The SAA are very pleased to be supporting the World Illustration Awards by sponsoring The SAA Agents Award for New Talent.
picture book 
On Sunday 15th November we hosted the very first Storytime Sunday at The Bright Emporium with the amazing Julia Patton! Julia’s latest artistic adventure, The Curious Tale of Fi-Rex (Fat Fox) is a collaborative story written by celebrities to raise money forBBC’s Children in Need.
The wonderful, Man on the Moon (a day in the life of Bob), by Simon Bartram (Templar), still delights a generation of children since it's publication thirteen years ago, thanks to the continued backing of librarians and teachers around the country.
On Sunday 18th October we had a super noisy, bear themed Storytime Sunday hosted by the fabulous David Litchfield, who’s recently celebrated the release of his beautiful, debut author-illustrated book, The Bear and The Piano (Frances Lincoln).
2015 was a record-breaking year in growth and turnover. Last year the numbers were the best since Neilson reports began. The Bookseller Children’s Conference took place on Tuesday 29th September; with Bright opening our first exhibition, ‘Where The Story Began’;
Bestselling author/illustrator, Jonny Duddle and Cyber Group Studios, presented the Gigantosaurus trailer based on Jonny's picture book at Cartoon Forum 2015 in Toulouse this month. The forum is an event where all the great and the good of the European animation world gather together to pitch their projects to broadcasters and investors.
Congratulations to Benji Davies who has won the AOI World Illustration Awards : Picture Book Category 2015 for Grandad’s Island (Simon & Schuster).
21st July, Bright and Puffin Books hosted a swashbuckling soirée to launch Fred Blunt’s debut author/illustrated picture book Captain Falsebeard in a Very Fishy Tale, aboard the 16th Century galleon, The Golden Hinde.
I defy you not to be touched by this book
- Elisa Offord, Marketing & Publicity Director, Simon & Schuster
Summer 2015 is set to be a popular season for Bright picture books launching into the public eye and gracing the shelves of book lovers the world over. One of these future classics comes from the pen of award-winning author illustrator Benji Davies and is set to supersede Benji’s critically acclaimed debut title The Storm Whale (Simon & Schuster) having already been shortlisted in the AOI World Illustration Awards 2015. This month, we proudly add the stunningly illustrated & powerfully written Grandad’s Island (Simon & Schuster) to our growing Bright Bookshelf.
Following an award studded 2014 for Bright star Nicola O’Byrne - including the coveted Waterstones Children’s Book Prize - this year was already set to consist of gleaming prosperity. The BookTrust‘s Booktime story for 2015 – that is to be gifted to 700,000 reception-aged children in UK – is Nicola O’Byrne’s debut picture book, Open Very Carefully (Nosy Crow).
The book with bite, which was brokered by Bright M.D Vicki Willden-Lebrecht, has been a seemingly huge success with children of all ages, their parents & schools the world over. Kate Wilson, Managing Director of Nosy Crow, aptly describes why the book has been received so well by young readers -
‘With its invitation to interactivity, its humour and its stylish but accessible illustration, Open Very Carefully seems to have really wide appeal’
The Nosy Crow book, which is to be distributed to all UK school children aged 4-5, will be accompanied by a Booktime pack that provides guidance & notes for parents aimed at installing the importance of reading with their children.
With a reach of two million children & families, the BookTrust is Britain’s largest reading charity. As the organisation’s 10th Booktime story to be gifted to every reception child in UK, Open Very Carefully will no doubt continue to grace the shelves of more and more young readers this year – especially with the availability of 13 languages.
See Nicola O’Byrne’s Literary Portfolio HERE for previous titles, awards & upcoming projects.
Nicola O’Byrne is represented by the Bright Group
David has hit the ground running at Bright securing his first picture book deals in both the UK and the US. His distinctive style mixes colour and drama to inspire an incredible atmosphere which creates a huge scale from which to entertain his readers.
David's début Picture Book - The Bear and the Piano (published with Frances Lincoln), is available for pre-order now!
David first began drawing when he was very young, creating Star Wars & Indiana Jones mash-up comics for his older brother and sister. His illustration heroes and biggest influences are Albert Uderzo, Sylvan Chomet, Jon Klassen and Shaun Tan. He uses a variety of techniques to create his illustrations and considers himself to be a mixed media artist as he usually combines all the elements together in Photoshop.
David Litchfield is represented by Bright
