Nosy Crow's Blog, page 73
August 23, 2018
A Chase in Time reviewed in The Pool
Earlier this month we published A Chase in Time: the first book in a brilliant new time-slip adventure series for 7+ readers, written by Sally Nicholls, winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and with artwork by Brett Helquist, illustrator of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.
A Chase in Time has had a wonderful reception so far – and we’re delighted to see that the book has been reviewed in The Pool!
Elaine Robb (and her daughter, Miranda) writes:
“Miranda is a total history buff and has recently discovered the joys of the Famous Five (much to my personal delight), so we thought this time-travelling adventure would be right up her street. Every summer, Alex and his sister, Ruby, stay with their aunt in a crumbling old English country house. One day, they’re pulled back in time through the gilt-edged mirror to 1912 where they meet Henry and Dora, who need their help to find a priceless golden cup. Miranda loved all the period detail and comparisons with present-day clothes and customs, and was thrilled that Ruby feels she has a lot to teach her ancestors about feminism! Great for the seven-to-nine reading age.”
Here’s a look inside the book:
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August 22, 2018
Win an exclusive signed proof copy of Storm Witch!
This September we’re delighted to be publishing Storm Witch, by Ellen Renner – the first instalment of a gripping fantasy quartet from the prize-winning author of Tribute and Castle of Shadows, perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones and Ursula Le Guin.
And today we have a special giveaway to celebrate the book – you can win one of three exclusive signed proof copies of Storm Witch!
To be in with a chance of winning one of these rare signed proofs, all you have to do is follow the @NosyCrowBooks Twitter account and re-tweet this message. We’ll pick our winners on Friday – good luck!
And today we also have two new videos to share!
Here’s Ellen discussing world-building, writing fantasy, and some of her motivations:
And here she is talking about some of her favourite fantasy authors – and how they’ve inspired Storm Witch:
You can also read the opening chapter of Storm Witch below:
Storm Witch will be in shops in September – you can pre-order your copy now, and 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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August 21, 2018
Take a look at September’s new books!
We’ve got a fantastic collection of new books coming out next month – with wonderful new novelty, non-fiction, picture books, illustrated fiction and middle grade in shops, there’s something for everyone. Here’s what you can find from Nosy Crow in September!
We’re reissuing three much-loved Bizzy Bear books by Benji Davies in September, now in white board with super-smooth slider mechanisms, perfect for little hands! The colours are brighter, but the rhymes are the same! In September we are reissuing Bizzy Bear: Spooky House, Bizzy Bear: Space Rocket and Bizzy Bear: Fire Rescue. Rich in visual detail and with five chunky sliders to push and pull in each book, Bizzy Bear’s adventures encourage preschoolers to get involved in the storytelling.
We also have TWO new Felt Flaps books coming out next month – Where’s Mr Unicorn and Where’s Mr Penguin! Each Felt Flaps book has five beautifully illustrated spreads showing a series of friendly animals hiding behind bright felt flaps – and there’s a mirror on the final page! These are perfect books to share with very little ones, from illustrator Ingela P Arrhenius.
Axel Scheffler’s Flip Flap Dinosaurs will be in shops next month – the sixth book in Axel’s fantastic Flip Flap series! What do you get if you cross a mighty Tyrannosaurus rex with a fearsome Triceratops? It’s a Tyrannotops, of course! With a hilarious rhyming text and brilliant illustrations from Axel Scheffler, simply flip the pages to create some seriously silly mixed-up dinosaurs. Dinosaur fans will love this hilarious combination book, with over 121 possible prehistoric creations!
Here’s our trailer for the book:
Make your own 3D Halloween decorations with Joey Chou’s new innovative activity board book Make and Play: Halloween, out next month! These simple die-cut shapes include witches, ghosts and a whole host of Halloween characters. They are easy to press out and slot together to create an eye-catching seasonal display. The book also includes 10 pages of frightfully fun activities, including songs, recipes, and plenty of things to make and do to keep little ones busy for hours during the spooky season!
Also out in September is the new Mother and Daughter Dress-up Dolls: Costumes From Around the World, written by Gracie Swan and illustrated by Felicity French – featuring eight stand-up dolls, 40 different costumes with shoes, hats and headdresses, and a page full of sticker accessories! Press out the mother and daughter dolls, then pick which beautiful traditional costume to dress them in, using the easy fold-down tabs, before adding a hat or headdress and sticking on some accessories. From fabulous flamenco dresses to colourful kimonos, there are so many different costumes and cultures to discover.
The Boy and the Bear, written by Tracey Corderoy and illustrated by Sarah Massini, will be publishing next month. One small boy wishes he had a Best Friend. And when he discovers a message written on a little paper boat, he finds that the perfect friend is sometimes the unlikeliest of all. A tender and heart-warming story about friendship and belonging that is perfect for sharing on a frosty evening. Here’s a look inside The Boy and the Bear:
We’re publishing The Rabbit, The Dark and the Biscuit Tin next month, by Nicola O’Bryne, the creator of Open Very Carefully and winner of the 2014 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. 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… Here’s a look inside The Rabbit, the Dark and the Biscuit Tin:
We are incredibly proud to be publishing a beautiful new edition of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie next month – the second title in our Nosy Crow Classics collection, re-told in rhyme by Caryl Hart and illustrated by Sarah Warburton. When Peter Pan flies into the Darlings’ room one dusky evening, he convinces Wendy and her brothers to come with him to the magical world of Neverland, where children never grow old. It’s the beginning of an amazing adventure featuring a cast of classic characters, from the mischievous Lost Boys and jealous fairy Tinkerbell, to the villainous Captain Hook and his pirate band. But will the Darlings choose to stay in Neverland or return to London to grow up like normal children? Available in a beautiful cloth hardback format, complete with a specially-foiled jacket, luxurious paper, and a ribbon marker, this is a wonderful book to treasure and share, bringing an old favourite story to a new generation. Here’s a look inside Peter Pan:
And here’s our trailer for the book:
We’re publishing a new paperback edition of Stardust next month – a wonderfully moving tale about the importance of being true to yourself, written by Jeanne Willis and with magical illustrations from Briony May Smith. A little girl dreams of being a star, but, somehow, her big sister always seems to shine brighter. For her grandad she is a star and, as they gaze up at the night sky, he tells her a story that helps her find her own special way to shine. This is a perfect bedtime story! Here’s a look inside Stardust:
We are incredibly excited to be publishing I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year next month, in collaboration with the National Trust – the most ambitious book that we’ve ever published at Nosy Crow. I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree is a lavishly illustrated collection of 366 nature poems – one for every day of the year. Filled with familiar favourites and new discoveries, written by poets, including John Agard, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Robert Frost, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy and many more, this is a perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or the end of the day. Each poem has been lovingly selected by Fiona Waters and richly illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. This clothbound collection of nature poems will inspire and delight all year round.
Here’s a look inside I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree:
And here’s our trailer for the book:
Max the Detective Cat: The Phantom Portrait, written by Sarah Todd Taylor and illustrated by Nicola Kinnear, will be out next month – the hugely exciting second instalment in the Max the Detective Cat middle-grade mystery series. Filled with plenty of fun and drama, and with a vintage crime feel, this beautifully-written and illustrated series is fantastic fun – Hercule Poirot in feline form! Here’s a look inside Max the Detective Cat: The Phantom Portrait:
Also getting a second instalment in September is the Spectre Collectors series, with A New York Nightmare! Barry Hutchison’s hilarious series for 9+ readers is packed with ghosts, gadgets and outrageous battles. Denzel and Smithy are summoned to the US by the New York branch of the Spectre Collectors, who turn out to be two kids called Weinberg and Martinez. There’s been some weird spectral activity and they need help. Soon Denzel is immersed (literally) in an adventure involving a shark, a massive gorilla and lots and lots of evil ghosts. Here’s a look inside Spectre Collectors: A New York Nightmare:
Help! I’m Trapped at Witch School! will be hitting the shelves in September, written by Em Lynas and illustrated by Jamie Littler. This is the third instalment in the humorous, action-packed magical school series for 7+ readers starring Twinkle Toadspit the reluctant witch! Twinkle Toadspit may well be the witchiest witch of all but she is still an ACTRESS! And her Bottom is not going to perform itself. How will she escape witch school THIS time? Here’s a look inside Help! I’m Trapped at Witch School!:
And finally, award-winning author Ellen Renner’s first instalment in a gripping fantasy quartet, Storm Witch is being published next month. Storm Witch takes place in an epic world of islands and volcanos, where elemental spirits rule and sea-dwellers struggle to find a home. At the heart of the story is Storm, a thirteen-year-old girl who is bestowed with great, but terrible, magic powers.
Here’s a look inside Storm Witch:
And here’s a video of Ellen reading from 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 at this page, or with the form below, and you’ll never miss a thing:
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August 20, 2018
Pip and Posy cuddly toys are back in stock!
We’ve heard from lots of you recently, asking when our Pip and Posy cuddly toys will be back in stock. And we’re very pleased to report that we’ve had more toys produced, and you can now buy the Pip and Posy toys from the Nosy Crow shop!
These beautifully made soft plush toys are inspired by Axel Scheffler’s best-selling Pip and Posy characters. Each toy measures approximately 20cm in height – and the toys are machine-washable and suitable for all ages.
Pip and Posy can be bought individually, for £7.99 each, or together for £14.99.
Here they are together:
Here’s the Pip toy on the Nosy Crow shop:
Here’s the Posy toy on the Nosy Crow shop:
If you’d like to stay up to date with all of our news, and find out about new products, competitions, and special deals, you can sign up to our newsletter at this page, or with the form below.
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August 17, 2018
Ellen Renner discusses the inspirations behind Storm Witch
Earlier this week we shared a video of author Ellen Renner reading from her new book Storm Witch – the first instalment of a gripping fantasy quartet.
And today you can watch the second in our series of videos with Ellen, in which she talks about some of the inspirations behind the book.
You can watch Ellen discussing some of the inspirations behind Storm Witch at the top of this post – and here she is reading from the book:
And you can also read the book’s opening chapter below:
Child of Air, Water, Earth or Fire: now that she is thirteen, Storm must undertake The Choosing and be claimed by one of the Elementals, which will determine her whole life’s work. But for Storm, daughter of a father murdered by Water and a warrior mother claimed by Earth, there will be no easy destiny.
The Elementals bestow her with a great and terrible gift. Storm-bringer. Storm-rider. Storm-queller. Storm has powers that no one, not even the island Elders, can understand. And when the Drowned Ones – a savage band of pirates who roam the seas on floating towns – attack her island, will her powers help her to save the people she loves, or is her fate to betray everything she holds dear? Soon Storm faces a decision which will change her life – and that of everyone who lives on her island – forever.
Perfect for fans of Ursula Le Guin, Storm Witch introduces an extraordinary new fantasy world. The book will be in shops in September – you can pre-order your copy now, and 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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August 16, 2018
Watch our trailer for Axel Scheffler’s Flip Flap Dinosaurs
Next month we’re publishing Axel Scheffler’s Flip Flap Dinosaurs – the sixth book in Axel Scheffler’s fantastic Flip Flap series. And today you can watch our trailer for the book and take a look inside Flip Flap Dinosaurs!
What do you get if you cross a mighty Tyrannosaurus rex with a fearsome Triceratops? It’s a Tyrannotops, of course! And how about a giant Diplodocus with a soaring Pterodactyl? Why, that’s a Diplodactyl! With over 121 possible prehistoric creations, silly names and strange noises to make you giggle, this new Flip Flap book is perfect for preschoolers and ideal for dinosaur fans. With a hilarious rhyming text and brilliant illustrations from Axel Scheffler, simply flip the pages to create some seriously silly mixed-up dinosaurs.
You can watch our trailer for Flip Flap Dinosaurs at the top of this post – and you can pre-order a copy of the book from Amazon here, from Waterstones here, and directly from Nosy Crow here.
Pre-order your copy of Axel Scheffler’s Flip Flap Dinosaurs.
And 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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August 15, 2018
Watch Ellen Renner read an exclusive extract from Storm Witch
Next month we’re delighted to be publishing Storm Witch, by Ellen Renner – the first instalment of a gripping fantasy quartet from the prize-winning author of Tribute and Castle of Shadows.
And today you can watch a video of Ellen reading an exclusive extract from the book!
Child of Air, Water, Earth or Fire: now that she is thirteen, Storm must undertake The Choosing and be claimed by one of the Elementals, which will determine her whole life’s work. But for Storm, daughter of a father murdered by Water and a warrior mother claimed by Earth, there will be no easy destiny.
The Elementals bestow her with a great and terrible gift. Storm-bringer. Storm-rider. Storm-queller. Storm has powers that no one, not even the island Elders, can understand. And when the Drowned Ones – a savage band of pirates who roam the seas on floating towns – attack her island, will her powers help her to save the people she loves, or is her fate to betray everything she holds dear? Soon Storm faces a decision which will change her life – and that of everyone who lives on her island – forever.
You can watch Ellen reading from Storm Witch at the top of this post – and you can also read the book’s opening chapter below:
Perfect for fans of Ursula Le Guin, Storm Witch introduces an extraordinary new fantasy world. The book will be in shops in September – you can pre-order your copy now, and 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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Books
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August 14, 2018
Take a look inside Help! I’m Trapped at Witch School!
Next month we’re very pleased to be publishing Help! I’m Trapped at Witch School!, written by Em Lynas and illustrated by Jamie Littler – the third instalment in the spellbinding, spine-tingling, action-packed magical Witch School series for 7+ readers, starring Twinkle Toadspit the reluctant witch.
And today you can take a first look inside the new book!
Twinkle is now the WITCHIEST WITCH at witch school but she is still a GREAT ACTRESS! She must persuade her teacher to let her out of school so she can tour her Bottom (she’s a SHAKESPEAREAN ACTRESS no less!) by taking three MAGICAL tests. Can she pass them without destroying the school and unleash her Bottom on the world?
Here’s a look inside the book:
Help! I’m Trapped at Witch School! will be in shops in September – you can pre-order the book now, and 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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August 13, 2018
Watch our trailer for I Am The Seed: A Nature Poem For Every Day Of The Year
A little while ago we shared a first look inside I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon and collected by Fiona Waters – a lavishly illustrated collection of 366 nature poems, one for every day of the year.
And today we’re delighted to share our animated trailer for the book!
You can watch our trailer for I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree at the top of this post – and you can take a look inside the book below.
Filled with familiar favourites and new discoveries, written by poets, including John Agard, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Robert Frost, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy and many more, this is a perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or the end of the day.
Here’s a look inside:
I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree will be in shops in September – this richly illustrated, clothbound collection of nature poems will inspire and delight all year round. You can pre-order the book now, and 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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August 10, 2018
The best children’s fiction of the Summer
There’ve been some wonderful reviews of Nosy Crow books over the last week in summer reading round-ups!
A Chase in Time – the first book in an action-packed new series written by Sally Nicholls and illustrated by Brett Helquist – has been included in The Telegraph’s round-up of the best children’s and young adult books of 2018 (so far).
A brilliant time-slip adventure series for 7+ readers, Emily Bearn calls the book “good clean fun … Nicholls is a wonderful storyteller.” You can read the full review here – and here’s a look inside the book:
And The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day, the latest book by multi-award-winning Christopher Edge, has been included in The Spectator’s round-up of the best summer reading for children.
Melanie McDonagh writes: “One of the rules of good fiction is to eschew identical twins and alternative universes. But The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day goes by its own rules; it’s an unsettling story about a clever little girl who finds herself eerily alone on her birthday, involving sibling envy, death, computers and alternative realities. Quite extraordinary.”
A mind-bending mystery for 9+ readers, combining cutting-edge science, gripping adventure and real heart, The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day is perfect for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce, Ross Welford, and Neil Gaiman. Here’s our trailer for the book:
And here’s a look inside:
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