Book Island Catalogue
Illustration from ‘That’s Nice, Love’ by Owen Gent (pp. 4-5)
About picture book publisher Book Island
E.B. White, the author of Charlotte’s Web, once said: ‘Anyone who writes down to children is simply wasting his time. You have to write up, not down. Children are demanding. They are the most attentive, curious, eager, observant, sensitive, quick, and generally congenial readers on earth...’
At Book Island we aim to publish up, not down. We publish picture books for the brilliant, resilient children of today, growing up in an increasingly multicultural and multilingual world.
We select titles from around the world and translate them into English, building bridges between cultures, while we also create our own titles.
Thanks to our focus on inspiring stories, stunning illustrations and our high production values we create books to last forever.
Collect and share our beautiful books!
Greet Pauwelijn Founder Winner of the Bologna Prize 2016 for Best Children’s Publisher of Oceania
That’s Nice, Love
Created by Owen Gent
World Illustration Award 2023
Age: 3+
Size: 280x 210mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-26-7
Price: £12.99
Foreign rights sold: France, Iran, China
Keywords: parent-child relationship, imagination, nature, adventure, playing
Imagine a trip to the park with butterflies and snakes and monkeys and a giant leopard – magical!
Imagine missing it all because you’re distracted...
A beautiful story for children and adults about the importance of looking up, paying attention and sharing adventures.
Mum’s Jumper
Created by Jayde Perkin
Age: 4+
Size: 280 x 210mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-13-7
Price: £12.99
Foreign rights sold: North America, Italy, Spain (Catalan, Castillian, Basque), Wales, Taiwan, China, Japan, Germany
Keywords: grief, loss, death, family, single parent
If Mum has gone, how do you carry on? Missing her feels like a dark cloud that follows you around, or like swimming to a shore that never comes any nearer. But memories are like a jumper that you can cuddle and wear. And Mum’s Jumper might be a way to keep her close.
A simple, heartfelt and ultimately uplifting book for anyone coping with loss
Azizi and the Little Blue Bird
Written by Laïla Koubaa
Illustrated by Mattias De Leeuw
Age: 5+
Size: 330 x 227mm
Format: Hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-0-9941098-6-6
Price: £12.99
Translator: David Colmer
Foreign rights sold: France, Denmark, Taiwan, North America
Keywords: politics, journey, courage, freedom, injustice
Azizi lives in a country governed by greedy rulers, who capture all blue birds and lock them up in a big cage in the courtyard of their palace. The people suffer and live in fear, until one day a little blue bird escapes from the cage. Together with Azizi it sets out on a long journey to free the people of their cruel and relentless rulers.
A contemporary fairytale that meets the demand for more culturally diverse picture books in an increasingly multicultural society
“Produced in a handsome large format, the book has captivating illustrations whose freedom and chutzpah perfectly express its message.” – Nicolette Jones in The Sunday Times
Emmett and Caleb
Written by Karen Hottois
Illustrated by Delphine Renon
Age: 4+
Size: 237 x 196mm
Format: Hardback
Extent: 64pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-0-911496-10-6
Price: £12.99
Translation: Sarah Ardizzone
Keywords: friendship, acceptance, LGBTQ+, seasons
Emmett and Caleb, neighbours with a special bond, navigate the changing seasons together. Their friendship blossoms through daily routines, surprise treats, and even birthday celebrations, though they live in separate homes.
Their closeness and their unique personalities sometimes lead to miscommunication, but through it all, their hearts remain connected, creating a heartwarming story about the complexities and joys of relationships.
Fox & Goldfish
Written and illustrated by Nils Pieters
Age: 3+
Size: 297 x 210mm
Format: Hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-0-9941282-1-8
Price: £12.99
Keywords: friendship, illness, grief, empathy, wordless
Fox knows that Goldfish is very unwell. Before it’s too late, he takes his friend on an epic adventure beyond the fishbowl. Together they take a splash in the ocean, go for a bike ride in the Grand Canyon, admire the view of Mount Fiji, explore the jungle, go skiing and even make it to the moon.
Then time has come for Fox to let go of Goldfish. At least he’s shown him the entire world.
Some things – like friendship, farewells, and the beauty of the world – are almost beyond words.
“In this succinct and memorable book, many things are said in almost no words at all.”
– Iona McLaren in The Daily Telegraph
Here Comes Mr Postmouse
Written and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc
Age: 3+
Size: 305 x 245mm
Format: Hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-0-9941282-0-1
Price: £12.99
Keywords: animals, houses, humour, look and find
Have you ever taken a peek inside a rabbit’s toilet or entered the house of a crocodile? Join Mr Postmouse on his daily rounds and visit the extraordinary homes of Mr Bear, Señor Snake, Madam Dung Fly, the Penguins and many other animals.
You’ll find something new amongst the fun and colourful illustrations each time you help our mouse-hero make his deliveries.
“This is a picture book children (and adults) will love to pore over again and again; it’s full of hidden pictorial jokes. The more you look, the more you see!”
— Readings - International Bookstore of the Year 2016
It’s My Pond
Written and illustrated by Claire Garralon
Age: 2+
Size: 230 x 211mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 36pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-02-1
Price: £9.99
Translator: Sarah Ardizzone
Keywords:
sharing, problem solving, colours, humour
What happens when you want something so badly that you forget why you wanted it in the first place? Join yellow duck, white duck, red duck – ducks of every colour – as they discover how much more fun their pond is when they stop worrying about who owns it, and start sharing and playing in it together instead. Until a hippopotomus appears...
A sweet and funny story about the importance of equality and sharing
“Children will love the bright and colourful ‘hook-a-duck’ ducks and it is sure to appeal to any young reader.”
– Emma Dunn of the Scottish Book Trust
Maia and What Matters
Written by Tine Mortier
Illustrated by Kaatje Vermeire
Age: 6+
Size: 330 x 227mm
Format: Hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-0-9876696-6-7
Price: £14.99
Translator: David Colmer
Keywords: life, emotions, grandparents, aging, grief
Maia is an impatient little scamp. When something pops into her head, she wants it. Now! Right this minute! Her grandma’s just the same and they get along like a house on fire. One day Grandma falls ill and loses her control over words. The grown-ups don’t seem to understand her, but Maia never loses sight of her strong, wonderful grandma and knows exactly what she means. A wonderful book to share with children and to treasure for years to come
“A stunning and unusual book exploring friendship across the generations, illness and ageing.”
– Zoe Toft from Playing by the Book
Mr Miniscule and the Whale
Written by Julian Tuwim
Illustrated by Bohdan Butenko
Age: 3+
Size: 190 x 300mm
Format: Paperback
Extent: 24pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-0-9876696-9-8
Price: £7.99
Translator: Antonia Lloyd-Jones
Keywords: rhymes, humour, adventure, ocean
This rhyming adventure tells the story of Mr Miniscule, a teeny tiny explorer with a BIG dream who sets off on the vast ocean in search of a big blue whale, only to find a big blue island. Or could he be wrong?
Mr Miniscule and the Whale is a timeless children’s classic known and treasured by three generations of Poles. The stunning illustrations and humorous story will appeal to both young and old.
“This book is so perfectly attuned to the current desire for wittily written, intelligently designed and aesthetically enriching literature it is destined to become treasured the world over.” – Look / Book Review
One House for All
A tale by Inese Zandere
Illustrated by Juris Petraškeviˇcs
Age: 4+
Size: 280 x 210mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-06-9
Price: £11.99
Adaptation: Lawrence Schimel
Keywords: collaboration, uniqueness, living together, home
Raven, Crayfish and Horse have always been best friends. They’re grown up now and would like to start a family. They want all their families to live together and start planning to build a house. But what should that house look like? Will they find a solution that works for all of them?
A universal story about compromise and collaboration for young readers
Ready, Steady, School!
Created by Marianne Dubuc
LARGE EDITION
Age: 2+
Size: 360 x 290mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-13-7
Price: £14.99
Translator: Sarah Ardizzone
Keywords: school, learning, animals, look and find
Next year, Pom will be starting school. But a year’s too long to wait when you’re excited. Today, Pom has decided to visit some friends by dropping in on the different animal schools.
At Little Leapers, the rabbits are learning how to read, write and count. At Bulrushes, the frogs are creating beautiful artwork. At F is for Foxtrot, the foxes are exercising and playing different sports… What if Pom’s dream school was a little bit of all that?
ONE THING’S FOR SURE: SCHOOL IS AN AMAZING ADVENTURE!
Sammy and the Skyscraper Sandwich
Written by Lorraine Francis
Illustrated by Pieter Gaudesaboos
Age: 2+
Size: 340 x 225mm
Format: Boardbook
Extent: 16pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-0-9876696-0-5
Price: £12.99
Keywords: playfulness, construction, cooking, recipes
Sammy is a little boy with a huge appetite. He feels like creating the biggest, tallest sandwich in the world. Before he knows it, the sandwich is taller than he is, but luckily he has a ladder and a crane to help stack his creation up through the roof. All it’s missing is a garnish of parsley… but all he wants is a banana!
This look-and-find book is full of visual discoveries that will endlessly excite even the smallest of children, and indeed their parents.
“The first UK picture book release from New Zealand’s Book Island is a winner. The extra-large glossy format is immediately appealing and the illustrations are unique and brilliant.” – Book Trust
The Bird Within Me
Created by Sara Lundberg
Afterword by Alexandra Sundqvist
Age: 8+
Size: 210 x 170mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 128pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-15-1
Price: £14.99
Translation: B. J. Epstein
Keywords: growing up, childhood, prejudice, courage, artist
What do you do when your family expects you to be someone you can never be? Berta is an artistic soul growing up on a farm in Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century. Her father doesn’t understand her and her mother is dying.
Based on the life of artist Berta Hansson, this is a universal story of longing and imagination, the perfect refrain for a young rebel.
The Garden of Inside-Outside
Written by Chiara Mezzalama
Illustrated by Regis Lejonc
Age: 9+
Size: 330 x 210mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 32pp
BIC: YPW
ISBN: 978-1-911496-16-8
Price: £12.99
Translation: Sarah Ardizzone
Keywords: friendship, migration, war, empathy
Inspired by the author’s childhood, this junior graphic novel is a beautiful evocation of an unexpected friendship between a girl and a boy, on either side of war and peace. In the summer of 1981, Chiara and her family join their father in Iran. At their beautiful palace, there is an inside and an outside, separated by a wall. Inside, there is a wild garden where princes and princesses used to walk. Outside, in the black city, there are soldiers with heavy boots, big beards and bombs. One day, a boy from outside climbs the wall into the garden ...
The Golden Cage
Written by Anna Castagnoli
Illustrated by Carll Cneut
Age: 4+
Size: 340 x 260mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 56pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-14-4
Price: £19.99
Translation: Laura Watkinson
Keywords: birds, loneliness, loss, greed, oversized book
Valentina the emperor’s daughter is an obsessive collector of exotic birds. Her servants track down every bird she desires - just one remains unfound: a bird that talks. Servants search far and wide to fulfill her impossible quest - and she beheads those who fail. In Valentina’s palace, heads roll every day! Will the golden cage ever be filled?
A deliciously dark European fairy tale with words as rich as its bold and luxurious illustrations
Co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union
This Is a Dictatorship
Written by Equipo Plantel
Illustrated by Mikel Casal
Age: 7+
Size: 215 x 185mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 48pp
BIC: YNH
ISBN: 978-1-911496-20-5
Price: £11.99
Translator: Lawrence Schimel
Keywords: political awareness, democracy, dictatorship, humanity, history
What happens to a country when one person makes all the rules? What would it feel like to live in such a place? And why is it important for us to know about?
This non-fiction picture book, first written in Spain soon after the end of the Franco dictatorship, set out to explain dictatorship to the next generation. The authors believed, as the Spanish publishers of this book put it, that “Children are interested in everything adults are interested in. You must explain things to them, even if it requires effort.” Forty years later, reillustrated with stunning images by Mikel Casal (who himself grew up under Franco’s regime), its message remains as timely as ever.
A brilliant introduction to the need for democracy, for readers of all ages, translated by Lawrence Schimel
“What a joy to see deeply cool masterpiece of illustration, design and political education translated into English. There should be a copy in every home. Book like this last forever... unlike dictatorships.”
Max Porter, author of Grief is the Thing with Feathers
Witchfairy
Written by Brigitte Minne
Illustrated by Carll Cneut
Age: 4+
Size: 300 x 235mm
Format: hardback
Extent: 48pp
BIC: YBCS
ISBN: 978-1-911496-07-6
Price: £12.99
Translator: Laura Watkinson
Keywords:
parent-child relationship, uniqueness, acceptance, growing up
Rosemary is bored of being a fairy. She’d much rather be a witch. Much to the disapproval of her mother she takes off to spend time with the witches in the dark wood. Rosemary thoroughly enjoys her new life as a witch but eventually decides to take the best of both worlds and becomes a witchfairy.
A stunning picture book about growing up and finding your own place in the world
IS DISTRIBUTED BY:
Central Books
Freshwater Rd
Dagenham RM8 1RX
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)20 8525 8800 orders@centralbooks.com
WE ARE REPRESENTED BY:
Signature Book Representation (UK) Ltd
Head Office – Sales and Finance
128 Upper Clough Linthwaite
Huddersfield
HD7 5PQ
Tel: 0845 862 1730
accounts@signaturebooksuk.com
sales@signaturebooksuk.com www.signaturebooksuk.com
Key Accounts and Special Sales
Sales North and Scotland
Jim Sheehan
128 Upper Clough Linthwaite
Huddersfield HD7 95PQ
Tel: 07970 700505
jim@signaturebooksuk.com
Sales West England/East Anglia
South Wales
Ian Tripp 28 Llwyncelyn Parc Porth
Rhondda CF39 9UA
Tel: 07970 450162 iantripp@ymail.com
Sales London
Henry Thompson
43 New River Crescent London N13 5RD
Tel: 07770 796088
henry@henrythompsonbooks.co.uk
Sales South England
Jamie Denton 18 South Street Lewes East Sussex BN7 2BP Mobile:077654 03182 jamesdenton778@btinternet.com
Sales Ireland and Northern Ireland
John Fitzpatrick 58 New Vale Cottages
Shankill D18 KF30 Co.Dublin
Tel: 00 353 87 2469859 Johnfitz.books@gmail.com
