Free Poems and Prose for Children in Lockdown - Published by Cranachan

Free ‘Stay at Home!’ book for children living in lockdown by 40 children’s authors in Scotland

Island-based publisher Cranachan has launched a free, illustrated anthology of poems and stories for children aged 8-12. Stay at Home! Poems and Prose for Children in Lockdown is a collection of 40 lockdown-themed contributions by writers based in Scotland. 

The new book, which is available for free and available on the Books from Scotland website and on Amazon, is described as “a book about lockdown– the good bits, the bad bits, and the ugly bits when nobody could get any toilet roll. It’s divided into three sections – Life in Lockdown, Everyday Superheroes, and the World Beyond Our Windows.” 

Stay at Home!, illustrated by Darren Gate, aims to help children reflect on their time in lockdown. There is something in the anthology for everyone, from the serious to the hilarious, with short stories, flash fiction, poems, letters and diaries (including some in Scots) all giving their take on lockdown life topics such as kitchen haircuts, birthdays, home-schooling, daily exercise, pets, nature, neighbours–and even toilet roll alternatives.

The collection is edited by debut novelist Joan Haig and comprises work written especially for the lockdown volume, from well-loved children’s authors and new writers including: 

Raisah Ahmed, Annemarie Allan, Dean Atta, Nayanika Basu, Pamela Butchart, Philip Caveney, Maisie Chan, Suleman Chebe, Alastair Chisholm, Justin Davies, Lari Don, Elizabeth Ezra, Matthew Fitt, Kerry L Fleming, Merryn Glover, Laura Guthrie, Joan Haig, Yasmin Hanif, Robert J Harris, Callum Heitler, Barbara Henderson, Diana Hendry, Emily Illet, Lindsay Littleson, Joseph Lamb, Elizabeth Laird, Joan Lennon, Caroline Logan, Janis Mackay, Alan McClure, Miranda Moore, Raman Mundair, Alex Nye, Rachel Plummer, Ross Sayers, Linda Strachan, Chae Strathie, and Victoria Williamson.

Explaining her motivation for creating the book, Haig says: “Originally, I had an idea at the start of Lockdown for a recipe book from children's stories and contacted a few authors then to gauge interest. It was pointed out that ingredients were short in the shops and I gave up thinking about it! But I still felt that there was an opportunity to do something incredibly positive through writing in the Covid crisis, to reach out to children, but also to bring together children's authors in Scotland.” 

The book’s publisher, Anne Glennie of Cranachan, added: “It is the job of writers to record and to make sense of this new world. We are living through an historical moment in time–and this collection does not shy away from that reality but explores it, and hopefully, helps children come to terms with it as they recognise themselves and their experiences in its pages.”

Stay at Home! Poems and Prose for Children in Lockdown launches on 28th May and is available to read for free here: www.booksfromscotland.com and is free for download on Amazon.

Nosy Crow - Free Downloadable - Coronavirus A Book for Children - Professor Graham Medley and Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

FREE INFORMATION BOOK EXPLAINING THE CORONAVIRUS TO CHILDREN, ILLUSTRATED BY GRUFFALO ILLUSTRATOR

Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school-age children, free for anyone to read on-screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it. Published by award-winning independent children’s book publisher, Nosy Crow, and written by staff within the publishing company, the book has had expert input: Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine acted as a consultant, and the company also had advice from two head teachers and a child psychologist.

 The book answers key questions in simple language appropriate for 5 to 9-year-olds: 

What is the coronavirus? 

• How do you catch the coronavirus? 
• What happens if you catch the coronavirus? 
• Why are people worried about catching the coronavirus? 
• Is there a cure for the coronavirus? 
• Why are some places we normally go to closed? 
• What can I do to help?
• What’s going to happen next?

Nosy Crow wants to make sure that this book is accessible to every child and family and so the book is offered totally free of charge to anyone who wants to read it.  However, the company suggests, at the back of the book, that families might make a donation to help our health service if they find the book useful: https://www.nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/.

Kate Wilson, Managing Director of Nosy Crow, said:

“We were very aware that many parents and carers are struggling to explain the current extraordinary situation to children, many of whom are frightened and confused. We thought that the best thing we could do would be to use our skills to produce a free book to explain and, where possible, reassure children. We asked Axel, whose work is so familiar and so loved, to illustrate it. He was happy to do it, and did it extraordinarily quickly. Meanwhile, having heard Professor Medley interviewed by the BBC, we looked him up and wrote to him, and despite his huge workload, he reviewed the book over a weekend, and we were able to incorporate his suggestions, together with those of two headteachers and a child psychologist, into the final version of the book. We hope it helps answer difficult questions in difficult times.”

Axel Scheffler, the illustrator of The Gruffalo, said: 

“I asked myself what I could do as a children’s illustrator to inform, as well as entertain, my readers here and abroad.  So I was glad when my publisher, Nosy Crow, asked me to illustrate this question-and-answer book about the coronavirus. I think it is extremely important for children and families to have access to good and reliable information in this unprecedented crisis, and I hope that the popularity of the books I've done with Julia Donaldson will ensure that this digital book will reach many children who are now slightly older, but might still remember our picture books.”

Professor Graham Medley, Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:

“This pandemic is changing children’s lives across the globe and will have a lasting impact on us all. Helping children understand what is going on is an important step in helping them cope and making them part of the story - this is something that we are all going through, not something being done to them. This book puts children IN the picture rather just watching it happen, and in a way that makes the scary parts easier to cope with.”

You can download a copy of the book here. 

The future of children’s stories” revealed in Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Shortlists 2019

Congratulations EVERYBODY here is the full lists of shortlisted titles (in alphabetical order by author) for the Waterstones 2019 Prize are:

Illustrated Books:

The Girls by Lauren Ace and Jenny Løvlie (Little Tiger Press)

Mini Rabbit Not Lost by John Bond (HarperCollins)

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison (Penguin)

The King Who Banned the Dark by Emily Haworth-Booth (Pavilion)

Julian Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love (Walker Books)

100 Dogs by Michael Whaite (Penguin)

Younger Fiction:

The House With Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson (Usborne)

The Train To Impossible Places by P.G. Bell (Usborne)

Brightstorm by Vashti Hardy (Scholastic)

The Mystery Of The Colour Thief by Ewa Jozefkowicz (Head of Zeus)

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf (Hachette Children’s)

The Boy Who Grew Dragons by Andy Shepherd (Templar)

Older Fiction:

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (Egmont)

Children Of Blood And Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Pan MacMillan)

A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos (Europa Editions)

The Truth About Lies by Tracy Darnton (Little Tiger Press)

Me Mam. Me Dad. Me. by Malcolm Duffy (Head of Zeus)

Boy 87 by Ele Fountain (Pushkin)

Thursday 7^th February: Inspiring stories of trailblazing black women, a child’s warm-hearted perspective on the refugee crisis and an energetic verse novel about a girl finding her voice are amongst the eighteen shortlisted titles competing to win the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2019.

First awarded in 2005, the Prize has evolved into one of the most prestigious accolades for children’s books in the UK. It has launched the careers of many children’s book authors and illustrators by bringing the best new books to readers’ attention. Alumni include much-beloved household names such as Sally Nicholls, Jonny Duddle, Katherine Rundell and Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

Every year Waterstones’ expert booksellers are called upon to vote for the books they believe are the very best in new children’s writing and illustration. Now in its fifteenth year and with its shortlists exploring some highly topical subjects, the Prize shows its enduring relevance as a formidable platform for emerging talent. 

Last year’s winner, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, shot to the top of the bestseller charts after the announcement and saw an increase in sales of over 900% across the Waterstones estate.

Florentyna Martin, Waterstones Children’s Buyer says: “Children’s books are firmly at the heart of our shops. Knowledge of their local communities, and the pleasure in recommending the best books to their customers gives our booksellers a unique and pivotal role in championing new talent.  Now, more than ever before, there is real playfulness and creativity noticeable in children’s books. This year’s list showcases an exploration of wide topics including world-folklore, black history, mental health, refugees and the world around us, through dynamic forms of poetry, fables, and sweeping fantasies. It is a truly enthralling time for children’s writing, and our booksellers have keenly chosen shortlists that they are inspired to share with readers and, in doing so, recognise the creators who will shape the future of children’s stories.”

The shortlists consist of eighteen books across three categories. Six books will compete within each category to be crowned Category Winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year 2019.

James Daunt, Waterstones Managing Director says: “We are immensely proud of our Children’s Book Prize. It has chosen unfailingly wonderful books and in so doing propelled the careers of a succession of exceptional authors. Who knows how many might otherwise not have achieved such success? The Prize is the work of our booksellers and represents Waterstones at its very best.”

The Illustrated Books shortlist explores the importance of inclusivity and individuality. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison features forty inspirational black women from world history, whilst Lauren Ace and Jenny Løvlie tell the story of a lifelong friendship in The Girls, showcasing the strength that lies in difference, and Jessica Love’s Julian Is A Mermaid is a joyful celebration of being uniquely yourself. John Bond’s deliciously funny debut Mini Rabbit Not Lost and Michael Whaite’s joyful rhyming story 100 Dogs will make young readers laugh with delight. The shortlist concludes with the illuminating story of The King Who Banned The Dark, a modern fable about power and rebellion, by Emily Haworth–Booth.

Adventures in fantasy settings dominate the Younger Fiction shortlist. The House With Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson is a magical tale with influences of traditional folk and fairy stories, whilst dragons are brought to life in Andy Shepherd’s The Boy Who Grew Dragons. Action, sky ships and exploration are the fuel for Vashti Hardy’s fast-paced steam punk adventure Brightstorm, whereas in The Train To Impossible Places by P.G. Bell the young heroine might travel more conventionally by train, yet her journey is anything but. Two real-life stories round up the category: Onjali Q. Raúf’s The Boy at the Back of the Class presents, with heart and humour, a child's view on the refugee crisis, meanwhile a compassionate story about coping with life and grief is told by Ewa Jozefkowicz in her debut The Mystery Of The Colour Thief.

On the Older, Fiction shortlist headstrong young protagonists, from a wide variety of backgrounds, fight for their right to determine their own life. In Christelle Dabos’ fantasy runaway hit A Winter’s Promise, a young woman becomes an unwilling pawn in a political game, whilst Tomi Adeyemi’s heroine in Children Of Blood And Bone, a fantasy saga that draws on African mythology, has to return magic to a country oppressed by a ruthless king. Shif, the eponymous Boy 87 of Ele Fountain’s beautifully written novel, is a young refugee who encounters both cruelty and kindness on his long, hard journey to Europe, whereas in Me Mam. Me Dad. Me., Malcolm Duffy’s debut novel, a fourteen-year-old Geordie lad navigates the trials and tribulations of family life. The shortlist is completed by Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X, a verse novel narrated with an unforgettable, authentic voice, and The Truth About Lies, a suspenseful, psychological thriller by Tracy Darnton, telling the story of a girl who remembers everything.

The winners will be announced at an evening reception at Waterstones Piccadilly (London), Europe’s largest bookshop, on Thursday 21^st March, 2019. The winner of each category will receive £2000, with the overall winner receiving an extra £3000. In the event that the prize is awarded to a partnership, then the prize money will be split equally between the joint winners.

The winning authors and illustrators will also see a significant boost in sales, and the promise of an ongoing commitment to their writing career from all Waterstones shops nationwide.

Press Release: Beanstalk Reveals Top 40 Children's Books for Struggling and Reluctant Readers

40 children’s books have been selected for new starter packs which will benefit children supported by Beanstalk reading helpers in primary schools across England.

Beanstalk – a literacy charity which recruits, trains and places volunteers in primary schools across England to provide one-to-one support to children who have fallen behind with reading – has revealed 40 children’s books that will be used by the charity’s volunteers to kick-start reading engagement for the children they support.

Beanstalk’s ‘Top 40’ has been handpicked by children’s literacy experts including Beanstalk staff, trained reading helpers and literacy consultant Marilyn Brocklehurst – founder of The Norfolk Children’s Book Centre. The selection process involved careful consideration of the types of books Beanstalk-supported children would find fun and motivational. The books will be provided to Beanstalk schools as part of a starter pack resource which will be used by the charity’s trained volunteers placed in that setting.

Beanstalk has been working in schools for over 40 years supporting thousands of children each year across the country who have fallen behind with reading.  By bringing together the expertise of its long-standing reading helpers and highly respected literacy experts, Beanstalk has developed a resource which will ensure its network of reading helpers are well equipped from the outset to help more children than ever before.  

Ginny Lunn, Chief Executive Officer of Beanstalk, said:  

“As part of Beanstalk’s vision to help more children become confident and able readers we need to ensure that our volunteers have immediate access to age-appropriate and expertly chosen books as well as ongoing training and support to use those resources with children in the best possible ways. Up to now we have been so fortunate to have fantastic supplies of book boxes for volunteers to use, however, the introduction of Beanstalk’s starter packs will ensure that new volunteers are well equipped and have some brilliant resources to work on engaging the children from the very beginning – while they are still getting to know them. We also hope that by revealing Beanstalk’s ‘Top 40 ‘, it might help anyone looking for inspiration for a child they know - from parents to grandparents, reading helpers to teaching staff. And of course we will continue to develop and adapt this resource as the needs of our reading helpers and children changes, as well as encouraging volunteers to work with a variety of reading materials, as we always have done, including exploring local libraries and the school’s own library if they have one.”

Marilyn Brocklehurst, founder of the Norfolk Children’s Book Centre, said:

“We were very happy to work closely with Beanstalk to choose books for their starter packs and were so pleased with the final selection as they are all brilliant for children reading at all levels. They are great fun and a lot of the books are very original! We chose a mix of some classic books, such as Dear Zoo and more contemporary books, like Oi Frog! We, at the Norfolk Children’s Book Centre, are very happy to work with Beanstalk, the support that the children receive from Beanstalk reading helpers is exceptional.”

Beanstalk’s ‘Top 40’ has been organised into four age-appropriate sets of 10 books aimed at Lower Key Stage 1 (ages 5-6), Upper KS1 (ages 6-7) LKS1 (ages 7-8/9) and UKS2 (ages 9-11). All new schools that sign up with Beanstalk receive one starter pack of the 40 books. All volunteers that go through Beanstalk’s selection and training process from now on will have access to a full starter pack of 40 books when they begin in a school.

Thanks to the support of Marilyn Brocklehurst the relevant starter packs required by Beanstalk partner schools will be selected, boxed and distributed by the Norfolk Children’s Book Centre ready for newly-trained volunteers to use once they begin their one-to-one sessions with the children.  

What the authors say…

Michael Rosen, author of The Laugh Out Loud Joke Book, said: “I can remember with great fondness the way my brother and I used to read out jokes to each other. It's a great way of enjoying what books can offer us. With this in mind I put together a joke book and I'm delighted that Beanstalk have put it in their starter pack. Enjoy!”

Philip Ardagh, author of Norman the Norman from Normandy, said: "Tom Morgan-Jones and I are DELIGHTED that Norman the Norman from Normandy has found his way into the Beanstalk starter packs, aren't we Tom? Tom's nodding as he's busily drawing Norman riding Truffle, the not-so-wild boar. Why are we so pleased. "Because Beanstalk is the best!" I was going to say that, Tom... *Mutters* Anyway, it's a fantastic scheme and we're all-three pleased to be a part of it. All four, if you count Truffle."

Pippa Goodhart, author of You Choose, said: “Of all the more than a hundred books I've written, You Choose is the one that I most often seen in crumpled, torn and drawn-on condition.  That is wonderful because it reflects a book being used and used and used to bits by children! I was a child who loved listening to stories and playing stories, but I found reading very hard, and 'reading books' scary.  In You Choose, the text is incidental to the main task of 'reading' the pictures, and so the pressure of a chunk of text that has to be read is removed.  As they make their choices through the book, children become co-creators with the author and illustrator, rather than passive recipients of an already formed story.  What they take from the book really is 'theirs', and that makes it both fun and empowering.  My hope is that this is a book which helps less sure children make friends with books.”

Nick Sharratt, Illustrator for You Choose, Wriggle and Roar, Mixed Up Fairy Tales, The Big Book of Magical Mix Ups said: “As a huge admirer of Beanstalk and the vital work they do in primary schools, I'm truly delighted that not one but four of the books I've illustrated have been selected for inclusion for their starter packs, geared to help set children on the path to confident reading.”

Julia Donaldson, author of Wriggle and Roar!, said: "I have great admiration for the work that Beanstalk do and I am delighted that they have selected Wriggle and Roar for this brilliant new initiative"

Kes Gray, author of Oi Frog!, said: “Oi Beanstalk! Thank you so much for including Oi Frog in your reading scheme! I’ll trust you to get your seating arrangements right.”

Andy Stanton, author of You’re a Bad Man, Mr. Gum! Said: “I've been told many times that 'Mr Gum' has helped to get young readers started and it never fails to give me goosebumps - what a privilege it is to write for children. My stories might be silly, but I take writing and reading very seriously and am absolutely delighted to be included in Beanstalk's starter pack.”

Axel Scheffler author of Flip Flap Jungle, said: “It’s an honour and pleasure for me to know that Flip Flap Jungle will be introduced to so many children through Beanstalk’s great work in encouraging literacy and the joy of reading.”

Nosy Crow Books said: “We very much admire and value the work that Beanstalk does, so we are delighted that Nosy Crow books have been chosen for inclusion in their starter packs.”

To view Beanstalk’s ‘Top 40’ books visit the reading resources area of the website: https://www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/beanstalk-top-40  

Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlists 2018 (Appetite for new Imaginary Worlds)

Children’s Book Prize shortlists reflect readers’ appetite for new imaginary worlds

Stories depicting the fantastical are highlighted in the shortlists for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2018, announced today, Wednesday 7^th February. 

In previous years, real-life topics were prominent in the shortlists, but this year it is notable that the majority of shortlisted fiction titles are fantastical adventures. Many of the authors, representing the best in new children’s writing, have chosen to provide escapism from the boundaries of reality by setting their stories in imagined realms, or by infusing real-world settings with magical elements.

Florentyna Martin, Waterstones Children’s Buyer says:

“Whilst we still see exceptional real-life stories, this year’s shortlists indicate a renewed interest in the publishing and purchasing of fantastical adventure stories. Children have always been eager to experience worlds beyond our own, whether it’s in books, films or technology, but our booksellers’ shortlist choices show that a resurgence of nostalgic fantastical adventures is creating a hunger for new magical stories. We’ve been treated recently to bestselling revisits to the Wizarding World, with both Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, and our booksellers crowned Philip Pullman’s new adventure La Belle Sauvageas Book of the Year 2017, ultimately championing the wide-reaching magic of children’s books. The books chosen by our booksellers on this year’s list are classics of the future, and will be inspiring children for generations to come.”

A selection of more traditional adventure stories set in imaginary worlds, exemplified by Kieran Larwood’s The Five Realms: The Legend of Podkin One Ear, is highlighted in the ‘younger fiction’ shortlists. The first book in a new series, The Legend of Podkin One Ear is inspired by the author’s joy of reading The Hobbit as a child, and comparable to beloved childhood classics, such as Watership Down and Redwall. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend, another first book in a new series, is a story in the tradition of Harry Potter, creating a “wundrous” world full of adventures. Helena Duggan’s A Place Called Perfect is a fantastical mystery, reminiscent of Neil Gaiman and Roald Dahl stories.

‘Fiction for older readers’ showcases fantastical story telling in its various forms, from speculative fiction to a magical coming of age story, and all protagonists are strong young women. Ink by Alice Broadway imagines a world where everyone’s actions and significant moments are tattooed on their skin for ever. Emily Bain Murphy’s The Disappearances is a story thick with secrets and follows a teenage girl whose family history could hold the key to a town’s mystery. Alternating between wordless graphic novel and written journal entries, Thornhill by Pam Smy tells the story of two girls and one house, evoking the atmosphere of a gothic ghost novel.

Themes of fantasy and nature have merged in several of the illustrated books. In surreal adventure story The Secret of Black Rock by Joe Todd-Stanton a young girl discovers the truth behind a mysterious legend about the deepest sea and protects a peaceful creature from human harm. In The Night Box, Louise Greig and Ashling Lindsay tell a lyrical story about the magical nature of night-time. Sandra Dieckmann’s beautifully illustrated book Leaf introduces the youngest readers to the effects of global warming by telling  the story of a lost polar bear, who floats away from home on an ice floe and tries to find his way back.

James Daunt, Waterstones Managing Director says:

“The track record of our Children’s Prize is a source of great pride. Year after year, the Prize launches the enduring careers of a succession of brilliant writers. Our bookshops revel in the vibrant creativity of children’s publishing, with growing sales propelled to a significant extent by new discoveries. This is proving to be a golden age for children’s books in which we are delighted to play our part.”

The Waterstones Children’s book prize exists to reward and champion new and emerging talent in children’s books. Now in its fourteenth year, it is widely regarded as one of the most important prizes for children’s books.

Last year’s winner, The Girl Of Ink And Stars shot to the top of the bestseller charts after announcement and saw an increase in sales of over 1400% across the Waterstones estate.

The winners will be announced at an evening reception at Waterstones Piccadilly (London), Europe’s largest bookshop, on Thursday 22nd March 2018. Six books will compete within each category to be crowned category winner, with the three category winners then vying for the overall title of Waterstones Children’s Book of the Year 2018. The winner of each category will receive £2000, with the overall winner receiving an extra £3000. In the event that the prize is awarded to a partnership then the prize money will be split equally between the joint winners.

The winning authors and illustrators will also see a significant boost in sales, and the promise of an ongoing commitment to their writing career from all Waterstones shops nationwide.

The full lists of shortlisted titles (in alphabetical order by author) for the 2018 Prize are:

Illustrated Books:

Superbat by Matt Carr (Scholastic)

Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann (Flying Eye)

The Night Box by Louise Greig and Ashling Lindsay (Egmont)

I Really Want The Cake by Simon Philip and Lucia Gagiotti (Kings Road Publishing)

Fergal Is Fuming by Robert Starling (Andersen Press)

The Secret of Black Rock by Joe Todd-Stanton (Flying Eye)

Younger Fiction:

A Place Called Perfect by Helena Duggan (Usborne)

Who Let The Gods Out? by Maz Evans (Chicken House)

Kid Normal by Greg James, Chris Smith and Erica Salcedo, (Bloomsbury)

The Five Realms: The Legend of Podkin One–Ear by Kieran Larwood (with illustrations from renowned British artist David Wyatt), (Faber)

The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson (Scholastic)

Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend (Hachette Children’s)

Older Fiction:

The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy (Pushkin Children’s)

Troublemakers by Catherine Barter (Andersen Press)

Ink by Alice Broadway (Scholastic)

Thornhill by Pam Smy (David Fickling Books)

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada (Penguin Random House Children’s)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Walker)

ALIENS CREATURE COSTUME & MATT DAMON’S THE MARTIAN SPACESUIT TO BE AUCTIONED IN LONDON UK

ALIENS CREATURE COSTUME & 

MATT DAMON’S THE MARTIAN SPACESUIT TO BE

 AUCTIONED IN THE UK

Sci-fi props & costumes to go under the hammer in upcoming London auction on Tuesday 26^th September 2017

• The Alien Creature Costume from James Cameron’s sci-fi classic Aliens and Matt Damon’s spacesuit from Ridley Scott’s Academy Award-nominated film The Martian are estimated to sell between £20,000 – 30,000 each 
• Incredible sci-fi props and costumes from will be sold as part of Prop Store’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, featuring a collection of film memorabilia worth over £2-3 million 
• A preview exhibition featuring over 300 auction lots will take place between 7^th – 26^th  September 2017 at the BFI IMAX in Waterloo, London
  

Stephen Lane, Prop Store CEO, commented on the upcoming auction – “The Alien creature from Aliens is one of cinema’s most well-recognised sci-fi creatures and we’re thrilled to be featuring this incredible costume in our upcoming auction alongside props and costumes from sci-fi films old and new, including Star Wars, Star Trek and The Martian. These fantastic lots will be sold together with 600 props and costumes from over 230 films at Prop Store’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction on 26^th September at London’s BFI IMAX proudly presented by ODEON.”

The Prop Store Live Auction will feature lots from sci-fi classics including:

• Dr. Peter Venkman's (Bill Murray) Jumpsuit from Ghostbusters (1984). Estimate £6k – 8k 
• C-3PO Special Effects Head from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Estimate £60k – 80k 
• USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D "Pyro" Model Miniature from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Estimate £20k – 30k

The auction will be live-streamed online for fans to track the bidding on auction day. A free preview exhibition will be open to the public in the run up to the auction showcasing over 300 lots from the upcoming auction. Movie fans and collectors alike will be able to see these incredible pieces of movie history up-close.

Registration and bidding is now open. Bids can be placed online at www.propstore.com/liveauction, over the phone or in person.  

The free exhibition is open to the public at the BFI IMAX, Waterloo, London, England SE1 8XR from 10:00am to 9:30pm, 7^th– 26^th September 2017. Prop Store’s Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, in partnership with the BFI IMAX proudly presented by ODEON, will also take place at the BFI IMAX Waterloo on Tuesday 26^th September 2017 from 12:00pm.

Den Patrick - Witchsign - Signs New Three Book Deal In The Ashen Empire Series ( HarperVoyger)

Natasha Bardon, Publishing Director at HarperVoyager has bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) to three books including WITCHSIGN by Den Patrick from Julie Crisp Literary Agency. WITCHSIGN will be the first of three books in The Ashen Empire series.

It has been seventy-five years since the dragons’ rule of fire and magic was ended. Out of the ashes, the Solmindre Empire was born. Since then the tyrannical rulers have worked hard to banish all manifestations of the arcane from existence. However, children are still born bearing the taint of the arcane, known to all as ‘witchsign’. Vigilants of the Synod are sent out across the continent to find and capture all those bearing the mark.

No one knows when they’ll will appear and enforce the Empire’s laws.

But they’re coming. And gods help those who bear the sign of the witch.

Natasha Bardon said: ‘I’m delighted to welcome Den Patrick to the list. Den is a gifted writer and this new trilogy is packed full of the fantastically complicated and deep characters that readers have come to expect from Den’s work.’

Den Patrick is the author of the Erebus Sequence, published in 2014. The first installment, The Boy Who Wept Blood, was longlisted for British Fantasy Society Best Newcomer in 2015. He lives in London with his fiancée and their two cats.

Den Patrick says:  'I am delighted to sign with Harper Voyager and introduce readers to a world of Vinterkveld, with its many dangers, adventures, and surprises.'

Julie Crisp said: 'With all the grit and imagination fantasy readers of Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence love, Den's series is a perfect fit for Voyager. We're very excited to be working with Natasha and the team there.'

Thomas E Schuster - Sale of Alice in Wonderland Collection at Mallams Oxford 2017

ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS OF
ALICE IN WONDERLAND BOOKS AND MEMORABILIA GOES ON SALE WITH MALLAMS IN OXFORD ON FEBRUARY 8^TH

TREASURE TROVE OF 3,000 ALICE IN WONDERLAND ITEMS COLLECTED BY THOMAS & ALICE SCHUSTER OVER A 25 YEARS

A remarkable collection of Alice in Wonderland books and memorabilia, among the largest in the world, goes on sale with Mallams auctioneers in Oxford next month. The ‘Oxford Authors Sale’ at Mallams on February 8 includes more than 3,000 Alice items acquired across a 25-year collecting odyssey by the late Thomas Schuster and his wife Greta.

Thomas E Schuster, who died in 2013, aged 76, was an international antiquarian books and prints dealer based in Maddox Street in Mayfair, London. His interest in English children’s literature was first ignited by a client in Japan and he became a recognised expert in the works of Kate Greenaway, Beatrix Potter and the Enid Blyton character ‘Noddy’. He published the Kate Greenaway catalogue raisonne in 1986.

But it was the Victorian writer, photographer and mathematician Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll, who proved a lasting passion for both Thomas Schuster and his wife. Buying at auction, at antique fairs at home and abroad, and through specialist dealers, Alice in Wonderland was the couple’s shared hobby for more than a quarter century.

Highlights from the massive collection (to be sold in 360 lots) have been exhibited publicly on two previous occasions: at the Schuster gallery in the late 1990s and at the Tate Modern Liverpool in 2012, as part of an Alice in Wonderland exhibition that later moved to Italy and Germany. However, Mallams’ sale will provide the first opportunity to view the collection in its entirety - the myriad books, porcelain, artwork, posters, toys, dolls and ephemera that have surrounded the cult of Alice since the earliest years. They range from the rare and academically important to the downright bizarre. 

Greta Schuster and son Chris have chosen to sell the collection in Oxford for its intimate associations with the Alice story. It was famously during a boat trip on the Thames in 1862 that Christ Church College don Charles Dodgson first entertained the 10-year-old Alice Liddell and her sisters with the tale of a girl who fell down a rabbit hole into a world called Wonderland.

Commenting on the reason for creating the collection Mrs Schuster said: “What attracted my husband and I to the work of Charles Dodgson is the sheer magic of the stories and the extraordinary intelligence behind them. He created a world of great imagination which we found bewitching. If he had been alive today we would have been the best of friends, as he became one of our best friends through many happy years of collecting his works." 

Dodgson was persuaded to write down the story, with the book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland first published in 1865. Every year Oxford celebrates all thing's Alice, with the annual Alice's Day celebrations scheduled this year for July 1.

Website:http://www.mallams.co.uk

The Phoenix Comic is Five Years Old Today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (David Fickling)

The weekly British children’s comic, The Phoenix, is celebrating its fifth birthday on Saturday 7th January 2017


Having launched in 2012, The Phoenix was rated ‘the second best comic in the world’ by Time Magazine. And in 2015 it became the first independent comic in the country to reach Issue 200 since 1969. Now in 2017, The Phoenix is celebrating its fifth birthday.


For five years The Phoenix has been enjoyed by thousands of families across the nation and received celebrity endorsements from some of Britain’s best-loved personalities and children’s writers, including Philip Pullman, Michael Morpurgo, Lauren Laverne, Chris Addison and Jacqueline Wilson. 


The Phoenix has been bringing award-winning stories to children every Friday for five years. To celebrate, The Phoenix have published a fifth birthday issue with a special cover signed by all the contributors who have been involved in making The Phoenix what is it today, including author Philip Pullman and young comic superstars Jordan Vigay and Jonny Toons, who have both had their work published in The Phoenix.


More and more research shows that comics are great for getting children reading and increasing their literacy levels. The Phoenix comic and The Phoenix Presents book series, in association with David Fickling Books, are leading the charge to get comics into the classroom and to get children reading at home.

The Phoenix Comic Achievements

General

• The Phoenix is the first independent comic in the country to reach 200 issues since 1969.

2013

• The Phoenix was quoted by Time magazine to be the “2^nd best comic in the world”.

2014

• David Fickling Books, the sister company to The Phoenix, started publishing bind-ups of comic content from The Phoenix to create the award-winning Phoenix Presents series.

• Von Doogan and the Curse of the Golden Monkey by Lorenzo Etherington was picked for the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge.

• Bunny vs Monkey: Book 1 by Jamie Smart was picked for the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge.

2015

• Pirates of Pangaea by Neill Cameron was picked for the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge.

• Corpse Talk: Book 1 by Adam Murphy was the first ever comic to make the Blue Peter Best Non-Fiction Award shortlist.

• Gary’s Garden by Gary Northfield was nominated for the British Young People’s Comic Award.

• Star Cat by James Turner won the British Young People’s Comic Award.

2016

• Mega Robo Bros by Neill Cameron was nominated for the British Young People’s Comic Award.

• Tamsin and the Deep by Neill Cameron and Kate brown were nominated for the British Young People Comic award.

• Lost Tales by Adam Murphy won the British Young People’s Comic Award.

• Evil Emperor Penguin by Laura Ellen Anderson was picked for the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge.

2017 

• In 2017, Lost Tales by Adam Murphy has already become the first ever comic to make the Blue Peter Best Story Award shortlist.