Book Island

Marianne Dubuc, the creator of Ready, Steady, School has hidden lots of details in the illustrations.

In every school Pom visits, you can spot: 

- An animal dropping something

- An animal eating a snack

- An animal visiting from another animal school

- A character from a well-known fairytale.

- A character having a nap

- A character reading a book

See if you can find some in this spread featuring the school for mice.

READY, STEADY, SCHOOL! is a bumper-size search-and-find book for pre-schoolers and children in Key Stage 1 by bestselling author and illustrator Marianne Dubuc..
Packed with delightful illustrations, Marianne has hidden surprises on every page. Can you spot 🤩🤩:

- An animal having a nap?
- An animal dropping something?
- An animal eating a snack?
- An animal who is reading?
- An animal visiting from another school?
- A character from a well-known fairytale?.
Enjoy 10% off and FREE UK shipping with code SCHOOL! 🏫🛍️ Offer ends 31 August. Shop now: https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/ready-steady-school

Will any little ones in your family start school in September? There are lots of amazing picture books out there which can help you prepare for this big transition in their tiny lives. Our popular look-and-find book Ready, Steady, School is one of them. You can find copies at your local bookshop, your library or in our webshop. .
⭐⭐We're offering 10% discount and free shipping (UK only) until 31 August 2024. Just remember to use discount code SCHOOL on our website: https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/ready-steady-school
.
This story by Marianne Dubuc is loved by children - and adults - all over the world and provides young readers with hours of browsing and reading pleasure. The illustrations are simply irresistible.

🗓 Getting ready for the new beginnings at school?

'Ready, Steady, School!' is the perfect first-day preparation. Join Pom on an adventure to different animal schools and make new friends! 😍🥰🤩

We're offering 10% discount and free shipping (UK only) until 31 August 2024. Just remember to use discount code SCHOOL on our website.
_____________________________

Ready, Steady, School!
text and illustrations: Marianne Dubuc
Translation: Sarah Ardizzone
https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/ready-steady-school

🌳🌳🌳 Inspired by the author’s childhood, this junior graphic novel is a beautiful evocation of an unexpected friendship between a girl and a boy, on either side of war and peace.
The Garden of Inside-Outside
Text: Chiara Mezzalama
Illustrations: Regis Lejonc
Translation: Sarah Ardizzone
https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/the-garden-of-inside-outside

If Mum has gone, how do you carry on? Missing her feels like a dark cloud that follows you around, or like swimming to a shore that never comes any nearer. But memories are like a jumper that you can cuddle and wear. And Mum’s Jumper might be a way to keep her close.
:
"A wonderful, tear-jerking book about grief and eventual recovery, with a message that lingers" {Empathy Lab}
:
Mum's jumper
By Jayde Perkin
https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/mums-jumper

Have you ever taken a peek inside a rabbit’s toilet or entered the house of a crocodile? Join Mr Postmouse on his daily rounds and visit the extraordinary homes of Mr Bear, Señor Snake, Madam Dung Fly, the Penguins and many other animals.
:
Here comes Mr. Postmouse
By Marianne Dubuc
https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/here-comes-mr-postmouse

Watch our interview with Carll Cneut, the Flemish creator of the illustrations for Witchfairy, at his studio in Ghent:

https://vimeo.com/237620779

_____________________________

📌 Pre-order Witchfairy now until 31 July with 10% discount and free shipping. Just use coupon code WITCHFAIRY to redeem your discount on our website:
https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/witchfairy

Meet Virginia, who is feeling particularly wolfish today. Somehow, her sister Vanessa must help her feel better. But how can one girl save another from turning into a grumpy, gobbling wolf? The only way to find out is to pick up a paintbrush and see where your imagination takes you.

Loosely inspired by sisters Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell, this stunning picture book is a testament to the power of creativity to inspire and heal, and to the loving bond between siblings.
___________________

Virginia Wolf
Text: Kyo Maclear
Illustrations: Isabelle Arsenault
https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/virginia-wolf

🪶Azizi lives in a country governed by greedy rulers, who capture all blue birds and lock them up in a big cage in the courtyard of their palace. The people suffer and live in fear, until one day a little blue bird escapes from the cage. Together with Azizi it sets out on a long journey to free the people of their cruel and relentless rulers.
:
A contemporary fairytale that meets the demand for more culturally diverse picture books in an increasingly
____________________

Azizi and the Little Blue Bird
Text: Laïla Koubaa
Illustrations: Mattias De Leeuw
Translation: David Colmer
https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/azizi-and-the-little-blue-bird

🎉Let's celebrate the victory of the People in the UK with this fitting excerpt from 'Azizi and the Little Blue Bird'
:
"The blue birds twittered and cheeped, spreading the good news everywhere. The people were able to breathe again, and they grew like lentils, danced like palm trees, and curled like calligraphy. And as Azizi and the little blue bird did somersaults in the star-filled sky, the sweet smell of jasmine rained down over the Land of the Crescent Moon."

____________________
Azizi and the Little Blue Bird by Laïla Koubaa & Mattias De Leeuw

Mattias De Leeuw Laïla Koubaa

🐤What happens when you want something so badly that you forget why you wanted it in the first place? Join yellow duck, white duck, red duck – ducks of every colour – as they discover how much more fun their pond is when they stop worrying about who owns it, and start sharing and playing in it together instead. Until a hippopotomus appears...
:
A sweet and funny story about the importance of equality and sharing
:
it's my pond
Written and illustrated by Claire Garralon
Translated by Sarah Ardizonne

This gorgeous giclée print of the cover illustration of Maia and What Matters by Kaatje Vermeire has been appearing on many walls in the past few years.

Use coupon code XMAS before 16 December to receive 20% off.

Sammy, the hero of our very first book, has just turned 11! Thousands of children have grown up with the story of this very ambitious and industrious little boy whose aim is to build the tallest sandwich in the world.

After all these years we still love him to bits for his wild imagination, drive and interesting taste for sandwich fillings.

If only we could all be a bit more like Sammy.



Pieter Gaudesaboos

Retailers!

Did you know that you can order our books through Faire, using this link:
https://www.faire.com/direct/bookisland?

Until 30 September 2023 Faire have the following irresistible offer:

- 60-day payment terms for eligible retailers

- Free returns on first orders

- 50% off the first order & 1 year of free shipping*

*Available for retailers who are new to Faire. Maximum discount of £200. Offer must be used within 7 days of retailer sign up. Limited time offer valid until September 30, 2023.

Posted • 'That's Nice, Love' is a World Illustration Award 2023 winner! 
-
I am beyond blown away that my first ever book for children has won in the Professional Children's Publishing Category. I was completely honoured to be part of the shortlist after seeing the completely stunning quality of the competition so this feels like a landmark achievement in my career and has given me the confidence and self belief to maybe even work on another children's book one of these days! A massive thanks to Greet and for approaching me to create something and for believing in my potential within Children's Publishing without a shred of evidence to back it up! I couldn't have done it without you.
-

Stay hydrated!

screenings in April:

RiverRun International Film Festival US
Filmfest Dresden Germany
SIFFCY FilmFestival India
Bejing International Children Film festival, China
Festpro Film Festival, Russia

Thanks!

Flanders Tax Shelter Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds Flanders Image Zographic films Lachezar Velinov Carll Cneut Brigitte Minne David Van de Weyer Cedric Igodt

CEO’s picks!

Great picture books about friendship from a wonderful publisher

Find them in our online bookstore 📚
www.barefootbanana.co

Introducing the amazing Sarah from Booketlist Agency who will be representing our original Book Island title from now on.

Sarah's next stop will be the in Italy, which starts on Monday.

Travelling with her are the following picture books:

📚 Azizi and the Little Blue Bird by Laila Koubaa and Mattias De Leeuw

📚 Mum's Jumper by Jayde Perkin

📚 That's Nice, Love by Owen Gent

Read for Good recently received an awesome bundle of books from our friends at Book Island worth over £1,000! 🥳📖

We absolutely love their sumptuous illustrations, and their diverse array of international titles and beautiful stories. We're really proud to have such a lovely relationship with this fantastic publisher, and we're excited to send out some of their titles to settings in need soon! 🧡

https://www.bookisland.co.uk/

If ever the world needed more empathy, it’s now! So uplifting to see the 2023 primary collection launched today and that 'That's Nice, Love' by Owen Gent has been selected. You can find both primary and secondary collections here: empathylab.uk/RFE-2023

🎉 'Witchfairy' has been made into an animated movie and was selected for the Short Film Festival in Leuven, Belgium. Watch the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/cineventure/witchfairytrailer. Owners of the book, what are your thoughts?

If you don't have a copy of this picture book by and Carll Cneut (translated by Laura Watkinson) yet, don't wait too long. We've got only a dozen copies left in the UK and won't be reprinting this title. Check with your local bookshop if they hold any copies or order one from our website: https://www.bookisland.co.uk/products/witchfairy

https://vimeo.com/cineventure/witchfairytrailer.

Witchfairy trailer A short animated film A young fairy is bored by the strict and formal life in the fairytale castle where fairies always have to be sweet and wear pink dresses. She…

This photo of a grandad and his granddaughters bonding over 'Sammy and the Skyscraper Sandwich' dismantles the myth that board books are only for babies, while it illustrates the importance of reading as a powerful bonding tool. It clearly shows that not only children like being read to. So do adults! Actually, there's a whole new movement of partners reading out books and stories to each other. Have you tried it?

'Sammy and the Skyscraper Sandwich' was our very first book and is still being read by hundreds of families around the world. Raise your hand if you own a copy.

Written by Lorraine Francis
Illustrated by .gaudesaboos

https://www.bookisland.co.uk/collections/books/products/sammy-and-the-skyscraper-sandwich

Not long until the popular Made In Bristol Gift Fair! This year we'll only be there during the first two weekends (26-27 Nov and 3-4 Dec).

You can discover this glorious maker on one of our Entrance Levels on the 26 & 27 November at Bristol Beacon

🎉'This Is a Dictatorship' has been NOMINATED for the !🎉

Congratulations to Mikel Casal illustration, translator Lawrence Schimel and all the other nominated authors and illustrators.

Many thanks to the librarians who nominated our book!