Nosy Crow's Blog, page 76

Take a look inside Spectre Collectors: A New York Nightmare!

This September we’re delighted to be publishing Spectre Collectors: A New York Nightmare! – the second book in Barry Hutchison’s brilliantly funny Spectre Collectors series. And today you can take a first look inside the new book!

In A New York Nightmare, 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. He’s even hearing voices…

Funny, exciting, and action-packed, this series is PERFECT for 9+ year olds.

Here’s a look inside A New York Nightmare:

A New York Nightmare will be in shops in September – you can find out more about the book 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 with the form below.

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Two Nosy Crow books shortlisted for the Big Book Awards!

This week the shortlists for the Big Book Awards, organised by magazine publisher Hearst, were unveiled – and we were delighted to see two Nosy Crow titles recognised in the children’s categories!

The shortlists for the two children’s categories of the Big Book Awards were selected by Red magazine, and Nosy Crow is the only publisher to have multiple titles selected.

Where’s Mr Dog, the latest book in the award-winning Felt Flaps series, illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius, is shortlisted in the 0-6 category. With five beautifully illustrated spreads showing a series of friendly pets hiding behind bright felt flaps, and a mirror on the final page, this is a perfect book to share with very little ones.

Buy the book.

And The Phantom Lollipop Man, the latest book in the award-winning Baby Aliens series, written by Pamela Butchart and illustrated by Thomas Flintham, is shortlisted in the 7-12 category! This is another HILARIOUS Izzy story, brilliantly illustrated and perfect for newly confident readers. Izzy and her friends are shocked when they find their lollipop man has disappeared! Maisie thinks he’s gone to Rome but if that’s true, why do they keep seeing a weird white wispy cloud around the school? And why do Izzy’s legs feel cold even though she’s got tights on? Could it be that the lollipop man is a phantom and he’s come to spook them all?! Here’s a look inside the book:

Buy the book.

You can find the full shortlists in the children’s categories here. The winners of the Big Book Awards will be announced later this year – congratulations, Ingela, Thomas, and Pamela, and good luck!

Nosy Crow announces the creation of a new in-house Export Sales department and the appointment of Kate Fragkopoulou as Export Sales Manager

As part of the planned next phase in our sales strategy, today we are very pleased to announce the creation of an in-house Export Sales department and the appointment of Kate Fragkopoulou who has moved from Simon and Schuster, to become our first Nosy Crow Export Sales Manager.

Nosy Crow has outsourced its export selling to Gunnar Lie Associates since March 2015 but from the beginning of November 2018 Nosy Crow will operate a solely in-house Export Sales Department headed by Catherine Stokes, Head of Sales and Marketing.

Kate Wilson, Nosy Crow’s Managing Director, said: “2018 is a year in which Nosy Crow has won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, won the Independent Publishers Guild Award for International Achievement, and been listed in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for Export. So it felt like the right time to extend our focus on world markets beyond co-edition and rights sales to the export of our own editions of our books. We already know our books work brilliantly in other languages throughout the world, and we’re confident that they’ll be embraced in English too.”

Catherine Stokes, Head of Sales and Marketing said: “This is the next strategic step in our export sales development and I am delighted to welcome Kate to our new expanded team.  I would also like to thank Gunnar Lie and Associates for all their hard work in growing the Nosy Crow list thus far.”

Kate Fragkopoulou said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful team. I am looking forward to meet the challenges ahead and hope that I can contribute in making Nosy Crow’s Export Sales Department reach new heights.”

Gunnar Lie said: “The team at Gunnar Lie Associates Ltd is proud to have substantially grown the export business of Nosy Crow over the last three years and wish Nosy Crow all the best in the next phase of their development.”

Kate Fragkopoulou has taken up her post at Nosy Crow but Gunnar Lie Associates will continue to represent the Nosy Crow list until 26th October.

The next Nosy Crow Reading Group is almost here – we’re discussing Julián is a Mermaid

The Nosy Crow Reading Group will be back in a couple of weeks – we’ll be discussing Julián is a Mermaid, the highly-acclaimed debut picture book by author-illustrator Jessica Love.

And if you’re interested in coming along, there are just a couple of places remaining!

We’ll be meeting on Monday, July 23rd at 6.30pm, at the Nosy Crow offices – 14 Baden Place, Crosby Row, SE1 1YW – for a discussion of the book (along with wine and crisps).

If you’d like to come along, just register for a place with the form below, or at this page – if the reading group becomes fully booked, you can add your name to our waiting list, and we’ll notify you if a place opens up.

You can buy Julián is a Mermaid online from Waterstones here.

We hope to see you there!

There are just a couple of days left to bid for original, signed artwork by Axel Scheffler – and help raise money for charity

Last week we announced that we would be auctioning some original artwork by Axel Scheffler, created during two fantastic live-drawing and storytelling sessions at the National Trust Children’s Literature Festival at Quarry Bank, in aid of charity – and there’s not long left to bid, if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning one of the incredible pieces: the auctions close at 5pm on Sunday July 8th.

There are eight different signed, dated original pieces available to bid on, featuring some of Axel’s best-known and most loved characters – including The Gruffalo and Pip and Posy – and all proceeds will go to Three Peas, a charity offering help and support to the thousands of people suffering and fleeing civil war in Syria and other war torn countries.

This is a fantastic opportunity to own an original, signed piece of artwork by Axel! Here are each of the pieces being auctioned:

Bid for this piece.

Bid for this piece.

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Bid for this piece.

Each piece of artwork is a signed and dated original – if you’ve always wanted your own original illustration of The Gruffalo or Pip and Posy, here’s your chance!

Please do bid generously for this hugely important cause – and good luck!

It’s our July Publication Day!

It’s our July publication day! We’ve got an amazing collection of new books out this month – with wonderful new novelty, picture books, illustrated fiction and middle grade in shops in July, there’s something for everyone. Here’s what you can find from Nosy Crow in shops now:

The latest book in the Sing Along With Me! series, This is the Way We Go to School, is out now! These bright, slider board books burst with energy and cheering illustrations by Yu-hsuan Huang. Each book comes with five slider mechanisms, and both an instrumental and vocal version of the nursery rhyme – simply scan the QR code on the first page for little ones to listen and sing along!

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Buy the book.

The next book in Jannie Ho’s ABC series will be in shops from today. Vehicle ABC is the fourth book in this series of fun first alphabet books for babies and toddlers – as well as first letter sounds to say out loud, there are bright pictures featuring lots of familiar vehicles to spot and talk about, providing hours of first-word fun! Have some friendly vehicle fun with this bold, stylish and sturdy ABC book for babies and toddlers.

Buy the book.

Up next is the latest Make and Play book, Make and Play: Safari, illustrated by Joey Chou – the perfect summer activity book to entertain young readers and take them on a Safari adventure. In this innovative board book, children can assemble their very own 3D safari animals – featuring 20 unique and colourful creatures, such as lions, elephants and even a baby hippopotamus, the press-out pieces can be simply slotted together to create a bright safari scene. After putting the animals together, children can then sing a safari animal song and get creative with crafts, including cardboard binoculars, a bendy monkey toy and yummy animal cupcakes.

Buy the book.

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam’s latest adventure hits the shelves today, with The Missing Masterpiece, written by Tracey Corderoy and illustrated by Steven Lenton – the delightful doggy duo are back in a picture book with action-packed comic detail and a fun, rhyming text. Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam have made it to the magical streets of Paris, baking a spectacular gingerbread Eiffel Tower for a VERY important art exhibition at ‘Galerie Bonbon’. But – quelle horreur! – a sneaky fox has made off across the Seine with the precious masterpiece. Will Shifty and Sam EVER catch the dastardly Cunningham Sly and dish up their tasty tower in time?

Look inside:

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A Goat Called Willow is out today – the sixth book in a fantastic series of animal stories for younger readers by Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-shortlisted author Helen Peters, with beautiful black-and-white illustrations by Ellie Snowdon. Jasmine has secretly rescued a baby goat – she’s gorgeous, but she’s really naughty! Will her amazing antics persuade Jasmine’s parents to let her stay, or will Jasmine have to say goodbye to Willow forever? Beautifully written, with great heart and charming illustrations, this book will capture the hearts of children everywhere.

Look inside:

Buy the book

The latest book in Amelia Cobb’s Zoe’s Rescue Zoo series is here – Zoe’s Rescue Zoo: The Super Sloth, illustrated by Sophy Williams. Zoe loves living at her uncle’s rescue zoo because there’s always something exciting going on. And Zoe also has an amazing secret… She can actually TALK to the animals! Zoe is super-excited to welcome a new animal to the zoo – a sleepy sloth called Sabina. But the little sloth is behaving very strangely … and it’s up to Zoe to find out what’s going on! Perfect for fans of Holly Webb, this fantastic series filled with the cuddliest, cutest baby animals will delight young animal lovers everywhere.

Look inside:

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We’ve just published a beautiful new edition of Little Bits of Sky by S.E Durrant, with a striking new cover. It’s 1987 and Ira and Zac are being uprooted once again, this time to Skilly House, a home for social care children. Their lives over the next few years are beautifully realised amongst the antipathy of the authorities, the drama of the poll tax riots and the moments of peace and hope Ira finds at Skilly and further afield. This is a memorable and moving tale about growing up, making friends and finding a home. Nominated for the 2017 Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the UKLA Book Award and the Branford Boase Award, this is a moving debut from an exceptional talent.

Buy the book.

Finally, we’re delighted to publish Charli Howard’s Splash today! This is a hugely exciting debut, with a classic underdog story, a wonderfully relatable protagonist, and an important message of friendship, body positivity, and celebrating who you are. Molly is in her final year of primary school, with secret dreams of becoming an Olympic swimmer. Having always lived in the shadow of her manipulative friend, Chloe, Molly finally has the chance to compete in a regional swimming contest and define herself on her own terms. But with the pressure of fitting in, and the sudden arrival of her mysterious mum, will she give up on her dreams for a shot at popularity?

With praise from Jacqueline Wilson and an important message, this book is sure to make a splash this summer!

Look inside:

Buy the book.

Congratulations to all of this month’s authors and illustrators!

Nosy Crow at the 2018 Edinburgh International Book Festival

Tickets are on sale for the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and there’s a fantastic selection of events taking place featuring Nosy Crow authors and illustrators! Here’s who you can find at this year’s festival…

Author-illustrator Joe Berger will be at the festival on Friday, August 17 from 11.30am-12.30pm, sharing his new books, Superhero Mum and Superhero Dad – showing that sometimes the greatest superpowers are the ones that don’t seem so extraordinary! You can book tickets for Friday’s event here – and here’s a look inside the books:



Buy the book.

Buy the book.

Award-winning author Chae Strathie will be at the festival on Friday, August 17 from 14:00pm-15:00pm. Life in ancient Egypt may sound like fun, with all the amazing pyramids and glorious sunny weather, but in So You Think You’ve Got It Bad? A Kid’s Life in Ancient Egypt, you’ll discover it was actually pretty tough! You can book tickets for Friday’s event here – and here’s a look inside the book:

Making a Splash in The Observer

This week we’re delighted to be publishing Splash, by Charli Howard – a hugely exciting debut with a classic underdog story, a wonderfully relatable protagonist, and an important message of friendship, body positivity, and celebrating who you are.

And just ahead of publication on Thursday, the book has received a fantastic review in The Observer’s round-up of the best recent fiction for children!

Kitty Empire writes: “Some of the greatest children’s books are set firmly in the everyday […] Splash is the fiction debut from the model turned campaigner turned author Charli Howard and tackles the eternal issue of changing bodies and bitchiness, as girls hit the primary/secondary cusp. Molly is built like the swimmer she is, but that’s not the body shape de rigueur at school, where her former BF, Chloe, leads the tormentors against her. Howard is great on the push-me-pull-you phenomenon of the female “frenemy”, who’s close enough to really wound. Sometimes, the freshest writers for girls are those who have only recently left girlhood behind.”

You can read the full round-up here.

Jacqueline Wilson has called Splash “a much-needed book that will help readers dare to be different”, and with a natural, authentic voice, which tackles complex themes of body dysmorphia, absent parents and childhood trauma with sensitivity and a light touch, this is a heart-warming and important story. Here’s a look inside the book:

Buy the book online.

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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Come to the next Nosy Crow Reading Group – we’re discussing Julián is a Mermaid

Would you like to come along to the next Nosy Crow Reading Group?

In July, we’ll be discussing Julián is a Mermaid, the highly-acclaimed debut picture book by author-illustrator Jessica Love. Writing for The Sunday Times, Nicolette Jones described the book as “celebratory and ground-breaking”; for The Guardian, Imogen Russell Williams called the book a “bravura feat of understated storytelling … [that] will leave the reader filled with joy”; and for The New York Times, Linda Sue Park writes “every choice [Love] makes  … imbues the story with charm, tenderness and humour”.

We’ll be meeting on Monday, July 23rd at 6.30pm, at the Nosy Crow offices – 14 Baden Place, Crosby Row, SE1 1YW – for a discussion of the book (along with wine and crisps). If you’d like to come along, just register for a place with the form below, or at this page.

You can buy Julián is a Mermaid online from Waterstones here.

We hope you can join us!

There are just a few days left to apply for a Senior Picture Book Editor position at Nosy Crow

A little while ago we announced that we were recruiting a Senior Picture Book Editor – and there are only a few days left to apply for the position: the deadline for applications is midnight this Sunday, July 1st.

We’re looking for a creative, committed, talented and flexible Senior Picture Book Editor.  Working closely with the Head of Picture Books and our excellent design team, you will be commissioning and project managing your own titles, as well as working with authors and illustrators that Nosy Crow is already proud to publish. You’ll be passionate about children’s books, with a good understanding of both the UK and international markets, and you’ll be committed to making high-quality, commercial titles that stand out from the crowd and have strong child-appeal.

At Nosy Crow, we are very proud of our editorial team and the quality of our books. We aim to make Nosy Crow an environment where editors truly thrive, where they can do their best work, where they are listened to, and where they feel part of the whole company and of our decision-making.

We want someone who can spot a text with potential at a hundred paces and then turn it into a GREAT text. We hope that you’re not afraid of a bit of writing – a creative spark would be great! – and are bursting with ideas for new titles. As this is a Senior Editor position, we also expect that you will have experience of working with agents as well as excellent author care skills. This job involves finding new talent, as well as working with experienced authors and artists; commissioning; and relationship management as well as making sure that words and pictures are combined on the page as meaningfully and beautifully as possible.

This is a full-time role, but, for the right candidate, we can be flexible. We’d want you to be in our office near London Bridge for at least three days per week.

For this role:

Candidates must have the right to live and work in the UK.
Please send a CV and cover letter to Louise Bolongaro (louise@nosycrow.com).
The closing date for application is 1 July at midnight.

 

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.