The SAA are very pleased to be supporting the World Illustration Awards by sponsoring The SAA Agents Award for New Talent.
Children’s Books 
The chickens are clucking and the cows are mooing in this fun rhyming picture book, Animal Noises, by Thomas Flintham.
Published by Scholastic Children’s Books, this is the second in the series of toddler books by Tom. His drawing style uses bold shapes, strong lines and a limited colour palette to create a joyful book with a simple, engaging story, perfect for very young readers.
Thomas Flintham is represented by Arena
Beautifully illustrated Christmas story makes the second in a series of three books commissioned by Bloomsbury Publishing - the charming story of two best friends Amelie and Pilou Nanette and the trusty dog Pilou get involved in the preparation of Christmas ! Sophie is now working on her third book for Bloomsbury, and shortly afterwards on her other books for Simon and Schuster for the successful Princess Evie series - fiction, activity books, and picture books and growing ....
Sophie Tilley not only writes and illustrates beautiful chidren's books she also makes fabulous dolls, and creates characters, which then become her children's book ideas, she likes to imagine the worlds of the characters.
Sophie Tilley is represented by Artist Partners
The Spy Who Loved School Dinners, written by Pamela Butchart and illustrated by the very talented Thomas Flintham has deservedly been shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2015. Tom's illustrations complement Pamela's hilarious prose perfectly, so much so that another title in the series, Baby Aliens Got My Teacher, has also been shortlisted for the Red House Children's Book Award 2015. Good luck to both.
Thomas Flintham is represented by Arena
Over the city, high above the sea, into a storm, and through a sky full of airplanes, the Noon Balloon is off on a magical journey. Read along as the boy, girl, and little dog fly away for a truly magical adventure from the hidden treasures of Margaret Wise Brown, author of the children’s classics Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny.
Having joined Bright in 2011, Lorena Alvarez has gone from strength to strength in the publishing world – developing a bold digital style that has become incredibly sort after. Her ability to create animated and personable characters within colourfully intricate scenes never ceases to stun readers!
Published 26th December 2014 – Buy The Noon Balloon here
Lorena Alvarez is represented by Bright Group
Meet Bear. He’s exhausted. All he wants is to go to sleep.
Meet Duck, Bear’s persistent next-door neighbor. All he wants is to hang out . . . with Bear.
Jory John, author of All My Friends Are Dead, and Benji Davies join together to create this standout hilarious picture book that will make bedtime memorable.
Following his international success with The Storm Whale and highly anticipated succeeding book On Sudden Hill (both Simon & Schuster), Benji Davies illustrates this soon-to-be classic bedtime story with a charming twist on his distinguished style. A hilariously playful take on the friend who just won’t quit, sleepy Bear endures the annoying antics of his energetic neighbour Duck through beautifully designed and textured spreads.
Goodnight already! has quickly gained critical acclaim only having just been released in the US market earlier this week, and featured first on Buzzfeed’s 25 Ridiculously Wonderful Books to read with Kids in 2015.
Published 2nd December 2014 – Buy Goodnight Already! here
Benji Davies is represented by Bright Group
Toby Ibbotson is the son of award-winning author Eva Ibbotson and Mountwood School for Ghosts is his debut novel about ghosts going to school to learn a thing or two about being scary. The story is based on an idea conceived with Eva, and planned out in detail by the two of them before her death. Alex T Smith was delighted to be commissioned by Macmillan to illustrate this cover along with the reissues of four of Eva's well known children's novels: Which Witch, The Secret of Platform 13, Monster Mission and The Beasts of Clawstone Castle.
Alex T Smith is represented by Arena
This month we have commemorated armistice day and this year is one hundred years since the outbreak of World War One. Frances Castle was commissioned by the BBC to illustrate a series of images to demonstrate to school children, what life was like in Britain during the Great War for the BBC Primary History website. She covered subjects such as the causes of the war, a typical school day and how developments in technology, communications and weapons during the war, changed the way it was fought.
Frances Castle is represented by Arena
Arena is proud to announce the publication of Jonny Duddle’s first picture book, The Pirate Cruncher (Templar). Singled out as “a great swashbuckling adventure from a great new talent” in the Bookseller’s Autumn Highlights, this treasure is not to be missed.
Open Jonny's portfolio here
The launch of the book will also be the central theme of Arena’s Pirate Party, being held on Saturday 17th October. This one-day event is part of the annual Big Draw Campaign “to get everyone drawing”. As well as talking about his inspiration for the book, Jonny will be joined by actors to read the story aloud and lead a drawing workshop.
The Big Draw event will include, book signings by four of Arena’s illustrators, a workshop on “How to draw a Pirate ” by Matthew Buckingham and a demonstration on illustrating sea monsters by Adam Stower. Ongoing acitivies will range from pirate caracatures, doodling eye patches and a collaborative Under the Sea Mural.
All visitors will receive pirate goodie bags with the essentials to make their own pirate picture book and treasure map.
Local Stratford charity, Discover (a children’s story-making centre) will host the day in their Pirate Ahoy! interactive exhibition with treasure chests, a huge pirate ship, and a dead man’s cave.
To join Arena's children's book illustrators for an exciting pirate adventure contact Racheal Brasier at Discover, 020 8536 5555, or Justine Alltimes at Arena, 0845 050 7600.
