Great news! nb ILLUSTRATION have taken on Sam Walshaw!

Sam submitted some illustrations and stories
to Rockpool Children’s Books about three years ago.
There was something unique about her style, and her story telling was excellent.
I took her books to Frankfurt and then Bologna,
lots of interest but no sales.
Then after one of our book idea brainstorming sessions,
she did Lulubell Ladybird, and then Little Fairies landed on my desk!
All three books published in the UK, Australia and France, six Fairies in Thailand,
and interest from all over the world.
Spring 2011 Rockpool Children’s Books will be publishing Sam's
astonishingly colourful
'Minnie the Minnow'
and 'Minnie the Minnow and Jasper the Jumping Jellyfish'.
The second 'Minnie' book written with her wonderfully
talented daughter, Maisey...a future star in the making!

Rockpool Children’s Books

look forward to working with Sam for many years to come,
 but meanwhile we'd like to wish her every success
with the excellent nb ILLUSTRATION!

Visit Sam

1.7 Million Viewers!

...watched BBC Breakfast time on Monday morning when Martin and I joined Sian and Bill on the famous red couch! I think it went ok. I haven't seen a recording, and can't quite remember what I said it was all a bit of a blur!
Didn't manage to get Rockpool Children’s Books into the conversation, 

but you can have a look by clicking onto the link! 

Walked past James Blunt on my way out...he was on his way in.

Didn't speak....but then I was in a hurry!

Sarah from MiComms, the PR company, and Nicola from

Classic Media were excellent and certainly calmed my nerves.

I brought loads of stuff, but they seemed happy with my two first annuals...

 from an era when everything was black and white.

 The auction of the Steiff Rupert Bear on Ebay,
for the charity Muscular Dystrophy, is doing well,
and it was up to about £5,500 last time I looked.

I hope they like my picture they get as a bonus with the bear!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170562976372

Canterbury

Stayed at the Abode Hotel, Canterbury. Good hotel, good price 

and it owns a good pub a couple of doors away. 

Had dinner with Nick and Charlie from the Express Book Shop...just finishing 

when the place turned into a club! I'd have stayed but...

Next morning, full English, then off to the museum 

for a day of signing annuals, being interviewed by ITV Meridian, 

and more signing. Bit quiet, but made more bearable by Nick and Charlie 

being the other side of some beams. 

Signed the annual of the grand daughter of Glen Baxter!

Said I was a fan...hope the bloke believed me cos I am. 

Great museum, nice Rupert area, but also houses Bagpuss 

and other stuff by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin.

Worth a visit.

Rockpool Children’s Books

Media Interest in Rupert!

Had a call from Simon Edge of the Daily Express yesterday
who did a telephone interview...so today I was in the paper.
Lot of media interest in Rupert, and why not.
He's a publishing phenomena...in 10 years time he'll be getting his letter from the Queen!
The photo in the attached article isn't me, I have to add,
but Alfred Bestall, the master...in fact maybe even a Jedi.
If anyone is interested in illustration
then I do recommend that you check out Mr. Bestall's work pre-Rupert,
his draughtsmanship is superb...

so no pressure there then!

No Stuart Ruperts here, but the big one is Alfred; the one on the right

Mary Tourtel and the one on the left is Young Rupert.

My thoughts on Young Rupert are these...

I know he has courted controversy but the animation is superb

and if he manages to grab the interest of young children

I have no doubt they will grow up

to enjoy, buy, and collect the classic Rupert!

BBC Breakfast Time - 8th November

8th November, Ruperts birthday, and I shall be
appearing on the BBC's Breakfast time! 

I won't be alone, I'll be accompanying Martin Crowther 

from Canterbury's Rupert Museum.

Rupert Bear - 90 Years old!

Created in 1920, by Mary Tourtel, 

Rupert Bear will 90 years old on the 8th November. 

There are several things going on to celebrate his birthday 

and I'll update the blog when these are finalised. 

What definitely will be happening is that I shall be 

at the Museum of Canterbury, that houses the Rupert Bear Museum, 

on Saturday 6th, signing this years annual.

The annual is a special one with stories by 

Mary Tourtel, Alfred Bestall, John Harrold, and me!

I wrote and illustrated the cover and 'Rupert and the Snowbird'.

There'll be other activities on at the museum, 

but more information I would contact them direct.

Work is already underway for the 2011 Rupert Annual! 'Woo hoo!'

Catalogue

Should you wish to view Rockpool Children’s Books catalogue, 

it's now available as a PDF. 

Just click on the picture of the catalogue on the right.

Visit our website

ZNN Agency

Following meetings in Bologna and Frankfurt

with Nurgul Senefe, I am pleased to announce

that Rockpool Children's Books are now

represented in Turkey by

znn Agency are based in Istanbul,

and we look forward to working with Nurgul

as she promotes our titles.

Visit znn

Amazing Flap books - 2011

These two titles were very well received in Frankfurt,

and it's not surprising! They pack quite a punch being

padded hard cover board books, with gatefold flaps, 

touchy feely bit's, and bold stunning art!

Rockpool Children's Books produce high quality

picture books, and so it is that those high production

values will extend into our board books, or

any other format we deviate into!

Visit my website

Sam Walshaw's 'Toby Trouble' - Autumn 2011

'Watch out, Toby Trouble's about!'

More delightful illustration and stories from Sam Walshaw 

in this series of four board books for tiny hands. 

Simple stories, bright artwork and flaps,

embellish these wonderful books. 

A new series from Rockpool Children’s Books

available autumn 2011, as individual books 

or bundled in a handsome slipcase!

Visit Sam

Gigglebox Books

Having met Currie Gossett in Bologna, earlier this year,

I was impressed by Currie's enthusiasm for her product, 

which focuses on connecting families 

that are separated by distance or time. 

In a world where young families find themselves

working and living in places far from their close relatives,

the internet is a great tool for keeping in touch, such as Skype, Facebook,

and other social networking sites. 

But what Gigglebox Books offers is a way of reading a book of your choice, that

can then be heard online, by a family member far away.

Rockpool Children’s Books has chosen for Gigglebox Books is

'The Princess who couldn't sleep.'

I wish Currie and Gigglebox Books well and look forward to

seeing our book on her site!

Visit my website

Frankfurt Book Fair 2010

Rockpool Children’s Books didn't exhibit this year, at the Frankfurt Book Fair...instead I wandered it's huge cavernous halls...meeting people here, companies there, but always busy. I do like this fair, it always seems well organised, and what never ceases to amaze me is the state of the place the night before the fair, and then next morning it's transformed, everything neat and tidy, carpets down...then that ominous bell as the fair is declared open! I've only been a publisher since October 2006, but it's amazing how many people you get to know from all over the world in that short time. I did miss having a stand, but hopefully, I'll be back next year. 

Four of our new titles, printing for spring 2011, and presented in Frankfurt.

After a busy day of meetings,

Wednesday night saw dinner in the Hauptwache.

Steak, Bratkartoffeln and beer...great 

place, unpretentious suprisingly quiet for a fair night.

There was a publishers party upstairs.

Company was David Adnett, Watermark International,

production advisor for Rockpool Children's Books over

the last five years, and Ron van de Meer, paper

engineer extraordinary and joke encyclopaedia!

Then it was a gentle stroll down to O'Reilly's near the

Station. Good to see Rupert from Meadowside in there,
who told me about Simon! Oh dear! 
Wishing you all the best, Simon, hope you're on the mend...
see you in Bologna!

Thursday was another busy day!

This summer we joined Bounce, 
and it was good to see Robert Snuggs, as always, at the fair, 
and good to see our titles displayed on his stand. 
His enthusiasm is infectious, and we had a very nice 
dinner with him and Danielle and Kate, 
followed by a drink in an amazing wine bar, 
the location of which I'm sworn to secrecy.

Friday morning early start. I'd registered for 
the Chinese children's book publisher's breakfast, 
which proved to be very interesting.
357 million are under 18; 16 million children born every year!
Picture books, I'm delighted to say, are a growing
sector of the market. publisher's names given plus
e-mail addresses. Very useful.
Meeting with David Bennett, always good value 
and he's a wealth of knowledge...his books looking as good as ever!
Finally, at the end of the day, it was a glass of bubbly
at the Treehouse stand to wish Hilary well, as this was her
last Frankfurt! It won't be the same without her!

'The Funny Little Moon Man - Simon Partington - Autumn 2011

Visit my Web Site

Thailand

At the Bologna Children's Book Fair, in March 2010,

Bookpoint from Bangkok, bought the rights

for Sam Walshaws Little Fairies series.

The covers are in and look fab!

Visit Sam

Stuart Trotter Illustration

As well as being Publisher and Creative Director for Rockpool Children's Books,
I am, and have been for many years, an illustrator. 

Mainly illustrating for children's books, I've also drawn stuff for Ad agencies, design groups and editorial. Busy, busy busy, with Rockpool Children's Books, 

but I'm still available as an illustrator...

http://www.rockpoolchildrensbooks.com/index.php?profile3

in fact I illustrate the Rupert Annual for Egmont, 

the 2011 one underway at the moment.

Our books

Rockpool Children’s Books published its first four titles
in October 2006. Since then, its international reputation
for high quality picture and board books has grown steadily. 

To date we have published 22 titles and moved into animation with two of them!
Now that Rockpool Children's Books is established, it is publishing
talented new author/illustrators, and sees it’s future in
producing books richly diverse in both stories and illustration.

 

Rockpool Children's Books 

nurtures new and established
talent and uses high production values to
create inventive, inspiring, well-designed
children’s books that can be enjoyed by all ages.

The Rockpool Children's Book Blog!

Welcome to the Rockpool Children's Books Blog!

My name is Stuart Trotter, 

I'm Publisher and Creative Director at 

Rockpool Children's Books, and will in due course, 

fill this blog with interesting stuff relating to  

Rockpool Children's Book publishing!

I'll try and make it informative and fun!