Nosy Crow's Blog, page 68

Take a look inside Make and Play: Christmas

This month we’re very pleased to have published Make and Play: Christmas, illustrated by Joey Chou – the latest book in the wonderful Make and Play series. And today you can take a look inside the book with our Make and Play: Christmas trailer!

Each colourful press-out design in Make and Play: Christmas is decorated with foil and easy to assemble. Featuring 10 unique designs, the press-out pieces can be simply slotted together to create bright and cheerful ornaments, including a snowflake, snowman, reindeer and penguin.

You can buy the book here.

You can watch our trailer for the book at the top of this post – 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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The best children’s non-fiction of 2018

In today’s issue of Publisher’s Weekly, the US book trade magazine – which is a sort of bible for the North American industry – collected together the top books of the year out of the (tens of) thousands of books published year.

They listed nine children’s “non-fiction” titles. Two were Nosy Crow’s. One was the US edition of I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree, called, in the USA, Sing a Song of Seasons, which is published in the USA by Candlewick Press. The other was the US edition of HerStory, which is published in the USA by Simon and Schuster.

Of Sing a Song of Seasons, Publisher’s Weekly wrote:

“With a cohesive visual thread and an eye toward interacting regularly with poetry and the outdoors, this hefty offering presents a nature poem for every day of the year, from a wide variety of writers including Christina Rossetti and Margaret Wise Brown.”

Here’s a look inside our UK edition of the book, I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree: A Nature Poem For Every Day Of The Year:

Buy the book.

And of HerStory, Publisher’s Weekly wrote:

“This inclusive volume’s vibrant collage-style spreads recount the stories of 50 notable women over time and across the globe (among them Empress Wu Zetian of China, Indian secret agent Noor Inayat Khan, and Mayan human rights activist Rigoberta Menchú) and emphasize change-makers’ common bonds.”

Here’s a look inside our UK edition of the book:

Buy the book.

We are hugely proud of this. Nosy Crow only began publishing non-fiction of any kind in 2016, when we launched our began publishing in collaboration with The National Trust. This was followed, the following year, with books from our collaboration with The British Museum, and it’s only this year that we have published any “non-partnership” non-fiction. So this feels like a pretty meteoric rise.

So many people touched both of these big, ambitious books, from concept to the details of the indexes and acknowledgements. They are, of all our books, perfect examples of how collaborative a process publishing is, and how it depends on input from multiple sources.  But Holly Jackman, a senior designer at Nosy Crow, designed both books, and so I feel that she’s to be particularly congratulated, as the aesthetic vision for them is something that the listing of the best books of 2018 pulls out, speaking of the “cohesive visual thread” of I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree/Sing a Song of Seasons and the “vibrant, collage-style spreads” of Herstory.

Take a look at our Pip and Posy Book and Blocks Set!

This month we’re delighted to have published our first ever book and blocks set, with Pip and Posy!

With a set of nine picture blocks and a cute board book edition of Pip and Posy: The Big Balloon, this book and block pack is perfect for little hands – and will make a wonderful Christmas gift!

You can take a look at our Pip and Posy Book and Blocks set in the video at the top of this post – and you can buy your copy here.

 

Take a first look inside You’re Not a Proper Pirate, Sidney Green!

Next January we’re absolutely delighted to be publishing You’re Not a Proper Pirate, Sidney Green! – a brand new picture book, written by That Bear Can’t Babysit author Ruth Quayle, and illustrated by award-winning artist Deborah Allwright.

And today you can take a first look inside the new book!

Sidney Green loves going on rip-roaring adventures with his dog, Jemima. Together, they race cars, sail all the way to Africa and build an enormous castle, complete with a moat full of crocodiles. But Captain Shipshape and his pirate band are NOT happy. They think it’s time for Sidney Green to become a Proper Pirate – right now, not “in a minute”. What will Sidney Green do?

With a wonderfully witty text, beautiful, evocative artwork, and a story featuring pirates, cars, ships, animals, diggers and dinosaurs, this is a riotous, rip-roaring read for any child with a big imagination.

And here’s a look inside the book!

You’re Not a Proper Pirate, Sidney Green! will be in shops in January – you can pre-order you can copy today, here.

There are just a few days left to apply for a Production Executive role at Nosy Crow

A little while ago we announced that we were recruiting a Production Executive – and there are only a few days left to apply for the position: the deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 28th October.

This is an exciting and fast-paced role and we are looking for a hardworking and organised person with experience of children’s full-colour print production.

Purpose of the job:

The role of the Production Executive is to deliver production services across the Nosy Crow list. It is the job holder’s responsibility to deliver great-looking books, on budget and on time, whilst following systems for managing workflow. The Production Executive will work closely with colleagues from all areas of Nosy Crow and need to maintain relationships with a range of external suppliers.

Key responsibilities and tasks:

Manage the production of a portfolio of full-colour front list titles – from pre-press through to bulk production and delivery
Handle the production of full-colour backlist reprints with assistance from the rest of the team
Play a leading part in the implementation of production management systems. Collate bibliographic data – ensuring it is complete and accurate. Work with the rest of the Operations team to develop workflow systems
Liaise directly with Rights customers on the progress of their print orders ensuring we have in place the documentation we need, approvals are given on time and that any special requests are met
Work closely with the sales department on the costing and production of full-colour specials projects, often to very tight specifications, costs and deadlines

Key skills, characteristics and capabilities:

Experience in full-colour production and a good understanding of printing processes and terminology
Excellent organisational skills
Accuracy and an eye for detail
Strong numeracy skills
A collaborative and co-operative approach
Tact, diplomacy and strong negotiating skills
Can-do attitude and a willingness to ‘muck-in’ when required
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
Working knowledge of Adobe CS Suite

The role is full-time and based in our office near to London Bridge. The successful candidate will also have the right to live and work in the UK.

To apply please send your CV and an email of no more than 500 words outlining why you think that this is the right job for you to Imogen Blundell (imogen@nosycrow.com). The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 28th October. Please also tell us where you heard about this position.

Nosy Crow is an equal opportunities employer.  We believe that employing a diverse workforce is an important factor in success and make recruiting decisions based on applicants’ experience and skills.  We welcome applications from all members of society irrespective of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief.

Watch our Halloween books video!

It’s the spooky season – and what better way to celebrate than with a scary book or two!

We’ve picked some of our favourite Halloween books for all ages. With board books, picture books, novelty and activity books, and our fantastic fiction – there’s something for everyone.

You can watch our Halloween books video at the top of this post.

If you like the video, subscribe to our YouTube channel and you’ll be the first to find out about new content – including author Q&As, readings, live-drawings, and more.

Come and work for Nosy Crow: we’re hiring a Rights Assistant

The Rights team at Nosy Crow is hiring, and we have an opportunity for a Rights Assistant to join our small and friendly team.

The Rights team consists of a Rights Manager, a Rights Executive and two Rights Assistants. Whilst the successful candidate will report to the Rights Manager, the role requires working closely with our Rights Executive assisting in selling to customers from specific territories including The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Latin America and Eastern Europe as well as contributing to the smooth running of the department.

Key responsibilities and tasks:

Pitching books to customers during appointments at key international book fairs
Creating rights appointment schedules, travel and accommodation for book fairs and sales trips
Sending out follow-up material after the fairs both digitally and in hard-copy form
Organising selling material for the Bologna and Frankfurt fairs
Maintaining accurately the rights database containing information on submissions, rejections and licences of our books
Coordinating the mail-out of foreign copies to authors, illustrators and their agents
Providing general administrative support required by the rights department
Providing general office administrative support

 

Key skills, characteristics and capabilities:

Perfect written and spoken English
Fluency in Spanish and ideally the ability to speak at least one other language in addition to English and Spanish
Excellent written and spoken communication skills
Strong organisational skills

Excellent attention to detail
The ability to multitask and prioritise tasks

The ability to work confidently under pressure

Initiative and the ability to work independently

Strong numeracy skills
Strong interest in children’s books

 

The successful candidate will have the right to live and work in the UK.

To apply, please email your CV, accompanied by a covering letter of no longer than 500 words, to Michela Pea (michela@nosycrow.com) with the subject heading Rights Assistant, telling us where you heard about the job.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 4 November at midnight (UK time).

Watch our trailer for The Rabbit, the Dark and the Biscuit Tin

This autumn we were very proud to publish The Rabbit, the Dark and the Biscuit Tin – the latest picture book by Nicola O’Byrne, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winning ilustrator of Open Very Carefully.

And today we’re delighted to share our animated trailer for the book!

Rabbit doesn’t want to go to bed, so he decides to kidnap The Dark in a biscuit tin and stay up ALL NIGHT LONG. But The Dark soon reminds Rabbit of all the good things that he does. What about all the nocturnal animals, he asks . . . and you can only have a yummy breakfast of toast and honey and fresh orange juice if you’ve been to bed. But the BEST thing about The Dark, of course, is the chance to read a REALLY good bedtime story . . .

You can watch our trailer for The Rabbit, the Dark and the Biscuit Tin at the top of this post – and here’s a look inside the book:

Buy the book.

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, and you’ll never miss a thing.

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New books in our Listen to the… sound book series!

This month we’re delighted to have published two new books in the incredible Listen to the… sound book series, illustrated by Marion Billet – Listen to the Nutcracker and Listen to the Dance Music.

A captivating series of board books with six real-life sounds, each book has a button on every spread which triggers a different sound to join in with. They’re perfect for young babies and toddlers.

And today you can take a look inside each book – along with a look inside a very Christmas-y title in the series, Listen to the Christmas Songs, for good measure!

Here’s a look inside Listen to the Nutcracker:

Buy the book online.

Here’s a look inside Listen to the Dance Music:

Buy the book online.

And here’s a look inside Listen to the Christmas Songs:

Buy the book online.

An appeal for Ola Gotkowska

This is a difficult post for me to write.

Not everyone who reads this blog post knows Ola Gotkowska, but she was Nosy Crow’s brilliant Rights Manager and has been with us for over six years, during which she was a huge contributor to the growth of Nosy Crow’s international sales.

This time last year, Ola was in South Korea. She was a guest speaker at a publishing conference in Paju, near Seoul. She addressed an audience of more than 100 people about selling rights, the career she loved (you can see her presentation here). After the conference, she took 23kg of children’s books to a series of meetings with publishers in Seoul.

Ola had already begun to notice that she didn’t have quite the strength in her limbs that she’d previously had. She’d had to stop playing tennis in mixed doubles with George, her partner of 9 years; she struggled to type speedily and accurately; and to knit with her usual skill and inventiveness. She was worried. Doctors initially suggested it was repetitive strain injury.

But just seven months later, in April of 2018, Ola was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. This is a devastating condition affecting all of the voluntary muscles in the body. It’s progressive and currently incurable.

Today, Ola cannot walk unaided, her grip is weak, and her speech is slurred. Within the space of eighteen months, she has gone from being an active and healthy 32 year-old to losing much of her independence and many of the things that she enjoyed.

Ola and her partner, George

There have naturally been many tears and low points in dealing with this new reality. Despite this, Ola remains so resilient: her sense of humour and strength of character are an inspiration to everyone who comes into contact with her. She still works at Nosy Crow, partly from home, as our contracts manager; still plays with her young nephew, Kamil, when she’s in Poland; and still obsesses over dogs, including Nosy Crow’s office dog, Etty.

Ola and her nephew, Kamil

One of the main sources of hope for Ola has been the support of everyone around her: her family in Poland, George and his family, her friends, her colleagues at Nosy Crow, and her wide network of friends and acquaintances around the world in the publishing industry.

Ola and members of the Nosy Crow rights team

Another glimmer of hope is provided by the radical new drugs being developed to treat this type of degenerative illness. There appears to be a mini-revolution in cell and gene therapies, some of which are nearing the end of their clinical trials. Ola’s neurologist says the rate of scientific discovery is ‘exponential’ – and that the arc of improvement in HIV treatment in the ‘90s, for example, could be repeated with MND today.

One medicine to recently emerge from Japan – called Edaravone – has been clinically proven to slow MND by up to a third. That may sound modest but – combined with Ola’s current drug regimen – this could have a significant impact in allaying the condition and retaining her strength. But it’s not available on the NHS, and nor are other therapies and supplements that might help her.

Working with the Book Trade Charity, Ola’s partner, George, has started an appeal for her.

If you feel able to, we’d all be hugely grateful if you felt able to contribute to the appeal: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/OlaGotkowska