Showing posts with label walker picture books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walker picture books. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 September 2017

Top new picture books this September

We have a fabulous selection of beautiful and fun picture books for you this September, including: 



A special 25th anniversary edition of a bestselling modern classic, Owl Babies is a comforting read for any toddler who has ever worried about mum leaving them alone. 

With a foreword and gorgeous golden foil on the cover and spine, this edition is one to share and treasure.




His Royal Tinyness

New York Times bestselling author Sally Lloyd-Jones’ hilarious narrative voice is brought exquisitely to life by David Roberts in this home-grown fairy tale about a little girl with a new baby brother. 

Marianna, the most beautiful, ever so kindest princess, lives happily with her mum, dad and gerbil. Happy, that is, until the new baby comes along. All the talk in the Land is about him – non-stop, All the time! Has there ever been such a time of wicked rule?!

Watch a Q&A with Sally and David here.




From the team behind the acclaimed Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise comes a very scary read-aloud story … or is it? Monster wants to be in a scary story – but is he brave enough?

Brilliantly interactive, children will delight in the wickedly funny turn-of-the-pages, see themselves in the goofy, unconventional monster, and revel in the bold, hilarious illustration of celebrated graphic artist, Jean Jullien.

Follow the Track All the Way Back 

From Ben Mantle and Timothy Knapman comes the story of a Little Train who is going out on the track, all by himself, for the very first time! But before he goes, his mummy and daddy remind him: “When it’s time to come home, no matter how far you are, just follow the track all the way back, where we’ll be waiting.” 

Young readers will share Little Train’s trepidation and excitement in this uplifting and extraordinary read-aloud adventure. 




Flap your wings, fly up high, open your beak and sing in this fun action rhyme story about fantastical birds by multi-award-winning author Lucy Cousins. 

"Can you imagine ... just for one day ... you're a busy bird? Yes, a bird! Hooray!" A bouncy read-aloud book to be enjoyed; beautifully illustrated with bold, bright colours and packed with all sorts of wild and wonderful birds!

We Found a Hat 

Hold on to your hats! From the Kate Greenaway-winning creator of I Want My Hat Back and This Is Not My Hat comes the much-anticipated conclusion to the celebrated hat trilogy. 

Two turtles have found a hat. The hat looks good on both of them. But there are two turtles. And there is only one hat... Evoking hilarity and sympathy, the shifting eyes tell the tale in this perfectly paced story in three parts, highlighting Jon Klassen’s visual comedy, deceptive simplicity and deliciously deadpan humour.



The Little Adventurers: What Bear? Where?

From the award-winning Philip Ardagh, and rising illustration talent Elissa Elwick, comes the second installment in a brand-new picture book series! 

Meet the Little Adventurers – Finnegan, Sprat, Floss and Peanut. With an activity idea and an information page the Little Adventurers four will encourage hours of immersive play, and will ignite the imagination of curious explorers everywhere.


You can get your hands on all these books at your local bookshopHappy reading! 

Thursday, 6 April 2017

Win the picture book of the month, Mrs Mole, I’m Home!



From Jarvis, creator of Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth, comes another truly unmissable, hilarious adventure about a daddy mole who has mislaid his spectacles. 

Morris can’t find them anywhere. So, he decides to go on without them, trusting his instincts to lead him the right way home to his waiting family and delicious dinner of worm noodles, with laugh out loud consequences!



Behind the scenes with Jarvis

We’re excited to welcome Jarvis to the Picture Book Party blog for a behind-the-scenes on the making of Mrs Mole, I’m Home!

“MRS MOLE, I’M HOOOOME! was the first line I wrote, and it all fell into place from there. The concept is very simple, a lost mole popping up in the wrong home, but it had lots of scope for jokes. I had in mind a kind of American sitcom, with a live audience, and after touring Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth in schools around the country I wanted to make a book that had funny lines, and jokes peppered all the way through. It’s a book that I made to read aloud…with lots of silly voices.

If the words came ‘easy’ the visuals were definitely not. Every book for me has lots of challenges and choices, and it took me a long time to get the right direction, not so much with the characters but more so the environments and technique. I didn’t want the book to be gloomy, muddy and brown…even if half of the book is underground. So the challenge was to make it feel dirty, earthy and natural but using a bright, full-on colour palette.


The environments were really important to this book, each place needed to feel very different than the last, there were no short cuts! But, with help from the gang at Walker, and by following my (big) nose, I got there in the end.



WIN Mrs Mole, I’m Home!
To celebrate the launch of Mrs Mole, I’m Home! we’ve got five copies of the book with exclusive posters to give away! To enter just answer this question:

In Jarvis’ new book what has Morris Mole lost?
a)       His spectacles
b)       His bow tie
c)       His waistcoat

To enter, just email competitions@walker.co.uk with 'Mrs Mole, I’m Home' in the subject line, before 30th April 2017. Terms and conditions apply.

Join in the fun and download these free Mrs Mole, I’m Home activity sheets and pick up a copy of Mrs Mole, I’m Home at your local bookshop. Plus, take a look at this brilliant animated trailer that the talented Jarvis has created!


     
Jarvis studied graphic design and previously worked as both a record sleeve designer and an animation director before becoming a children's book illustrator. Alan's Big, Scary Teeth was met with great acclaim, the New York Times writing: "The witty Jarvis makes all the right moves". About his picture book inspiration, Jarvis says, "The way I work is always visual. I will have an image or character in mind and I pull a story out of it. I doodle and doodle and doodle until I get it right."