Steve Antony Steve Antony

Books Are My Bag Party at The Bell Bookshop

An illustration especially made for BAMB. To see the other official BAMB illustrations, go HERE. They're all fantastic!

An illustration especially made for BAMB. To see the other official BAMB illustrations, go HERE. They're all fantastic!

The Bell Bookshop is a warm, welcoming treasure trove of a bookstore located at the heart of Henley-on-Thames. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending all afternoon at their Books Are My Bag (BAMB) party and in the company of the store's friendly staff, along with author, Amanda Jennings. There were cakes and balloons and there was bunting too. For me, it was a fun day of drawing, signing books and chatting to customers.

Thank you, Hachette Children's, for connecting me with and organising my travel to The Bell Bookshop, and thank you, The Bell Bookshop, for having me. I'd like to especially thank those that stopped and said hello for making it such a fun day! I really enjoyed seeing ALL of your drawings! Below are some photos of the day.

For more on The Bell Bookshop, please visit www.bellbookshop.co.uk.

 For more on BAMB and how you can get involved in celebrating bookshops, please visit www.booksaremybag.com.

Me and my limited edition Tracey Emin bag!

Me and my limited edition Tracey Emin bag!

In the window.

In the window.

A great display.

A great display.

The Queen and her corgi!

The Queen and her corgi!

A fantastic shop!

A fantastic shop!

The lemur from 'Please Mr Panda' by Elliot, age 9. Fantastic!

The lemur from 'Please Mr Panda' by Elliot, age 9. Fantastic!

Corgi's by Olivia. Brilliant!

Corgi's by Olivia. Brilliant!

'The Queen's Hat'

'The Queen's Hat'

Betty was there too!

Betty was there too!

Books Are My Bag

Books Are My Bag

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Books Are My Bag Campaign

Here is an illustration I did for BOOKS ARE MY BAG.

BOOKS ARE MY BAG is a nationwide campaign to celebrate bookshops. This collaboration between publishers, bookshops and authors and is the biggest ever promotion of bookshops. For many people bookshops conjure fond images of book readings, in-store cafes and delight at the discovery of a new author. In fact, 56% of all book buying decisions are made by consumers in a bookshop and high street bookshops (both chains and independents) still account for almost 40% of books bought by consumers. Yet, many high street bookshops are under threat. 

For more info on how you can get involved, go here: http://www.booksaremybag.com/

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NEW TITLE: Green Lizards Vs Red Rectangles for '15

'Green Lizards Vs Red Rectangles', a thought-provoking and highly conceptual picture book about war and peace, will be published by Hodder Children's Books next year.

The GREEN LIZARDS tried their best to defeat the RED RECTANGLES. But the RED RECTANGLES were strong. A powerful picture book about war and peace.

Here is a sneak peek!

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'Betty Goes Bananas' book two!

Book one in good company at Waterstones!

Book one in good company at Waterstones!

Uh oh! Betty is getting a sequel! Which means one thing. Cover your ears and run for the hills!

When it's time for Betty to go to bed . . . Betty . . . goes . . .  bananas! Both children and parents will laugh out loud at this simple, utterly hilarious picture book about bedtime tantrums!

I've finished book two, but it isn't out for a long time (date TBC). In the meantime, 'Betty Goes Bananas' is OUT NOW in hardback (available at all good book stores both online and off). 

Look out for more Betty blog posts and contests coming soon!

The main colours in this book are a sleepy blue, a wide-awake yellow and an excitable orange. Here is an exclusive peek of book two (publishing by Oxford University Press).

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Ting! Ting! Ting!

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Interview with Graham Marks

Journalist & author, Graham Marks, interviewed me about about my life and journey towards the publication of my picture book debut, 'The Queen's Hat', for the Hodder Children's website. Press HERE to read it on Hodder Children's website.

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The Queen's Hat PAPERBACK is OUT NOW!

Signing in Waterstones, Swindon.

Signing in Waterstones, Swindon.

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Get out the bunting and put on your best hat.

'The Queen's Hat' paperback is OUT NOW in all it's red foil glory!

Even the Queen's red lipstick shines on the cover.

 I'm really, really pleased with the paperback edition. The team at Hodder have been amazing. And so have the shops! I can't even begin to tell you just how thrilled I am with the book's overall response. It's been incredible. Since the hardback was published, I've read at Hay Festival, drawn in Foyles shop window and illustrated a 'how to draw a corgi' via the Guardian, amongst other things.

I'm so thrilled to know that kids (and adults alike) are enjoying the book.

Signing, while posing: I think I've mastered it.

Signing, while posing: I think I've mastered it.

I've got a bunch of events lined up to celebrate. Here are a list of the confirmed 'The Queen's Hat' events. Together, let's see if we can spot that Butler! By using the arrows to the right you can scroll along to more future events. 

I can't stress just how grateful I am for all of the support this book has received from book stores and libraries. Here are just some of the fantastic displays. The bunting-making, poster-printing PR team at Hodder have been fantastic.

Click on an image to enlarge it.

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'Betty' Jungle Themed Classroom

Check out this amazing jungle themed classroom reading corner, inspired by 'Betty Goes Bananas'. Look at those fantastic ape drawings and all that jungle flora! Thanks, Mr Lacey, for sending me these pics. Betty looks right at home!

betty goes bananas
betty goes bananas
betty goes bananas
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Ice Bucket Doodle

Who needs water when you've got a pencil?

Thanks, Karl Newson, for the Ice Bucket Doodle nomination. Here's my 'The Queen's Hat' Ice Bucket Doodle! I've made my nominations on Twitter. 

This new and fun illustrator's take on the Ice Bucket Challenge was kicked off by children's book illustrator, Mark A Chambers, to raise awareness and funds for MND (Motor Neurone Disease) Association, which can be done by texting "iced55" and an amount to 70070. Several doodlers have made donations to various other charities as the challenge has snowballed through the Twittersphere - any donation to any charity is a great deed! I must admit that I wasn't aware that MND Association was the charity of choice for this illustrator's 'ice bucket' variant, until I discovered the first batch of Ice Bucket Doodles shortly after tweeting mine. I donated to Barnardo's and have since donated to MND Association, which is the only national charity in England, Wales and Northern Ireland focused on MND care, research and campaigning.

Below are some of my favourite Ice Bucket Doodles by fellow children's book illustrators that I found by searching for tweets tagged with #icebucketdoodle. I'm sure there are loads more (than the ones I found) floating about the net.

Here's Mark A Chambers's doodle that kick-started this challenge along with Benji Davies's and Erika Meza's (via Waterstone's tweet). This is such a great idea, Mark!

And here's Karl Newson's. Thanks, Karl, for the nomination!

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'Betty' Interview and Review at Bookworm Baby

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by The Bookworm Baby about 'Betty Goes Bananas', my other work, and tantrums! They've also reviewed 'Betty'. You can read the interview HERE and review HERE.

Thank you to Catherine at The Bookworm Baby for taking the time to feature my work.

betty goes bananas
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More 'Betty' reviews

"...number one spot at the top of our Diva list, and all over a banana, no less!" Picture Books Blogger

With its bold and delightfully distinctive illustrations and wry humour, this is a book to calm, compose… and ensure smiles all round! - Pam Norfolk, Lincolnshire Evening Post

Thank you!




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'Betty' review and Q&A at Magpie That

Magpie That has reviewed 'Betty Goes Bananas'! The article also features a Q&A.

"A wonderful book by an exciting new talent. ...packed full of laughs."

Read the full article HERE. You can also find a bunch of other picture book reviews on Magpie's fantastic picture book blog.

Thanks, Magpie!

 'Betty Goes Bananas', published by Oxford University Press, is out now.

PS. You can read more reviews of 'Betty' on her page, HERE.

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Betty Goes Bananas is published today!

Signing the book in Waterstones, Chelsea branch.

Signing the book in Waterstones, Chelsea branch.

Thanks to Suzanne Barton for taking this photo of 'Betty' at the Oxford University Press Book Shop.

Thanks to Suzanne Barton for taking this photo of 'Betty' at the Oxford University Press Book Shop.

'Betty Goes Bananas' is officially published in the UK today by Oxford University Press! 

What's it about?

Firstly, don't be fooled by the cover. This book should come with a warning. A big, red sticker: BEWARE...

...because Betty has tantrums. Big temper tantrums. She also wears a pink bow and a pink and yellow dress. 

In this book, Betty sees a banana. She wants to eat it. But the banana...

That's how the story starts.

Here's a bit about how Betty came to be.

It all began with a little sketch of a gorilla about to slip up on a banana peel. The name 'Betty' seemed to suit her, and so did her pink bow. Then came the alliteration, 'Betty Goes Bananas'.

A little later, I met with Oxford University Press (OUP) - a meeting set up by my agent, Elizabeth Roy. They saw Betty, they loved her, and they strongly suggested that I explore tantrums as my theme for Betty. It made perfect sense. 

I tried to remember my own temper tantrums. I tried to remember my niece's tantrums, and my brothers' tantrums. I borrowed big books about tantrums. 

I developed Betty in a style that matched her bold personality, created a secondary 'parent/guardian' character (a long-suffering toucan), bought some banana paper, and then illustrated a rough draft.

A few weeks later, I showed OUP the rough draft of 'Betty Goes Bananas'. They liked it so much that they made an offer! 

I want to say a major THANK YOU to the team at Oxford University Press for all of their continuing support, guidance and encouragement, along with my agent, Elizabeth Roy.

Thanks too, to all of the shops that are stocking Betty, and thank you to everyone that has already reviewed the book online!

So, Betty is now out there waiting to be discovered! She'll also be in the States a little later on, via Wade and Schwartz at Random House.

Me and Betty's US publisher.

Me and Betty's US publisher.

Here's what people are already saying about the book.

"Parents everywhere will be weeping united tears of joy!" Emma O'Donovan, The Book Sniffer

"Just delightful! Has lots of great classrooms uses..." Rachel (full review at Good Reads)

"...ridiculously cute." Jeremy (full review at Good Reads)

"...anyone who has kids has seen and dealt with this." Elsa (full review at Good Reads)

‘...relatable and fun." Leilah Skelton, (full review at Waterstones)

Betty features in The Book Sniffer's 2014 Gift List!

Betty features in The Book Sniffer's 2014 Gift List!

 

At The Book Sniffer website, you can read the very first full review of Betty, along with my first interview about the book.

I'll be announcing a winner to the 'countdown contest' this evening. Good luck!

***CONTEST ALERT***

Win a copy of 'Betty Goes Bananas'! Visit the Oxford Owl Facebook Page for details HERE 

...or just go to your local store and look out for this face. 

A signed copy in Waterstones, Trafalgar Square.

A signed copy in Waterstones, Trafalgar Square.

But...

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ONE!

'Betty Goes Bananas' (Oxford University Press)

'Betty Goes Bananas' (Oxford University Press)

Retweet or 'like' Twitter or Facebook posts with the 10 to 1 #BettyGoesBananas countdown to the official publication of 'Betty Goes Bananas' to be entered into a prize draw to win a signed sketch of Betty! The winner will be announced on August 7th.

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