Skip to content

Tag: children’s book illustrators

Published on

Everyone Can Draw  celebrates the artist within us all. It encourages a discovery of our own unique way to draw and and to be successful in creating pictures.

If you are interested in drawing of any kind, from doodling to creating images using different mediums, then this is a great book to have and share with young children. The message is simple; that we can all draw and just need encouragement to pick up a pencil or a crayon and get drawing. Or we can use other things like needle and thread, our finger prints and paints...

The book was published in July 2019 by Boxer Books, who are very successful in publishing some brilliant picture books with a wide reaching portfolio.

Fifi Kuo is from Taiwan and graduated with a Masters in Illustration at The Cambridge School of Art. Her illustrations in Everyone Can Draw are beautiful and will capture imaginations for young children and older too.

Everyone Can Draw is already on the shortlist for many awards, including Cambridgeshire Libraries Picture Book Award- Read it Again 2019. Fifi has 3 previous titles which are very successful; I Can Fly, The Perfect Sofa and The Magic Hug.

Recommended for ages 2- 6 and adults will love it too.

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

Did you know that there are 20,000 ways to be a butterfly? That's a lot of butterflies. Maybe you need to have a long curly proboscis, or lay your eggs in  just the right spot, so the caterpillar babies can eat as soon as they hatch.

One thing you will need, is to have dazzling, bold colours, which look fantastic when you fly or are just staying still. And two antennae to smell for the flowers pollen and to help with balance. Some butterflies are very large with long wing spans. Another fact is that if your antennae are fuzzy, that means that you are not a butterfly but a moth!

Laura Knowles is the author of this exceptional book and she manages to choose just the right words, albeit just a few, to show diversity, interest and a real joy in the natural world.

Catell Ronch is the illustrator and her images of a number of coloured butterflies are stunning, each image is a true representation and in bold detail.

Words and Pictures are the publishers, part of Quarto Knows, and have an excellent way of publishing a great range of non fiction books which will appeal and interest young children.

We recommend for ages 2- 7, and especially early years, but How to Be a Butterfly will be a book that an adult will also pick up at the end of the day and not put down.

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
A CAt Called Trim - cover image and web link
Buy this great book here - free delivery on publication!

Trim was born in 1799 aboard the sailing ship Reliance, a cat born for adventure and seaward journeys. This is the story of a famous cat, Trim, who sailed with his master Matthew Flinders across the Indian Ocean and  circumnavigated Australia. Courageous, mischievous and full of ideas, Trim could be seen on the rigging, along the sails and more than once ended up swimming for his life.

A beautiful book full of wonderful illustrations and an amazing story  of characters, events and a way of life that is not known to us today. Except that showing kindness, being brave and trusting remain good characteristics for anyone.

Flinders and Trim were sailing back to England when they were forced to stop at the Isle de France, a fateful trip as Flinders was put in prison and one day Trim disappeared.

But they are always remembered through statues to Flinders and Trim all over the world, including Sydney, Port Lincoln and  Euston Station, London.

A Cat Called Trim is written by Corinne Fenton, illustrated by Craig Smith and published by Allen and Unwin of Australia, released on 5th September 2019.

Corinne Fenton is an award-winning Australian author,and a passionate creator of picture books for younger readers and a talented presenter of books to children. Craig Smith is a highly talented illustrator of many, many children's books and his amazing pictures have a real sense of story.

Book icon image and web link   Buy this book securely on-line from The Dolphin here...

I love this book, it has enormous appeal and would recommend for children from ages 5 upwards... no limit really! Order the book for dispatch on publication date of 5th September 2019.

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
Jasper Space Dog - image and web link
Buy this book - free delivery

Jasper Space Dog is the first in series of stories about a lovable hound with big ideas. Jasper travels and crosses time boundaries as he explores time and place. A great first chapter book which will be a good read for eager readers and for those who just love to find out more.

This first book (Moon Landing 50th Anniversary Edition) is about space and about traveling to the moon, with many references to just what it was like on those first journeys to the moon and the moon landing. Jasper just needs to know how a dog would survive.

"Would the astronauts have eaten hot dogs and how did they cook the sausages", he asks a Rocket Scientist who has all the answers to his questions.

A great addition to the story is the last section of the book which is about Apollo 11 and the crew who made the first journey to the moon and celebrated this with the first moon walk.

Book image and web link - buy this book here...   Buy this great book here....

Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin were the crew. Great timing to write about this book as Toy Story 4 hits the cinemas and my favourite character Buzz Light Year works with Woody and others to solve problems.

The author is Hilary Robinson, author, radio producer, broadcaster and feature writer. She was born in Devon and brought up in Nigeria and England.Author of over forty books for children.   The illustrator  is Lewis James, with some really appealing images, just right for an adventurous dog! It is published by Strauss Production

Recommenced in homes and schools as a great book for children around 6- 7 who are keen to read more. Look forward to the next books in the series of Jasper Dog.

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
Astro Girl cover image
Buy this book here...

Astrid loves stars and space and whilst her Mum is away, Astrid and her Dad have fun acting out some of the challenges that an astronaut might face in space.

In a near zero-gravity environment many things are different; does your food stay on the plate, where do you leave your clothes or do they just wander through the space with you?

Fortunately, Astrid feels she is very well prepared and can do all the things that her Dad asks her about,

‘What about eating food out of a tube or a packet every day?’

“I can do that,” says Astrid, munching a cereal bar.

At the end of the story, there is a great surprise for Astrid when she goes to meet her Mum as she returns home. She is dressed in a space suit and carrying a space helmet,Astrid is dead impressed when she learns her Mum has been in space?

The last page in the book gives some facts about space travel, such as astronaut comes from two Greek words, Astro meaning star and Nautes meaning sailor! It includes a number of women who have travelled in space and this is probably more than you would think.

Astro Girl is a great book for sharing and for young children to look at over and over again, the illustrations also by Ken Wilson-Max are brilliantly appealing and colourful. Published by Otter-Barry Books, Astro Girl is part of a number of books that are great fun to read and excellently presented.

Space, adventure, love of our planets and solar system are all of huge interest to young children and to adults too. This book will enable children and parents to talk with each other and build stories and pictures around all sorts of space travel…. And who knows some of it may just happen one day!

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
The Perfect Sofa cover image and web link
Buy this book here - free delivery

‘I think we need a new sofa, ‘said Panda. 'This one is too old’.

Penguin and Panda are the best of friends and share everything, including the sofa!

Their journey through the book is a wonderful way to make choices together. Penguin and Panda are engaging and delightful, the book encourages everyone to enjoy what we have.

In the end of course, they discover that their original sofa is the best one for them both, and the book finishes with two exhausted characters on the patched up sofa, with all their things around them.

Fifi Kuo is from Taiwan and has studied in the UK at Cambridge receiving an MA in Children’s Illustration at The Cambridge School of Art. She has already been shortlisted for awards and gained Bronze in the Macmillan Prize.

...with free delivery

The Perfect Sofa is to be published in the UK on 11th April by Boxer Books.

 

It follows Fifi’s amazing title of I Can’t/Can Fly.

Fifi has a brilliant way of using illustration to convey meaning and her use of characters like Panda and Penguin show enormous loveable characters.

A great book for young children and for parents too!

Recommend for ages 2- 22!!

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
Digger - cover image and web link
Buy this book here - free delivery

Digger is the story of one toy kangaroo, one Australian soldier,  Annie and Colette, set in two countries engaged in a world at war.

It is an amazingly poignant story and beautifully portrayed in text and illustration. 

It is  a tribute to the French school children who tended the graves of Australian soldiers and a quiet reminder of the casualties of the battle for Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918.

James goes off to war, leaving his homeland Australia behind and takes with him Digger, a toy kangaroo which Annie,  his sister, has lovingly repaired and named just for him. The pages turn over to show images of a soldier who is keen to help and fight for his own country and for others. He faces everything with courage.

Digger is always with him and  they both even survive a blast in the trenches.

Colette in France, helps to repair Digger and one day he is brought to Colette without James. He is sent back to Australia repaired and with a note for Annie...

Mike Dumbleton is the author and illustrated by Robin Cowcher another great book from publishers Allen and Unwin, Australia.

Buy this book - button image and web link

With tears in my eyes on the last page, I believe this book is truly amazing and will be a sad but good read for anyone, whether they are coping with loss, learning about the effects of war or just as a brilliant picture book.

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
Silnet NIght - cover image and web link
Get your copy here

The world's best-loved carol celebrated in this wonderfully illustrated book by Lara Hawthorne.

UNESCO declared this iconic song an intangible cultural heritage in 2011 and this book brings you more than the carol as it winds its way through the verses, with illustrations that will bring joy to you this Christmas.

 

The story of the nativity is shown and you can follow the journey of Mary and Joseph to the stable where Jesus is born, and the arrival of the guests; the shepherds, the animals and the wise men.

Buy this book here - image and web link
...with free delivery

Above all the book presents the spirituality of the nativity, as the world welcomes Jesus quietly into the world, Christ the Savior is born!

I remember Silent Night from my school days,as our music teacher was so in awe of the carol that we were never able to sing it, in case it brought tears to her eyes! I have tried to sing it quietly ever since!

There is a page at the back of the book about the carol and some of the history. It was written in 1818 in Salzburg, Austria by Joseph Mohr - a curate in the town especially for the Christmas Eve service.

It was later sung on December 25th 1914, during the truce period of the First World War by soldiers on both sides of the trenches.

Lara Hawthorne, the author and illustrator is based in Bristol and has many titles to her name, including The NIght Flower and Huberto. Lincoln Children's Books part of QuartoKnows includes this title in their portfolio and it has a special place as we approach Christmas.

HIghly recommended for children of all ages.

Sue Martin

 


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
Secret World of Butterflies - cover image and web link
Buy this book here...

Butterflies are beautiful but they have some very odd habits. In this splendid picture book you are welcomed into their secret world; a place of colour, patterns, wings and antennae.

Gaze at the pictures which show each species in all their beauty.

They exist all over the world and are adapted to the climate and vegetation,  some butterflies even drink the tears of the crocodiles. Thankfully in England we don't have chance to see that trick! But did you know that butterflies taste with their feet.

This book, published by Allen and Unwin, from 1st Oct 2018 includes many international butterflies, including some of my favourites like the Red Admiral.

...with free delivery too!

Courtney Sina Meredith, a poet from New Zealand wrote the magical text which along with the amazing illustrations ( I love the butterfly's eyes!) from Giselle Clarkson combines to make this a book to buy for young children, ages 3-6, but I guess you will keep opening the pages too.

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on
Joy - cover image and web link
Buy this book here...

Fern decides that she can find the joy that has gone out of Nanna's life and bring it back for her. Off she sets with a net, a box and a bag, in fact all that she needs to return the joy to Nanna.

It seems easy to find joy but quite another thing to bring it back in a bag. Fern tries to catch the chuckles of a baby on a swing, the sparkles on the duck pond, all of which fill her with joy. But she can't get them into her bag!

Nanna listens as Fern tells her all the things she has seen. And then a smile breaks out across Nanna's face, she can feel the joy at last.

Beautifully told and stunningly illustrated this book will always be one to share and to read time and again.

Joy - buy this book, image and web link
...with free delivery

The author is Corrinne Averiss, and she has written many thoughtful and humorous  books for children, as well as working with TV series, such as children's BAFTA winning Share a Story competition.

Isabelle Follath, the illustrator lives in Switzerland, and Joy is her debut children's book. The pictures are beautiful, and colour washes and ink drawings are very moving.

Words and Pictures are the publishers, who have an exciting book list, making innovative and entertaining books for younger readers that open the door to their imagination.

Sue Martin


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.