FOREIGN RIGHTS GUIDE
BOLOGNA 2024
WILD
Emily Hughes
Ages 2+ | 170 x 200 mm | 16pp | £7.99 | Board book
Spot UV
This beautiful story of an untameable little girl is available for the first time as a board book!
Born in the forest and accepted by the animals as one of their own, a little girl has only ever known nature. But when some strange animals who look oddly like her take her into their home, she is puzzled, perplexed and unhappy.
Emily Hughes is an author and illustrator from Hilo, Hawaii now living in London, UK. She works in pencil and colours digitally. Her main preoccupations are landscapes in nature and the inner world. Emily has been exhibited, awarded and translated internationally.
A MOUSE CALLED JULIAN
Joe Todd-Stanton
Ages 2+ | 200 x 170 mm | 16pp | £7.99 | Board book
Spot UV
The internationally bestselling picture book about an unlikely friendship, now available in board book format.
Julian is a mouse who is perfectly happy avoiding other animals. They seem to just get in the way, and sometimes even try to eat him! But one day, Julian has an unexpected dinner guest...
Joe Todd-Stanton is from Brighton and grew up drawing with his mum. He studied Illustration at the University of the West of England, afterwards moving to London where he currently lives. He is an award-winning picture book author and has written and illustrated seven titles with Flying Eye Books.
BOARD BOOK
CAN I SLEEP HERE?
Ella Bailey
Ages 2+ | 175 x 175 mm | 10pp | £7.99 | Board book Spot UV
These baby animals have been playing all day long and need to find a safe place to sleep at night. Can you help find the perfect spot?
This brand-new board book series, based on Ella Bailey’s bestselling series One Day On Our Blue Planet, is perfect for babies and toddlers, with sturdy flaps for little hands.
Ella Bailey is a freelance illustrator currently living in Devon, in the UK. She studied illustration at Falmouth University, and has since gone on to work for clients such as Hodder Children’s Books, Simon and Schuster UK and Flying Eye Books.
Rights sold: French
GUESS WHO IN THE JUNGLE
Owen Davey
Ages 2+ | 175 x 175mm | 10pp | £7.99 | Board book Spot UV
A lift-the-flap guessing game in the jungle!
Can you guess who’s waiting to say hello?
This title is the first in a brand-new board book series exploring four different habitats – jungle, forest, seaside and desert – and the animals that live within.
Owen Davey is a freelance illustrator, from Leicester, UK. He graduated with a first class degree in Illustration from Falmouth University and his work has since been published on every continent except Antarctica.
BOARD BOOK
series lift the flap
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WRONG TIME ROOSTER
Michael Parkin
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm | 32pp | £12.99 | Hardback Spot UV
COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!
Ronnie the rooster arrives at Farmer Tony’s farm to help wake up the animals. But something isn’t right – Ronnie just cannot tell the time! The animals band together to help teach Ronnie and soon his COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOs are perfectly on time…mostly!
Michael Parkin grew up in the countryside around Hampshire and Surrey. He graduated from Kingston University with a first class degree in 2014 and has since been working as a freelance illustrator for clients including Ladybird Books, The Natural History Museum, The NY Times and Magic Cat. Narrative and humour have always shone through in Michael’s work, leading to him getting shortlisted for the AOI Awards multiple times and winning 2nd prize in the Jonathan Cape/Observer/Comica graphic short story prize.
PICTURE BOOKS
PICOPACO Mocculere
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm | 32pp | £12.99 | Hardback Spot UV / Deboss
A story about friendship, working together and respecting each other’s needs.
Picopaco loves to collect special objects, carve lovely toys and build brilliant things – including her own home! Her discomfort with loud noises and attachment to her routine leave her feeling lonely, but after a terrible storm leaves woodpecker town in a mess, she receives some unexpected visitors.
With the help of the other woodpeckers, she comes out of her shell and finds joy and pride in working with others to rebuild the town.
Mojca Novak was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia. She spent most of her childhood doodling with her older sister, collecting turtle statues and dreaming of opening a dance school. Later on she studied Educational Sciences and East Asian Cultures at the University of Arts in Ljubljana. During her studies, her passion for drawing only grew stronger, and she decided to shift her career in a new direction. With a sketchbook and pencil in hand, she started freelancing as an illustrator in 2020. Her first picture book Pobegla radirka, written by Mojca Fatur, was published in 2023.
PICTURE BOOKS
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THE GOOD NIGHT GARAGE
Tori Kosara & Meg Hunt
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm | 32pp | £12.99 | Hardback Spot UV / Emboss
A bedtime picture book celebration of everyday heroes and non-traditional working patterns for little vehicle lovers.
As night falls on Motor Isle, the residents finish up their day and settle down for sleep. But why are Fire Truck, Ambulance and the rest of the Good Night Garage just waking up? Follow these busy vehicles from dusk to dawn as they drive about town carrying out important night jobs that keep Motor Isle running smoothly. As the morning light appears, tuck them in and say sweet dreams.
Tori Kosara is a children’s book author and editor from New York. She has written more than 40 books for a variety of age ranges, covering a range of topics across fiction and non-fiction. Tori earned a master’s degree in Children’s Literature from Roehampton University, and she now lives in East London, England with her husband, two vehicleobsessed sons, and a story-time-loving Labrador named Biscuit.
Meg Hunt is an illustrator and maker of things who floats between the city, the forest and the sea. Her work focuses on character and playfulness, weaving line, colour, shape and texture together to create a larger-than-life world for readers to spend time in. Her clients include Chronicle Books, the New York Times, Disney, Adobe and Bloomsbury. She is the illustrator of Interstellar Cinderella and Reading Beauty among many others.
Rights sold: Dutch
PICTURE BOOKS series
FARAH LOVES MANGOS
Sarthak Sinha
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm
40pp | £12.99 | Hardback
Gel UV
Rights sold: Breton, Chinese (Simplified), French, Japanese, Korean
IS IT A SEED?
Emily Ann Davison & Adriena Fong
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm
32pp | £12.99 | Hardback
Spot UV
NING AND THE NIGHT SPIRITS
Adriena Fong
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm
40pp | £12.99 | Hardback
Spot UV / Gold Foil
Rights sold: French
THE BOY ON FIRE
Sarthak Sinha
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm
32pp | £12.99 | Hardback
Spot UV / Gold Foil
Rights sold: Korean
WATCH ME GROW: BUTTERFLIES
Sara Forster & Bianca Austria
Ages 3+ | 270 x 230 mm | 32pp | £10.99 | Hardback
Learn all about the life cycle of a butterfly in this perfect introduction to the natural world. With colourful, engaging illustrations and simple explanations, this is a fun and informative introduction to the natural world. This book will take the reader on a journey through the animal’s life cycle, learning about how it eats, its habitat and how it grows and defends itself. A fun and informative introduction to life cycles for children with simple text and a clear narrative.
The next three titles in this series will follow the life cycles of a frog, a sunflower and a chick.
NON FICTION series
Sara Forster is a children’s book writer and editor based in West Sussex. She spent much of her childhood in the Middle East and South Africa, where she developed a love of wildlife from a young age. She now spends her time researching and writing about all kinds of topics for children.
Bianca Austria is a painter, illustrator, and designer. As an avid traveller, she loves to illustrate her experiences through a whimsical lens. Her work visually narrates her curious and wondrous exploration of the world. As a way of expressing her pride and joy of being a Filipina, she particularly enjoys subjects inspired by her own memories of the Philippines.
NON FICTION
EARTH’S INCREDIBLE PLACES: SAHARA
Christina Webb & Muti
Ages 7+ | 290 x 232 mm | 80pp | £14.99 | Hardback Deboss
A captivating illustrated introduction to the largest hot desert in the world, the Sahara.
Touching every corner of North Africa is the Sahara Desert, one of the wildest habitats on Earth. This is a land of singing sand dunes, barren plains, mirages and glistening oasis pools. Against all odds, life manages to thrive here. Discover river crocodiles, scorpions and foxes, ancient pharaohs, nomadic tribes and camel caravans. With its scorching hot days and night-times that dip below freezing, the Sahara is a land of extremes, where only the tough survive.
Christina Webb graduated from the University of Surrey with a BA in English Literature and an MA in Creative Writing. Her clients include Lonely Planet Kids, Penguin Random House, Pan Macmillan and Wide-Eyed Editions. Christina is based in London, and can most likely be found with her head stuck in a book or following her itchy feet to exciting new places.
Muti is a studio of 18 illustrators, animators, letterers and designers based in Cape Town, South Africa. Started in 2011, the studio has had the privilege of working with clients from around the globe. Their diverse team and varied backgrounds and influences, as well as their collective desire to play and experiment, have allowed them to dabble in a multitude of styles and directions.
series NON FICTION
STEMVILLE: THE FAST LANE
Ben Newman
Ages 6+ | 270 x 230 mm | 48pp | £12.99 | Hardback Deboss
Immerse yourself in the second instalment of the STEMville series: The Fast Lane.
The annual Big Race has arrived in STEMville!
Gather around the track to watch the town’s contestants compete to become this year’s champion. Frankie Thunderfoot comes from a family of confident trophy winners, while Wilbur Hardshell’s race team are slow, steady and mathematical in their approach. When Frankie’s need for speed causes her to crash, Wilbur must decide whether he should forfeit his position to help her or secure first place for himself. Learn all about how race cars are built and how they work, from acceleration to g-force and quick-fire pit stops.
Ben Newman is an award-winning illustrator who has racked up an impressive list of clients including Penguin, the BBC and the New York Times, amongst many others. Ben co-created the Professor Astro Cat children's books with Dr Dominic Walliman, which are published by Flying Eye Books and have been translated into 24 languages.
Rights sold: Chinese (Simplified) COVER NOT FINAL
THE BEE CONNECTION IN THE SAME SERIES:
Rights sold: Chinese (Simplified), Turkish
NON FICTION
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WILDLIFE IN THE BALANCE: THE SPECIES THAT SHAPE EARTH’S ECOSYSTEMS
Dr Sharon Wismer and Terri Po
Ages 7+ | 270 x 230 mm | 80pp | £14.99 | Hardback Emboss
Meet some of Earth's most important animals and discover the remarkable ways they are helping to save our planet.
Keystone species are animals or plants that play a crucial role in different habitats and have a huge effect on the environment around them. Entire ecosystems can depend on a single species, and they act as a glue that holds the ecosystem together. This book introduces readers to keystone animals across all the five major biomes (aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra) with facts about wildlife, habitats, and modern conservation practices to protect these species.
Sharon Wismer is a scientist and children's book author. As a marine biologist, her research focused on the behavioural ecology of reef fishes and the impacts of mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef. Her scientific work has been published in many peer-reviewed international journals, while her children’s books, Keepers of the Reef and When Nature Runs Wild, aim to make emerging science accessible and exciting for children.
Terri Po grew up in Hong Kong and studied illustration at the University of Edinburgh, and now lives and works from a wooden cabin in the countryside. She likes drawing anything blobby, including but not limited to: brains, intestines and liverworts.
Rights sold: French
NON FICTION
HUPO AND THE WONDER THIEF
Billy Partridge
Ages 6+ | 279 x 202 mm | 64pp | £12.99 | Hardback
Gel UV / Metallic Pink Foil
Hupo is on a mission to restore dreams and wonder to his home once again, before the Wallower destroys everything. A story about being yourself even if you're told you're "too much" and finding joy in the darkest of places.
Hupo and the Aletha love to amble through the bustling streets of their city, talking to shopkeepers and recounting tales of their favourite adventurer, the Great Humdingo — much to the annoyance of everyone around them. But when mysterious, zombifying mists creep into town and the Aletha is captured by a sinister force in the mountains, Hupo’s on a mission to set everything to rights… But can he hold onto who he is when everything around him seems so terrible?
Creator Billy Partridge whisks us into his magical tale with whimsical artwork and a story about imagination, adventure, and the courage to be yourself, even if you have a big personality.
Billy Partridge grew up in Nottingham, surrounded by a family of painters, designers, and wood carvers. After spending his early years doodling peculiar creatures and writing short stories and poems, he decided to study illustration at Leeds Arts University, where he graduated with a first class honours degree. He was the recipient of a merit in 3x3 magazine’s 2022 illustration awards, and has been nominated for
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ILLUSTRATED YOUNG FICTION
DETECTIVE STANLEY AND THE MYSTERY AT THE MUSEUM
Hannah Tunnicliffe & Erica Harrison
Ages 6+ | 279 x 202 mm | 64pp | £9.99 | Paperback Gel UV / Gold Foil
There's chaos at the Art Museum, can Detective Stanley solve the case?
Detective Stanley has barely sat down for his breakfast pancakes when he receives an invitation he cannot refuse. The Art Museum has been raided on the opening day of the Bleat Mondrian show and Stanley has been called to investigate. The most perplexing thing about the case: nothing has been stolen! But now Stan finds himself in a tight spot even his powers of deduction could not detect. Can he get himself out of trouble and solve the mystery of the Art Museum?
Hannah Tunnicliffe is the author of several books for kids and adults including Canadian bestseller, The Colour of Tea and trilingual picture book, Marjory and the Mouse. She lives by the sea with her family which includes one licky dog and an aloof cat.
Erica Harrison is an illustrator and children’s book designer. She completed her art foundation at Norwich Art School, then took a degree in graphic arts at Leeds Metropolitan. She has been designing and illustrating children's books ever since. She lives in Auckland with her partner and daughter.
IN THE SAME SERIES:
DETECTIVE STANLEY AND THE GREEN THUMBED THIEF
ERICA
FLYING EYE BOOKS
Detec ve Stanley AND THE HANNAH
TUNNICLIFFE
HARRISON
COVER NOT FINAL COVER NOT FINAL ILLUSTRATED YOUNG FICTION
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MONSTER SUPPORT GROUP: THE CREATURE’S ORIGIN
Laura Suárez
Ages 7+ | 279 x 202 mm | 64pp | £9.99 | Paperback Gel UV
Discover the newest instalment in the Monster Support Group series, where the truths behind your favourite monsters are revealed!
Meet Frederick: taught by his maker that monsters don’t cry or read OR sniff flowers, he is taken round the country, demonstrating his might and monstrous nature. But, when Frederick realises there might be more to life than terrorising, he takes to the mountains to escape. But now his maker has come looking for him and Frederick must face up to his past, be brave and show everyone that monsters don’t always have to be monstrous.
Laura Suárez is a freelance illustrator from Galicia. From a young age, she has always been fascinated by books. She studied Fine Arts at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and completed a Comic and Illustration Masters in Barcelona. Working as an illustrator or an author, she has worked with clients such as Penguin Random House, Xerais or Group Edelvives, among others.
IN THE SAME SERIES:
ILLUSTRATED YOUNG FICTION
THE WEREWOLF'S TALE THE MUMMY'S CURSE
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AVERY AND THE FAIRY CIRCLE
Rowan Kingsbury
Ages 5+ | 279 x 202 mm | 56pp | £9.99 | Paperback Spot UV
In the Pacific Northwest’s forests, young Avery stumbles upon a magical circle transporting her to a wonderous fairy world.
Avery’s family has just moved to the Pacific Northwest countryside where she explores the forests outside her home. While exploring, she
Now, next on the list is…
those!
Come on!
AhWait!
ILLUSTRATED YOUNG FICTION series
COVER NOT FINAL
DITCHING SASKIA
John Moore & Neetols
Ages 13+ | 225 x 163 mm | 192pp | £14.99 Paperback | Gel UV / Holographic Foil
A heart-warming, supernatural slice-of-life graphic novel that gently weaves together themes of identity, grief, and accepting flaws in those we love.
Struggling in a new high school, Damian decides to summon his mother’s ghost so he can talk things out – but he blows it and summons Saskia, a scruffy, annoying kid. Damian doesn’t need her hanging around – but Saskia’s suffering too, and everything they’re both hiding might be just what they need to get some peace. A sweet and hilarious tale of friendship amid grief.
John Moore grew up exploring the creaky woods of Hertfordshire and studied at the University of Sussex where he developed his socially conscious writing style. Subjects such as grief, mental health, childhood and family are core themes in his work which he often tries to examine with humour.
Neetols (they/them) is a graphic designer and illustrator born and raised in Manila, Philippines, where they reside still.
COMICS
ASTRAL PANIC
Katie Hicks
Ages 13+ | 225 x 163 mm | 176pp | £14.99
Paperback | Gel UV / Holographic Foil / Deboss
Gale has tried everything to master his anxious self, and when the happy-go-lucky Aiden stirs a little chaos into his life, Gale has to decide if stepping out of his comfort zone is really worth it.
Gale’s trying to master his anxiety, and he’s hoping the latest wonder-cure “Simply Pear” can help. Not turning up to his art classes and feeling like everyone is a lot cooler and more in control than he is, he chugs his Simply Pear products and takes advice from its demanding app. His plan is thrown into chaos by the bubbly Aiden, who needs a buddy to help him get a job. Can this colourful and heartfelt romp through shoddy part-time jobs help Gale out of his anxious bubble?
Katie Hicks is a comic artist and illustrator based just outside Toronto. Her work is character driven, playful and often humorous. Having struggled with anxiety and depression most of her life, Katie explores those themes in her art through a comedic and whimsical lens. She’s inspired by the cartoons she grew up with as a kid as well as the punk and emo music she listened to as a teenager. Katie has been nominated for the Ignatz outstanding artist category for her comic GUTS.
COMICS
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HILDA AND TWIG: HIDE FROM THE RAIN
Luke Pearson
Ages 5+ | 279 x 202 mm | 56pp | £12.99
Hardback | Gel UV
A brand-new Hilda comics series for early readers, presented in a large panel format.
You know Hilda… but how about her trusty companion, Twig? As the two set off for a rainy adventure in their local wilderness, they discover a little mound to shelter in. But this is no ordinary mound, and it looks like Twig’s going to have to save Hilda from a whole lot of big, scaly trouble!
Rights sold: Chinese (Simplified), Czech, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish (Castilian)
HILDA FICTION
Luke Pearson & Stephen Davies
Ages 7+ | 198 x 129 mm | 192pp | £7.99
Paperback | (Black and white illustrated)
Numerous rights sold. Please contact us for more information.
series series
HILDA
RUNE: THE TALE OF A THOUSAND FACES
Carlos Sánchez
Ages 8+ | 225 x 163 mm | 160pp | £10.99
Paperback | Hollographic Foil
Chiri and Dai's love of exploration has landed them in some serious magical trouble, and they're gonna need every bit of help to find home again!
The two best friends stumble into a forgotten realm, tormented by the evil Shadow King who yearns to spread terror. With the help of druids, warriors, and magical goats, Chiri and Dai must evade the darkness and seal the pathway between worlds, before it's too late!
Carlos Sánchez grew up, with a pencil in his hand, in Barcelona. He studied Design in EINA, and a master in Creative Illustration in Bau. He loves to draw, read comics, eat cereal and play videogames. He works as a designer, illustrator and comic artist.
Rights Sold: Catalan, French, Spanish (Castilian)
CACTUS KID THE BATTLE FOR STAR ROCK MOUNTAIN
Emmanuel Guerro
Ages 10+ | 225 x 163 mm
96pp | £10.99 | Paperback
Spot UV
CACTUS KID RUMBLE AT THE RODEO
Emmanuel Guerro
Ages 10+ | 225 x 163 mm
96pp | £10.99 | Paperback
Spot UV
COMICS
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SKATING WILDER
Brandon Dumais & AJ Dungo
Ages 16+ | 225 x 163 mm | 264pp | £16.99
Paperback | Gel UV / Foil
A poignant comic that sheds light on the inclusive and life-changing world of skating, featuring brand new art from the award-winning creator of In Waves , AJ Dungo.
We find ourselves in a skating renaissance, with more people heading out to use skate parks than ever before. There’s so much to love about skating, from the heart-warming tales of people brought out of loneliness by their fellow skaters, to those who find solace in the skate park and those who were raised by skating parents… In this fictional tale centred around a group of young skaters in the American Midwest, AJ Dungo and Brandon Dumais explore why skating is so essential to so many and encapsulates the highs and lows of skating culture.
AJ Dungo was born in Fort Myers, Florida. He then moved to Toronto, then settled in Los Angeles where he attended Art Center in Pasadena. When he’s not making comics, he works as an illustrator and designer. And when he’s not working on anything, he’s working on his cutbacks on his surfboard and slappies on his skateboard.
Brandon Dumais was born and raised in Southern California and studied creative writing and English literature at California State University, Long Beach. He has work published in various small press poetry collections, as well as through his own independent art zine, Remedial Art Class
Rights Sold: French
COVER NOT FINAL COMICS
IN WAVES
AJ Dungo
Ages 16+ | 225 x 163 mm | 264pp | £16.99 Paperback | Silver Foil
Grief is like riding a wave – sometimes you can rise above the waves and see the best of times, and sometimes you can be thrown from your board, into the heavy surf.
AJ Dungo explores the beauty and complexity of his relationship with his partner as they face her prolonged battle with cancer. With a passion for surfing at the forefront of this narrative, Dungo intertwines his own story with those of the great heroes of surf in a rare work of non-fiction that is as moving as it is fascinating.
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), Croatian, Dutch, French, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Slovak, Spanish (Castilian)
An animated feature adaption of In Waves by Silex Films is currently in production with a 2025 release planned.
COMICS
LIBERTY
Julian Voloj
&
Jörg Hartmann
Adult | 225 x 163 mm | 144pp | £16.99 | Paperback Spot UV
A graphic history of how America’s most iconic symbol came to be.
Many know it was a gift from the people of France to the people of America. But did you know that her very existence was down to the incredible determination and obsession of one man? French sculptor, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi became the driving force for one of the most ambitious international construction projects of its time. For Bartholdi, completing the statue for the centenary celebration of the declaration of American independence became his life’s work, but its construction would lead to a thrilling race against time.
Award-winning author Julian Voloj specialises in non-fiction graphic novels and literary adaptations. He lives with his wife Lisa and sons Leon and Simon in New York City's borough of Queens, not far from Joe Shuster's 1970s residence.
Jörg Hartmann studied illustration at the Münster School of Design where he discovered his passion for drawing, especially for comic projects. His comics Nostradamus , Wilsberg - In alter Freundschaft and Wilsberg - Um Kopf und Kragen were published in Germany by Carlsen Comics.
Rights Sold: Dutch, French and German
GIFT
AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF URBAN LEGENDS
Adam Allsuch Boardman
16+ | 245 x 185 mm | 128pp | £16.99 | Hardback
Neon Pink Pantone / Gel UV
A sceptical enquiry into urban legends, from Atlantis to the hollow Earth conspiracy, and everything in between.
From the campfire to the digital rumour mill, urban legends have flourished wherever we tell stories. Whether once true, sprouted from half-remembered facts or entirely fictional, we have scrutinised these legends for centuries. This book will ferry you across a river of uncanny tales, from classic folklore to contemporary urban legend. So, check the closet, make sure the skies are clear and delve in if you are ready to imagine the strange.
Adam Allsuch Boardman grew up in an exceptionally green part of the Yorkshire Dales in England and studied BA Illustration at Leeds Arts University. He is currently a freelance illustrator, doing jobs for national museum exhibits, educational publications and historic businesses.
Rights Sold: Spanish (Castilian)
IN THE SAME SERIES:
Rights Sold:
Chinese (Simplified), French, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Slovak, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
Rights Sold: Dutch, Estonian, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Spanish (Castilian), Vietnamese
Rights Sold:
Danish, Estonian, French, Japanese, Spanish (Castilian), Vietnamese
GIFT series
