CELEBRATIONS March 2019

March is all about the books with children around the world celebrating World Book Day!
B B Taylor parties her way into March by sharing some of our members' latest book-tastic achievements. 

New Releases 

It is exciting enough when your first book comes out, but what about when you hit your thirtieth? Paula Harrison can tell us all exactly how exciting it is as she celebrates the release of book number 30, the fifteenth and final title in her phenomenal Rescue Princesses series published by Nosy Crow. The Amber Necklace will be released on World Book Day, 7 March 2019, and is available to order now. 

World Book day is the day that just keeps giving as our next offering for you is this red-hot thriller packed with secrets and revelations that shines a new light on the award-winning SLATED trilogy. Teri Terry celebrates World Book Day by welcoming her newest creation Fated, published by Orchard books. You lucky people can order it now! 

B B Taylor is trying to boggle our brains this month and get those thinking caps on with her latest project Who Am I? Do you think you can solve all her riddles and work out which animal is which? Why not have a go and find out? Filled with riddles and fun facts, her latest offering is available from 2 March 2019.

We are delighted to share that the lovely Ann Brady has completed the last of the

Little Friends picture book story series. All 18 books are now out along with an adorable matching colouring book. The books are aimed at kids aged 3-6. Why not collect them all for your little ones?

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March is looking hopefully bright for Moira McPartlin, whose book The Star of Hope (third in the Sun Song trilogy) is now available. Published by Fledgling Press, it is the final instalment of this futuristic, post-apocalyptic tale. 

Coming Soon

Our very own SCBWI British Isles RA is celebrating this month! Natascha Biebow is celebrating the publication of her new non-fiction book The Crayon Man, which tells the story of Edwin Binney, whose love of colour and knack for listening and making what people needed led to an innovative and enduring invention in 1903 – Crayola crayons. The Crayon Man has beautiful illustrations from Steve Salerno and is published by HMH. You can pre-order your copy now ready for release on 1 April 2019.

Crystal Kite winner Lorraine Gregory is teasing us all once more with the release of her newest book in May 2019. Her second novel The Maker of Monsters, published by OUP, is a thrilling adventure to add to your wish list. Available to pre-order now.

Vashti Hardy is once again stealing us away to another world as she announces her newest title Wildspark, a mind-bending new adventure from the brains behind Brightstorm. Published by Scholastic, it will be hitting the shelves in May and is available to pre-order now.

Marisa Noelle has exciting news – she announced recently that she has signed for a second book deal. The Shadow Keepers, published by Magnolia Press, is to be released in the summer of 2019. Keep your eyes peeled for more details.

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Talk about excitement! Jennifer Pearson is bringing a storm of laughter this March with her spectacular news. Not only did she sign with Sam Copeland at RCW for her middle grade story The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, but it went to an eight-way publisher auction and she signed a three book, six-figure deal with Usborne. And we are so thrilled and proud for her! Here is the official announcement in The Bookseller.

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Awards 

The year has already been kicked off in style with SCBWI members being nominated for awards and shiny accolades. Here are just some of our proud members and their award nominations.

Alison Donald is celebrating this month as AdoraBULL, illustrated by Alex Wilmore and published by Maverick, has been nominated for the Sheffield Book Award toddler category.

John Condon's book The Wondrous Dinosaurium, which was illustrated by Steve Brown and published by Maverick, has been shortlisted for the Children’s Book Award 2019. You can vote for your favourite and help decide the winner by following this link.

Ally Sherrick is feeling the book love this month as her second book, The Buried Crown, has been shortlisted in the East Sussex Children's Book Awards 2019. Here's a link to the YouTube video making the announcement. But she doesn't stop there, oh no, in fact she's also been shortlisted for the Staffordshire Young Teen Fiction Book Awards 2019 as well.

Vashti Hardy is once again hitting the celebrations page as she parties her way through the month after winning the 2019 Weald Book awards with her debut novel Brightstorm, published by Scholastic. 

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Agents 

Have you got a new agent? Don't be shy, let us know so we can celebrate with you too!

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New Members 

We love welcoming new members into SCBWI and watching them grow and succeed in chasing their goals. If you're a new member, let us know so we can welcome you too. SCBWI has so much to offer its members – celebrating their successes is just part of the fun! And if you're too shy, or not quite ready yet to give us a wave, remember we are always here to support you through your adventures!

Good News

After joining SCBWI in 2018, Eleanor Pender is now the new KnowHow Editor for Words & Pictures. Any ideas, thoughts, issues, email Eleanor at knowhow@britishscbwi.org – KnowHow will take all your burning questions!

The team behind You Can Do It Tom Mouse! is welcoming you to join them at Waterstones in Hitchin, Hertfordshire where they will be holding a book signing with author Richard (Dicky) Barr, and illustrator Joanna Scott on the 30th March – all welcome! The event is also being used to promote Tom Mouse and Dicky’s forthcoming charity motorcycle ride, from London to Mount Everest!

Andy Shepherd is enjoying the month of March as she shares with us that The Boy Who Grew Dragons now has deals in more than ten countries and has been popping up in displays in WHSmiths travel stores. Andy, who was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's book award, has also been enjoying herself at events including one in Waterstones Piccadilly on 2 March 2019. 

*All images courtesy of authors mentioned above. 

Have you got good news to share? New book? New agent? Award nominee or winner? Are you a new member? Say hi and let us know. Why not send an email over with your good news, a picture and any links so we can celebrate too :)

celebrations@britishscbwi.org