Alexander McCall Smith Sands of Shark Island
A School Ship Tobermory Adventure After successfully thwarting a dastardly plan to steal rare marine animals from the sea around the Scottish island of Mull, Ben and Fee MacTavish feel they can relax and continue learning all about nautical life on board School Ship Tobermory.
ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH is one of the world’s most prolific and most popular authors. For many years he was a professor of Medical Law, then, after the publication of his highly successful No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which has sold over twentyfive million copies, he devoted his time to the writing of fiction and has seen his various series of books translated into over forty-six languages and become bestsellers throughout the world. He has written more than forty books for children. Illustrated by IAIN McINTOSH. Iain McIntosh’s illustrations have won numerous awards in the worlds of advertising, design and books. He has illustrated Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street series and also the series of children’s stories featuring Precious Ramotswe.
But it’s not long before their everyday routine is interrupted by an extraordinary event. Ben, Fee, their fellow students and the crew of the Tobermory find themselves embroiled in another adventure that leads them thousands of miles from Mull to a small island in the Caribbean, where they learn extraordinary details about Captain Macbeth’s past and come face to face with modern-day pirates. This is the second installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s brand new children’s fiction series.
ISBN: 9781780273945 Price: £9.99 Format: 198 x 129mm hbk Rights: UK & Commonwealth exc. Canada August 2016 Children’s Fiction 9–12
School Ship Tobermory Follow the exploits of the children who go to a most unusual school – the sailpowered training ship Tobermory. When a film crew arrives in Tobermory Bay, Ben and Fee are invited to be extras. But their suspicions are soon aroused – is the film crew genuine, or are they up to something sinister? Ben and Fee soon discover the truth when they uncover a dastardly plan masterminded by a South American businessman . ISBN: 9781780273334 Price: £9.99 Format: 198 x 129mm hbk Rights: UK & Commonwealth exc. Canada October 2015 Children’s Fiction 9–12
Also Available
The Precious Ramotswe Mysteries Well before Precious Ramotswe founded her Number One Ladies Detective Agency, as an eight-year-old girl she was already solving mysteries. Here, in these delightful, enchanting tales for children, we find out how the young Precious became the crafty and intuitive private investigator we all know and love! Alexander McCall Smith’s sassy female detective takes on a new dimension in this delightful children’s series.
Praise for the Precious series: ‘Great for children, and one for grown-up fans to sneak a read of too!’ Bookbag ‘This delightful tale for children reveals how the young Precious became the crafty and intuitive private investigator we all know and love!’ Western Morning News ‘In a relatively short story, the author manages to bring us a wonderful evocation of African life’ Parents in Touch
Precious and the Monkeys
ISBN: 9781846973208 Price: £6.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: UK & Commonwealth September 2014 Children’s Fiction 9–12
Precious and the Mystery of Meerkat Hill
ISBN: 9781846972546 Price: £6.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: UK & Commonwealth July 2014 Children’s Fiction 9–12
‘Enchanced by elegant woodcuts by Iain McIntosh, this would be a delightful story to read out to children or a classful’ Sunday Times ‘It is utterly charming and the illustrations are beautiful. A delightful book which is over all too soon’ Euro Crime ‘A detective is born! What a delightful, breezy read!’ Mary Pope Osborne, bestselling author of The Magic Tree House series
Precious and the Mystery of the Missing Lion
Precious and the Zebra Necklace
ISBN: 9781846973185 Price: £6.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: UK & Commonwealth July 2014 Children’s Fiction 9–12
ISBN: 9781780273273 Price: £9.99 Format: 198 x 129mm hbk Rights: UK & Commonwealth July 2015 Children’s Fiction 9–12
Debi Gliori A Hebridean Alphabet This is a beautifully conceived picture flat in which Debi Gliori describes and illustrates all kinds of things you might see over the course of a single day in the Hebrides.
DEBI GLIORI was born in Glasgow and studied at Edinburgh College of Art. She is well known both for her picture books and her novels for children, and has been shortlisted for all the major prizes, including the Kate Greenaway Award (twice) and the Scottish Arts Council Award. Debi was the Shetland Islands’ first Children’s Writerin-Residence. She published her first book in 1990 and since then has published so many successful books that she has lost count. She has written and illustrated No Matter What, The Trouble with Dragons, Stormy Weather and, most recently, The Scariest Thing of All.
Praise for The Tobermory Cat: ‘will delight those who love the Isle of Mull and cats’ The Times ‘a witty and wonderful book’ Scotsman
Inspired by the landscape, seascape, weather, animals and birds, this is not simply an exquisite alphabet book, but also a wonderful celebration of some of the most magnificent scenery in Britain.
ISBN: 9781780273587 Format: 224 x 259mm Rights: World June 2016
Price: £9.99 hbk 32pp Colour illustrations throughout Picture Book 3–5 years
The Tobermory Cat This is the story of a very special ginger cat who, once upon a time, didn’t feel special at all. Join the Tobermory Cat as he becomes a legend! ISBN: 9781780271316 Format: 224 x 259mm pbk Rights: World July 2013
Price: £6.99 32pp Colour illustrations throughout Picture Book 3–5 years
Tobermory Cat 1, 2, 3 Young children will love this counting book in which the Tobermory Cat wakes up hungry and sets off in search of something to eat. But will he find enough to fill his empty tummy? ISBN: 9781780271996 Format: 224 x 259mm pbk Rights: World October 2014
Price: £6.99 32pp Colour illustrations throughout Novelty Book 3–5 years
James Robertson
Illustrated by Kate Leiper The Book of the Howlat JAMES ROBERTSON is one of Scotland’s most significant writers, whose novels include Joseph Black (winner of the Saltire Scottish Book of the Year and the Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year 2003/2004), The Testament of Gideon Mack (longlisted for the Man Booker prize in 2006), And the Land Lay Still, and The Professor of Truth (2013). He is general editor of Black and White Publishing’s Itchy Coo imprint, which produces books in Scots for young readers. KATE LEIPER is an artist and illustrator who regularly exhibits and undertakes commissions throughout the UK. She is particularly drawn to mythical and animal subjects and has previously worked on Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales and An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Mythical Creatures (both Floris).
Originally written in the 1440s by Richard Holland, a Scottish cleric who was chaplain to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray, The Buke of the Howlat is one of the great poetic gems of fifteenth-century Scots. Believing himself to be ugly, a young owl (howlat) decides to speak to the most handsome bird of all, the peacock, and ask his help so that Nature can change him. But the peacock isn’t sure this should be done – after all, Nature doesn’t usually make mistakes – and summons a council of birds to make a decision. A huge feast takes place, and Nature herself appears and orders all the birds present to give the owl one of their feathers. But the result is not what they expect. The howlat’s initial joy turns to unbearable arrogance at his new-found beauty, and drastic action must be taken . . . ISBN: 9781780273754 Price: £9.99 Format: 278 x 216mm hbk Rights: World English Language August 2016 Age 7+ 32pp Colour illustrations throughout
Also available The Buke of the Howlat Scots Edition
ISBN: 9781780273761 Price: £9.99 Format: 278 x 216mm hbk Rights: World English Language August 2016
Age 7+ 32pp Children’s Fiction 9–12 Colour illustrations throughout
Alan Burnett
Illustrated by Scoular Anderson The Celts And All That ALLAN BURNETT is a freelance writer and editor based in Sweden. He has worked as deputy editor for the Scottish Standard and as deputy foreign editor for the Sunday Herald. He is the author on a number of bestselling children’s history books, including World War I Tales of Adventure, World War II Tales of Adventure, The Story of Scotland and Invented in Scotland (all Birlinn). SCOULAR ANDERSON lives in Dunoon and is one of Scotland’s best-known and best-loved children’s authors and illustrators. He has been published widely by many UK publishers and makes regular appearances at book festivals and children’s events.
Celts and All That is a book bursting with blood-curdling battles and dead important details about the ancient Celts. Everything you need to know about human sacrifice and headhunting is all in here – plus a recipe for making your own Celtic bog butter. Packed with incredible illustrations of everything from iron-age jewellery to timber fortresses, this is an essential guide to a brilliant bunch of ancient Europeans who shaped our world. The Celts had roads, technology and inventions long before the Romans turned up – but did they also run around naked, as the Romans claimed? You’ll find an intriguing answer to that and many other crucial questions inside. Plus you’ll learn to tell the difference between Celtic myths and historical facts – but you’ll also love the magical legends of Celtic heroes and villains, warrior princesses and monsterslaying wizards.
ISBN: 9781780273921 Price: £4.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World July 2016 112pp Colour illustrations throughout Children’s History 8–12 years
The Vikings And All That Vikings and All That is a skull-splitting saga about the wild, seafaring warriors who burst into history in the 8th century and looted, plundered, pillaged and burned their way from their native Scandinavia to the British Isles and much of Europe. Packed with fantastic, fun illustrations of everything from the Vikings’ warships to their favourite board games, this is the book that answers all the key questions you might have. If you want sensible answers, packed with historical facts and thoughtful revelations about the Vikings’ civilised side, then this is the book for you. But if you want boatloads of bearded, shield-biting maniacs bearing down on defenceless, sandal-wearing villagers, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!
ISBN: 9781780273938 Price: £4.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World July 2016 112pp Colour illustrations throughout Children’s History 8–12 years
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Also Available Mary Queen of Scots And All That
ISBN: 9781780273884 Price: £4.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World July 2016 112pp Colour illustrations throughout Children’s History 8–12 years
William Wallace And All That
ISBN: 9781780273891 Price: £4.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World July 2016 112pp Colour illustrations throughout Children’s History 8–12 years
Robert Burns And All That
ISBN: 9781780273914 Price: £4.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World July 2016 112pp Colour illustrations throughout Children’s History 8–12 years
Robert the Bruce And All That
ISBN: 9781780273907 Price: £4.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World July 2016 112pp Colour illustrations throughout Children’s History 8–12 years
Tim Archbold
Clarty-Jim McCloud TIM ARCHBOLD was born and brought up in Northumberland. As well as writing and illustrating children’s books, his work has appeared in the Radio Times, Good Housekeeping, BBC Gardener’s World, Good Food and Country Living; and he has worked with Hampton Court, Museum of London, Ashmolean Museum and National Maritime Museum Greenwich. He is the illustrator of previous BC Books title, The Secret Dog.
Every day Clarty Jim McCloud’s granny makes him sandwiches. But not ordinary sandwiches; these sandwiches are so truly terrible that every day Clarty Jim feeds them to a hungry catfish on the way to school. One day Jim gets a job at Shove & Bargeworth Ironwork Company and no longer passes the river where his fishy friend lives, so the catfish gets hungry and searches for other things to eat. Find out what happens when he swims up river and arrives at the Shove & Bargeforth Great and Grand Garden Party. There are lots of tasty cakes to eat, but what attracts his attention is something altogether different . . . Will Lady Margery Bargeforth’s baby really be eaten by a catfish? Will Clarty Jim save the day?
ISBN: 9781780273471 Price: £7.99 Format: 171 x 176mm hbk Rights: World June 2016 48pp Children’s Fiction Age 5-7
Tappety Tam Fairley Tappety Tam Fairley is the odd-job man in High Hope village, where he keeps everything neat and tidy. So much so, in fact, that High Hope wins the Best Kept Village competition every year – much to the annoyance of the inhabitants of Low Hope Village, who have never won anything at all. As the annual competition draws near again, the High Hope village committee meets to give Tam his list of odd jobs to spruce up the place and ensure that High Hope wins the award yet again. But who is the mysterious Mr Tallboy who also attends, and why does he want to change the items on Tam’s list? Should the street really be filled with elephants, and the pond filled with fresh custard?
ISBN: 9781780273488 Price: £7.99 Format: 171 x 176mm hbk Rights: World June 2016 48pp Illustrations: b/w throughout Children’s Fiction Age 5-7
Benedict Blathwayt Bear’s Adventure Bear is one of the family. He goes everywhere with his young companions. Then one day, somehow, Bear is left behind at the seaside. As the sun goes down, the tide comes in, and Bear begins his great adventure. Find out how he gets home in this delightful story written and illustrated by one of Britain’s favouite children’s authors. BENEDICT BLATHWAYT spent much of his youth, childhood and early years of married life on Mull. He has written and illustrated over 50 picture books for Julie MacRae, Walker Books, Hutchinson, OUP and Rex Fox, among others, and his work has appeared in 14 languages. He won the Smarties Prize in 1988 for Tangle and the Firesticks.
ISBN: 9781780273655 Price: £6.99 Format: 200 x 200mm pbk Rights: World
May 2016 32pp Illustrations: colour throughout Picture Book 3–5 years
Ferry Find out what happens when Captain Kit welcomes his passengers aboard his ferry in this charming board book. Benedict Blathwayt’s award-winning illustrations are full of detail which are guaranteed to stimulate the interest of very young children (ages 0-5 years) and help develop their powers of observation. ISBN: 9781780273136 Price: £4.99 Format: 129 x 171 mm BoardBook Rights: World
June 2016 12pp Illustrations: colour throughout Board Book 0–5 years
Also Available
ISBN: 9781780273129 Price: £6.99 Illustrations: colour throughout Picture Book 3–5 years
ISBN: 9781780273143 Price: £6.99 Illustrations: colour throughout Picture Book 3–5 years
Joan Lennon Ron Butlin Silver Skin
JOAN LENNON is a wellknown writer of novels, poetry and short stories who has appeared all over the UK at book festivals, libraries and schools. She has been a Hawthornden Fellow, the Jessie Kesson Fellow, a resident at the Chateau de Lavigny, and has received a Creative Scotland Writer’s Bursary. She posts regularly on her own blog, and on the acclaimed History Girls, Girls Heart Books and An Awfully Big Blog Adventure blogs.
Skara Brae, Orkney, 3,000 BC. The sun is fading, crops are failing, fierce storms batter the coastline and the villagers fear that the end of the world is near. When a strange young man, dressed in a silver suit – a ‘silver skin’ – emerges from the sea and bursts into flames, the community is thrown into confusion. Voy, the village wise woman, believes he’s a kelpie, a mythical being believed to have magical powers, and hides his silver skin. Cait isn’t so sure, but helps nurse him back to health and finds herself drawn to him, as he is to her. Both women have their own – very different – reasons for keeping him alive. Rab, thousands of years from home, must learn fast about this world, so different from his own, as what was intended as a high-tech study trip turns into a struggle for survival.
ISBN: 9781780272849 Price: £6.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World June 2015 224pp Children’s/Young Adult 12+
Here Come the Trolls What happens when your house is invaded by trolls – mischievous creatures who do nothing but cause havoc and mayhem? Find out in this zany and charming book which tells you how to get rid of them for good and make your house a troll-free zone! RON BUTLIN is an awardwinning poet, playwright, novelist, short story writer and librettist whose works have been translated into many languages. He regularly gives creative writing workshops in schools, and was Edinburgh Makar from 2008 to 2014.
This new take on trolls is written by a master poet and will appeal to children aged 3–7 with its funny and imaginative rhymes. The inventive poetry is complemented throughout with full-colour illustrations which bring the naughty, adventurous trolls to life.
ISBN: 9781780272955 Price: £6.99 Format: 224 x 156mm pbk Rights: World October 2015 32pp Colour Illustrated throughout Children’s Fiction 3-7
Stephen White Joe Friedman Peter Pan
The Graphic Novel
STEPHEN WHITE (‘STREF’) is an Edinburgh-based illustrator, writer, and comic book artist. For a number of years he worked for DC Thomson on The Dandy, The Beano, The Broons and Oor Wullie. His first graphic novel, MILK+ was published in 2010 and was followed by Raising Amy in 2011. He also illustrated The Tattoo Fox written by Alasdair Hutton.
Peter Pan is a familiar tale to many who have been enchanted by the adventures of the boy who wouldn’t grow up. In this graphic novel Stephen White goes back to the very heart of Barrie’s original tale to create a story that is dark, magical, charming and authentic. The complexity of Barrie’s original is drawn out in vibrant illustrations and engaging text to create a new vision of the tale for those familiar with it and to enchant a new generation of readers. The stunning illustrations draw on original, authentic features from the locations that inspired Barrie to write his tale including Moat Brae House in Dumfries, the garden where he played as a boy. The result is a new and exciting version of Peter Pan that is like nothing that has been done before.
ISBN: 9781780272900 Price: £12.99 Format: 295 x 210mm pbk Rights: World June 2015 96pp Colour illustrated throughout Children’s Fiction 9–12
The Secret Dog
JOE FRIEDMAN, born in Chicago, has lived in London for many years, where he divides his time between writing and practising psychotherapy. He is author of the children’s series Boobela and Worm, and is actively involved in running creative workshops for children in the 7–11 age range.
After the death of his mother, Josh goes to live with his uncle, Calum, who has a farm on a remote island. One day, when he finds a tiny Border Collie pup left to drown in the river, he decides to look after her and keep her as his own. But money is scarce and a dog that can’t earn its keep will not be welcome by Calum, and Josh must raise his new friend, Reggae, in secret. As the pup grows and demands more attention, Josh’s schoolwork suffers, despite the help of the local vet’s daughter, Yvonne. Josh must also decide what to do with Reggae – he cannot keep her hidden forever – and decides that he will train her for the annual gathering of wild sheep. But can Reggae learn to be a proper sheep dog in under a year?
ISBN: 9781780272870 Price: £6.99 Format: 198 x 129mm pbk Rights: World June 2015 208pp b/w Illustrated throughout Children’s Fiction 7–12
Bold Books for Curious Kids BC Books is a new children’s imprint, launched in 2015. It is designed to provide writing and illustration of the highest quality for young readers in Scotland and beyond. Birlinn is dedicated to nurturing young readers and helping them discover a passion for reading that will last a lifetime.
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