Media | Parakeet Books

The Guardian

The Guardian

We need black creatives in senior positions in UK publishing, as Yomi Sode says", Sonya McGilchrist on the Strength in Stories campaign that is promoting diversity through children’s fiction

The Bookseller

The Bookseller

Three micro publishers launch crowdfunder for books making ‘positive’ change in industry

Why Micro Presses Matter

Why Micro Presses Matter

Setting up a micro press is not for people who are motivated mostly by money. At the start of my journey, an industry insider shared the joke with me: “Question: how do you make a small fortune in publishing?

Parakeet Books Strength in stories

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We hit our target! There are 2 hours left if you w

We hit our target! There are 2 hours left if you want to nip in quick ❤️
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Competition! Design YOUR Crystal Palace! Parakee

Competition!

Design YOUR Crystal Palace!

Parakeet Books have teamed up with Graham Whitlock, author of The Crystal Palace Chronicles and Penge Library to invite 6-12 year olds to enter a competition to ‘Design YOUR Crystal Palace’.

You decide what you want to show in your palace to attract millions of visitors and what your building might look like. A nod to the past? A fusion of past and future? A whole new design?

There are two competition categories, ages 6-8 and 9-12. The winners in each category will receive £40 book vouchers with runners up receiving £15 and £10 vouchers. Submissions can be drawn, painted, graphic designed or can be 3D.

Our very own Sheju Adiyatiparambil-John, who loves Crystal Palace Park and visits nearly every day, will be one of the judges.

Sheju says, "I can't wait to see what the kids come up with. Children have the funniest, most creative, and best ideas."

To enter: Just bring your design to Penge Library by 16 June 2023

Check out our beautiful, unique books at the kicks

Check out our beautiful, unique books at the kickstarter link in our bio or stories or search for Parakeet Books on kickstarter.com
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We asked Ebony Lyon from @formy_books to review Cr

We asked Ebony Lyon from @formy_books to review Crooked Witch Soup (available on kickstarter.com)...

She said,
"Crooked Witch Soup is a wonderfully unique and fascinating tale, rich with culture and interwoven with mystifying intrigue. The kindhearted witch and her mischievous animal friends are sure to keep children captivated time and time again. Victoria’s stunning collage textile artwork animates the story perfectly.”
Ebony Lyon, Founder, Formy Books

Thanks Ebony!

We're really proud of this truly original and mysterious story from Victoria Blain (@multiculturalstorytellers)

Check out our kickstarter link in our stories or bio. Or search for Parakeet Books on kickstarter.com

Oh yeah and we're 76% funded, Woohoo! ❤️

Guest post by Arti Jain, author of Don't Climb on

Guest post by Arti Jain, author of Don't Climb on the Bullock Cart!

Soon after I graduated high school, I left my hometown, Dehradun. I didn't know then that I'd never make my way back to the place of my birth except as a visitor.

I've carried my birthplace, my home, within me no matter where I've lived in this world.

My grandparents (Papaji and Beji) were a big and happy part of my childhood. They raised the dreamer in me for in their eyes, I could do no wrong. I don't recall they ever used 'no' or 'don't do it' when we (my siblings and I) carried out our adventures in Papaji's gorgeous garden--climbing and jumping off trees and the big water tank.
They were, however, always ready with a home-made remedy and softly spoken 'next time...do it like this' advice to heal our cuts and bruises.

I wanted my children, raised outside of India, to experience my grandparents' love, but time and distance made it impossible.

When I lost Papaji and Beji, my children were very young.

Every time I visited my home town, I'd notice it changing. Concrete, multi-storeys started replacing dirt patches and zig-zag lanes we used to call gully. However, it was the fading of people's memories of how our neighbourhood used to be that bothered me.

That's when I started writing and blogging about my childhood, about Beji and her cooking, about Papaji and his love of the land and his grandchildren, about our mulberry tree, about the recipes they conjured up as home-made medicines.

Then one day in the Autumn of 2020, Tanmay read one of my blog posts. He enjoyed it so much that he offered to do a story board.

In the middle of the second Covid wave, while stuck indoors, Tanmay and I would meet over zoom once a week to work on the story. One scene, one-line, little details like how Beji wore her dupatta, how short and messy my hair was when I was five--all of it was skillfully translated into illustrations by Tanmay.

Two years later, our collaboration had become a book. It was ready to be published.

It's called 'Don't climb on the bullock cart.' And it has found its perfect home with Parakeet Books.

How was your bank hol? We barbecued and it didn’

How was your bank hol?
We barbecued and it didn’t rain.

I wore my jumpsuit shorts and Sheju can only see Indian policeman from the olden days. He's created a handy side-by-side so you can judge for yourselves.

And we're 57% funded on our kickstarter. Which is incredible. Because fundraising in a global recession is no joke. We're grateful to everyone who has put some money in. Thank you ❤️

And if you'd like to help us reach 100% so we can print these wonderful books there's still time. Just head to the link in our bio/stories or search for Parakeet Books on kickstarter.com. Thank you ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

#kickstartercampaign #ProjectWeLove #debutwriter

#kickstartercampaign #ProjectWeLove #debutwriter #debut #debuttalent

#newtalent #southasianculture #southasianwriting #kidsadventure #multicultural #multiculturalstortellers #adventurestory #indianculture #indianculture #childrensbooks #diversityandinclusion #joyofreading #readingrocks #readingforpleasure
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#booksaboutwitches
#readingismagic #representationmatters
#kidlitwitch
#parakeetbooks

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To buy a copy and help us fund printing costs plea

To buy a copy and help us fund printing costs please check out our kickstarter campaign at the link in our bio or stories or search for Parakeet Books on kickstarter.com

This image is from the picture book, Don't Climb on the Bullock Cart by @arti.a.jain and @tanmayillustrated and published by us Parakeet Books!
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Beautiful words about our books from author Sonia

Beautiful words about our books from author Sonia Faleiro. We're grateful for every comment and review. Thanks Sonia! ❤️

The background to this quote is a detail from Don't Climb on the Bullock Cart by @arti.a.jain and @tanmayillustrated

We hold our illustrators to a high standard and Tanmay's work needed no corrections or tweaks. It was print ready as soon as it hit our desks.

Our kickstarter for this book is still live if you want to nip in and order a copy. We promise you won't regret it!

Link in our bio or stories or search for Parakeet Books on kickstarter.com ❤️

Read Victoria Blain's beautiful words on the creat

Read Victoria Blain's beautiful words on the creative process behind Crooked Witch Soup. And please back our kickstarter (link in bio and stories) to fund this special and wonderful book.

"Working on the illustrations for CWS was such a generous moment of art for the sake of art in my life.

I had one rule, which was I could only use material that was already in my house. As a result, every textile brings to it its own story.

The pencils were both tactile and their erasers, forgiving.

The brown craft paper was my love letter to the color brown and an intentional vehicle for allowing the backdrop color to be seamless with the skin color of the witch. In this way, she is not an abstraction from the whole, she is the whole 🤎"
Victoria Blain, Author / illustrator of Crooked Witch Soup
@multiculturalstorytellers

Please share our campaign even if you can't contri

Please share our campaign even if you can't contribute! The more people that see the more chance we've got of printing these amazing stories. Thank you ❤️
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#kickstartercampaign #ProjectWeLove #debutwriter #debut #debuttalent

#newtalent #southasianculture #southasianwriting #kidsadventure #multicultural #multiculturalstortellers #adventurestory #indianculture #indianculture #childrensbooks #diversityandinclusion #joyofreading #readingrocks #readingforpleasure
#diversebooksforkids #blacklivesmatter #blackbooksmatter #readingismagic
#booksaboutwitches
#readingismagic #representationmatters
#kidlitwitch
#parakeetbooks

#visiblemending

#visiblemending

Did you know our books have been read on screen by

Did you know our books have been read on screen by DJ Cuppy, Nigel Clarke from Cbeebies and Sid Sloane from Cbeebies!?

Yes! It's true!

We're still so grateful and proud to have had these amazingly talented and lovely people read our stories 🥰

Thank you so much @cuppymusic and @nigelclarketv ❤️❤️

PS. We're 27% FUNDED for our really fantastic and beautiful new books. Check out our kickstarter at the link in our stories or bio.

It's a hot day in Don't Climb on the Bullock Cart.

It's a hot day in Don't Climb on the Bullock Cart. It feels hot as you turn the pages.

Flies buzz. Grandparents take afternoon naps.

But brave, fearless Arti gets the urge to go on a bit of an adventure...

A bold, funny, gripping tale where the art mirrors the drama to perfection. We love it so much.

To get your hands on a copy tap the kickstarter link in our stories or bio. Or search for Parakeet Books on kickstarter.com.

And please share this post. We need to raise a considerable amount even to be able to print this beautiful book.

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