said the judges.”

You can find out more about all of the award shortlists here. The winners of the awards will be announced at a special online presentation on September 22nd.

Wish us luck!

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How to choose the right book to read with babies and young children

A little while ago, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose to mark their son Archie’s first birthday (and also raise awareness of the work of Save the Children) by posting a very cute video of the Duchess sharing a book with him. Her reading is excellent – engaging and genuinely enthusiastic – and Archie is clearly very familiar with books. He understands their cues and conventions – listen to the reader, look at the pictures, turn the pages – and is poised to be entertained. But while she is enthusiastic about their title of choice, Duck! Rabbit!, I couldn’t help but notice that Archie isn’t massively interested in the story. He’s obviously enjoying sitting with his mum but he is fidgety and never quite connects with the book. At one stage he even tries to give her a different title to read!

Now, I have no idea what the set-up was for that video-shoot. For all I know, they could have been told to read that title and Meghan might be perfectly aware of what books suit Archie and what don’t. Or Archie could have been tired, or hungry or just having a bad day. But my immediate response was to think how I could get Where’s Mr Lion? to the pair of them as quickly as possible! (Obviously, a stupid idea, as royals don’t accept gifts). Because though Duck! Rabbit! is an ingenious and excellent title, and is presented as a board book so appears to be aimed at babies, it is a series of jokes based on optical illusions, in which one can interpret the image as either a duck or a rabbit. It is actually quite sophisticated, both in terms of its humour and the visual interpretations it is asking the child to make. Archie just didn’t GET it. And why should he – he’s only one.

But this did prompt me to think how hard it is for new parents, grandparents, aunts, god-parents, friends, indeed anyone choosing books for babies, to find a book that is right for any particular stage of their development. Search ‘best baby books’ on Amazon and you’re presented with quite a number of books that are, in my opinion, entirely unsuited to babies under eighteen months old. It’s not helpful at all!

So I thought I’d do a very quick list of some things to look out for when picking a book for children from six months (to around fifteen months old):

Interactivity – find a book which involves the child, which clearly asks them to join in with it, either by engaging with the novelty, or repeating the sounds/words or answering the questions. This turns the child into an active reader and this is what you want. Active readers feel good about books and good about themselves!
Pictures – It’s all about faces at this age. Babies are programmed to respond to faces from birth, so a book with bold, friendly characters – animal or human – to engage with is a must.
Story – Babies can’t follow much of a ‘story’ but even a very simple book can have a narrative that develops, and an ending of sorts. A search for something that’s lost or hiding (and which is finally found) is a perfect example of this.
Text – Rhyming texts are great because they help children to start to predict, and eventually remember the next word, and this goes back to the active reading thing. But texts with questions, or repeated refrains do the same thing. The more a child can engage with and anticipate the words, the more empowered they feel.
Novelty – I love a flap to lift because, even very young babies realise that their involvement is needed to push the story on. And as I’ve said, by giving them agency in the book, this makes them feel good, so they’ll keep returning to their favourites, and seeking out new ones too.
Format – board pages (as opposed to paper or card) are a good idea at this age. The key thing is that the book can withstand a little manhandling by the baby. Babies need the chance to learn how to use books and parents need to be relaxed and confident that the book won’t be damaged.
The adult reader – try to choose something that gives you a little fun and joy too – if you are charmed by the book, the child is more likely to be too.
The child ­­reader – Be guided by the baby. Give them a choice of a number of books – if they don’t respond to one, try something else!

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Heard any good books lately?

Today we’re delighted to share brand new audiobook editions of The Dragon in the Library and The Monster in the Lake by Louie Stowell – and to celebrate, Louie has written a post on her favourite audiobooks from childhood.

Unlike Kit in my Dragon in the Library books, I was an avid reader as a child. But it wasn’t until I was much older that I realised that my choice of mediums was unusual – and, to some people who are wrong, shameful.

I liked reading print books, sure, but I also loved audiobooks. Back then, in the ’80s, they were on cassette tapes, and I wore out so many of them. There was the incredible Hound of the Baskervilles recording, with the most dramatic reading of GIGANTIC HOUND that you could imagine. It was like Brian Blessed was in my room shouting at me. (I don’t know who the actual reader was, but they were definitely channelling Blessed in that moment.)

Then there was my dramatised version of the Lord of the Rings. I say mine, because it felt like a world I inhabited alone – along with an all-star cast including Ian Holm as Frodo and Bill Nighy as Sam. Eventually I had to replace those taped-from-the-radio recordings with CDs, because the tapes were as dead as Sean Bean by the end of any given script.

This was after I read the physical books of Lord of the Rings, multiple times. The new medium gave the story a whole new lease of life for me. Plus, the music was excellent. I still know the song of the Fall of Gil-galad off by heart from that recording.

With all this stored in my emotional memory, I am spectacularly excited that The Dragon in the Library and The Monster in the Lake are available NOW as audiobooks. I hope it makes it possible for children who haven’t read them yet to discover them, or those who have to enjoy them again in a new way. They’re read by Rosie Jones, who’s done a brilliant job, and I hope you all enjoy them as much as child-me would have done.

Thank you, Louie! The new audiobook editions of The Dragon in the Library and The Monster in the Lake are on sale now – you can buy the audiobook of The Dragon in the Library here and The Monster in the Lake here, and listen to previews of each below.

Listen the first chapter of The Dragon in the Library:

Buy the audiobook.

Buy the print edition.

Listen the first chapter of The Monster in the Lake:

Buy the audiobook.

Buy the print edition.

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The Inspirations Behind My Life as a Cat – a guest post by Carlie Sorosiak for National Cat Day

Tomorrow is National Cat Day, and to celebrate, author Carlie Sorosiak has written a blogpost for us on the inspirations behind her upcoming new book, My Life as a Cat. 

I’m mildly allergic to cats. I will never tell that to Bella.

I first met Bella in her foster home, alongside eleven other cats; she’d just managed to escape from the upstairs bedroom, dangling from the doorknob with all sixteen of her front toes. Her polydactyl paws are chunky, like the world’s most adorable oven mitts. And she’s brilliant. So incredibly brilliant.

Can you tell that I fell in love?

My parents agreed: Yep, she’s the one. We’d adopted numerous cats before, but none as outgoing as Bella. She’s a Christmas-tree climber, a neighbor-greeter, a guardian of our elderly golden retriever. You gaze into her alien-green eyes, and she purrs contentedly back.

About a year ago, I’d just finished writing a novel from the perspective of a dog – I, Cosmo. Naturally, I believed, a cat should come next. But I was also tossing around an idea about friendly extraterrestrials. Suddenly, it clicked: Why not combine the two? That’s how Leonard in My Life as a Cat was born. An alien trapped in feline form, he’s a little bit of Bella – and also Duncan, and Sooty, and Bailey. My life has been full of wonderful cats.

I knew that I wanted to give him a family name. “Leonard” was my grandfather’s. He used to feed the stray cats in his neighborhood, and I like to think that he would’ve loved this book – and Bella, too. She would’ve rubbed her face against his whole face: a proper kitty greeting.

One more thing. I wrote this book before the world seemed to fall apart. I wrote it because I was trying to make sense of Earth, and why humans do the things they do. Now, more than ever, I hope it helps you feel less alone.

Thank you, Carlie!

With beautiful writing and a truly unique voice, My Life as a Cat is a heart-warming adventure, reminiscent of E.T. and perfect for fans of Flora and Ulysses – a wise, funny, and moving story of what it means to find a family.

Here’s a look inside the book:

My Life as a Cat will be in shops in September – you can pre-order it from Waterstones here, from Hive here, and from Amazon here.

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New books out in August!

It’s our August publication day – which means lots of new children’s book coming your way today! From brand new sound button board books for babies and toddlers, to fantastic new picture books, non-fiction, and fiction books, there’s something for everyone.

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

Farmyard Friends: Cuddly Cow, by Axel Scheffler:

Buy the book.

Farmyard Friends: Gobbly Goat, by Axel Scheffler:

Buy the book.

Listen to the Seaside, by Marion Billet:

Buy the book.

Meekoo and the Little Nursery, written by Camilla Reid and illustrated by Nicola Slater:

Buy the book.

This is a Dog, by Ross Collins (now available in paperback):

Buy the book.

Super Milly and the Super School Day, written by Stephanie Clarkson and illustrated by Gwen Millward:

Buy the book.

British Museum: Find Tom in Time, Ming Dynasty China, by Fatti Burke:

Buy the book.

Princess of Pets: The Cuddly Seal, written by Paula Harrison and illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller:

Buy the book.

Zoe’s Rescue Zoo: The Helpful Hedgehog, written by Amelia Cobb and illustrated by Sophy Williams:

Buy the book.

Unicorn Academy: Phoebe and Shimmer, written by Julie Sykes and illustrated by Lucy Truman:

Buy the book.

A Deer Called Dotty, written by Helen Peters and illustrated by Ellie Snowdon:

Buy the book.

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

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Take a look inside Sticky Pines: The Thing at Black Hole Lake

Next month we’re very excited to be publishing Sticky Pines: The Thing at Black Hole Lake – the second book in the laugh-out-loud, hair-raising sci-fi series by Dashe Roberts. Filled with mystery, adventure and spooky goings-on, this is the perfect series for young siblings of Stranger Things and the X-Files fans.

And today you can read the first chapter!

Milo, loyal to his double-crossing, business-mogul father, has taken a trip to Black Hole Lake, leaving Lucy to continue her search into alien life and the Truth that she knows is out there. Milo’s discovery of a sinister, dark creature in the Lake will put them both in terrible danger and also – if they survive their adventure – make them friends again.

If you haven’t read the first book in this hair-raising series, you can read the first chapter of The Bigwoof Conspiracy here:



Buy the book.

Sticky Pines: The Thing at Black Hole Lake will be published this September 3rd – you can pre-order a copy from Waterstones here, Hive here, and Amazon 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, or with the form below.

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Take a look inside A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes and Poems – our new Nosy Crow Classic

We’ve got lots of new books coming your way this gift season, from picture books to poetry collections. Today we’re sharing the first look inside a brand new nursery rhyme book, and the fourth title in our Nosy Crow Classics collection: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes and Poems, illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon.

Like the first three Nosy Crow Classics,  The Velveteen Rabbit, Peter Pan, and Heidi, A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes and Poems will be published in a beautiful cloth-bound hardback format, with a stunning foiled jacket, luxurious paper, and a ribbon marker.

With enchanting artwork by Frann Preston-Gannon, illustrator of our award-winning poetry collection, I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree, and over one hundred specially selected works inside, this book is the perfect birthday, Christmas, or christening gift to treasure.

In this captivating collection, you’ll meet favourite friends Humpty Dumpty, the Owl and the Pussy-cat and Little Miss Muffet, as well as mermaids, elves and a whole host of animals at a magical fair. Discover games for playtime, songs for supper time and star-filled lullabies for bedtime.

A digital preview does not do this book justice, but here’s a look inside:

A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes and Poems will be in shops this October – you can find out more and pre-order a copy here. If you’d like to stay up-to-date with all of our book news, you can sign up to our books newsletter with the form below.

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Introducing YouthQuake: 50 Children and Young People Who Shook the World

Next month we’re proud to be publishing YouthQuake: 50 Children and Young People Who Shook the World, written by Tom Adams and illustrated by Sarah Walsh – an inspiring collection of stories about incredible young people who have shaped the world we live in.

And today we’re sharing an early preview – you can take a look inside the book below!

No one is too small to start a YouthQuake! This is the story of fearless activists, brilliant inventors, champion athletes, gifted creators and inspiring leaders. It is the story of tremendous trailblazers who have influenced change with their passion, courage and determination, and whose inspirational actions and groundbreaking achievements have shaken the world.

From Greta Thunberg to Mary Anning, Stevie Wonder to Björk, this book is packed with true stories, fascinating facts, beautiful photographs, and gorgeous artwork.

Take a look inside:

YouthQuake: 50 Children and Young People Who Shook the World will be available this September. You can pre-order a copy 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, or with the form at the bottom of the page.

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Brand new audiobook editions of Pamela Butchart’s award-winning Baby Aliens series!

Today we’re very pleased to share brand new audiobook auditions of the latest books in Pamela Butchart’s award-winning, best-selling Baby Aliens series.

The first five books in the series are already available as audiobooks – and now you can complete the series, with all of the remaining books available in audio too.

Hilariously read by comedian Susan Calman, these are laugh-out-loud funny stories for 6-9 year olds. They’re perfect for car journeys, days inside, bedtime stories and more – a fantastic way to fill the summer holidays.

You can listen to previews of each of the new audiobooks below.

Listen to a preview of There’s A Werewolf In My Tent:

Buy the complete audiobook.

Listen to a preview of The Phantom Lollipop Man:

Buy the complete audiobook.

Listen to a preview of There’s A Yeti In The Playground:

Buy the complete audiobook.

Listen to a preview of Icarus Was Ridiculous:

Buy the complete audiobook.

And you can find the first five books in the series for sale here, if you’re new to the series.

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Watch our trailer for Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! An Animal Poem For Every Day of the Year

In a little over a month, we will be publishing our new poetry collection, Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! An Animal Poem For Every Day of the Year, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup and with poems collected by Fiona Waters – a gorgeously illustrated collection of 366 animal poems, one for every day of the year.

And today we’re delighted to share our trailer for the book – you can watch it below.

The ambitious sequel to our award-winning, highly-acclaimed first poetry collection, I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem For Every Day of the Year, Tiger, Tiger ranges from unforgettable classics to contemporary works from around the world, including in translation. The spectacular range of poems for children includes work by William Blake, Dick King-Smith, Ted Hughes, Grace Nicols, Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti – and is complemented by Britta Teckentrup’s breathtaking illustrations, which bring together all the richness and wonder of the animal kingdom.

And you can take a look inside the book here:

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! will be in bookshops, and available online, this September – this richly illustrated, clothbound collection of animal poems will inspire and delight all year round.

You can pre-order a copy from Waterstones here, Hive here, and from Amazon here – and if you’d like to be the first to hear more about the book, and be in with a chance of winning a copy, you can sign up to our Tiger, Tiger newsletter here.

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