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Isn’t it funny how dog owners often look like their dogs?

In Simon James’ wonderful new book, a dog called Polly belongs to Molly, a dog called Eric belongs to Derek, and Rick belongs to Mick – everyone can see they belong to each other, they look so similar! But for Poor Mr Scruff, alone in the dogs’ home, there’s no one – that is until a very special little boy arrives looking for a friend. They don’t look like each other at all, but then perhaps you don’t have to be perfectly matched to find the perfect partner…

A warm, witty and funny story about the true nature of friendship from award-winning author-illustrator Simon James.

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The heart-warming story of a little boy who misses his mum from award-winning author–illustrator Simon James.

The day Stanley’s mum had to go away for work, was the very same day Stanley decided to go to Mars. In his place a not very well behaved Martian arrived on Planet Earth. He looked just like Stanley, but he wouldn’t eat his vegetables, he wouldn’t clean his teeth and he certainly didn’t play nicely in the playground. Dad’s not sure what Mum will think when she gets back. Will the martian still be there, or will the real Stanley get back in time?

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‘A touching story of a little dinosaur looking for a dad’  Books For Keeps

Once upon about 100 million years ago, a terrifying tyrannosaurus roamed the earth. He scared every dinosaur he saw. Then, one night he found an egg in his cave….

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“Frog and Beaver is a book about friendship, tolerance and respect. Frog is delighted when Beaver moves in nearby and immediately welcomes him as a friend. But Beaver’s determination to build the biggest and best dam ever causes all sorts of upset to the other river creatures, and eventually to Beaver himself. Fortunately Frog is on hand to help and to show Beaver how he can make everything perfect again, including his new dam.

The different animal characters are full of personality while the river bank setting is beautifully realised in Simon James’s watercolour illustrations. There’s a great deal for children to enjoy and to think about in this compact little adventure story.” ~ Andrea Reece Lovereading4kids

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When Jess takes a walk in the Wild Woods with Grandad, she makes friends with a squirrel. She’d like to keep him – but Grandad’s not so sure…

‘A breath of fresh air… Witty and sparkling line-and-wash pictures… Full of humour and vitality.’  The Guardian

Simon’s Comments

”I was walking in Plymbridge Woods one grey wintry morning. I sat down next to a small waterfall with my sketchbook. On the far bank I saw a squirrel. On the way home I sketched a fallen tree, a stream and a gate. By the time I got home I had the idea for ‘The Wild Woods’.

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Imagine a baby so clever he’s ready to go to school the day after he’s born! Baby Brains is a doctor by the time he’s two weeks old! Is there nothing he can’t do?

* Overall Winner of the Red House Children’s Book Award*

‘A warm and funny picture book that, like Baby Brains, is perfectly formed’  Books for Keeps

Simon’s  Comments

“My friends, Mark and Kate had their first baby, they invited me to come over and see the new baby.
When I got there, Mark was already convinced his baby showed signs of being very clever.

I drove home thinking what it would be like to have a REALLY clever baby at home…
To my delight, Baby Brains was born a few days later.”

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‘It is 25 years since Dear Greenpeace, Simon James’s classic picture about the environment was first published. It has just been reissued this month which shows that the lessons from it still need to be learnt! An ecological fantasy, Dear Greenpeace is told in letters to Greenpeace from a little girl who is worried about the whale that is living in her pond. Greenpeace explain that whales need more space and that they are migratory, meaning that they travel a long way every day. Emily’s imaginary story to herself and the scientific replies that Greenpeace give her provide a perfect basis for asking questions about the environment and especially about animals and freedom.’

The Guardian

 

 

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When you’re small, it can be hard to keep up, especially when you’re lost and your legs feel all wobbly. This is the story of one small duckling who discovers his courage to walk and lead his brothers home. Along the way, he learns that all journeys begin and end with one little step.

“Simon James’ Little One Step shows this excellent author’s restraint and within a classic lost-baby-duckling tale.”
The Times

“This book has the feeling of a modern-day Make Way for Ducklings; it should become a favourite… Totally charming.”
Kirkus Reviews

Simon’s Comments

“It was winter time when I started to illustrate this simple story. I decided to rent a small house in the south of France to escape the grey days. When I arrived, I found that the warm yellow ochre colour of the stones used in the buildings made me want to use the same colour in my illustrations.”

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How wonderful it would be to have a blue whale for a friend and go swimming together every night… “A wonderfully imaginative tale which delivers a very powerful message.” Practical Parenting

“A sensitive introduction to the plight of whales.”
World-Wide Fund for Nature

Simon’s Comments

“I don’t really know where I got the idea for this dream-like story, but I do know a young friend of mine called Jade, who liked to hear her Mum read it over and over again every night when she was a little girl.

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Baby Brains is a musical genius. He can play every musical instrument, but it’s the electric guitar he loves best. Soon he is the star of the biggest open-air rock concert of all time. The lights are down and into the spotlight steps Baby Brains Superstar…

Simon’s Comments

“This is the second Baby Brains book. I have always wanted to play a musical instrument really well, if I was like Baby Brains, I would make ‘incredible electric music’ like him.
My favourite moment was drawing him at the hairdressers having his one hair done before his opening night. It was one of those times when you are working alone in the studio and laughing out loud.”

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Mr. and Mrs. Brains are exhausted looking after the cleverest baby in the world. So Baby Brains invents the ultimate home help, Robomum. The household is transformed… but this a robot to reckon with and the family are in for a big surprise!

Simon’s Comments

“Parents are often saying how tired they feel, that’s why Baby Brains invented Robomum to do all the housework.
I was always drawing inventions when I was a boy, infact, I still have some of those drawings.
This is the third Baby Brains book.”

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Leon has just moved in to town with his mum. His dad is away in the army. Leon needs a friend, but how can he find one?

*New York Times Best Illustrated Book Of The Year

*Smarties Silver Book Award Winner

“An elegant book… The illustrations are unsentimental and graceful and the story survives re-reading.
The last line makes my son smile each time he reads it.”
The Observer

“As always, James has something to say to parents as well as children.”
Time Out

Simon’s Comments

“This story came to me through meeting a man called Leroy. He told me how he had been away in the army, and that his family had found it hard to settle in a new town without him. It was two years later that I finally found this story.”

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This book of small poems is about seizing the day in all its many moods and moments: the joy of bouncing on a bed or sledging in the snow, the quiet contemplation of a pink azalea bush or a guppy in a jar, the pleasure of a picnic on the beach or sleeping outdoors under the stars…

*Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal

“Delightfully illustrated… An appealing variety of short poems… James truly values the moment, and young readers will value this book.”
Morag Styles The Times Educational Supplement

Simon’s Comments

“I have always enjoyed small poems that capture a larger world. I also like to draw the same thing, to draw a large world, but at the same time give the reader a sense of being drawn into an intimate scene. I enjoyed illustrating this collection of small poems immensely.”

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Winter is coming and it’s time to fly south.

“You must fly,” says George’s Mum, but George isn’t ready.
George would rather stay in his nest, but one day his nest falls out of the tree taking George on an amazing adventure.

‘A fantastic adventure with a fearless hero..’  Junior Magazine

‘An outstanding picture book’  The Times

 

Simon’s Comments

”This story began when I was in France, sitting outside of a cafe. On the other side of the street was a row of trees, one of them had a nest in it. I wondered what would happen if the nest with a small bird inside, slipped out of the tree and fell on to the roof of a parked car. Then I wondered what might happen if someone got in the car and drove away with the nest and the small bird still on the roof. I made a little series of pictures depicting all this at the time. Years later, I came across these drawings in my sketch book and developed them into the story of George and his nest.”

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Jake’s mum and dad knew Jake was trouble so why did they ask him to do the cleaning? Is no one safe from Jake’s vacuuming?

Simon’s Comments

“This story was my first published book. It’s quite different from the others. I think small children find vacuum cleaners to be like fierce monsters. As a boy, there were lots of times when I wished my sister was vacuumed up into one.”

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When Sally pulls a limpet off a rock at the beach, it sticks to her finger –and nothing she or her family or her friends do can unstick it.
Sally’s teacher says that limpets live for twenty years. Will Sally ever get the limpet off her finger?

“A gentle, thoughtful story with wonderful illustrations.” Practical Parenting

“A delightful tale with a strong ecological message.” Books for Keeps

Simon’s Comments

“I was at Wembury beach with my friend Sally, when we came across a little girl trying to pull limpets off the rocks. Sally found a limpet shell lying on the sand, she gave it to the little girl. The limpet inside, suddenly made a funny little squelching noise, it made the girl jump, and she dropped it in to the rock pool.

Later on, I found out some amazing facts about limpets. It was then I knew I had a new book to make.”

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When Nurse Clementine gets a nurse’s outfit for her birthday, it’s perfect.

“You can call me ‘Nurse Clementime” from now on,” she says.
She bandages her Dad, she bandages her Mum, she even bandages her dog.
But her accident prone little brother refuses her help!
Nurse Clementine doesnt know what to do, until a real emergency occurs……

‘a remarkable amount of humor and emotional truth… an endearing book’  Wall Street Journal

Simon’s Comments

I enjoyed developing these two very different characters. Nurse Clementine is practical, sensible and caring, whilst her little brother Tommy is adventurous, bold and fearless. The challenge was to bring them together somehow, by the end of the book.

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Jess can’t believe the stories that Grandad tells her about his days out birdwatching. ‘Birdwatching is fun!’ says Grandad, but Jess is not so sure. Jess decides she will have to go with him and find out for herself. When she does, she finds an amazing story of her own to share with Grandad.

Simon’s Comments

“I like watching garden birds, I enjoy seeing them from my studio with my binoculars. A tiny House Sparrow’s heart beats at 460 beats a minute. Sometimes, I can hear their song coming through my window when I’m writing or drawing. I had always wanted to revisit Jess and Grandad from ‘The Wild Woods’ and happily, this book was a way to bring all of these things together.”

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