A new independent company publishing children’s books and apps, this small but thriving business publishes high-quality commercial fiction and non-fiction books for children aged from 0 to 14, from both well-known authors and illustrators and new talent.
They make innovative multimedia, highly interactive apps that are not existing books squashed onto phones, but instead specially created to take advantage of the devices to tell stories and provide information to children in new and engaging ways.
Managing Director Kate Wilson will be in Sydney from 3 to 6 May. Here she answers some interesting questions about Nosy Crow.
Nosy Crow's philosophy? We want to publish books and apps that children really will enjoy and we want parents to look at our books and apps and know they will be right for their child.
Our core acquisition principle is 'think about the child.' From board book to picture book to novel to app, the young reader is the main focus - the only focus - because they are who we are publishing for.
Why the name Nosy Crow? Originally, Nosy Crow was a character created by my brother and after many suggestions as to what the publishing house should be called Nosy Crow's name was mentioned. The name felt right - irreverent, cheeky, appropriate for children, short, snappy and memorable. So Nosy Crow was born and named all in the midst of a recession but we wouldn't let that stop us and we already have some fabulous books ready to hit the shelves in 2011.
What makes Nosy Crow different from other publishing houses? There is of course the personal touch of a smaller company, but primarily we want to ensure all our children's books reflects a child's interest and experience. The books need to thrill them, entertain them, let them live in that moment. The younger reader needs to feel comfortable and confident in what they are reading, they need to be engaged and interested. They need to have fun.
But we should also ask the question - what could stop a child from engaging with this book? I've spent years talking to children about books, and, for example, when asked about reading books, some boys say that if a book's too long and the text too dense the prospect of reading it can feel dull and intimidating a task. This in turn could make a child feel less confident about the whole reading process.
Sometimes pictures can help to engage a reader in a longer-length novel, and they can provide another level of interaction for the reader. Blend fiction with fun, make it non-threatening, make it stimulating, make it engage the reader from the outset.
'Think about the child' - I can't repeat this often enough.