Thursday 28 October 2010

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!'

Monday 25 October 2010

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.




Wednesday 20 October 2010

ZNN Agency

Following meetings in Bologna and Frankfurt
with Nurgul Senefe, I am pleased to announce
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



Tuesday 19 October 2010

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!


Monday 18 October 2010

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!



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

Thursday 14 October 2010

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!







Wednesday 13 October 2010

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...


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!