Little Fish and Mummy on Mother's Day!

Happy Mother’s Day! Walker is celebrating with a lovely, brand-new shaped board book from the world of Hooray for Fish! In this heart-warming rhyming story from the wonderful Lucy Cousins, Little Fish is having a special day, just him and Mummy Fish:

My mummy’s orange just like me.

We both have yellow spots.

I love my mummy very much,

I know she loves me lots.

  

It’s got the team thinking about all the things we share with the mum-figures in our lives, related or otherwise. No one’s mentioned yellow spots, but here are some choice love-filled testimonies from us all:

Nghiem Ta, Art Director

When I was growing up, my mum was strict and fearsome. To us kids, all she did was work and cook... all the little things we took (and take) for granted! Now, as a grown-up, I see my mum as the wonder she is. She’s accomplished so much on her own and is such an inspiration to me.

And she still cooks amazing food! Yum!

Isabelle Gamon, Art Director

When I was a child, I desperately wanted a Barbie Dream House, but couldn’t buy one. Instead, my mother spent a week building my doll her very own home, complete with real wallpaper and hand-knitted furnishings. This to me sums up all that is wonderful about my mum: she is resourceful, creative, dedicated, and filled with unconditional love.  It also might be why I’m now obsessed with Grand Designs...

Bonne fête des mères, maman. Bisous.

Ruby Constable, Assistant Editor

When I was little, my grandma used to tell me the most extraordinary bedtime stories, which turned out were actually the plots of famous book and films. My absolute favourite was Jane Eyre. Charlotte Brontë’s version is alright, but my gran does a satisfyingly terrifying Bertha impression and could tell the whole story in the ten minutes before lights out. She also made up a beautiful lullaby about butterflies, which I later discovered had the same melody as The Godfather theme tune. 

Happy Mothers’ Day gran. You’re weird, I love it.

Hannah Whitaker, Senior Creative Editor

When I was a six, my father made me a beautiful dolls house which I used to play with all the time. My daughter Amelia - who is eight - has it in her bedroom now, and we love to spend time together moving all the furniture around!

Inês Amaral, Designer

Me and my mum both love cabbage, steamed fish and chewing on bones. Not a pretty picture, but my mum’s satisfaction with having food companion makes it very worth it.

Happy Mother’s Day mum, you are and always be my inspiration, moral compass and favourite chef.

Rachel Boden, Senior Commissioning Editor

My children and I share a love of books. Funny ones, sad ones, magical ones. I still read to them every night. We do silly voices – my seven-year-old daughter does an excellent Texan drawl for completely inappropriate characters (e.g. Rainbow Fairies). No room is complete without a shelf of books, as proven when my son built himself a house in Minecraft, aged 6, and included a golden throne and a floor-to-ceiling bookcase. I am hoping for a golden throne as a Mother’s Day gift this year…

What special thing do you share with the mothering figure(s) in your life? Let us know below! And don’t forget to pick up a copy of Little Fish and Mummy, swimming into a bookshop near you!

Celebrate Mother's Day with Five Minutes' Peace

Just want five minute peace? Celebrate the joys of motherhood with this gorgeous Mother's Day gift edition of the modern picture book classic!

"If you are not familiar with these stories, you really have not lived ... you just couldn't get better" Guardian 

Mums everywhere will understand the plight of poor Mrs Large. All she wants is five minutes' peace and quiet away from her boisterous children! So, taking refuge in the bathroom, she fills herself a hot, foamy bubble bath and takes in a tray of her favourite breakfast and the morning paper. But there’s never a dull moment with the Large family, and it soon becomes clear that mum's quiet time is to be very short-lived! Family life is beautifully observed in this warm and funny modern classic from Jill Murphy.

5 things mums REALLY want for Mother’s Day

We asked mums with young kids what they REALLY want for Mother’s Day. Here’s what they said…

1. A clean house. I wish they would pick up their toys and tidy up after themselves for just one day!
2. Breakfast in bed. I wish they could make the breakfast for a change. And bring it to me in bed. And then wash up.
3. Pamper me. A non-essential present, like a spa treatment, flowers or perfume.
4. Something homemade. A card made by them is always nicer than something generic bought in a shop.
5. Me time. To be able to just go to the toilet or take a bath – on my own!

To celebrate Mother's Day, we've made a special Mother's Day edition of the classic picture book which is gorgeous! You can pick up a copy in your local bookshop.

Three Walker Picture Books Shortlisted for the 2019 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal

We are absolutely thrilled to say that three Walker picture books have made the shortlist of the 2019 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. You can see the full selection of titles below.

Julian is a Mermaid illustrated and written by Jessica Love

The Day War Came illustrated by Rebecca Cobb, written by Nicola Davies

The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett

Good to luck to all the illustrators shortlisted! You can pick copies of all these books at your local bookshop.

PREVIOUS KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL WINS FOR WALKER BOOKS:

2018 Sydney Smith, Town Is by the Sea
2014 Jon Klassen, This is Not My Hat
2012 Jim Kay, A Monster Calls
2004 Chris Riddell, Jonathan Swift's Gulliver
2002 Bob Graham, Jethro Byrde, Fairy Child
2001 Chris Riddell, Pirate Diary
1999 Helen Oxenbury, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
1997 P J Lynch, When Jessie Came Across the Sea
1995 P J Lynch, The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey
1988 Barbara Firth, Can't You Sleep Little Bear?
1985 Juan Wijngaard, Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady

WIN our March Picture Book of the Month - Circle by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen

From the dynamic, dream team of Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett comes the final instalment in the hilarious shape trilogy, Circle.

Triangle and Square are visiting Circle, who lives at the waterfall. When they play hide-and-seek, Circle tells the friends the one rule: not to go behind the falling water. But after she closes her eyes to count to ten, of course that's exactly where Triangle goes. Will Circle find Triangle? And what OTHER shapes might be lurking back there?

          


We have a fantastic prize to give away this month! One lucky reader will win a signed copy of Circle plus a framed selection of prints from Triangle, Square and Circle. Two runners up will will win a signed copy of Circle plus a limited edition Circle print. 

To enter this competition just enter your name and email address below.

This competition is now closed.   

CBeebies Bedtime Stories featuring A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton

We are delighted to say that A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton was featured on Cbeebies Bedtime Stories this weekend! Read by French-Turkish actor Tchéky Karyo known for his role in the British BBC drama series, The Missing. You can watch the storytime here.

The award-winning debut title from Chris Haughton, A Bit Lost is the heart-warming story of Little Owl – who must be more careful when he is sleeping... Uh-oh! He has fallen from his nest, and with a bump he lands on the ground. Where is his mummy? With the help of his new friend Squirrel, Little Owl sets off in search of her, and meets a sequence of other animals. Yet while one might have his mummy’s big eyes, and another her pointy ears, they are simply not her.

CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2019 Longlist Announced

The longlist has 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 6 fantastic books on the longlist for the Kate Greenaway Medal!

Congratulations to all these fantastic illustrators and their books! 

       Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love 

Julian is a Mermaid illustrated by Jessica Love

Animals With Tiny Cat illustrated by Viviane Schwarz

The Day the War Came illustrated by Rebecca Cobb

A Stone for Sascha illustrated by Aaron Becker

The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse illustrated by Jon Klassen

Discussing feelings with children using How Monty Found His Magic

A book for anyone who’s ever lacked confidence or been afraid of failing at something new.

Monty is a marvellous magician, but why won’t he show his tricks to other people? Zephyr and Snuffles, Monty's best friends, want everyone to see just how amazing he is and keep reminding him that – together – they can do anything! They are a magical trio!

We are delighted to welcome Lerryn Korda to Picture Book Party to discuss 

How Monty Found His Magic

I wrote How Monty Found his Magic partly as a response to child mental health issues. Having suffered from anxiety all my life, I am now aware of the need to identify my feelings and where they are in my body. I wish I had understood this as a child. This inner tracking allows a pause before I react. It’s also a good time to get the support of friends and family like Monty, who has the support of Zephyr and Snuffles.

In my own life I try not to judge emotions that arise but to acknowledge them. Feelings come and go and sometimes we can’t make them better. However, just by talking them through they often can lose their power.

I asked Special Educational Needs Coordinator Rachael Taylor, who has a wealth of experience with child mental health, how she might use How Monty Found his Magic to start a conversation and an activity about feelings.

Resources: large piece of paper, thick black pen, colouring pens, paints, glue, dried beans, pasta, rice, feathers, cotton wool  etc.

Read the page which describes Monty’s whizzing tummy. Ask your child to look at the picture of Monty. Describe, or ask the child to describe, what they can see. How does Monty look? Where is he looking? What are his hands doing? The way he’s standing? Now ask about his feelings. Can you see the butterflies in his tummy? Or his heart thumping? No, this is happening all inside Monty’s body. Nobody can tell this is how he is feeling.  Ask the child if s/he ever feels like Monty. What do their butterflies feel like? Are they butterflies at all? Perhaps they’re more like worms slithering through the grass? Be curious and open to whatever your child describes.

Tell your child you’re going to draw around each other to make life-size pictures of each other, and then draw, paint or collage all the different sensations which can happen inside their bodies when different feelings arise.

Once you have your outlines, start to discuss the different sensations which happen when you’re feeling nervous like Monty. Chat to your child about the colour and texture you might choose to represent the sensation, e.g. Monty describes the feeling like butterflies, which is a common way to describe the sensation. Is that the same for your child? If so, what colour are they? Do they feel like feathers? Or bits of cotton wool? Draw or stick on whatever the child chooses for each sensation. Move around the body, discussing any sensation that might arise.

Open the conversation up to discuss other emotions. What about when we start to feel angry? Repeat the above, asking questions about skin? Face? Palms of hands? Heart? Chest? Back of neck? All the time accepting what your child says and describes. Be curious.

What about happiness? Sadness? Excitement? etc. Add word cards or pictures of different emotions.

Hang your pictures where your child can add to theirs when s/he notices any new sensations.