Close to the Wind - the BIG reveal!
DFB are very proud to unveil the cover for Jon Walter’s wonderful debut novel, Close to the Wind.
Publishing in Hardback in July, it represents (along with Tim Hall’s Shadow of the Wolf) our first fiction titles as an independent publisher.
Already described by The Bookseller as ‘Having echoes of Sonya Hartnett and John Boyne…Incredible suspenseful writing’, we couldn’t be happier to welcome Jon to our list.
We have no doubt his moving, powerful book will captivate readers and attract the attention it truly deserves.
The cover was designed by David Dean, a long-time collaborator with DFB, who has worked on Siobhan Dowd’s ‘London Eye Mystery’ and Candy Gorlay’s ‘Tall Story’ and ‘Shine’.
We hope you love it as much as we do!
Our AMAZING first two books…
We are very excited to show off our first finished books as an Independent publisher, both of which come courtesy of the wonderful Phoenix comic!
Publishing in June, BUNNY Vs MONKEY is straight from the brain of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize nominated author, Jamie Smart.
This strip has been delighting fans of The Phoenix comic for months now, so we’re excited to publish a collection of Jamie’s hilarious stories.
Also in June, comes Lorenzo Etherington’s VON DOOGAN AND THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN MONKEY.
A puzzle packed adventure comic like no other. Every step of the way Von Doogan’s fate is in your hands!
A HUGE favourite in the Phoenix, we know this book will occupy brains of all sizes, throughout the summer holidays.
We also thrilled that both Bunny vs Monkey and Von Doogan have also been selected as part of the Reading Agency's Summer Reading Challenge. We can’t wait for children up and down the country to let us know what they think of them! Right now you can take part in a Phoenixy competition on their website - check it out and look around at mor eof the awesome things they have there too.
And even better - we’ve got seven more comic books coming this year. So watch this space!
Signing Shadow
DFB were delighted to welcome another fantastic new writer to our Oxford office last Tuesday, as Tim Hall popped in to sign proof copies of his magnificent novel, Shadow of the Wolf, the first book in his Sherwood's Doom series.
Shadow takes the Robin Hood legend that we all know and love, and shakes it by its very roots. We can guarantee you’ve never seen Robin, Marian or the Sheriff like this before.
It’s a visceral, haunting and beautifully written book: perfect for fans of His Dark Materials and Game of Thrones.
Publishing in July in Hardback, we can’t wait for you to read it. It’s a very special debut…
Shadow of the Wolf - Teaser
We are delighted to reveal the cover of Shadow of the Wolf by debut author Tim Hall. Artwork by Richard Collingridge.
Here is the stunning, dark and dramatic cover of Shadow of the Wolf (Sherwood's Doom, Book 1) by fantastic debut author Tim Hall. The artwork has been done by DFB artist and author Richard Collingridge whose book ‘When It Snows’, was released last Autumn. We can’t think of a finer talent to bring Tim’s ‘Robin’ to life.
Rather unusually we chose not to have the title of the book on the front, as David explains:
"We didn't want anything to draw the eye from Richard's incredible artwork and this image is powerful, I've not done this on a book since publishing Philip Pullman's Northern Lights and I don't think it did that book any harm."
This book is very special. It is a story about Robin Hood, but with a difference. Robin is not a legend, he is no fairytale character. Marian too is different from what you imagine and a more properly unknowable woman you could never hope to meet.
At some point, as you read, you will fall. You will fall far and deep with Robin and it is one of the most dramatic passages you could ever hope to read. And once you are there, in the deepest darkest depths of the forest, you will not want to come out.
Wayland: The Tale of a CLPE Poetry Nominee!
Established in 2003, the annual CLPE Poetry Award encourages and celebrates outstanding new children’s poetry. It is the only award in the UK for published children’s poetry, and this year the award is generously sponsored by the King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership.
Wayland was chosen by the judges for the mastery of the form, its epic nature and the beauty of it as a complete piece of art, poetry and legend; they commented that ‘readers are quickly drawn in to this tale set in a landscape of forests and mountains depicted in John Lawrence’s extraordinary engravings. The whole story is stunningly sustained in rhyming four line stanzas…a tour de force’.
The judging panel is chaired by the eminent poet Roger McGough alongside:
- George Szirtes – Poet and 2013 Award Winner
- Chris McCabe – Head Librarian, the Poetry Library
- Anne Harvey – Poetry Anthologist
- Charlotte Hacking – Poetry and Children’s Literature Expert at CLPE
The winner of the 2014 Award will be announced at a ceremony on 17th July 2014 held at King’s Cross. There will be poetry performances by children and adults and the winner of the Award will receive £1,000 and a specially bound version of his or her book, created by the bookbinder and artist Mark Cockram.
Wayland: The Tale of a CLPE Poetry Nominee!
Wayland: The Tale of the Smith from the Far North, written by Tony Mitton and illustrated by John Lawrence, has been shortlisted for the Centre of Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) Poetry Award!
Established in 2003, the annual CLPE Poetry Award encourages and celebrates outstanding new children’s poetry. It is the only award in the UK for published children’s poetry, and this year the award is generously sponsored by the King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership.
Wayland was chosen by the judges for the mastery of the form, its epic nature and the beauty of it as a complete piece of art, poetry and legend; they commented that ‘readers are quickly drawn in to this tale set in a landscape of forests and mountains depicted in John Lawrence’s extraordinary engravings. The whole story is stunningly sustained in rhyming four line stanzas…a tour de force’.
The judging panel is chaired by the eminent poet Roger McGough alongside:
- George Szirtes – Poet and 2013 Award Winner
- Chris McCabe – Head Librarian, the Poetry Library
- Anne Harvey – Poetry Anthologist
- Charlotte Hacking – Poetry and Children’s Literature Expert at CLPE
The winner of the 2014 Award will be announced at a ceremony on 17th July 2014 held at King’s Cross. There will be poetry performances by children and adults and the winner of the Award will receive £1,000 and a specially bound version of his or her book, created by the bookbinder and artist Mark Cockram.
Lisa Williamson signs with DFB
David Fickling Books are delighted to announce the acquisition of two books from Lisa Williamson, including her debut novel, THE ART OF BEING NORMAL. UK and Commonwealth rights were bought from Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan Associates, after fierce interest from many British publishers.
David Fickling said of Lisa Williamson:
"Voices as assured and immediate as Lisa’s are the reason we exist, and we can’t wait to introduce her immense skills to the world in 2015."
Lisa commented:
"I chose DFB as they were the team that excited me the most! Adding in their reputation and experience means I'm thrilled and proud that THE ART OF BEING NORMAL is amongst their first crop of titles as an independent publisher. It feels like the start of a really special and collaborative adventure together."
THE ART OF BEING NORMAL is about many things: it’s about identity, about being a teenager and about fitting (or not fitting) in.
It is also one of the most downright readable books imaginable: and with the exploration of themes around sexuality and gender identity, will undoubtedly appeal to fans of Will Grayson. Will Grayson and Hilary Swank’s Oscar-Winning Boys Don’t Cry.
Lisa Williamson has been making up stories all her life, which led to a career as an actress.
Whilst in-between roles and temping in an office, she started to write her ideas down once more, and hasn’t looked back since. THE ART OF BEING NORMAL is wonderful evidence of this.
Food Four Thought!
SF Said, the author of Phoenix and Varjak Paw, appeared on Radio 4’s Four Thought on Wednesday 21st May, to give an inspiring talk to a live audience about the importance of children’s literature. SF spoke passionately about his belief in ‘the power of fiction [to] help to bridge the divide when people identify themselves as "Us" and reject everyone else as "Them".’
Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks and discussion, in which speakers air their thinking, in front of a live audience, on the trends, ideas, interests and passions that affect culture and society.
The podcast of his Four Thought episode is now available here!
Kerpow! Whoosh! The Phoenix Flies!
A huge hurrah from all of us here at DFB, as our first two books have been launched into the world!
Wham! Bunny vs Monkey by Jamie Smart, the funniest book of the year, and Von Doogan and the Curse of the Golden Monkey by Lorenzo Etherington, the best super puzzle adventure comic ever!
We know kids love comics, and we know they are going to love these!
The Phoenix Presents series is an amazing collection of comic books made by some of the very best comic writers and artists in the UK.
And best of all, these are only the first of SEVEN Phoenix Presents books coming this year! So watch this space…
Both books can be bought directly from the lovely people at The Phoenix comic! Order your copies now, at www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/shop or from all good bookshops…
Close to publication day…CLOSE TO THE WIND!
On Thursday 3rd July, we release our first two novels as an independent publisher, and mighty proud we are of them too.
Our greatest ambition is to let the quality of the stories speak for themselves, so just for you, here’s the opening extract from Jon Walter’s magnificent Close To The Wind.
Even before publication, Jon’s writing has drawn comparison to John Boyne & Sonya Hartnett, and naturally, we have to agree.
Close To The Wind is powerful and resonant, and at times, breathtakingly tense.
We hope you enjoy this sneak preview and feel compelled to read on...
Read an extract
From the shadows...SHADOW OF THE WOLF!
On Thursday 3rd July, we publish ‘Shadow Of The Wolf (Sherwood's Doom Book 1)’, a stunning debut by Tim Hall which reimagines the Robin Hood legend.
Early reading reactions have been wonderful, with SFX Magazine branding it ‘Weird, wild and brutal…A dark and gripping fantasy.’
Read SFX Review
We have no doubt that this book marks the beginning of a long and successful career for Tim, and we are proud to be his publisher.
So here, ahead of publication, is a preview of what you might find when you step inside Tim Hall’s Sherwood Forest.
We promise you, it’s not a place you'll forget quickly…
Read a sneak preview
Bursting from the ground...CORPSE TALK!
Thursday 3 July sees the launch of the fabulous third book in our Phoenix Presents series. Corpse Talk by Adam Murphy!
David Fickling says: 'I was lucky enough to be part of the team that set up Horrible Histories. It's taken twenty years to find out that the next big thing in history for kids is...interviews with the DEAD FAMOUS!'
Read an exclusive extract here!
Corpse Talk: Season 1 is part of DFB's Phoenix Presents series, in association with the fantastic weekly story comic The Phoenix. You can buy Corpse Talk from their very own shop!
Close to the Wind, Shadow of the Wolf, and Corpse Talk
We’re amazingly proud of our first two novels as an independent publisher, and the third book in our Phoenix Presents series!
Jon Walter’s lyrical and suspenseful Close to the Wind, Tim Hall’s bold and fantastical Shadow of the Wolf and Adam Murphy’s incredible and fascinating Corpse Talk are all published today!
We’ve been delighted by the reactions of early readers, and we know that you will be thrilled, charmed, and gripped by these books just as much as they have been.
Close to the Wind by Jon Walter
‘Quietly and warmly told, this debut novel had me holding my breath, closing my eyes, smiling, rooting and crying.’ – We Sat Down
Shadow of the Wolf (Sherwood's Doom, Book 1) by Tim Hall
‘Weird, wild and brutal…A dark and gripping fantasy.’– SFX Magazine
Corpse Talk by Adam Murphy
‘Corpse Talk is funny, it’s entertaining, it’s educational and information packed. What more could you possibly want?’ – Forbidden Planet International
Corpse Talk is available directly from the lovely people at The Phoenix Comic!
All three titles are also available now from all good bookshops.
Thirteen Chairs, The Boundless, and Jampires!
Publishing TODAY, Thursday 4 September, are three of the very best books you will ever read! Two astounding novels and a fantastic picture book!
The spine-chilling Thirteen Chairs by Dave Shelton, the thrilling The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel, and the adorable Jampires by Sarah McIntyre and David O'Connell have been launched into the world. We are so very proud to be publishing them.
Thirteen Chairs is the amazing Dave Shelton's second novel after the award-winning The Boy and a Bear in a Boat. It is a fabulously scary book of ghost stories that will chill you to your very bones...
The Boundless, by the astonishingly brilliant Kenneth Oppel, is an incredibly exciting adventure full of thrills and dangers - on board the most spectacular train ever built...
Jampires, by the unbelievably talented duo of Sarah McIntyre and David O'Connell, is a fabulous picture book that explains just who has been stealing all of the jam from your jammy doughnuts...
The reception so far for all three books has been fantastic - and we're sure that you'll love them just as much as the early readers.
Thirteen Chairs by Dave Shelton
‘Every time I had to put it down I found myself thinking about it and itching to know what happened next. The writing is beautiful and accomplished.’ - Michelle Harrison, author of 13 Treasures
The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel
‘WHAT A BOOK! Pacy, gripping and magical.’ - Katherine Rundell, author of Rooftoppers
Jampires by Sarah McIntyre and David O'Connell
‘Jampires is a big jammy hit here. My 7 year old loved the story so much, she couldn’t resist drawing her own Jampire…A jammy delight!’ - Sarah Yewman, Wondrous Reads
Thirteen Chairs and The Boundless are now available in hardback; Jampires is available in both hardback and paperback.
They are available from all good bookshops!
Wayland Wins CLPE Poetry Award!
There are the very hugest congratulations in order as Tony Mitton was last night named the winner of the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) Children’s Poetry Award 2014 - the only Award for published poetry for children in the UK - for the fabulous Wayland: The Tale of the Smith from the Far North.
The judging panel, chaired by Roger McGough, chose Wayland 'for the mastery of the form, its epic nature and its beauty as a complete piece of art, poetry and legend...readers are quickly drawn in to this tale set in a landscape of forests and mountains depicted in John Lawrence’s extraordinary engravings...a tour de force.' Tony received a £1000 prize, and a specially bound version of Wayland created by the bookbinder Mark Cockram.
In celebration of the CLPE Poetry Award, poems from all the shortlisted books can be found on a special Poetry Trail near King’s Cross - starting from the visitors' centre.
We are so proud and thrilled that the judging panel recognised Tony and John's amazing work.
Celebrating Close to the Wind
We were thrilled to be invited to celebrate Close to the Wind by Jon Walter at his book launch on 9th July 2014. It was a lovely warm summer evening with friends, family and flowers, with Jon giving a stirring read from his book. As one of our first published as an independent publisher it was wonderful to see everyone’s enthusiasm for the release of this moving novel, especially independent bookseller Bag of Books who came to join in the celebration.
Jon’s powerful story was published on 3rd July and has been described as “a beautiful read” (The Sun) and an “original and cleverly plotted tale of betrayal, sacrifice and ingenuity illuminate[ing] the refugee experience in any place or time” (The Sunday Times on naming Close to the Wind Children’s Book of the Week).
The Phoenix in the Guardian
It's a big day today for our sister company The Phoenix Comic - they have been featured in the Guardian newspaper!
The Phoenix, the weekly story comic, took over the Guardian front page, which featured pictures from Daniel Hartwell and Neill Cameron's Pirates of Pangaea, Neill Cameron's How to Make Awesome Comics, and Adam Murphy's Corpse Talk - which is now available in The Phoenix Presents series!
The Guardian wrote that 'The Phoenix is a phenomenon: a beautiful, enjoyably silly story magazine for girls and boys – it’s advert-free and it’s the longest-lasting new launch in the market in decades.'
The Phoenix was given a large spread in g2, with a cover which also featured Corpse Talk, How to Make Awesome Comics, and Pirates of Pangaea, as well as Tamsin and the Deep by Neill Cameron and Kate Brown, and Squid Bits by Jess Bradley.
The Guardian commented that 'The Phoenix’s stories are beautifully drawn', and made it clear that 'there is also a sensible amount of silliness', a sentiment which we heartily endorse.
The article in its entirety can be read here.
They featured full pages of Phoenix strips, which have been collected in this slideshow on the Guardian website here.
We're very proud of our association with all of the fabulous creative talent that goes into the Phoenix, and if you would like to find out any more information about The Phoenix Comic, you can do so here.
But it doesn't stop there! Our The Phoenix Presents series has launched this summer, and the first three titles are now available!
The first titles in the series to launch were Bunny vs Monkey by Jamie Smart, Von Doogan and the Curse of the Golden Monkey by Lorenzo Etherington, and Corpse Talk by Adam Murphy - with many more coming soon! They can be bought directly from the Phoenix shop, where you can also pick up your own subscription to the weekly comic!
An Awesome Celebration! (with an Exclusive Preview)
On Friday 1 August we were delighted to join Neill Cameron and a fantastic crowd of children and adults at the wonderful Oxford Story Museum to celebrate the launch of his fabulous new book - HOW TO MAKE AWESOME COMICS!
Neill is the artist-in-residence at the Story Museum, and had been training the next generation of comics writers and artists in a week-long course in Making Awesome Comics. It was only right that the week ended with a celebration of Neill's book that teaches YOU how to do just that.
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Photograph: Jo Cotterill
Each of the children who attended Neill's course was presented by David Fickling with a copy of the AWESOME comic they had written together over the week (we loved the story of the troll who fell in love with the Moon!), and a special certificate proving that they were Officially Licenced Comics Creators. We can't wait to see what they come up with next!
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Photograph: The Story Museum, Oxford. Special thanks to all the parents of the Awesome Comics Gang for permission to reproduce this picture.
David spoke to the guests about how incredible Neill's work is, and the amazing importance of making and reading AWESOME COMICS. The audience enthusiastically agreed - as was very clear from the response the children had to The Phoenix! They instantly started making plans about not just how to tell the whole world about The Phoenix - but also beyond! The Phoenix Expedition to Mars is already on the drawing board...
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Photograph: Jo Cotterill
It was fantastic to see just how inspirational Neill's work was to the children who had taken his course - and now YOU can learn how to make your very own awesome comics when HOW TO MAKE AWESOME COMICS publishes on Thursday!
We have a sneak peek for you right here...
CLICK HERE for a preview!
Neill is the author of the comic book Mo-Bot High, which can be bought from The Phoenix shop, the author of Mega Robo Bros, and the artist of Pirates of Pangaea (written by Dan Hartwell) - both of which feature regularly in The Phoenix Comic!
HOW TO MAKE AWESOME COMICS is available directly from The Phoenix Shop - where you can buy all SIX titles in The Phoenix Presents series so far - and all good bookshops.
We would like to thank the Story Museum for all their hard work in hosting the launch!
Where's that laughter coming from? It's...GARY'S GARDEN!
Thursday 7 August sees the publication of one of the funniest, warmest, and most wonderful books you will EVER read - GARY'S GARDEN by Gary Northfield!
Gary's Garden has already had a fantastic reception from early readers, with Forbidden Planet calling it 'a riotously funny comic that delivers page after page after page of inspired silliness'. (for the rest of their review, click here!)
And we have something special for you...
Click here for a sneak peek!
Gary's Garden is part of DFB's The Phoenix Presents series, produced in association with our friends at the fabulous weekly story comic, The Phoenix! Gary's Garden is already available from The Phoenix Shop!
Gary's Garden, How to Make Awesome Comics, and Long Gone Don
Hip! Hip! Hooray! We're celebrating with three cheers today, as we are very proud to announce the publication of not one...not two...but THREE brand-new titles in our Phoenix Presents series!
Gary's Garden: Book 1 is a fabulously warm and funny book from the amazingly talented Gary Northfield. Step into Gary's Garden for just a moment and you'll be laughing!
Long Gone Don: Book 1, by the whirlwinds of creativity The Etherington Brothers, is the fastest-moving, most eye-popping and hilarious life after death adventure you will ever read.
And the absolutely brilliant Neill Cameron has used his years of experience in leading workshops for kids to create the very best guide to teach YOU...How to Make Awesome Comics!
Gary's Garden by Gary Northfield
'Without a doubt one of the best comic books I've ever read...Every one of these stories is utterly brilliant and made me laugh, though of course the whole book is a bit genius! 10/10' - Wondrous Reads
Long Gone Don: Book 1 by The Etherington Brothers
(Praise for The Etherington Brothers' Monkey Nuts) 'Rich in detail and colour, you'll want to go back again and again over every page to see what you missed the first and second time around...It's pacy, it's funny and it deserves a place on your shelves' - Bear Alley
How to Make Awesome Comics by Neill Cameron
'I can't wait to try out more of my new drawing tips and tricks...I'm sure How to Make Awesome Comics will be a big hit with children and teenagers, too - Well done, Neill Cameron!' - Wondrous Reads
All three books were produced in collaboration with our lovely friends at The Phoenix weekly story comic, and you can buy them all RIGHT NOW directly from The Phoenix Shop!