Tuesday 8 November 2011

Frankfurt 2011

I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Gloria Bailey of the Publishers Association, 
for her wonderful and usual attentiveness as I joined their collective 
stand in Frankfurt this year.
It was a good and busy fair, and we saw many good friends 
and aquaintances, and many new ones.
Lots of interest in Rockpool Children's Books titles and I'm 
delighted to thank Frans Maree of Fantasi, a South African publisher 
for taking Sam Walshaw's Maisey and the Pirates series at the fair.
They will be published in Afrikaans.
One of my main aims was to try and interest French publishers 
in our list of French titles...


...watch this space!

Rupert Annual

 The new Rupert Annual is now out, and features on the cover Rupert and Robo!
The annual consists of four stories, Rupert and the Little Plane and Rupert and Ozzie,
by Alfred Bestall; Rupert and the Mail Train by John Harrold, 
and finally, a new story, Rupert and Robo by Stuart Trotter.
It's been quite a year for Rupert activity, starting off with myself and Martin Crowther
from the Rupert Bear Museum in Canterbury 
joining Bill and Sian on the couch of BBC Breakfast.
Seemed to go down ok. There was quite a media frenzy in the early part of the year,
with several radio interviews, then in July1st was interviewed by the marvelous 
Mark Radcliffe at the BBC in Manchester.
His programme Rupert Bear and me, went out in October and excellent it was too. He also interviewed Rupert fans Terence Stamp and of course Terry Jones.


In August the Followers had their yearly AGM in Warwick, 
which turned out to be a very busy day signing wise for me.
The Followers are looking for new members.

Monday 4 April 2011

Moms With Apps



 Had a great meeting with Lorraine Ackemann from Moms With Apps after 
her talk at the TOC Conference in Bologna. 
Moms With Apps is a collaborative group of family-friendly developers 
seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families. 
I showed her our new Rockpool App, and she liked it very much.
Lorraine was very interested to know why we'd done this and what our aims were.
I explained that the new Rockpool App means that strong storytelling 
and quality illustration can now be enjoyed with an added dimension 
as they come to life with vision, sound and interactivity. 
Children love to explore the pages with their fingers and thumbs 
as the stories are narrated to them.

http://momswithapps.com/

The Rockpool App


Rockpool Children´s Books has launched its own branded App at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. Available from the iTunes App Store, Rockpool, a leading publishers of Children´s Picture Books with an International reputation, is making selected children´s book titles available for download.


Stuart Trotter – Director of Rockpool, and Illustrator, also known for illustrating the Rupert Bear annual, and appearing on the BBC for Rupert´s 90th anniversary, continues to produce Children´s Picture Books to an amazing standard. Rockpool Children's Books nurtures new and established talent and uses high production values to create inspiring, inventive, well designed, children's books that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Sunday 3 April 2011

2011 Bologna Children's Book Fair


 Last week Rockpool Children's Books attended its 
sixth Bologna Children´s Book Fair. 
We had an excellent fair, and as usual, welcomed potential customers/clients 
from all over the world. We didn’t exhibit in our conventional way, 
but joined the UK Publishers Association Collective stand. 
With the support of Gloria Bailey and Helen Brown, from the PA, 
it was an enjoyable experience, 
and we may be back next year, if all is well. A big thank you to them. 
Also I’d like to thank Mark from GBH for delivering our books 
safe and sound to Bologna for the sixth year running.


This year has seen a major development in Rockpool Children’s Books 
as it’s Rockpool App became available on iTunes three days before the fair. 
Created by App developers Fingers’n’Thumbs in collaboration with  
Rockpool Children’s Books
 the App is unique as it’s a  Rockpool App Bookshop 
containing 10 enhanced e-book readers from our back list
and one fabulous brand new title from Sam Walshaw, Neandersmall

 

I attended the Tools of Change conference in Bologna 
which addressed the digital world of Apps, e-books, tablets, Apple and Android. 
The conference was very interesting with light being shed 
on this very new and fluid side of the industry. 
Whilst at the fair, information passed back and forth to the Fingers’n’Thumbs team 
in the UK, only to be told, as the conference came to a close, 
that our Rockpool App had gone to number one 
in Apples App Store ‘New and Noteworthy’
Needless to say, interest in Rockpool’s App from publishers 
at the fair has been extremely strong. 
Follow up meetings will take place at the London Book Fair 11th – 12th April
We still have a few slots available, but going fast, 
so if you’re interested in us developing you high quality, 
cost effective App, contact us quick.

Monday 7 February 2011

Board Books

Versatile and eager to adapt to suit a variety of publishers needs, we are
delighted to present the big chunky touchy feely flap books, we presented
in Frankfurt, now also in the derivative format of 4 separate titles, 216mm x 216mm.
We're building a co-edition print run and should you require more information
please contact us!

Saturday 22 January 2011

IMC Literary Agency


Rockpool Children's Books are delighted to announce
they are now represented in Spain by
 the excellent IMC Literary Agency.

E-mail: info@iemece.com
Av. de Sarrià, 21, entlo.5ª 08029 Barcelona.
Tel. (+34) 933 638 757    Fax: (+34) 933 638 758

Monday 17 January 2011

Susan Larkin

A couple of years ago, 
we received an envelope containing several stories from the pen 
of Susan Larkin, resident of Pennsylvania, or there abouts. 
Her stories were delightful in their charming simplicity, 
and it's thanks to Vicki and her eye for a good text 
that we decided to mock them up for Bologna 2009. 
I roughed out the first book, 'Good Morning Baby', had it printed and bound at YPS,
and presented it to potential customers at the fair. 
So thrilled was Susan by our enthusiasm for her book, 
she flew to Bologna, from Pennsylvania to join us on the stand! 
Rockpool Children's Books  were entertaining that night, and so she joined 
Aby, Ron van de Meer, Rod Campbell, David Teale, Duncan Beale, 
and myself for dinner...and had a wonderful time! 
Despite Susan's long trip, great night out, 
and jet lag, the book didn't sell at the fair, despite the accolades and interest shown. 
This allowed us to develop a second book by Susan, 'How do I love you?', 
and I'm delighted to announce that we have now sold the pair 
into the American market...although the eagle eyed will notice 
that in the process the titles have changed! 
The format is 10 spread padded hard cover board books, 
but is also available in 32 page soft / hardcover picture book format. 
We are building a co - edition run, 
so if any publisher out there is interested, 
please contact us for details and prices!


Co-Editions, new for 2011!

New titles for 2011, from Rockpool Children's Books.
We have a co-production planned for the very near future.
Please let us know at your earliest convenience if you 
wish to receive more information/prices.



Tilly 1997 - 2010

Last week, Wednesday 12th, our beloved Tilly,
and companion for thirteen years, died.
She will be very sadly missed, and has left a huge hole in our lives. 
As is the way of these things, she
has gone, but she is everywhere...her bowl, her lead, her bed, her cats, 
her ball, her nose prints on the glass door. 
We'll miss her, but remember her fondly for our holidays in Padstow, 
our walks to the pub, our games of football on the lawn,
and cuddles in front of the tele! 
Rest in peace Tilly, we loved you so much, you'll never be forgotten!