An edgy new picture book from the renowned creator of Percy the Park Keeper. Featuring an exciting new style of illustration and a thought-provoking plot, this stunning picture book is set to become a firm favourite.

Two gangs of cats live in a scrap yard on the edge of the city. When they're not eating or sleeping, they're fighting, and that's just how The Whisperer likes it. He's a rat, and if he can keep the cats going after each other, they'll leave him and his kind alone.

But just maybe, things in the scrap yard are about to change for the better. Or as The Whisperer sees it...for the worse...

Key title An edgy new picture book from the renowned creator of Percy the Park Keeper. Featuring an exciting new style of illustration and a thought-provoking plot, this stunning picture book is set to become a firm favourite. This book marks a design departure for Nick Butterworth. Nick's trademark, high-quality illustration is viewed, as though in 3d, through dark panels and large scale urban foreground detail. The theme of two rival gangs is thought-provoking and a good point for discussion. Nick Butterworth is the highly-renowned author-illustrator of the phenomenally successful 'Percy the Park Keeper' series which has been published in 16 languages, with worldwide sales of around 3 million copies Nick's picture book, 'Thud', was runner-up for the Kurt Maschler Award and 'Albert le Blanc' was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2002 The BBC have commissioned an hour long Christmas special featuring Nick's picture book 'Jingle Bells' for transmission Christmas 2006.

About the Author

Nick Butterworth was born in Kingsbury, North London. He has worked as a graphic designer for major London design consultancies. Nick then moved into freelance graphics and illustrations, working in partnership with three others, including Mick Inkpen. In 1981 his first children's book was published, B. B. Blacksheep and Company. Nick has also worked as a television presenter on the children's programme Rub-a-Dub-Tub.

Reviews

Praise for QPootle5:
"An alien story with a difference! There's lots of laughs in this friendly, funny story and we loved the wonderfully low-tech DIY spaceship."
Practical Parenting

Praise for Albert le Blanc
''Nick Butterworth is one of the best picture book writers alive.'' The Independent

''Butterworth's drawings have a comforting clarity and his stories develop straightforwardly so the book works for just about everyone.'' Sunday Times

''Triumphant'' The Observer

Praise for QPootle5:
"An alien story with a difference! There's lots of laughs in this friendly, funny story and we loved the wonderfully low-tech DIY spaceship."
Practical Parenting

Praise for Albert le Blanc
''Nick Butterworth is one of the best picture book writers alive.'' The Independent

''Butterworth's drawings have a comforting clarity and his stories develop straightforwardly so the book works for just about everyone.'' Sunday Times

''Triumphant'' The Observer

Awards
Winner of Nestle Children's Book Prize: Age 6-8 2005.



Book Information
ISBN 9780007120185
Author Nick Butterworth
Format Paperback
Page Count 32
Imprint HarperCollins
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 230g
Dimensions(mm) 265mm * 259mm * 3mm