THE BOOK OF SKIES

Written and illustrated by Mariya Pavlikova

The history of skis, from the first to contemporary models that can reach an incredible speed! Readers will learn how cross-country skiing differs from jumping, whether it is possible to ski where there is no snow at all, what snowboarding has to do with it and who Nansen was.

In addition, the book is full of various activities: you will build a ski track from plasticine, find all the hidden skiers on the pages, make skis for the Lego-man!

THE BOOK OF UMBRELLAS

Written and illustrated by Tatiana Panova

Today it’s hard to imagine life without an umbrella. Although it was invented a very long time ago, until quite recently it used to look nothing like the umbrellas we know. The first umbrellas were meant to protect people from the sun. For rulers in various parts of the world they were symbols of power. Made of bamboo, paper or silk, decorated with feathers or precious metals, they were quite cumbersome, and had to be carried by servants. The story of the umbrella in pictures and activities.

Sample text available in English

International Illustration and book Design competition 2022 Diploma

Bookstores Around The World by Maria Ivashkina (text and illustrations)

A bookstore is a place where you feel a sense of wonder. It’s also a place where you come to meet yourself and at the same time travel to other worlds.
With this book join the author on a journey to the most amazing bookstores around the world. We’ll visit bookstores inside a train station and a cathedral, a floating bookstore and a bookstore the size of a whole neighborhood, the oldest bookstore and the bookstore that only sells one book, first outdoor bookstore and the bookstore you can live in.
All of them keep memories they’re ready to share with you. After all, a bookstore is also a place where the most amazing stories happen (just like in the books).

The book will contain around 20 bookstores. For 10 of them more detailed historical spreads will be available. On these pages, we’ll learn something about the whole country and its history, not only the particular bookstore (see example of Argentina). For each of the 10 remaining stores, there will be a spread with a big illustration expressing the spirit of the bookstore and its particularities.

About the author:

MARIA IVASHKINA is an author, editorial designer and illustrator. Having a degree in architecture, she realised that she wants to work with the architecture of books and proceeded her studies in editorial design. In 2020, she opened her own children’s publishing house Milebooks, and a year later published her first book — Komorebi, Sobremesa, Gezellig.

– Please, can you draw me an insect?

An anonymous voice asks a little boy who is drawing. But it is too difficult for the child to draw a single insect, as there is an almost infinite variety. So, could he draw a shell instead? But no, once again, that’s impossible: there are more than a hundred thousand different ones, and, what’s more, their colour changes in the water! Every time you ask, you get the same answer: there are too many different ones. And so, we learn that there are countless breeds of dogs, types of roses, red fruits, etc. It’s hard to believe that this child is making an effort to understand! So finally, what about girls? Are there also an infinite number of them? Even when you have a model in front of you?

A sweet and subtle picture book to celebrate diversity in all its forms.

Milvia, author from Italy who has already published two novels in Italian.

Simji Park, Korean illustrator who currently lives in the Netherlands. Draw me is her first picture book.

I have been around for a very long time. Longer than toys, dogs, or anyone you know. I am everywhere.

Can you guess what I am?

This book reads as a riddle that readers must solve by the end of the book. Clues are scattered throughout the pages as to what the theme of the book may be.

unpublished project

original language: English

Rights sold: Spanish (world), Portuguese (Brazil), Korean (world), Basque (world), Galician (world), Catalan (world) Asturian (world), English (USA/Canada/UK), Arabic (world).

Select reviews: 

⭐ “A thoughtfully guided quest for the identity of a narrator both foreign and familiar. Forlati’s textural mixed-media illustrations offer a map of meaningful keys and symbols.”

– Ellen Heck, author/illustrator of A is for Bee (a New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2022)

⭐ “As you cross time and space and solve a riddle full of beautiful metaphors, an amazing answer awaits at the end to make us look at our existence in a new way.”

JiHyun Kim, author/illustrator of The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky (a New York Public Library Best Book of 2022)

⭐ “A beautifully illustrated book about our shared humanity. An engaging read and wonderful concept” 

Felicita Sala, author/illustrator of Dark on Light, Be a Tree, Arno and His Horse, and All from a Walnut

Awards, special mentions & selections:

⭐ selected for The Unpublished Picture Book Showcase by dPictus 2022

⭐ Selected for the 2023 Bologna Children’s Fair exhibition Beauty and the World: The New Non-Fiction Picture Books

Summary

Why is the sky blue? This is the eternal question that Céleste has decided to address to the one concerned! And the sky answers her gracefully when she asks about the reason he exists.

The little girl continues her reflection by also asking the sun, the tree, the sea, the wind and the night. After she has spoken with all the natural elements that arouse her curiosity, there is still a mystery to be solved: what is her own place in the vast world?

Key points

– A text full of gentleness and poetry that helps the little reader to perceive his place in the universe.

– Metaphorical answers to the questions that children ask about natural elements.

– A curious and determined heroine with whom readers can identify.

– Colourful, dreamlike illustrations

Maylis Daufresne

Born in Senegal, Maylis studied literature at the University of Sorbonne, before becoming a bookseller in Paris, Toulouse and Brussels. She now devotes herself to writing and has published a dozen of picture books. Back in France, she recently settled in Toulon. This is the second time she collaborates with her accomplice Teresa Arroyo Corcobado.

Teresa Arroyo Corcobado

Born in sunny Spain, Teresa shares her life between Seville and Belgium. This true European developed her graphic work from Madrid to the fine arts in Edinburgh, Granada and Brussels. Her illustrations combine several mediums and techniques, both traditional and digital, creating expressive and colourful images, rich in texture and clean forms.

Teresa’s awards (selection):

⭐ 2021 ~ Finalist at the Bologna Children’s Book FairIllustrators Exhibition.

Publication: March 2023

Summary

Alone on his mountain, Émile lives as a hermit. He simply enjoys life, until the day he discovers a sleeping rabbit in his backyard. Listening only to his heart, Émile invites him to rest for a while at his place. As the days go by, a close relationship develops between the little rabbit, who had neither parents nor a name, and his host… Has this lost child found a home? 

Key points

– Sweet, caring characters that young readers can relate to.

– A reassuring universe to tackle the sensitive issue of adoption.

– A duo of an experienced author and a talented young illustrator to create a combination of mastery and freshness.

– Illustrations mixing brush and collage, full of joy and transporting the readers to another planet.

Stéphanie Demasse-Pottier

This resident of the Paris region studied literature before working as a children’s librarian in Seine-Saint-Denis and devoting herself to writing. In recent years, she has published a number of acclaimed titles with Grasset, L’Agrume,Sarbacane and La Martinière, as well as three albums with Cépages, of which she is one of the loyal authors.

Laura Kientzler

A native of the Vosges, this young illustrator first studied image at the Higher School of Art in Épinal, before completing her training at decorative arts in Strasbourg where she now lives. She has worked for the press and institutions. Her love of small sketches, drawings and cut-outs led her to publish her first album for young people with Cépages.

Publication: May 2023

SUMMARY

Today the sun is mild and the birds are singing. It feels very light. A child, seen from the back, is drawing at his work table. A mouse is savouring this good moment out loud. His friend the bear is thinking about the sea, a place of peace and quiet par excellence. So why not go there? What a good idea! Don’t you know the way? It doesn’t matter! An elephant will help us! Traffic? It doesn’t matter! A big black cat will do the trick! Wind and rain? It doesn’t matter! Hunger and fatigue? It doesn’t matter! In short, along the way, the two companions will arrive at the edge of a sea… drawn by the child who is now dozing at his desk, with a black cat, a drawing of an elephant and, of course, a mouse and a teddy bear on it.

BOOK’S SPIRIT

It is hard to resist the carefree impulse that presides over the charming story told here. With these characters, everything seems so obvious and easy. For them, as long as you dream about it, no destiny is so far away as to remain out of reach. Thanks to his childhood soul, which he has managed to preserve and which guides his way of telling stories Mori hits the nail on the head and invites little readers to embrace an enthusiastic philosophy of life.

Publication: April 2023

Little Worlds is like a little poem full of images that give rise to others when you turn the pages. With this board book with die-cuts, where the words are light, the colours are joyful and the objects are focused on, the little ones will be amused to see one thing revealing another. Surprise guaranteed! Here, rabbit ears turn into leaves in the branches; there, a cat’s nose becomes a flower in a garden. Ears, a nose? Yes, to hear the wind, smell the perfumes. Then a mouth of a frog to taste the delights, the eyes of an owl to discover the night, and even the hand of a child to caress the bark of a tree. In other words… five senses like so many little worlds that a loving heart embraces all together as it grows.

Brown Garden, the fourth volume in the series Garden Colours, focuses on brown things in nature and more specifically on what happens on and under the ground. Once again, children will have to search, follow with a finger, count, etc. And this time we are going to track an earthworm in an eventful adventure. Among all the poops, guess which one does not belong to the dog, but rather to the earthworm! Help the earthworm escape from the hedgehog. Find out where the ants live and watch out for the rain that fills the underground tunnels! But most of all… beware of the mole!

This volume is illustrated with great humour and efficiency by Elo.

A fun and interactive picture book that will help young children discover a new aspect of nature.

Clémence Sabbagh, author

Selected bibliography:

Une histoire de regards (2022), Le Diplodocus

Poulette (2022), Les Fourmis Rouges

Les Grrr en vacances (2021), Le Diplodocus

Élo, illustrator

Selected bibliography:

Contes culottés (2022), Les 400 Coups

Mon petit imagier Chaud (2022), Sarbacane

A Native American tale in which Coyote breaks his promise and must flee the consequences…

One spring day, Coyote and Fox were out walking. The winter had recently ended and the sun was shining brightly. Coyote leaned against a large round rock to rest and abandoned his coat, which was too warm and cumbersome, to the rock to thank it for letting him rest on it. Despite Fox’s warning that the stone was magical, Coyote shrugged and confirmed that he no longer needed it. But when a storm cloud covered the sky, Coyote wanted to return and take back the coat he had given. But can you take back a gift, especially one given to a magic stone?

The theme of Native American stories is often linked to the creation of the world, and this story is no exception, being ultimately about the creation of the Rocky Mountains. In the legends of America, Coyote is the deceiver, the prankster character who alternately traps or is trapped, being the hero or anti-hero, while Fox is rather wise (he warns Coyote that the stone is magic and of the risks he is taking). And as is often the case in stories, the reader can also learn a lesson about the risks of betraying a given promise, and another about the help that even the smallest can give…

– FIRST PICTURE BOOK OF THE AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR WHO JUST GRADUATED FROM THE ECOLE EMILE COHL

– KEYWORDS: LEGEND, AMERINDIAN TALE, PROMISE, GIFT, MAGIC

– WE CAN CONSIDER IT AS AN ANCESTOR OF THE ROULE-GALETTE!

– TECHNIQUE : PEN AND PAINT

Through a unique and a very personal story of the author and her dog Jo who made it to her new family after living in a street as a puppy and then in a foster home, the author invites us to the exciting world of man’s best friends. The book has two parts. The personal story pages with bright and vibrant gouache illustrations alternate with black and white informative pages where young dog lovers (but also adults!) will find plenty of fascinating information about dog breeds, dogs’ habits, historical and zoological facts but most importantly it will teach a kid how to take care of his pet. The book hides nothing of a big responsibility that we take adopting a dog, it tackles tricky questions and possible problems in a way that is accessible to children. It’s also full of love and tenderness to these creatures that make our lives so much better.

complete English text available (original text – Russian)

Rights sold: Italian, Russian, Korean, German, Spanish (Spain), English (world), French (world) languages 

Awards & selections of Elena Bulay:

⭐ 2020 Image of the book, illustration and book design competition, finalist (The Life of Wonderful Toys by Sergey Sedov)

⭐ 2021, winner of the Illustrators Exhibition organized by Bologna Children’s Book Fair (The Life of Wonderful Toys by Sergey Sedov)

⭐ 2021 Image of the book, illustration and book design competition, winner (for The dog book)

⭐ 2022, winner of the Illustrators Exhibition organized by Bologna Children’s Book Fair (for The Dog Book)

⭐ Book Prize for the Environment 2022-2023 (for the Italian edition Storia di Jo: come prendersi cura di un amico a quattro zampe by Terre di Mezzo)

⭐ The BRAW Amazing Bookshelf: selected among twenty of the best debut works (Opera Prima section of the BolognaRagazzi), BCBF 2023

SUMMARY

Archibald Mc Puppy is the worthy descendant of a fine pedigree of top-notch guard dogs. Having just graduated in Guarding, Barking and Deterrent Growling, he is assigned to watch over a… defunct factory. Very determined, even zealous, he fulfils his mission with seriousness, giving his voice whenever possible. One morning, in front of a suspicious box, he is about to face the threat. Turning the box upside down, he discovers… four fragile and cute kittens. Stunned, he forgets to be terrifying! Because underneath his tough exterior, Archibald hides a tender heart. This is how Archibald’s life began to change…

SPIRIT OF THE BOOK

In Gaëlle Duhazé’s books, every character has an inner life, desires and weaknesses. And it is often the surprises of reality that lead him to face them rather than to bury them further.

Here, Archibald, a pedigree dog predestined for guarding, meets abandoned kittens. Against all expectations (and first of all against himself), he takes them under his wing and finds himself more fulfilled. Together, developing their mutual capacity for empathy with the world around them, they even form a modern and welcoming choir.

Rights sold: Spanish and Galician language 

Selected awards by Yael Frankel:

The beautiful children’s non-fiction book based on the film, event of 2023!

The book accompanies the release of the documentary, inspired by the poem Whale Nation by Heathcote Williams, in theaters on February 22, 2023.

Photographs from the film directed by Jean-Albert Lièvre.

QR codes to listen to excerpts from the film’s soundtrack and to raise awareness among children.

Key points:

– The book accompanies the release of the blockbuster film inspired by the poem “Whale Nation” by Heathcote Williams,

in cinemas in late February 2023.

– A story and illustrations by François Place.

– Photographs from the film directed by Jean-Albert Lièvre.

– QR codes to listen to extracts from the film’s soundtrack and to raise awareness among children.

– Promotional relay in 35,000 schools by Belin Éducation.

Author:

FRANÇOIS PLACE studied visual expression at the École Estienne, before starting his career in illustration. As an illustrator, he has worked in the fields of audiovisual, corporate press, publishing and advertising. He revealed his talent as an author in 1992 with the publication of “Les derniers géants”, a book that won numerous awards. He has written more than 50 books, and has been awarded 26 prizes.

JEAN ALBERT LIÈVRE

Director Jean-Albert Lièvre has always had the vocation of showing the planet through the prism of animal documentary. In 1992, he signed his first production as an independent. He was contacted by Nicolas Hulot and worked as a director on the programs Ushuaia, the extreme magazine, then Ushuaïa Nature. In 1997, he created with Olivier Wargny and Laure Trassard the documentary production company WLP. He is at the origin of several program concepts on the theme of the environment and discovery, including: Acting for the environment, The nature agenda, The Space weather report. In 2005, at the request of Nicolas Hulot and Patrick Le Lay, he participated in the creation of Ushuaia television and created the program Sur les routes d’Ushuaia with Pascal Anciaux. In 2007, Claude Chirac asked him to direct the opening film of the Paris Citizen of the Earth conference for the presidency of the French Republic. The same year, he wrote, co-produced and directed for Nicolas Hulot the feature documentary Le Syndrome du Titanic for the cinema circuit in France and in many European countries. His documentary Flore, dealing with Alzheimer’s disease, received the award for best documentary at COLCOA in Los Angeles in 2014.

Mamayou shows the cohabitation between man and animal from the point of view of a cat and the terrors that his activities can inspire.

Summary

1 – Mamayou is a cat who lives quietly with his human. But Saturday is the day of the big upheaval: the human moves the furniture and brings out… “The Beast”. The dreadful beast that makes a terrible noise and sucks up everything in its path…

2 – Mamayou is happy, everything is back to normal, except for a small wound on his paw that he can hardly feel. His human then decides to trap him in a cage and take him to the “witch”…

This comic book offers an emotional approach which allows:

 – to take a look at what animals can perceive from our actions and habits which seem harmless to us but which can be a source of terror for them,

– and, we hope, to inspire more respect for animals!

Marie Tibi (Provence)

Marie grew up in the North of France and now lives in Provence.

She learned to write with a pen and to read with Prévert’s poems and in 2012 a good fairy gave her the magic wand that opened the doors to children’s literature.

She has published more than fifty albums in various publishing houses and several of her books have won awards (Suzanne aux oiseaux and Le renard emprivoisé published by Le Grand Jardin).

Layla Benabid (Marseille)

Passionate about drawing since she was a little girl (she fell into the pot like Obelix), she launched her career in 2010, working on illustrations for different audiences. But publishing called her very quickly! Thus, she created, from the very beginning, as an author and illustrator, the Cartoons collection for Rêves Bleus – a children’s series featuring mainly animals, which are her favourite subject – then Dolly for ZTL, Les Cerveaux de la Ferme for La Plage.

After several publications as a children’s illustrator and illustrator of practical books, she turned to the world of comics for the general public in 2020.

Oliver never met his grandpa. He wonders what he would tell Grandpa if the two of them could meet, even once. Oliver decides that he would tell him about an amazing man that Grandpa never met: Oliver’s dad, Grandpa’s own son. In this touching and heartfelt story, you will be taken on a journey of what it means to be a dad and to be the master of your own destiny.

Rights sold: Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Korean languages, world English rights under negotiation 

Select Reviews:

⭐ “A beautifully illustrated, touching tale of love.”

Kirkus Reviews (starred review) + Editor’s Pick + Kirkus Best Book of July 2022 + Kirkus 100 Best Books of 2022 

⭐“A heartfelt and moving ode to the father-son bond. A genuine delight.”

Publishers Weekly (Booklife), starred review and Editor’s Pick 

⭐“Such a heartwarming book. Beautifully written and illustrated.”

– author-illustrator Eric Fan (from The Fan Brothers) 

⭐“Santos offers a poignant picture of multigenerational fatherhood in this tender tribute. Forlati’s artfully textural illustrations soothe, aptly matching the story’s emotional acuity. ”

Publishers Weekly (a PW 2022 Children’s Book for Father’s Day Pick)

⭐“A heartwarming picture book about father-son love that carries from one generation to the next. The illustrations are gorgeous and charming.”

Foreword Reviews, starred review

Awards & special mentions:

⭐ International Latino Books Awards 2022:

Best Children’s Fiction Picture Book (Honor)

⭐ International Latino Books Awards 2022:

Most Inspirational Children’s Picture Book (Honor)

⭐ Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2022

⭐ Publishers Weekly:

PW 2022 Children’s Book for Father’s Day Pick