Nosy Crow acquires ridiculously funny new fiction series by Roald Dahl Funny Prize winner, Philip Ardagh to be illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Nosy Crow is a new, independent publisher, publishing children’s books and children’s apps for iPads, iPhones and similar devices.
23 March 2011: Nosy Crow is delighted to announce the acquisition of a series of four books by award-winning author Philip Ardagh featuring THE GRUNTS, a disgustingly disgruntled family, for whom the words ‘bad’ and ‘luck’ were invented. The books will be illustrated in black and white by Axel Scheffler and their first book, The Grunts in Trouble, is to be published in May 2012.
Mr and Mrs Grunt, who are neither clean nor clever, live with their adopted — in fact, abducted — son, Sunny, in a donkey-drawn caravan in a time and place not quite like our own. Sunny is an odd-looking boy, what with his left ear being higher than his right, and that kind of sticky-up hair which NEVER goes flat, even if massaged with glue. And then, of course, there’s the matter of his blue dress. Together, the unusual Grunt family find themselves in frankly improbable but riotously funny adventures involving everything from double-barrelled shotguns and full-fat yoghurt to a beard of bees. (You mustn’t forget the beard of bees.)
Kate Wilson, Managing Director of Nosy Crow, says:
“Philip makes me laugh – as a person and as an author. Always has done, always will. His combination of professionalism and irreverence make him the perfect Nosy Crow author, and we are pleased and flattered that he’s chosen to publish with us. Pairing him with Axel Scheffler is going to make this an utterly irresistible series for children of 8 and up.”
Philip Ardagh says:
“I’m delighted that THE GRUNTS, my latest series of (very silly) novels, is to be published by Nosy Crow with the crow so fresh from the egg, and still slightly yolky. For Axel Scheffler to have agreed to illustrate it — without my having to resort to threats of any kind — is the real icing on the metaphorical cake. I very much look forward to working with him, Kate Wilson, and the rest of the Nosy Crow team on what I hope will be some of my most outrageous books to date. These are exciting times! FUN just doesn’t express it.”
Axel Scheffler says:
“It’s been several years since I’ve illustrated fiction, but there was an anarchy and humour in the outrageous Grunt characters that really appealed to me, and I look forward to working with Philip on his series with Nosy Crow.”