Levi Pinfold's Greenling coming September 2015 - sneak preview

From award-winning illustrator Levi Pinfold comes a stunning modern fable about nature's power. We've a special preview of this magical tale, which will be published this September, featuring some of the spectacular illustrations that bring this ensorcelling tale vividly to life:

When Mr Barleycorn picks a green baby that had been growing, he could scarcely imagine the consequences he would set in motion, with courgettes sprouting in the kitchen and carrots out of the television.

 Mrs Barleycorn insists the baby must go, but the bounty and beauty of nature has a strange power to bring the whole community together.

Painting with watercolour and gouache, Levi Pinfold creates evocative imagery from imagination and memory, and Greenling will be no exception. Pre-order your copy today.

Get Levi's Best Emerging Illustrator-winning debut Django or the Kate Greenaway medal-winning Black Dog, both available now. Alternatively, unfold his wonderful contribution to the Pictura line and colour in the black and white illustrations in his meticulous Medieval Town.

Around the World in a Week - Competition Time!

Following our journey around the world in a week using the Maps Poster Book we've a chance to win a copy of this stunning celebration of the world.

But first, a recap of our adventures:

 Day 1: Thailand

 Day 2: Norway

Day 3: Germany

Day 4: Italy

Day 5: Peru

Day 6: Spain

Day 7: Kenya

For your chance to win a copy, simply like Templar Publishing on Facebook and share this post on Facebook (click on this link and then click 'share'). Why not use the chance to let us know where in the world you'd most like to travel to...?

Entries are closed at 9pm this Sunday (22/03/15). Entries are limited to UK residents only.

Around the World in a Week with the Maps: Poster Book - Kenya

The final stop in our trip 'around the world in a week' is Kenya, and Stephanie is here to tell us about her experience of it:

My name is Stephanie, and in 2010 I spent an incredible, unforgettable month in Kenya…

I decided to take a ‘gap month’ before University, facing the challenge of an expedition which would see me cope with a bucket for a shower, climb Mount Kenya, volunteer at an orphanage, go on safaris and spend a day with the Masaai tribe.

Those four challenging but wonderful weeks left me with a longing to go back…

The people I met were amazing. Despite having very little, their spirits were always high and on the whole, they were so friendly.

And the children I met at St. Stephen’s orphanage in the village of Timau were unforgettable. On the first day, we listened to them excitedly tell us everything they knew about England - mainly that we were rubbish at football but that Beckham was ‘cool’. We painted their bedrooms, looked after the babies and taught the older children English. One day, as a thank you, they took us on a surprise trip. After walking for at least an hour, we arrived at a beautiful waterfall hidden by lush foliage. This was their secret hideaway, and to be shown it by them was incredibly moving. But they had one more treat in store for us to show their gratitude, presenting us each with a hand sculpted wooden elephant to remind us forever of our ‘friends’ in Kenya.

Asides from the people, it was the wildlife and the landscape that stood out for me. From the bitter cold of Mount Kenya, the friendly feel in the rural villages, to the hustle and bustle of Nairobi – Kenya is a hugely varied country.

At first (and perhaps expectedly after a long flight) the African landscape looked bleak, and it took a while to get used to the expanse of yellow grass with only the occasional shrub and acai tree. By the end of the trip, I had fallen in love.

Seeing wildlife like zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, warthogs, gazelle, rhino and snakes in the wild is a sight you simply cannot compare to seeing them behind bars. Even now, going to the zoo to see animals like these is bittersweet. And on safari, there is always the hope that you might see something incredible – rather than have it listed on a guide. Like the time we were on our way home, only for our guide to drive the jeep through the undergrowth until we hit a sudden stop. With branches poking into our windows, we peered out to see the end of a trunk winding itself around a bundle of leaves. Through the gaps in the trees was the visible outline of an elephant. It was incredible.

Just like the entire trip. And camping for a month in Africa sounds like a bit of a nightmare, but honestly, falling asleep under the stars, having eaten dinner around a campfire and listening to the sounds of the African bush is absolutely magical.

Maps: Poster Book is available now from all good bookshops - put the world on your wall today.
Paperback
9781783702039 
£12.99

Celebrate British Science Week with some of the best science books for children

It's British Science Week, a ten day celebration of science, technology and engineering. What better way to get children excited in science than with some our inspiring science books, on everything from Astronomy to Natural History, Chemistry to Maths.

Infographics: Space (£10.99, published April 2015)

What is a black hole?  How big is the universe?  Why is the Sun hot? Seeing is believing with this book that shows you the facts, the third in the Infographics series.

Also available: Infographics: Human Body & Infographics: Animal Kingdom

Rebel Science (£12.99, published February 2015)

If you think scientists are dull, boring egg-heads in white coats who hang about in labs and don’t have any friends… then you’re wrong. The big brainiacs of history were extraordinary clever, but that doesn’t mean they were always right. They made mistakes, they argued, they performed strange experiments. They took risks, they broke the rules, they were dangerous… They were rebels.

The Really Gross Body Book (£14.99, published March 2015)

This gorgeously gross interactive book is packed with fun facts on farts, snot, vomit, wee, spit and more bodily excretions! Find out how much snot we swallow in a year, how many times we fart in a lifetime, and whether it’s really true that some people use urine as a mouthwash...

Little Explorers: My Amazing Body (£8.99, published March 2015)

How fast do fingernails grow? How does breathing work? What’s really going on under the skin? In this first-information book, the first in the Little Explorers series, getting the answer is as easy as lifting the flaps. Discover the human body inside and out!

Animalium (Welcome to the Museum) (£20, published September 2014)

Welcome to the Museum, in the first of a series that brings a beautifully illustrated curated collection of exhibits together. This iconic book features a different branch of life in each chapter, from the simple sponge to the enormous elephant – no budding natural historian should be without this book!

How the World Began (£14.99, published September 2014)

The fifth title in the How It Works series, this covers billions of years from the formation of the universe to the modern day in a whistle-stop pop up history of the planet. As well as delving into the past, the book also encourages young readers to think for themselves about the future of the planet. It is sure to delight and inspire budding young scientists.
Also available: How The World Works, How The Weather Works, How Animals Live, How We Make Stuff

           

Insiders Space (Insiders Series)

Insiders Sharks (Insiders Series)

Insiders Oceans (Insiders Series)

Insiders Rainforest (Insiders Series)

Insiders Human Body (Insiders Series)

Insiders Dinosaurs (Insiders Series)

(all £7.99, all published February 2015)

The newly re-launched Insiders series covers everything from space to sharks, dinosaurs to the deepest oceans. Packed with facts and illustrative diagrams, if you need one book to cover everything you ever wanted to know about a subject, these are the books for you.

That's Life (Super Science) (£14.99, published October 2014)

The award-winning Super Science series is a breath of fresh air, explaining key elements of science in a fun, straightforward way. With interactive novelties and experiment suggestions, these are sure to inspire a love of science. Life! covers all things biological, from simple cells to humans and all their twiddly bits, from food webs to the secret lives of plants, and from respiration to echolocation and genetic variation!

Also available:

Marvellous Maths

Feel the Force (Super Science)

Molecule Mayhem (Super Science)

The Sound of Mucus (Stinky Science) (£5.99, February 2014)

Science just got super stinky, with our sticker activity book! Find out about all the gruesome things your body does in The Sound of Mucus, Use the stickers to help with the activities, while you learn about all the things that are too gross for school! There are also some smelly stickers so you can be a real Stinky Scientist!

FICTION:

Laika the Astronaut (£6.99, published May 2014)

With beautiful illustrations, Owen Davey takes us on a journey with Laika, the Russian space-dog, as he explores the frontiers of space. While mission control thinks that Laika has been lost, Davey shows us what he thinks really happened to the plucky astro-pooch.

Around the World in a Week - Spain

Our weekend stop is to Madrid, Spain, with Becky telling us about her experiences in the city.

I’m Becky, and during my degree I spent a year living in Madrid. 

So what do I miss most about living in Spain? To put it simply, just about everything.

Madrid wasn’t a city that I instantly loved, but I felt very at home there and gradually fell in love with it. It isn’t necessarily as obviously beautiful as the rugged seaside towns along the north coast, or as quirky and bohemian as Barcelona, but it is an incredibly interesting and captivatingcapital city.  

It is a city in which I happily spent many a sunshine filled weekend pottering down cobbled streets, visiting one of Madrid’s many museums and sampling local – and not quiteso local – cuisine at Mercado San Miguel, an indoor food market in the centre of the city. From Empanadas to Escargots, Tortilla to Tortellini there is food to make even the fussiest of eaters (like myself) very, very happy indeed. Food is an integral part of Spanish life; meals are long, usually late, and are very noisy affairs. Without any doubt, Mercado San Miguel is my favourite place in Madrid and not just on account of the food. On any day of the week it is somewhere that absolutely everyone comes to socialise – students, tourists, locals – be it for tapas or a quick glass of Rioja after work.  

Madrid is a city rich in culture wherever you look. Food from all over the world, foreign cinema, music and art, not to mention the large international population that reside in the city. And this is what really makes Madrid the city it is – the people. There is a friendliness and a sense of welcoming that exists here that I’ve never experienced anywhere else. It’s something that I can’t quite put my finger on, but it’s this andall the other little things that made me fall in love with Madrid.

 Maps: Poster Book is available now from all good bookshops - put the world on your wall today. Paperback  9781783702039 £12.99

Around the World in A Week with Big Picture Press - Peru

 Day 5 of the Maps Poster Book World Tour and it's Thomas's turn to tell you about Peru:

Hi, I'm Thomas and I spent a summer in Peru traveling from the highest peaks of the Andes to the jungles of the Amazon rainforest and I'd love to tell you about some of the best things about this fascinating country...

Machu Picchu

Hundreds of years ago, Peru was ruled by the Incas from their capital city of Cusco. When the Spanish conquistadors lead by Francisco Pizarro arrived, they destroyed much of the Inca's buildings and cities. But Machu Picchu, hidden in the cloud forest, was never found and remained undiscovered until 1911 when an American, Hiram Bingham, found it again.

Today Machu Picchu is a stunning city atop a mountain ridge, full of incredible stonework and fascinating insights into the Incas. Don't miss the chance to climb Huayna Picchu, the steep mountain in the background of most of the 'postcard pictures' to get an even better view of the place.

Lake Titicaca

The highest navigable lake in the world, the lake was home to the Aymara people, many of whom lived on reed islands on the lake which can still be visited today to see some of the traditional craftsmanship and unique boats. On the shores of the lake, you can see llama and alpaca - and if you're really lucky, maybe a vicuña, which produces the most expensive wool in the world.

 Maps: Poster Book is available now from all good bookshops - put the world on your wall today. Paperback  9781783702039 £12.99

Around the World in A Week with Big Picture Press - Italy

Day 4 of our Maps: Poster Book World Tour and Elisa is our guide to the sights of Italy...

Hello everyone! My name is Elisa and I come from Italy.

Even though I moved to England eight years ago, I still miss my country, especially its historical landmarks and the beautiful landscapes. 

As the former seat of the Roman Empire, Italy is a country with a spectacular history in which every city has evolved in a unique way, leaving tourists spoilt for choice when it comes to historical sightseeing destinations.

Although every city in Italy is beautiful in its own right, I am going to walk you through some of the historical sites I consider an absolute must-visit:

1) Colosseum - Rome If you are planning a trip to Italy, the Colosseum is definitely the first place you should visit. The Colosseum is the largest Amphitheater of its kind ever built by the Roman Empire and I guarantee its beauty will never fail to take your breath away, no matter how many times you have visited Rome.

2) Canal Grande – Venice Everyone should enjoy a gondola ride through the canals of Venice at least once in a lifetime. Venice is a city of islands and the canals are, in many ways, the equivalent of London’s busy streets. Lining the canals are traditional and striking buildings, which for the most part have remained unchanged for hundreds of years, adding to the romantic charm. The most famous of these watercourses is Canal Grande, dominated by one of the most beautiful bridges in the country: Ponte di Rialto.

3) Santa Maria del Fiore - Florence Regarded as one of the most fascinating cathedrals in the world, Santa Maria del Fiore is a must see if you are in Florence. The cathedral was built between the 13th and 15th centuries. Its astonishing dome, was completed by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1434. The Campanile, which is 82 meters high (with a total of total of 414 steps), can be climbed. The entrance fee is really inexpensive and the view of the city from the top is spectacular. I highly recommend it! 

4) Basilica di San Pietro – Vatican City The Vatican is home to some of the greatest and most beautiful landmarks and art collections in the world. Designed by greatest renaissance artists such as Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter's is not only one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture, but also one of the largest churches in the world. 

5) La Torre Pendente – Pisa Although the Leaning Tower of Pisa is just one of the many architectural landmarks in Pisa, I think it is fair to say that its fame is renown all over the world. Works on the tower started in the 1100s and the sinking, which led to the lean, began by the time the tower reached the third story. Many predicted that the tower was going to collapse by the year 2000, but its stability has greatly improved thanks to extensive restoration works carried out in the early ‘90’s. Today, visitors can climb up the stairs of the tower for a fabulous view over the Piazza del Duomo. 

 Maps: Poster Book is available now from all good bookshops - put the world on your wall today. Paperback  9781783702039 £12.99 

Around The World In A Week with Big Picture Press - Germany

Our world tour has reached Germany, with Karima as our guide:

Queuing is not customary in Germany. In an instant where people have to wait their turn for something, where no queuing system has been established, people will know exactly when it is their turn. The way they know this is by noting who was already there when they arrived. So as long as they go after the last of those people has gone they are safe. And don’t think Germans are shy about letting you know if you think it is your turn, when it isn’t yet, because they will. They will politely step forward and inform you that they did in fact arrive before you did. Queuing may be simpler, but then again Germans aren’t exactly known to be sloppy about things now, are they?

 
Maps: Poster Book is available now from all good bookshops - put the world on your wall today. Paperback  9781783702039 £12.99

Around the World in A Week with Big Picture Press - Norway

We continue our World Tour by visiting Norway, with our guide James Tavendale.

NORWAY

Norway is a long thin country- so long in fact that if you turned Norway on its axis it would reach all the way from Oslo to Rome!

Norway’s extensive coastline is pockmarked by majestic fjords, carved out of stone by the retreating ice cap thousands of years ago. It was from these fjords the Vikings launched their attacks on Europe a millennia ago.

Despite its rugged and barren appearance Norway is one of the richest countries in the world- thanks to an abundance of oil- and it’s population is generally content and well-looked-after. Tourism is popular, especially ski holidays and trips to see the Northern Lights. You can even visit Norway’s indigenous population- the Lapps or Sami as they call themselves- in the far North and even further north is the Norwegian island of Svalbard- the Kingdom of the Polar Bear!

Maps: Poster Book is available now from all good bookshops - put the world on your wall today. Paperback  9781783702039 £12.99

Around The World in A Week with Big Picture Press

To coincide with the release of Maps Poster Book this month, every day this week we will be exploring a different corner of the globe. Some of our colleagues in the Dorking office have kindly written a blog post so you can find out a little more about  them, and where they are from!

Yontita Smith

Hello, my name is Yontita and I’m from the land of smiles – Thailand! :)

I was born and grew up in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. It is full of life and is one of the busiest cities in the world! Bangkok is also very well-known for food and shopping! 

Shopping in Bangkok is the best and I certainly miss it! There are countless air-conditioned shopping malls, clothing shops and every other variety of outdoors markets you can imagine. They are incredibly cheap too! 

However what I have missed the most apart from my family and friends is FOOD! 

Thai food has become very popular all around the world. The variety and combination of flavours with fresh ingredients all come from local markets. They are healthy and a lot of dishes are spicy! I also love and miss street food and I can guarantee wherever you go in Thailand you will never struggle to find exceptional food. It’s there for you 24/7!

Some of the top tourist places that you should visit when in Bangkok are, The Grand Palace, Wat Po and Wat Arun – beautiful temples situated by the 'Chaopraya River’ which flows through the city. If you fancy a bit of fun Kaosarn Rd is a must (featured in ‘The Beach’ film), and for shopping heading to Siam Square where most teens love to hang out. Chatuchak Weekend Market aka JJ market has over 3000 stalls and you will probably need a whole day there, shop till you drop! 

Other things that I miss are the amazing beaches and wonderful nature. I love my beautiful country and I’m very proud to be Thai. It always makes me smile when I hear people say that they love my country too, so all you need to do is to get yourselves out there and explore the Amazing Thailand :) 

Maps: Poster Book is available now from all good bookshops - put the world on your wall today.
Paperback 
9781783702039
£12.99