It's a great story for everyone, especially those not used to seeing themselves centre-stage'- The Guardian on Billy and the Beast I loved how the text at times did funny things. Like when Billy fell it was like the text fell as well. Hope that makes sense. Haha, it does in my head! Thanks so much for your lovely message and for everything that you do with Book Wagon. Yourself and Bob are much cherished in our booky world and I personally really appreciate everything that you do. If you were registered for the newsletter, you will now receive the Puffin Schools newsletter, which is filled with all the latest information about accompanying resources and upcoming shows.

Nadia Shireen - Penguin Books UK

It’s another Bookwagon day in our house. The kids were so excited to get their latest books in the post. Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments Puffin is an imprint of Penguin Random House, the world’s number-one publisher representing a vibrant community of publishing houses marked by unparalleled success. Through our world of stories, Puffin aims to open up the world to every child. Our mission is to inspire children to feel they can be and do anything, and to create readers for life.

About Billy and the Dragon

Nadia Shireen enjoyed making homemade magazines and comics as a child. She studied law at university and then worked in magazine journalism; it was during this time that she started to draw again. After a lifetime of doodling in the sidelines, Nadia decided to pay some attention to drawing and in 2007 was accepted onto an MA course in Children's Book Illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Her debut book Good Little Wolf received a mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award and won the UKLA Book Award. Nadia has been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. She lives in London. The ending to the story was just fabulous and I was so happy with it! It was an ending that fitted with the book perfectly + we also get why the dragon did that to FatCat. Nadia now writes and draws full time, and dedicates her spare moments to tweeting about pop music and championing diversity and tolerance, values that are powerfully depicted in all her books. In 2017, she collaborated with Book Trust to promote their Time To Read campaign, sending 700,000 copies of The Bumblebear to school children all across the UK. Nadia joined forces with Book Trust once more, as their official Writer and Illustrator In Residence for 2018. In addition, Nadia is an official friend of the Ministry of Stories, and supports the Penguin’s Write Now initiative for discovering under-represented voices. She lives in London with her son. Billy and the Beast was recently shortlisted for the inaugural Booktrust Story Time Prize.

Billy and the Dragon by Nadia Shireen (Jonathan Cape) - bookwagon Billy and the Dragon by Nadia Shireen (Jonathan Cape) - bookwagon

While the title may nod to a certain fairy tale there's not even a whiff of ball gowns or romancein Nadia Shireen's joyous monster-slaying adventure. British author Shireen has created herbest character yet in the feisty and fun Billy’ – The Guardian Fortunate readers familiar with Billy through Billy and the Beast know our heroine is no shrinking violet. Despite the hesitation of her fellow partygoers, and the difficult terrain through which Fat Cat has been carried, Billy is undeterred. She won’t stop for pudding! First, a tree. How can Billy get to the top of a very tall tree to rescue Fat Cat? Ideas anyone? I love the whimsy and characters in this. The fox is great for a one-liner. And the throw-away worm, as it were. Pitch perfect. Nadia was always destined for a career in illustration—as a child, she would doodle on her exercise books, while as a student she would doodle on her law degree notes. Then, when working as a journalist in London for pop music bible Smash Hits, she would doodle all the time on anything. The good people at Smash Hits didn’t fire her for doodling furry animals - instead they let her leave early to go to evening classes in illustration. I haven't met a child who didn't LOVE these books. Sweet, funny, odd in a life-affirming way’ – Caitlin MoranI came across this book while searching for fun First Sentences/First Chapter First Paragraphs. And well, the first part certainly captured me and I just had to read this book fully. I had to know about Billy, about her cat, and if she could save him! Ladybird, Puffin and Penguin are imprints of Penguin Random House UK. Across their extensive list, we believe there is a story for every child, everywhere. The Story-Makers Show was known as Puffin Virtually Live up until March 2019. The content and ambition of the show remains the same: to give every pupil the opportunity to engage with authors and illustrators in their own classroom using the power of the internet. Nadia Shireen enjoyed making homemade magazines and comics as a child, and during her time studying law at university and her subsequent career in journalism, she started to sketch again. Her debut book Good Little Wolf received a mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award, and went on to win the UKLA Book Award. Nadia’s subsequent books have since been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, The Sainsbury’s Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Through a laugh-out-loud story and loveable character, Nadia Shireen shows how to understand and dispel anxieties, one jitter at a time.

Billy and the Dragon - Puffin Schools PICTURE BOOK INSPO: Billy and the Dragon - Puffin Schools

The second in Nadia Shireen’s Billy books is as delightful as the first. Shireen’s comic timing is first class, and her characters are full of brilliant wide-eyed, hilarious expressions while remaining cuddly, relatable and full of comforting warmth. It’s great to see a brown girl knight defeating the dragon, too. Nadia Shireen enjoyed making homemade magazines and comics as a child. She studied law at university and then worked in magazine journalism; it was during this time that she started to draw again. After a lifetime of doodling in the sidelines, Nadia decided to pay some attention to drawing and in 2007 was accepted onto an MA course in children’s book illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Her debut book, Good Little Wolf, received a mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award and won the UKLA Book Award. Nadia has been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. She lives in London.These are the most brilliant, beautiful and silly picture-books out there at the moment. Little doorways of joy. Caitlin Moran Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing -