The Big Book of 100 Little Activities

The Big Book of 100 Little Activities

By Laura Minter & Tia Williams 

Published by GMC Distribution

With the Christmas school holidays fast approaching this book could very well be your 'Get out of Jail Free' card! Packed full of boredom-busting projects for little hands to get stuck in, this will help keep any child busy and entertained!

This bumper book of 100 boredom-busting craft activities is all you need to be inspired during those long rainy afternoons, or times when the little ones are climbing the walls, and so are you. Dip in and discover the eight handy sections: Nature lovers, Messy makes, Rainy day, Sunny day, Little laboratory, Paint and print, Playing and performing and Dressing-up. Each one is packed with things to do that range from spur-of-the-moment creative play, involving little or no preparation, to mini projects with step-by-step instructions.  No matter what your pre-schooler is into, there will be something to stimulate their senses: making giant bubbles, wooden-spoon puppets, cardboard-tube marble run, balloon tennis, bug hunting, firework painting, hanging pompom bees and paper-plate animal masks are just a few of the ingenious ideas on offer.

This book really does have something for everyone - and you don't have to be a child to appreciate how fun these activities really are! I love projects and crafting of all kinds and there's lots in here to even keep me occupied! The projects are easy to follow, with detailed instructions and photographic steps to help you stage by stage. You'll find activities that you can do all year round as well as ones that are perfect at Christmas time and for those summer holidays. The perfect gift for any child wanting to get their hands busy!

The Big Book of 100 Little Activities is available to buy now from all good booksellers and online form the GMC Distribution website.

The Ultimate Book of Space

The Ultimate Book of Space

By Anne-Sophie Baumann & Olivier Latyk 

Published by Twirl/Chronicle Books

If you were a fan of the features and format of The Ultimate Construction Site Book, then you are in for a treat! The next in the series explores space and all the tech that goes with it! 

Bursting with 60 flaps, pop-ups, pull tabs and movable parts, The Ultimate Book of Space provides a richly illustrated, hands-on exploration of the solar system, the Earth's place in our galaxy, as well as space travel, and much more! Sure to encourage curious young readers to venture deeper into space, this is a must-have volume in the library of any budding scientist.

The pop-ups throughout the book are expertly designed, I especially adored the one of planet earth which appears globe like! This book brings the universe to life and makes the subject especially appealing to any young minds. The text is sophisticated but easy to understand and digest - making it's young readers space experts in no time! 

The Ultimate Book of Space is available to buy from all good bookshops and from the Chronicle Books website.

ABC Birds

ABC Birds

By The American Museum of Natural History 

Published by Sterling Children's Books/GMC Children's Books

This latest addition to the American Museum of Natural History’s ABC series is dedicated to birds. The perfect addition to any child's animal library. 

Twenty-six birds take centre stage in this glossy format board book (ideal for messy fingers as its wipe clean!). Each bird is listed alphabetically and is displayed against its letter using some kind of interaction (perching or flying beside it). The language used throughout is sophisticated, but not to the extent that it would deter its target age group from not digesting it.  

I love how this book is presented. Instead of illustrations we get well shot photography which is skilfully displayed along well thought out typography and colour palettes. The facts that run along each type of bird are easy to read and more importantly easy to remember. A valuable learning tool especially for children that want to expand their knowledge on our feathered friends. 

ABC Birds is available to buy now from all good bookshops and from the GMC Children's books website.

All My Animals

All My Animals

By Dawid Ryski 

Published by Little Gestalten

This is another large format animal book, this time from illustrator and designer Dawid Ryski. Using retro style illustrations with appealing colour palettes, this is another great animal themed title.

Within the captivating pages of All My Animals, one page shows the animal and, on the opposite page, sits its matching accessory. These pairings invite readers to think about the distinct personalities of a jovial cast of animal characters and to be transported to a realm where animals interact with human objects. Short poems penned by Lauren Napier create a narrative to engage and delight readers of any age. From tigers to crocodiles to parrots, the nuances of the animal kingdom come to life in detailed portraits, humorous connections, and engaging poems.

This is a beautiful book. For one the size of it is huge! The cover is the head of a bear and when a reader is flicking through its pages the cover can look like the readers head! Each page feels like a vintage poster, with well thought out colour palettes and lovable character illustration. Children and adults will adore this animal filled book - the perfect accessory for us humans!

All My Animals is full of funny rhyming text and has quirky retro illustrations to boot. A great gift for any animal lover or one to adorn your coffee table that will be constantly admired by all that come across it. It's available to buy now at all good bookshops and from the Little Gestalten website. 

Sky High Building Puzzle

Sky High Building Puzzle

By Marc Boutavant 

Published by Chronicle Books

From one of my favourite illustrators comes this inventive puzzle where you can design the most dazzling and fun sky high buildings.

The set comes with 12 double-sided puzzle pieces that allow the builder to arrange in any way they want. Each piece tells a story and is jam packed with Marc Boutavant's beautiful trademark illustration. The cards are colourful and fun and are large and sturdy for small hands to hold easily.

Sky High is hours of fun and would make the perfect present for any eager builders. It's available to buy now in all good bookshops and online as Chronicle Books.

Interview with Ingela P Arrhenius

Art and design have always played a big part in Ingela P Arrhenius' life. Before her career as an illustrator took off, Ingela worked as an art director in Stockholm. She's since been commissioned for creating print patterns for fabrics, wallpaper, stationary as well as posters, product design, home accessories and toys. She's passionate about retro style, typography and colour. She lives in Stockholm with her husband and two boys.

BWB: You are renown for illustrating a huge number of different animals. Are there any you struggle to illustrate in your signature style?

IPA: Any animals? No. I love to draw them all. The only struggle is when new clients want me to draw animals and I don´t want them to clash with earlier work. Then it feels I have to re-invent myself over and over. 

BWB: Animals is your first animal alphabet book, is this something you've always wanted to get published?

IPA: I have, for some strange reason :) , never thought of that. Maybe because there are so many all ready. 

BWB: Do you have a favourite picture book?

IPA: My favourite picture books are old ones. I love the work of Hungarian Károly Reich, Swedish Olle Eksell, the American coupe Alice and Martin Provensen to mention some. When I was a child I loved the books by Richard Scarry, especially What Do People Do All Day. I could look in it for hours and if I see it today I remember all the feelings and thoughts I had back then.

BWB: What inspires your beautiful colour palettes?

IPA: Old children´s books, patterns, fabrics, etc. I can do hundreds of versions of colour combinations before I am done. I love it.

BWB: There are illustrators the world over that are inspired by your work. Who in the illustration/design world inspires you?

IPA: I would say the people I mentioned above. I like to get inspired by work from the past. And it has always been like that. When I look at my work from art school in the early 90´s it pretty much looks the same.

BWB: Your work can be found on anything from wooden toys to colourful plates. Which do you prefer designing for?

IPA: Everything! If I like the product and think my design would fit for it I get inspired and want to get started. Right now I get a lot of request and have to look close at the companies so I really like what they stand for. But wooden toys are something special :)

BWB: What picture books can we expect from you in the future?

IPA: More work for French Marcel & Joachim. Board books for Nosy Crow that I am working on right now. And books for the American market but they are the contract-stage so I can´t say anything yet.

BWB: Can we expect to see you in London/UK anytime soon for any exhibitions or publicising your work?

IPA: I hope so! But nothing planned right now.

Thanks to Ingela for taking the time to answer my questions. Check out more of Ingela's fab work on her website here. Animals is her latest book with Walker Books which is available to buy now!

Animals

Animals

By Ingela P Arrhenius 

Published by Walker

Ingela P Arrhenius is a powerhouse in the world of design, with her wondrous bold illustrations donning everything from wallpaper to home accessories. Animals is her first title with Walker Books and it is filled with all kinds of animals, from alligators to zebras. A treat for any fan or introducing Ingela's work to a new one!

There are quite a few animal alphabet books on the market at the minute, but this stands out for two reasons. One this is not a typical ABC book, the animals aren't in alphabetical order, instead they are just random using animals that aren't always obvious. Secondly this book is HUGE! It's presented as a very large format hard back (454 x 332 mm) which would be a great coffee table book or on a shelf in a nursery. Each page is good enough to be a poster or print, it looks that good! 

This is a wonderful art book. From stunning illustrations to desirable typography, this is a book to cherish and keep. A lovely present for Christmas this year for art lovers to introducing young children to the wonderful world of animals. Animals is available to buy from all good bookshops and to buy online from Walker Books. To find out more about Ingela and her work check out my interview here.