Skip to content

Published on

lib

Libraries go beyond the possible, heading into the realms of the imagination in developing places for children and young people.

This is what we heard at Dolphin Booksellers from the 10 Coolest Libraries for Kids programme.
Watch a video, listen to a CD, play with a puppet, look at stuff under a microscope, or check out a discovery box!

At The Children's Library Lab at The Journey Museum at Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S.A.

Instilling a love of reading at a young age can be an invaluable asset in the life of anyone. It helps them in the success at school and I'm sure there is some research somewhere that shows children who read early have a greater understanding of the world.

The Onlinecollege courses in the US is the place to find the information and we hope to work with them to bring information across the Big Pond.

In Princeton, New Jersey , Jennifer Greenstein Altmann writes about transforming Cotsen Children's Library into a literary wonderland.

"Princeton New Jersey -- Walk through the doors, and you enter a replica of a garden with five-foot animal topiaries made of fiberglass. There are stools shaped like daisies and a table with sunflowers growing out of it, with benches that look like hedges. Beyond the garden is a miniature house with a bookshelf that doubles as a staircase, which children can climb to reach a reading loft."

lib 2

 

It's a really interesting article and we were very excited about this as a development. What a place to sit and read? Just think what can happen?

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers the best in children's books always on line.

 

 

"Laura Bohn '03, a volunteer at Cotsen Children's Library, finds a cosy reading nook in the trunk of a 17-foot bonsai tree that soars over the new installation at the Cotsen gallery".

(Images featured from the Coolest Libraries original article)


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

berNiki Daly has won lots of awards for his brilliantly crafted books. This is latest release with Frances Lincoln (5th May) and follows Not so Fast Songolo, Once upon a Time and the very well loved Jamela's Dress.

Bernard loves his aunts, but he hates being kissed by them. It's time to take a stand. "No more kissing!" said Bernard, and he means it.

Look out for Spiderman and the medieval helmet, which is the best protection against the amorous embraces, until he opens the visor...

Eventually, led by Aunt Tallulah, his aunts find ways to send their kisses without leaving lipstick all over Bernard's cheeks.

A great story, delightful illustrations and an ending that's just right for Bernard.

dolphinBuy on line at Dolphin Booksellers, just click on the Amazon link and you will get a really good price for the book, still in hardback as a new release.

Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books, always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

DSCF0342Travelling to Sydney means more than just a visit down under.

On our second visit this year to develop a literacy project for children and families we met with some great people; yr 4 children, school teams, parents, authors,publishers and many more.

The project, Books go Walkabout, brings authors and illustrators to children from both sides of the world! Ambitious, yes but really exciting. Some of that eternal Aussie optimism catching hold.

We are finding ways of working through the systems and enabling a dialogue to take place from one country to the other. It will share stories and bring new dimensions to children as authors from across the world can bring their perspective.

Our first venture is with a school in Sydney and an English author, Ifeoma Onyefulu. Ifeoma travels to a different part of Africa most years taking the most amazing photos and building stories.

This is followed by an Australian author, Lindy Batchelor sharing her work with a school near Cambridge.

Much work to do in pioneering a new fledging venture and our work in business structures is a key part in making it a success.

DSCF0466

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Martin - SmithMartin Partnership - broadening horizons in communities


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

rgHow can a dusty old picture draw the past and the present together?

In The Rabbit Girl by Mary Arrigan the mystery unfolds. In one time period two evacuees are brought together on the far side of Lake Windermere. They are living with country people and finding life very different from life in the city of London during the war.

They find a friend turns out to be a very famous artist. She has time for them and they get together whenever they can. But time is not on their side and Tony has to return to London as his father is killed in a bombing raid.

Two generations later in a pet shop the story is brought back to life and the grumpy old man is not all he seems. Mallie is intrigued by an old picture of a rabbit and a girl which she gives to her Mum as a present. But it has something very special hidden within it that will reveal a very special secret.

maA great read from Mary Arrigan and published by Frances Lincoln in April this year. It follows on from Nesty's Gold and let's hope there are more stories to come from Mary.

 

 

Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

lbfMore books than you could ever imagine under one roof! We went along on our annual trip to the bookfair at Earl's Court in London.

From ebooks to publishers,and with representations from countries across the world we had to start with a coffee before we could even plan a route through the stands of the London Book Fair Lots of information and ways to make books and reading accessible for everyone. We met with Frances Lincoln publishers, who produce some excellent children's books and are renowned for their leading work in diversity and culturalism.

The producers of ebooks were especially interesting and the team from California were great as they were prepared to help, " We can do anything". a great perspective on working life and definitely a way forward.

The stand for Australia was next to Abu Dhabi, quite a contrast, but two countries with diverse ethnic groups and attitudes, side by side. Interesting conversations on the Children's Book Council in Australia and on the Abu Dhabi Bookfair 2011.What a joy to work with children's books and to see just how far stories and information can spread. What better way to bring cultures and people together.

Sue Martin, Dolphin Booksellers - Bringing the best in children's books always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

Once upon a time..... there were children who went back to school in their pyjamas just as it was getting dark, for bedtime stories...

Aug 09 018

We are working with a children's centre in the London Borough of Wandsworth. As part of the work in engaging with literacy and families Stories at Bedtime was born!

The thought of cosy stories, hot chocolate and with the Big Bookmark guiding the way the first event was a huge success. Over 30 children brought their parents and snuggled down for the stories, then went into other parts of the nursery for more stories before bedtime.

James, aged 2 just had to give in to and was fast asleep in his pushchair before the stories finished. But I'm hoping he will come to the next event in the spring.

Try our Big Bookmarks from Dolphin Bookbox to develop and promote your ideas, you may not send everyone to sleep but it will make an impact.

m granardStoriesFront

 

Sue Martin
Dolphin Booksellers - bringing the best in children's books always on line


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

ttJackie Morris, children's book illustrator and author has some wonderful illustrations of tigers. These fill many of her books with colour and splendour, and capture that engaging image of the tiger in the wild. Yet, within the picture lies a sense of majesty,strength and compassion.

The original watercolour from the book, Lord of the Forest, illustrated by Jackie and written by Caroline Pitcher is being donated by Jackie and auctioned on eBay in aid of the 21st Century Tiger.

From the 21st March for 10 days you can bid in the auction for the painting.

21st Century Tiger is a unique fund raising partnership between the Zoological Society of London and Global Tiger Patrol.They raise money to support conservation products throughout Asia.

Jackie says." Even though in my lifetime I may never see a tiger in the wild, my world is a richer place for knowing that these wonderful creatures are there.... It is my hope that when I have grandchildren tigers will still walk through their dreams and through the forests of the world as living creatures and not something from history, creatures of myth."

Information can be found at 21st Century Tiger

ti

 

Dolphin Booksellers - bringing you the best in children's books always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

A great story" Yipes!" blinked the itzy bitzy rabbit. " What are you going to do?"

" Have my lunch, growled the bear. " And my lunch is...YOU!"

Poor old Grizzly Bear, there was nothing left to eat in the woods. Because he had eaten it all!

From tasty toes to biting in half, this bear means business when he comes across the rabbit. But unlike other animals Rabbit is not scared.

He has intriguing reasons why the bear should not eat him for his lunch and it works!

A great story in a picture book retold in a very appealing way. The drama, the pictures, the way it is presented and the rhyming text make it a joy to read and to share.

It comes from Sean Taylor and illustrated by Hannah Shaw,the team who put together Crocodiles are the best Animals of All- short listed for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2009.Newly published by Frances Lincoln, this book is a great one to read and to buy.

Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books always


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

wbd1

The celebration of books and reading worldwide. World Book Day is now marked in over 100 countries across the globe. In the UK and Ireland we will hold World Book Day on Thursday March 3rd. Schools and bookshops are already getting prepared, full of ideas for events with reading, books and stories.

wbdThe World Book Day website has loads of resources and activity suggestions, all free to download. If you register on the on-line portal you will receive information and updates. A great way to access ideas and support to ensure that you have some great activities happening at your centre.

nbtNational Book Tokens and participating booksellers including Dolphin Booksellers enable the £1 token which can be used to purchase one of the £1 books or against another book as available.

Dolphin Booksellers will be keeping you up to date with activities and events as they happen. Keep looking even after March 3rd as other countries go for April 23rd 2011.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


Published on

dvTime for sending your entries for the Diverse Voices Award. This is the third year that Frances Lincoln in partnership with Seven Stories will be searching through entries.

The Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award promotes diversity in children's books, it encourages new authors to write about aspects which touch children from all over the world. It enables books to be published which recognise and celebrate diversity.

flThe award is held in memory of Frances Lincoln who was an advocate for hearing the voice of children in all sorts of situations, especially those who were unable to access books and reading.

For the winner there is a prize of £1500 plus an option for Frances Lincoln to publish the novel.

The details are on the Seven Stories website, which is great site for a wander. There's lots happening.

The winner of last year's Diverse Voices Award was Tom Avery with Too Much Trouble

tmt

 

 

 

Closing date for entries is February 25th. So get writing, it's worth it just to get that story finished!

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.