Nosy Crow's Blog, page 6
March 29, 2024
Kid’s Club March 2024
Welcome to our Nosy Crow Kids’ Club! Each month, we have fun activities for young readers. Join us for engaging content! Every month we will share a creative prompt inspired by our recent publications. We may also provide printable activity sheets for children to enjoy.
Create Your Own Movie AdventureThis month, the kid’s club activity takes inspiration from the new picture book Black Hole Cinema Club! Another edge-of-your-seat adventure from the award-winning author of Escape Room, Christopher Edge!
Create your own environment or landscape that you would embark upon if you stepped into a movie at the Black Hole Cinema Club! Would you find yourself on a pirate ship? Below the pyramids? Or maybe stepping into the past in a famous city?
The possibilities are endless! Come up with your idea of where you would go and what you would want to discover, and with whom! It’s up to you to save the world and make it back in time for the end credits…
We hope you and your family enjoy this latest instalment of our Nosy Crow Kids’ Club!
Be sure to let us know if your young readers and illustrators partake in our activities. Please do share drawings, book reviews, or stories with us via email digital@nosycrow.com or @nosycrow on social media.
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March 21, 2024
Happy World Poetry Day! Our Crow’s Favourite Poems
Every year on March 21st, the world comes together to celebrate World Poetry Day, a day dedicated to “one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity.”
We’re big fans of the poetic form here at Nosy Crow, and are glad to have published a number of wonderful anthologies over the years: I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree, And Everything Will Be Glad to See You, Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright and, most recently, A Whale of a Time. These three, amongst our other books filled with poems, are perfect collections to begin a lifelong love of poetry.
This year, to celebrate World Poetry Day, we asked the team to pick their favourite poems, and tell us a little about why they made their choice. Here are their selections!
Our favourite poemsKate Wilson, Group CEO, picked Days by Philip Larkin. She said that, ‘it feels as if it has much more resonance for me four decades later, in which time I have a whole lot more lived days behind me, and, I guess a bit of a sense that the gift of future days, which, when I was a teenager felt like an endless promise, is not entirely a foregone conclusion.’
Rhianna Sanford, HR and Office Manager, picked George, Who Played With a Dangerous Toy, and Suffered a Catastrophe of Considerable Dimensions by Hilaire Belloc. She said: ‘it was a favourite of mine when I was a child and I used to get my mum to read it to me over and over.’
Laura Kelly, Social Media Executive, picked The Orange by Wendy Cope. She said: ‘The simplicity in life can be so magical. Finding joy in the mundane can be difficult but when you do, it makes life so much more enjoyable. Simply existing can be the best feeling in the world.’
Kellie Balseiro, Field Sales Manager, picked Valentine by Wendy Cope.
Viola Ugolini, Audio Assistant, picked One Art by Elizabeth Bishop. She said: ‘I love its locked structure and rhythm, the refrain that reads like a mantra of self-conviction, and the delicate images of both material and abstract objects building up a list of things we all have to learn to lose; I find it such a lovely, bittersweet exercise in acceptance and letting go.’
Lauren Fairgrieve, Editor for Non-Fiction and Activity, picked Small Kindnesses by Danusha Laméris. She said: ‘This poem is one of my all-time favourites. The poet is grounded and doesn’t pretend that life is perfect – the focus in the writing itself is on the everyday actions that we all take for granted. Yet there’s something so hopeful and sweet about the message, I always come away from reading Small Kindnesses feeling optimistic about life.’
Joanna Jordan, Senior Production Manager, picked An Irish Airman Foresees His Death by William Butler Yeats. She said: ‘I have always loved this poem for its sense of the beauty of flying combined with the awful reason for it.’
Avery Cook, Marketing Associate, picked Tin Woman’s Lament by Yolanda Wisher.
Anna Pauletti, Production Manager, picked This Is Just To Say by William Carlos Williams.
Xeni Soteriou, Senior Digital Marketing Manager, chose Still I Rise by Maya Angelou. She said, ‘It’s such a powerful, moving piece that inspires self-respect, confidence, and strength.’
We hope this selection has resonated with you and that you’ve discovered something new and inspiring to read. If your favourite poem doesn’t already feature on this list, do let us know what it is, and why you love it, on socials!
The post Happy World Poetry Day! Our Crow’s Favourite Poems appeared first on Nosy Crow.
March 17, 2024
The Inspiration Lola and Larch – a blog by Sinéad O’Hart
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I try to have some Irish ‘flavour’ in all my books, because I’m very proud of being from Ireland. I’m also proud of Ireland’s rich literary heritage, which is impressive considering how small an island we are! For hundreds of years, we’ve produced musicians, composers, artists, and authors, in English and also in our own language, Irish, which is one of the oldest languages in Europe.
In some of my books, I’ve dropped in Irish place-names, or places on the island of Ireland, like ‘the port of Belfast’ in my first book, The Eye of the North, and the towns of Whiteharbour and Port Ross in The Time Tider, which are based on Wexford and New Ross, two towns in my home county. In The Star-Spun Web, I set the story in Dublin (Ireland’s capital city) and another ‘version’ of Dublin in an alternate universe, called Hurdleford. I used this name because the Irish for ‘Dublin’ is ‘Baile Átha Cliath’, which means ‘Town of the Hurdled Ford’. In Skyborn there is a character named Cornelius Crake, who is from ‘Hibernia’ – this is an old name for Ireland. And my book The Silver Road is set completely in Ireland, using Irish myths and legends as the basis of the story.
My newest book, Lola and Larch Fix a Fairy Forest, is the start of a brand-new series of stories about a girl named Lola Cleary, who lives with her family near a huge and beautiful forest. Lola’s mum is a Forest Ranger, which means it’s her job to care for the forest and everything that lives there, including plants, trees, and animals. Lola has been raised to care for the forest, and to enjoy spending time there – but this forest holds a brilliant secret! Deep inside it there’s a fairy village… One dark and stormy afternoon, a little fairy gets lost, after trying to fly all by herself through the wind and rain. She has an amazing power – she can change her shape to become a rabbit! – and it’s in this rabbit shape that she meets Lola and her family, who take her home to care for her. But the next day, Lola finds the ‘rabbit’ she met the previous evening is actually a very small, mossy-haired, sometimes rude, very argumentative and rather hilarious fairy named Larch Mudwort, who needs to find her way home, while also avoiding the clutches of the dreadful Euphorbia Spurge, the nastiest fairy in the forest.
I loved creating Larch! She’s not a ‘typical’ fairy – she eats snail slime, she likes to burp, she gets dirty, she loves to snack on buttercup petals and dandelion leaves, and she’s one hundred percent sure she’s in charge at all times – and I wrote her this way because, in Ireland, fairies are not the twinkly, sparkly, always-happy characters that you find in some other stories. Fairies, in our tradition, are all that remains of the once-mighty race of gods and goddesses known as the Tuatha Dé Danann (prounounced ‘Too-ah Day Dan-un’) who once ruled over Ireland. They were defeated in battle by humans called Milesians, who claimed the ‘upper world’, and told the Tuatha Dé Danann to live in the ‘lower world’, which meant they began to live underground, in mounds known as ‘sídhe’ (pronounced ‘shee’). It’s from this that they are called ‘people of the mounds’, or the ‘Aos Sídhe’ (pronounced ‘Ace Shee’), and the word ‘sídhe’ is used to mean ‘fairy’ in Ireland, too. Our fairies are clever, and tricky, and sometimes malicious, which means they like to try to catch humans out – and they are most definitely not to be trusted! Sometimes, too, they can be kind and do humans favours. In Ireland people still believe it’s bad luck to name the fairies – they’re referred to as ‘the Good Folk’ or ‘the Others’ or ‘the Fair Folk’, just in case they might be eavesdropping! And if there’s a tree growing from a mound in the middle of a field, you must never cut it down; that’s where fairies live. What sort of fairy traditions do you have?
I hope you’ll enjoy meeting Larch and her fairy clan – but remember: be on the lookout for Euphorbia Spurge!
The post The Inspiration Lola and Larch – a blog by Sinéad O’Hart appeared first on Nosy Crow.
March 9, 2024
Kid’s Club February 2024
Welcome to our Nosy Crow Kids’ Club! Each month, we have fun activities for young readers. Join us for engaging content! Every month we will share a creative prompt inspired by our recent publications. We may also provide printable activity sheets for children to enjoy.
Create a HuntThis month, the kid’s club activity takes inspiration from the new picture book We’re Going on an Egg Hunt! This interactive book is perfect for families to enjoy together, written by Goldie Hawk & illustrated by Angie Rozelaar.
It’s up to you to create your very own hunt! Make a scavenger hunt and get ideas from other books in the “ We’re Going on a… “ series . Have fun exploring and searching!
What will you find? Who will you be going with? Where will you hide the items? Will there be a prize for finding all the items?
Use your imagination and get creative about the types of hunts you can go on and all the items you can hide and where!
Be sure to let us know if your young readers and illustrators partake in our activities. Please do share drawings, book reviews, or stories with us via email digital@nosycrow.com or @nosycrow on social media.
The post Kid’s Club February 2024 appeared first on Nosy Crow.
March 7, 2024
World Book Day 2024
We were delighted to see so many wonderful and resourceful costumes inspired by characters from Nosy Crow books for yesterday’s World Book Day.
Designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, World Book Day is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. World Book Day founder, Baroness Gail Rebuck, says: “We wanted to do something to reposition reading and our message is the same today as it was then – that reading is fun, relevant, accessible, exciting, and has the power to transform lives.”
Dressing up is a fun and exciting way to help encourage children to engage with reading, swap recommendations, and celebrate the books they like to read.
Below are just some our favourite costumes that we were lucky to spot across our social channels!
Meara absolutely LOVES Zoe’s Rescue Zoo and decided to dress up as the Lucky Snow Leopard!
Find out more about Zoe’s Rescue Zoo by browsing the series!
@posies_book_club Posie is the biggest Pip and Posy fan! 
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Posies Book Club (@posies_book_club)
– March 4, 2024
Find out more about Pip and Posy
Fred decided to dress up as Snapper from Snapper and the Perfect Christmas Tree, a Christmas partnership with John Lewis’ Advent Calendar! @abiandfred did a great job making this authentic Snapper costume! 
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by 𝔸𝕓𝕚 Ⓒ (@abiandfred)
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about Snapper and the Perfect Christmas Tree!
@libraryofpearl showed off another adorable Pip and Posy costume!
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Pearl (@libraryofpearl)
– March 6, 2024
Find out more about Pip and Posy!
It’s #WorldBookDay2024 and M is going as the Cat and the Rat and the Hat accompanied by a Bat with a fancy Cravat!
@DeltaNorbridge @Y2Owlclass @JamesCapiche @NosyCrow pic.twitter.com/mT6RYNhUxk
— Hayley Green (@MrsHaloGreen) March 7, 2024
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about The Cat and the Rat and the Hat!
Something slightly different this World Book Day: Fiona Dolman’s daughter created created a character from her favourite book out of a potato for school! 
For #WorldBookDay2024 my daughter had to make a character from her favourite book out of a potato. She chose Ananda the elephant from The Girl Who Stole An Elephant by @NizRite Hope you like it Nizrana!
pic.twitter.com/0JpFEEPBh3
— Fiona Dolman (@FionaDolman) March 6, 2024
Find out more about The Girl Who Stole an Elephant!
@natasha.murnane captured this adorable image as Wren dressed up as Pip for World Book Day!
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Natasha (@natasha.murnane)
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about Pip and Posy!
@one__shetland_and_two_girs captured Mabel decided to read her newest favourite book while, aptly, atop her horse! 
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by
(@one___shetland_and_two_girls)
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about A Horse Called Now!
An amazing costume of Mouse! 
@sheleentje
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about There’s a Bear on My Chair!
Definitely “robbed” the best Kitty Le Claw costume! 
@laura.law_
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Cat Burglar!
@lucybuckroyd is showing off a ferocious Lokka costume! 
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about The Girl Who Lost a Leopard!
We were so HOPPY to see this bunny costume ! @playandgrowmama
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about Every Bunny is a Yoga Bunny!
What an amazing duo costume! Arrrr we right 
? @rainbowsnfairyd
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about The Treasure of Pirate Frank!
Another adorable costume of Pip from Willow ! @jess.playadventures
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Jess | Motherhood • Weaning • Baby Play & Crafts (@jess.playadventures)
– March 7, 2024
Find out more about Pip and Posy!
Had a fun World Book Day? Share your photos with us on socials or send your photos in to social@nosycrow.com to be featured in our roundup!
The post World Book Day 2024 appeared first on Nosy Crow.
Read an exclusive extract from Secrets of the Snakestone by Piu DasGupta
We’re very excited to be publishing Secrets of the Snakestone in March – a new breathtaking adventure written by debut author Piu DasGupta.
And today we’re delighted to be sharing a preview of the book – you can read the first few pages below!
Zélie is often accused of being a witch, but she doesn’t believe in magic. Until Jules climbs up from the reeking Parisian sewer and hands Zélie the golden locket he discovered there. The locket once held the magical Snakestone, and Zélie knows that if she can find the stone, she might also find her missing father.
But a dangerous secret society are equally desperate to get their hands on the Snakestone and its powers. With their lives under threat, Zélie and Jules embark on a desperate hunt for the treasure, facing strange riddles, a mysterious circus, and the miles of murky tunnels that twist beneath the ancient city above…
Read an extract of Secrets of the Snakestone here:
Secrets of the Snakestone will be published on March 14th – you can order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or from Amazon here. Do let us know on socials what you thought of the first few chapters when you’ve finished reading!
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 an exclusive extract from Secrets of the Snakestone by Piu DasGupta appeared first on Nosy Crow.
March 5, 2024
Read an exclusive extract from Lola and Larch: Fix a Fairy Forest by Sinéad O’Hart
We’re very excited to be publishing Lola and Larch: Fix a Fairy Forest in March – the first in a new series filled with heart-warming, funny celebrations of friendship written by Sinéad O’Hart and illustrated by Rachel Seago.
And today we’re delighted to be sharing a preview of the book – you can read the first few pages below!
Lola can’t believe her luck – the rabbit she’s rescued is actually a fairy in disguise. Now she has her very own fairy! There’s just one problem. Larch, the rebellious fairy she’s rescued, is convinced that Lola is her human…
But while Larch and Lola discuss the merits of snail slime for breakfast and try to decide who should be in charge, there’s a bad fairy on the loose. Evil Euphorbia Spurge wants magic, and Larch is full of it. Soon it’s a battle of wits, wands and fairy wings as the new friends take on the wildest fairy in the woods…
Read an extract of Lola and Larch: Fix a Fairy Forest here:
Lola and Larch: Fix a Fairy Forest will be published on March 14th – you can order a copy from Waterstones here, Bookshop.org here, or from Amazon here. Do let us know on socials what you thought of the first few chapters when you’ve finished reading!
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 an exclusive extract from Lola and Larch: Fix a Fairy Forest by Sinéad O’Hart appeared first on Nosy Crow.
March 4, 2024
The Inspiration Behind This Book Will Make You An Artist – a blog by Ruth Millington
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What is the best way to teach art and its history to kids? Having worked in the arts for over 10 years, and starting my career in museum education, I know that it requires a mix of fun facts about famous artists combined with hands-on creative activities. However, most books separate art history and biography from practical art making, which is something I wanted to change by writing This Book Will Make You An Artist.
If I have to really go back to the beginning, it was a fantastic art teacher who first inspired me to write This Book Will Make You An Artist. When I was at school, Mr Bournon always introduced us to new styles, techniques and ideas through masterpieces of the past.
We would travel back to 19th century Paris, or 20th century Japan, before flying to NYC in the 1960s. From Paul Signac’s Pointillism we learnt how to paint great colour combinations, Barbara Hepworth’s huge hole-filled stones showed us how to sculpt from nature, and we printed Pop Art cards in the style of Andy Warhol.
This contextual approach was one I further developed in my own work as a Museum Education Officer at the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art – this was my very first job after graduating with an MA in Art History! I would invite family groups or classes of schoolchildren to learn about art history by having a go themselves, bringing to life great artists of the past through creative activities. We made Modigliani-inspired masks, drew like Bruno Munari and painted dreams like Giorgio de Chirico.
But, I know that not every child gets to visit a museum, particularly given funding cuts which means that there are less opportunities for these exciting days out. With all of this in mind, I wrote this book, which includes step-by-step activities, as a means of inspiring children to experiment with new methods of making art in their own homes.
I also wanted to share the message that art history, above all, is fun, which is something I have learnt over the years as an art historian, writer and researcher in galleries. A lot of artists weren’t simply painting in silence, they were daring performers, eccentric animal lovers, brilliantly inventive and sometimes silly, which I wanted to share through surprising biographical stories. Hokusai was a great Japanese printmaker, but he was also very messy. Rather than tidying up his studio, he would just move to another one!
Hokusai is just one of 25 great artists in the book which celebrates some well-known names alongside lesser-known figures from around the world and diverse cultures, from China to Mexico, and from the ancient world to today. Yes, there’s Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, whose names everyone will know. But, just as important to me was including Esther Malangu, Judith Scott and Moses Williams. There’s a whole art history out there that most mainstream narratives keep hidden.
It was also important to me that the book spanned 2D and 3D activities, so there’s weaving, spray painting, mosaic-making, sculpture and much more, with each artist representing a different style or technique.
I endeavoured to ensure that all of the activities would also be accessible, not requiring specialist materials, but able to be made using everyday items, from cardboard, string and Sellotape to paper, pens and even soap! After all, art should be for everyone, so costs shouldn’t be a barrier to making it.
Finally, a growing body of research proves that both looking at art and making art is good for us. The book includes reproductions of famous masterpieces, alongside the colourful illustrations by super duper illustrator, Ellen Surrey, who has brought each artist’s story to life in an inspiring way. This Book Will Make You An Artist has been designed to be read and looked at, as well as made with.
I’ve already been blown away by the mini-masterpieces that children have been making, based on the step-by-step activities in the book, and can’t wait to see more of their colourful creations. They really are proving my theory right – that by taking inspiration from art history and experimenting with different materials, anyone can be an artist, and have fun in the process!
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February 29, 2024
Blossom Origami- The history of origami and how you can become a pro!
Origins of Origami
Though it’s not set in stone, people generally agree that paper was first invented around 105 A.D in China. The Japanese acquired it in the 6th century and realized it was a game-changer for creating amazing and intricate crafts .
Origami is defined as a bunch of symbols that show off the skill of folding paper. The word comes from Japanese – ‘oru’ means to fold, and ‘kami’ means paper. When origami took off in Japan, it was quite fancy and was only done by the upper class and religious groups. Why? Mostly because paper was pricey back then. But as paper became more affordable, the common people started getting into origami, using it as gifts or for teaching due to the relevant connections to the study of mathematics.
The ‘Master’ of OrigamiNow, the big name in origami is Akira Yoshizawa. Born in 1911 in Japan, he is well-known as the origami grandmaster. He learned the art of origami as a kid and started spreading his teachings, all while working at a factory. In 1954, he created “Atarashi Origami Geijutsu” (New Origami Art), which basically laid the groundwork for what we know about origami today.
Blossom Origami
This new book in partnership with the National Trust features clear step-by-step instructions to create plants and flowers all from beautifully patterned origami paper, found inside! There are three different difficulty levels to suit both beginners and experts, with a handy scannable QR code to be able to go back and review how-to videos.
View our other book, also in partnership with the National Trust, Nature Origami, where each page features step-by-step instructions to create beautiful origami of snails, foxes, flowers and other figures all inspired by nature!
Discover activity sheets, pull-out paper and details of how to create intricate and unique pieces of origami to give as gifts to friends and family or just to keep for yourself!
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February 14, 2024
The Year of the Dragon (a guide to our favourite dragon books!)
Here at the Crow’s nest, we are very excited to celebrate the Year of the Dragon – so much so, that we have crafted this carefully curated collection of our favourite books about dragons!
What is the Chinese Zodiac calendar?The Chinese calendar is a special way of keeping track of time with the Moon and how the Earth moves around the sun. It’s not like the calendars we use every day. In the Chinese calendar, they have a way of counting years that repeats every 60 years, and each year has its own special animal attached to it!
There are twelve animals in the Chinese Zodiac, and they all have their own unique qualities. When the Spring Festival comes around in late January or early February, a big celebration is held to ring in the new year.
What does The Year of the Dragon mean?According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon is a symbol for good luck, strength, and feeling good. Even though dragons might seem scary in some stories, in Chinese culture they’re represent being in control and feeling empowered.
People born in the Year of the Dragon are said to have charm, confidence, and even a bit of luck or talent that comes with them. So, if you, or someone you know was born in the Year of the Dragon, be on the lookout for situations in which to test your luck!
To celebrate this amazing Year of the Dragon, we have curated a list of books that all have to do with– you guessed it– dragons! Start reading about fantastical worlds, unlikely friendships, unique characters and stories you can’t put down by browsing our Best Books About Dragons list.
Books to Celebrate the Year of the Dragon Dragonstorm Series
If you’re looking for a thrilling, magical and action-packed new fantasy fiction series, checkout this amazing series all about dragons!
Discover the land of Draconis where once, dragons and humans were friends, and, together, created the great city of Rivven. But then came the Dragon Storm, and the dragons left the humans.
Follow the series as a cast of characters and their fellow dragons discover new worlds, long-kept secrets and embark on countless adventures!
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon by learning all about these legendary creatures and diving headfirst into a fantastical book that will keep you turning the pages.
Kit the Wizard Series: The Dragon in the Library
Follow Kit the Wizard as she explores curious characters and situations, starting with an incredible discovery in the library.
Read along as Kit and her friends are tasked with saving the library…and the world.
This book is perfect for stoking the flame of curiosity about dragons during the Year of the Dragon!
When a Dragon Series
For those littler ones, this series is great for introducing dragons in a more animated and personal way.
Little dragon experiences going to school, celebrating Christmas, meeting new friends and other adventures while meeting people along the way and learning how to adapt to new situations!
There’s no better way to honour this year than immersing yourself in the captivating world of amazing fiction books following these mythical creatures. The tales of courage, friendship and fantastical adventures found within the pages of these dragon-themed stories ignite imaginations and engage young readers in a world of storytelling. If you are looking for more books with dragons, browse our curated list of the Best Books About Dragons. This Chinese New Year, get fired up about reading!The post The Year of the Dragon (a guide to our favourite dragon books!) appeared first on Nosy Crow.
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