Illustrator and author widely admired for The Church Mice, his series of children’s picture booksGraham Oakley, who has died age 93, was an illustrator and writer known almost entirely for one series of picture books: The Church Mice, published over a period of nearly 30 years from 1972. Beautifully illustrated, written and designed, they are a series of warm-hearted and witty books which demonstrate perfectly that a successful picture book needs to be subtle and many layered, on the assumption that it may be read and re-read many times over and that its audience will be intergenerational.Art-school trained and with a background in set design, latterly as a production designer at the BBC, Oakley was as interested in the settings of his stories as the characters and their actions. Drawing on the Victorian illustrative painters as well as, in particular, the work of the American artist Norman Rockwell, Oakley’s painterly illustrations for The Church Mouse (1972) appealed immediately, both for their colourful scene-setting and their wonderful observations conveyed in line illustrations. Into these Oakley crammed a mass of detailed action commented on in witty asides presented as part of the picture. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2023-01-24 17:41:11 UTC ]
‘Twin Peaks' co-creator Mark Frost lands at #4 in hardcover fiction with damn fine sales for ‘Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier. Plus a B&N promotion boost sales of Katy Hudson’s new picture book, and ‘Dilbert’ cartoonist Scott Adams puts the ‘politics’ in ‘office politics.’ Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Egmont will publish TV writer Marc Starbuck’s “side-splitting” debut children's picture book. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bonnier Publishing imprint Templar Books has acquired world rights for two picture books from Sebastien Braun in a deal with Arabella Stein of the Bright Agency. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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David Walliams has revealed his fifth picture book with illustrator Tony Ross will be called Boogie Bear. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Helen Mackenzie Smith is leaving the Bell Lomax Moreton Agency to become editorial director for children’s picture books and novelties at Simon & Schuster UK. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-09-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lara Hancock will join Penguin Random House Children’s in the newly-created position of publisher for picture books and partnerships. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It’s summertime – that glorious season of green grass, bare feet, and lots of playtime with best friends. When it comes to summer reading, how better to celebrate than with picture books that feature exactly such joys? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Award-winning rapper, graphic novelist and entrepreneur Akala has turned his talent to picture books, with new series endorsing a meritocratic message. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Andersen Press is to publish a new picture book from Lemony Snicket, the creator of A Series of Unfortunate Events (Egmont). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The former first daughter makes her picture book debut this month with "She Persisted" (Philomel), a collective biography of 13 women whose determined perseverance paved the way for their achievements. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kiwi internet sensation Bruce the cat hopes to release his own book to help teach children to be kind to animals. Bruce's owner Kathryn van Beek has started a Kickstarter page to help publish the book. Currently $11,954 has been pledged towards their goal of $20,000. The picture... Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2017-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BookTrust is delivering 700,000 copies of picture book The Bumblebear (Random House) to every reception age child in England this autumn. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Egmont has scooped the first picture book from vloggers the Sacconejolys, who boast the largest family YouTube channel in Europe. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Puffin is publishing a picture book by Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani blogger who survived being shot by the Taliban for supporting girls' education in 2012 and went on to become the youngest-ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Egmont has acquired Sir Charlie Stinky Socks: The Dinosaur’s Return by Kristina Stephenson for its picture book and gift list. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Michael Finkel’s ‘The Stranger in the Woods,’ a profile of a hermit in Central Maine, is the top-selling book in the Northeast. Plus sales pile up for a year-old picture book, and lauded essayist Elif Batuman publishes her first novel. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tor Teen buys a YA trilogy, B&N Discover winner Abby Geni sells her sophomore novel, a Grammy-winning children’s musician closes on his first picture book, and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Back in 2010, when the picture book 'The Boss Baby' was published, author-illustrator Marla Frazee had no inclination that Alec Baldwin would one day voice her character on the big screen. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The importance of parents reading to children was discussed at the unveiling of Egmont’s new research, as findings revealed sales of pre-school and picture books had dipped. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Lincoln in the Bardo,’ the first novel by acclaimed short-fiction writer George Saunders, is the #1 book in the country. Plus Nashville singer-songwriter Rory Feek’s memoir debuts at #2 overall, and the team behind the picture book 'Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site’ builds its sales with... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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