Tuesday 11 December 2018

Bookshops have fallen in love with Snow in the Garden!



Bookshops nationwide have fallen in love with our Snow in the Garden and our Christmas window displays! Snow in the Garden is classic collection of festive poems, stories recipes and craft ideas by Kate Greenaway-winning author, Shirley Hughes.

A beautiful Christmas anthology packed full of winter adventures, seasonal poems, festive recipes and easy-to-make craft activities as well as Shirley Hughes' trademark warm and classic illustrations. Whether reading stories and poems to little ones or encouraging them to make beautiful crafts and Christmas treats, this book is the perfect introduction to this very special time of year.

Here is a snapshot of some of the displays we have seen.

Blandfords

Burway Books

Far from the Madding Crowd

Regency

Ebb and Flo

Griffin Books

Monday 10 December 2018

Picture Book Christmas Gift Guide 2018

At Walker HQ we believe that books make the perfect Christmas gift, so we've put together a list of some of our favourite picture books from this year to give you some gift buying inspiration. We have something for everyone from modern classics in new formats to brand new picture book talent. 

I Want My Hat Back

Jon Klassen for the smallest hands! The very first HAT book in board book form.

“The funniest book ever written” - Guardian
The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. 

But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear’s memory and renews his search with a vengeance...         



A First Book of the Sea

From Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton comes a stunning anthology that blends poetry and information about the sea.
Discover a spellbinding collection of poems about the oceans of the world and their shores. With this book, children can swim alongside dolphins and flying fish, pore over rockpools and sail from pole to pole and back, learning about everything from phosphorescence and plankton to manta rays and puffins – all in the comfort of their bedroom!


Dragon Post

A fiery story about friendship and asking for help from award-winning author-illustrator Emma Yarlett.
One day Alex finds a dragon living under his stairs. He isn't sure what to do - but luckily he knows just who to ask for help. Open the envelopes and read the hilarious letters Alex receives from the fire brigade, the butcher and more as he tries to take care of his new friend. Who would have thought having a dragon for a pet would be so tricky?


From the dynamic, dream team of Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett comes the second instalment in the exciting new shape trilogy.
Every day, Square brings a block out of his cave and pushes it up a steep hill. This is his work. When Circle floats by, she declares Square a genius, a sculptor! “This is a wonderful statue,” she says. “It looks just like you!” But now Circle wants a sculpture of her own, a circle! Will the genius manage to create one? Even accidentally?


A Lion is a Lion

'“A rousing read-aloud delight, with a trust your instincts message.”Metro
All lions are fierce, right? Well, maybe, just maybe, this Lion – so well dressed and polite and charming – isn't too fierce for you...
A wicked, rollicking read-aloud which asks the question: Is a lion still a lion if he … wears a hat? And carries an umbrella?

Splish, Splash, Ducky!

Splash in puddles, dance with raindrops and join in with Ducky Duckling on a lovely, rainy day. 
Ducky Duckling loves playing outside in the rain. He hops with frog, squirms with wriggly worm and splashes with the fishes. But when the rain stops, Ducky feels sad. Can Daddy help cheer him up? 
With bright, bold illustrations and a rhythmic text from multi-award-winning Lucy Cousins, this book shows younger readers the joys of a rainy day.

Tropical Terry

Terry feels dull. And although he is the best at playing "Hide A Fish", he can't help but wonder: Just what would it feel like to be part of that dashing, flashing crew? 
So, with the help of his friends, he fashions a flashy costume and is ready to impress... “Hello-o-o everybody! Just call me TROPICAL Terry!” But will life as a tropical fish be everything he always dreamed of?




No, Nancy, No!

From Alice Tait, illustrator of the iconic London Range, comes a stylish, action-packed lift-the-flap book – the perfect introduction to the capital city for first-time sightseers! 
Blending her joyful London scapes with the story of a mischievous little girl, Nancy, and her long-suffering dachshund, Roger, Alice creates a wild and calamitous chase by boat, bus and bike across all of London's most famous and best sights – from Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London…

Angry Cookie

What happens when a little cookie gets up on the wrong side of bed? 
Prepare to fall absolutely in love with this irresistible cookie, crumbly chocolate chips and all. OH NO! Barbra the cactus won’t stop playing her recorder, the yummy strawberry toothpaste has run out, and now – to top it all off – Cookie has to have his hair cut! Which all makes for one VERY ANGRY little cookie... 

This wildly inventive, interactive, laugh-out-loud tale brings Laura Dockrill's one-of-a-kind voice to a beautiful picture book.

Helen Oxenbury Giveaway!


We have a fantastic Helen Oxenbury book bundle to be won! One lucky winner will be selected to win a signed copy of Helen Oxenbury A Life in Illustration plus a selection of classic Helen Oxenbury picture books: Tickle, Tickle, All Fall Down, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, We're Going on a Bear Hunt and So Much! Plus three runners up will win a signed copy of Helen Oxenbury A Life in Illustration

This competition has now closed. Good luck!   

Thursday 29 November 2018

Christmas Picture Book Giveaway!


To celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, we have a EIGHT fantastic picture books to be won!

Three lucky winners will receive limited edition prints and EIGHT beautiful picture books: We're Going on a Bear Hunt Christmas Activity Book, Angry Cookie, Pick a Pine Tree, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Giraffe Problems, Julian is a Mermaid, Square and a signed edition of Snow in the Garden.

This competition has now closed. Good luck!   

Wednesday 21 November 2018

Pun-tastic publication of Where’s Wally? The Wonder Book: The Deluxe Edition


Hi there, Wally fans!


Yes, we’ve given the fifth title in the world-famous classic series the deluxe treatment. There’s a beautiful jacketed cover, fantastic additional Wally artwork, extra fun and games, and a dastardly (but utterly cool) Odlaw poster on the back of the jacket. Wow!

To celebrate, the team here at Walker threw a pun-tastic party, re-enacting some of our favourite moments from the wondrous book.



Can you guess which puns we’re posing as? The answers are at the bottom of the page… but no peaking!

1

 2

 3

 4

 5

 6

 7

Do you think you guessed right? Check the answers below! And when you pick up your deluxe edition of Where’s Wally? The Wonder Book, make sure to keep an eye out for these fantastic puns and find your own favourites, too! And of course, don’t forget to search for Wally…

Good luck, Wally-Watchers! Until next time!

Answers: (1) Guy ‘Forks’ (2) The Queen of Hearts (3) A Tea-Shirt (4) “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” (5) A Jack-in-the-box (6) “Rolling the dice” (7) A flower bed

Wednesday 14 November 2018

Watch Rob Delaney read and sign Ten in the Bed by Penny Dale!

With ten in the bed, it's a bit of a squeeze! Roll over, roll over! 

The brilliant Rob Delaney will be reading and signing Ten in the Bed by Penny Dale on Cbeebies on Friday 16th November 2018.



Ten in the Bed, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, is Penny Dale's warm, funny and much-loved take on the bouncy counting bedtime rhyme of 'Ten in the Bed'.

Rob will be signing the book using Makaton as he reads and you can sign along using this free guide from the Makaton website.

Image © CBeebies / BBC

Monday 5 November 2018

CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2019 Nominations


Nominations have been published for the country's oldest children’s book award: the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, recognising outstanding illustration in books for children and young people. 

Walker Books are proud to have 24 books nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal!

Congratulations to all these fantastic illustrators and their books! 




Anuska Allepuz

Aaron Becker


by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb


Polly Dunbar


Bob Graham


by Sally M. Walker, illustrated by William Grill


Daisy Hirst


Petr Horáček


Shirley Hughes


by Patricia Toht, illustrated by Jarvis


by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Jean Jullien


by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Jaime Kim


by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen


by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen


by kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love


Jessica Love


Markus Motum


by Vivian French, illustrated by Catherine Rayner


by Vivian French, illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino


Viviane Schwarz


by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton


by Narisa Togo


by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by Charlotte Voake



Marcia Williams