Nosy Crow's Blog, page 48
March 19, 2020
The Suitcase has been shortlisted for the 2020 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal
The shortlists for the 2020 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Awards have been announced today – and we’re absolutely delighted that The Suitcase, by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros, has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are the UK’s oldest children’s book awards, judged solely by librarians. The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people, and the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded for outstanding illustration for children and young people.
It’s an incredible honour to be shortlisted – and we’re so proud that The Suitcase has been recognised!
When a strange-looking animal arrives pulling a big suitcase, the other animals are curious. What on earth could be inside that suitcase? A teacup? Maybe. A table and chair? Perhaps. A whole home and hillside with trees? This stranger must be fibbing! But when the animals break into the suitcase and discover a very special photograph, they begin to understand what the strange creature has been through, and together they create a very special welcome present…
Take a look inside:
You can watch the trailer below:
And here’s Chris reading the book:
The winners will be announced in June. You can read more about the award and view the shortlist, here.
Congratulations Chris on your continued success with this wonderful, heartwarming picture book!
March 18, 2020
Take a look inside On Your Marks, Get Set, Gold!: A Funny and Fact-Filled Guide to Every Olympic Sport
The Olympics are only a few months away! To celebrate, we’re publishing On Your Marks, Get Set, Gold! – a funny, and fact-filled guide to every Olympic and Paralympic sport, written by former sports journalist Scott Allen, with wonderful, bright illustrations by Antoine Corbineau. And today we’re giving you an exclusive first look inside this sporty new book!
From boxing to boccia, find out just what it takes to become an Olympic and Paralympic star in this hilariously informative guide to the games. For each sport you’ll discover why it’s great, why it’s not so great, what skills and equipment you’ll need to start practising and even how to sound like a pro! With bold, energetic illustrations and a text packed with weird, wonderful and wildly hilarious facts, this is a laugh-a-minute, fascinating guide to every Olympic and Paralympic sport.
Here’s a sneak peek inside this new book:
You can pre-order On Your Marks, Get Set, Gold! from Waterstones here, The Hive here, or Amazon here – and 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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March 17, 2020
Nosy Crow snaps up ten more hilarious books from Pamela Butchart
Nosy Crow is delighted to announce the acquisition of ten new titles from award-winning, bestselling author, Pamela Butchart. Three of these will be in the popular Wigglesbottom Primary range for 5+ readers (illustrated by Becka Moor), two will be picture books and five will be more stories of mayhem about Izzy and friends in the Baby Aliens series for 7+ readers (illustrated by Thomas Flintham).
Kirsty Stansfield, head of fiction at Nosy Crow, bought world rights from Becky Bagnell at the Lindsay Literary Agency. Stansfield comments: “Working with Pamela is a proper joy. She has a particular knack for writing really funny stories which help to hook young readers into reading.”
Pamela Butchart’s books have won the Blue Peter Book Award and the Children’s Book Award, and been shortlisted for the Lollies. Pamela is in much demand for school events and festivals, with her audiences growing for each book. In 2018 Pamela battled the Beast from the East to promote her £1 book for World Book Day, The Baby Brother From Outer Space, and was inspired by the terrible weather to write There’s A Yeti in the Playground. Her latest book, Icarus was Ridiculous, was published in association with the British Museum. Nosy Crow published the sixth Wigglesbottom Primary title, Break-Time Bunnies, on 5th March with the tenth Izzy book, The Broken Leg of Doom, coming out in August. Pamela’s titles are available in 17 languages and have sold over 950,000 copies to date.
Pamela Butchart comments: “I’m chuffed to bits! I can’t wait to write more adventures about Izzy and her friends (she has a lot more to say!).”
Becky Bagnell, agent, comments: “I am over the moon that Nosy Crow are going to be publishing ten more books – they are one of the best in the business.”
March 16, 2020
Take a look inside the brand-new edition of National Trust: 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 3/4
Next month we’re delighted to be publishing a brand-new edition of 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 3/4, illustrated by Sandra de la Prada and published in collaboration with the National Trust. And today you can take a look inside this fun, activity-packed new edition!
Coinciding with the National Trust’s relaunch of the 50 Things campaign, this book is bursting with ideas to help children from any background discover the great outdoors and get closer to nature. The pocket-sized companion contains 50 fantastic activities, including handy tips, nature facts, activity checklists, and there’s plenty of space for nature journaling, doodling and more at the end. And when it’s just too wet to go outside, you can always turn to the rainy-day activities.
“This handy little book has everything you could want to see through the holidays, a sunny weekend, or even a rainy day in the house… And with plenty of pages to personalise and memories to make, it’s a book you’re sure to treasure for years to come.” – Tegen Evans, Editor
Take a look inside the new edition below:
National Trust: 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 3/4 will be hitting bookshelves on April 2nd – just in time for spring! You can pick up a copy from Waterstones here, The Hive here, or from our website, here.
If you’d like to stay up-to-date with all of our latest book news, sign up to our newsletter at this page, or with the form below, and you’ll never miss a thing.
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March 12, 2020
Nosy Crow announces creation of in-house UK field sales team
Nosy Crow has announced today that from Wednesday 1st July 2020, a newly created UK field sales team will be handling all independent shops, heritage and gift accounts and wholesalers in-house.
Catherine Stokes, Head of UK and Export Sales and Marketing, said: “This is an exciting new phase in our UK sales growth strategy. The UK’s independent bookshops, gift, heritage and wholesale accounts have always been so supportive and energetic in the selling of the Nosy Crow list and we know that customer feedback and the greatest possible collaboration is essential to maintain and grow those sales on the high street and beyond. Creating an all-new Nosy Crow field sales team will enable us to be even closer (and listen even harder) to our customers and we will be creating a new, bespoke and innovative Marketing and PR offering as part of this.”
Stokes went on to say that she has recruited Ruth Tinham as Nosy Crow’s Field Sales Manager. Tinham was formerly Head of Children’s Sales for Kings Road Publishing, a division of Bonnier Publishing covering the Templar, Big Picture Press and Studio Press imprints. She will start in role to plan and build the team on 1st April 2020. A further three members of the team will be recruited who will report to Tinham.
Bounce Sales and Marketing Ltd will continue to manage all current business with their contracted accounts until 30thJune and Nosy Crow looks forward to working with them to ensure a smooth transition for our customers.
Kate Wilson, Managing Director of Nosy Crow said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Robert Snuggs and his excellent team at Bounce who have represented our list superbly ever since our first publication in 2011. We are so very grateful to them. But it was always our eventual intention to bring UK field sales in-house, and we’ve reached a point in our growth where this is possible. We love the vibrant community of independent and other shops that sell our books, and we look forward to working with them more closely and directly.”
Robert Snuggs, Managing Director of Bounce Sales and Marketing Ltd said: “When Kate Wilson first approached us about launching Nosy Crow, it was clear that she had big ambitions for the list. The team at Bounce have thoroughly enjoyed working with Kate, her team, their authors and illustrators and feel a great sense of accomplishment in having been able to be part of realising that ambition and introducing their wonderful books to so many booksellers. We wish Nosy Crow all the best with its future growth.”
March 11, 2020
Cranes, Construction, and Diversity – a guest post from Polly Faber
Last week we published Building a Home, written by Polly Faber and illustrated by Klas Fahlén – a beautifully illustrated non-fiction book, following the journey of an old factory building as it becomes a new home. And today we’re thrilled to be sharing a piece from Polly about her inspiration and the importance of representation in children’s books…
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I love tower cranes. Living in London it’s rare to find a view that doesn’t include at least one. During the day I stare out of my study window, mesmerised by a local cluster’s stately swinging arm ballet. At night, their metalwork becomes invisible so red lights hover and blink in the sky like UFOs. They are such an ordinary sight and yet seem so otherworldly, strangely romantic: their drivers, alone in their cabs all day, have their own isolated perspective on the world – rather like submariners or astronauts or even writers…
Becoming an actual crane driver was not a job option that ever occurred to me when I was small. Of course, there’s more than one reason why; I love cranes but I don’t like heights. The idea of climbing that endless ladder every day, or sitting in a cab that sways and creaks in the gentlest of breezes gives me shivers. And somewhere along the way through my 70’s and 80’s childhood I also absorbed the idea that building things and building machines were inherently male pursuits and interests: that they were not for me.
Fast forward thirty years and depressingly, it seems that still holds true. Only 10-15% of workers in the construction industry are women and the vast majority of them work in administrative support, rather than actually on site. While physical strength is an asset for some parts of building work, the continuing perception that it’s Bob, not Wendy, who’s the Builder has a much bigger part to play in keeping construction sites overwhelmingly male. Organisations like snappily named networking group, Chicks with Bricks, or Built By Her which inspires 16 to 18-year-old girls to consider a career in construction, are working to change the story but its slow.
This was the background I researched when writing Building a Home: even if I wasn’t going to drive one, those cranes had kept calling to me and somewhat to my own surprise, I found myself writing my first non-fiction book about a construction site. But non-fiction books have a responsibility to be truthful to the readers they seek to inform, however young those readers are. And so I pondered how to present my construction site workforce. If everything I wrote was truthful in the sense of being possible did it matter that it wasn’t a mirror of the status quo? I decided there must be as much room for a reader to be inspired and to dream through non-fiction as through any other sort of story.
In Building a Home, it’s Jane who drives the crane and Summer who plumbs in the toilets. Daisy who drives the bulldozer and Freya who lays bricks. And Amy is the architect in charge. Of course, there’s also Doug and Sanjit and Karim and Raoul among others; the crew is gender-balanced. I know that many readers won’t notice; they’ll be too busy enjoying all the different machines and processes. In fact, I hope that readers won’t notice, that they’ll take my 50/50 construction site for granted. And I hope – I dream – that the only consideration about whether or not those readers will climb a tower crane ladder of their own one day will be whether or not they’d like to!
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Thanks, Polly!
You can take a look inside Building a Home below:
March 10, 2020
Take a look inside TrooFriend!
Next month we’re very excited to be publishing TrooFriend – a unique, gripping, and little bit sinister sci-fi story from Waterstones Children’s Book Prize nominee, Kirsty Applebaum. And today we’re sharing the opening chapters!
Imagine having the perfect friend, one who never steals, lies or bullies. Now you can, with the TrooFriend 560, the latest in artificial intelligence! What can go wrong with a robot buddy? Especially one that’s developing human characteristics and feelings, and who has just run away with her human?
Read the first few chapters below:
TrooFriend will be zooming into bookshops on April 2nd! You can pre-order your copy from Waterstones here, from The Hive here, or from our website here.
If you’d like to stay up-to-date with all of our latest book news, sign up to our newsletter at this page, or with the form below, and you’ll never miss a thing.
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March 5, 2020
How to be an Astronaut and Other Space Jobs is the runner-up for the 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards!
The winners of the 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards have been announced – and we’re very excited to announce that How to be an Astronaut and Other Space Jobs is a runner-up in the Best Book with Facts category!
The enormously popular and influential Blue Peter Book Awards recognise and celebrate the best authors, most creative illustrators, and greatest reads for children.
And we’re thrilled that How to be an Astronaut and Other Space Jobs,by Dr Sheila Kanani and illustrated by Sol Linero, has been received a special mention!
Do you have what it takes to become an astronaut, a spaceship engineer or to work at Mission Control? Find out all about space and all the incredible space jobs you could do, from training to be a space chef or designing spacesuits to searching for new planets we could live on, or even blasting into space and living in the International Space Station. This book will inspire anyone with an interest in science and space exploration.
Filled with fantastic facts about space, unusual jobs, and bold illustrations throughout, this is a great non-fiction book for any child fascinated with space. Here are a few words from the Editor, Tegen Evans:
“I’ve always been fascinated by space, so working with Dr Sheila Kanani and Sol Linero on this book was an absolute dream. Readers can discover exactly what it takes to become an astronaut, and if living in zero gravity doesn’t sound like your thing, there are so many space jobs to explore here on Earth. This book is proof that any child, no matter what their background, can work in the space industry when they grow up!”
You can take a look inside the book below:
How to be an Astronaut and Other Space Jobs is available at Waterstones here, the Hive here, our website here. Find out more information about the award, and view the winners, here.
And if you liked this book, the second book in the series, How to Be a Footballer and Other Sports Jobs, is publishing this May. We’ll be sharing more about this in the coming weeks!
Congratulations Sheila and Sol!
New books in March – and World Book Day!
Today is not only our March publication day, but also World Book Day, too! And we’ve got some fantastic new books out this month: there’s a brand new board book in Benji Davies’ Bizzy Bear series, two new farmyard books from Axel Scheffler, a terrific tiger-themed picture book, fascinating non-fiction, and some brilliant fiction, including a new title in Pamela Butchart’s hilarious Wigglesbottom Primary series – we’ve got something for everyone.
Here’s a closer look at all of the Nosy Crow books flying into bookshops this month.
Bizzy Bear: Aeroplane Pilot, illustrated by Benji Davies:
Farmyard Friends: Higgly Hen, illustrated by Axel Scheffler:
Farmyard Friends: Portly Pig, illustrated by Axel Scheffler:
Mr Brown’s Bad Day, written by Lou Peacock and illustrated by Alison Friend:
Building a Home, written by Polly Faber and illustrated by Klas Fahlén:
British Museum: Find Tom in Time, Ancient Rome, illustrated by Fatti Burke:
DustRoad, written by Tom Huddleston:
A Forever Home for Tilly, written by Linda Chapman and illustrated by Sophy Williams:
Talking to the Moon, written by S.E. Durrant:
Wigglesbottom Primary: Break-Time Bunnies, written by Pamela Butchart and illustrated by Becka Moor:
Congratulations to our wonderful authors and illustrators – and Happy World Book Day!
March 3, 2020
Five of the best books about wildlife for children!
Today is Wildlife Day! To celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of five of the best books about wildlife for children – from books about animals who have made history to fun, interactive books, sticker books, and poetry too.
WildLives: 50 Extraordinary Animals that Made History, written by Ben Lerwill and illustrated by Sarah Walsh
For those who love animals and history, our first book is the perfect gift! WildLives is a fascinating and touching book about fifty of the most courageous creatures from around the world – from Sergeant Stubby, the war hero bulldog who saved lives, to Murali, the fearless female tiger who protected her cubs. Discover some of the most famous and unforgettable animals of all time in this compelling, visually arresting book!
And here’s a few words from the editor:
“This is an extraordinary book about extraordinary animals – some, you might have heard of already and some you probably won’t have done, but amazingly all of the stories here are true. Many of them will make you laugh, many will make you stop and think, but, most importantly, ALL of the animals are special and their story deserves to be remembered forever.”
Take a look inside this fascinating new book:
National Trust: Look and Say What You See at the Seaside, illustrated by Sebastien Braun
The second book on our list is the latest in the spot-and-find nature book series, National Trust: Look and Say. From seashells and sandcastles on the shore to starfish and seahorses underwater, this look-and-say book is a great way for little ones to start learning about nature at the seaside. What can you see in the rock pool? Can you find seagull chicks nesting in the clifftop?
The others in the series include, What You See in the Countryside, What You See in the Town, and What You See on the Farm.
And the editor says:
“Little ones will have hours of fun recognising all their favourite animals, places and plants as they explore the seaside in this interactive picture book. And it’s not just favourites, there are plenty of new nature words to learn, too!”
Take a look inside the book, below:
Who’s Hiding in the Jungle?, illustrated by Katharine McEwen
Next on our list is the fifth book in the gorgeous lift-the-flap series, Who’s Hiding Here? These innovative flap books are the perfect introduction to the outdoors for little ones, with beautiful collaged artwork and fun flaps to pull up and explore under. Lift the leaves, tree, and rocks to find out interesting facts about jungle wildlife in this latest book!
And we’re very excited that the next book in the series – Who’s Hiding in the Desert? – will be published in July.
Here’s a comment from the editor:
“This series is an absolute delight! With beautiful artwork and fun flaps to lift, little children will be busy for hours, discovering all kinds of wildlife!”
And here’s one of the lovely pages with flaps:
National Trust: Horses, Hens and Other British Farm Animals, illustrated by Nikki Dyson
Publishing this April, this is the fifth in a glorious sticker book series created in collaboration with the National Trust. Packed with facts about farmyard animals and their homes, with four pages of wildlife stickers to have fun with! This is an excellent introduction to all types of farm animals for the very young, including pigs in their pigsty, fields of sheep and lambs, alpacas in the city farm, and much, much more.
And if you can’t wait until then, there are already four sticker books in the series to enjoy – Beetles, Butterflies, and other British Minibeasts, Hedgehogs, Hares, and other British Animals, Robins, Wrens, and other British Birds, and Sharks, Seahorses, and other British Sea Creatures.
And here’s what the editor said:
“Children just love visiting the farm and recognising all the different animals that live there. With gorgeous illustrations from Nikki Dyson as ever, there’s a lot to learn and plenty of stickering fun to be had!”
You can take a look at the first few pages, here:
I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree – A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, selected by Fiona Waters and illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon
No wildlife list would be complete without this wonderful poetry anthology! Filled with familiar favourites and new discoveries, covering all the seasons and a variety of animals – and written by a wide variety of poets, including John Agard, William Blake, Emily Brontë, Emily Dickinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, and William Wordsworth.
This is a book for the whole family to treasure, with nature poems and gorgeous illustrations to delight and inspire every day of the year.
Here’s what the editor had to say:
“This is the book I am most proud of publishing. It has been an extraordinary labour of love by everyone involved, including Frann Preston-Gannon, whose exquisite illustrations are a real hymn to nature, making this a timeless classic to treasure. It’s such a rich book, and one that I would love every child to have on their shelves.”
And you can take a look inside here:
We hope this list gives you some wildlife book inspiration! 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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