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One of the World Book Day 2014 Authors After graduating with a first class degree in advertising, graphic design and illustration in 1997, Jim Smith was spotted by the owner of a small coffee shop chain and brought in to fill the walls of their flagship store with his paintings.
It was a three month contract; fourteen years later, Jim is head of design at Puccino's Worldwide Ltd, now an international coffee shop franchise with stores in the UK, Europe and Egypt.
In the meantime he's illustrated kids' food packaging for M&S, drawn cartoons on the sides of PJ smoothies, created in-store graphics for Orange phone stores, designed book covers and branded a New York based Iced Tea company.
In 2010, Jim launched the hugely successful Waldo Pancake range of stationery and gift products, now sold in the UK, Australia, Singapore, Europe and the US.
'I am not a Loser' by Barry Loser, the first of a series of children’s books 'spellchecked' by Jim, was published in 2012, having already sold rights to nine countries. The sequel, ‘I am Still Not a Loser’ was the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2013 and declared the funniest book for children aged seven to fourteen.
When Melvin Pebbles moves to the town of Donut Island, he has no idea what’s in store: before he’s even unpacked his vast collection of toy bags (unopened, toys still inside to preserve the mystery), he’s been adopted into the Daily Donut Club by new friend, Rhubarb Plonsky, and by the end of the book, together with third Donut Club member Yoshi Fujikawa, will have foiled an alien invasion and bid to brainwash his new neighbours. As you’d expect from the creator of the inimitable Barry Loser series, this is a blissfully surreal mystery adventure, as weird as it is wonderful, and certain to have readers laughing out loud from beginning to end. Jim Smith’s illustrations are as playful as the plot, and make the whole package even more of a treat. Comic genius!
Everyone at Barry's school has gone football crazy, but Barry gets thrown out of the team (the Mogden Maniacs) for being completeerly rubbish. Then it turns out that his best friend Bunky is a super striker - so Barry becomes his manager. The cup final match is approaching and Bunky's getting carried away with his football fame - can Barry keep his head in the game? Join everyone's favourite Loser on his tenth hilarious adventure! Barry Loser: I am not a loser was selected as a Tom Fletcher Book Club 2017 title. Future Ratboy and the Invasion of the Nom Noms is shortlisted for the Lollies Award 2017.
This brand new series from Jim Smith, creator of the one and only Barry Loser, scores top marks for nutty – and non-stop – surreal humour, and for its fabulous black and white illustrations. Our hero is Brian Lampost, ordinary boy who through a freak accident involving a wheelie bin, a TV and a lightning storm, is zapped into the future as a sort of super-hero (he’s half boy, half rat, half TV) there to do battle with robot grannys amongst other adventures. Don’t whatever you do make this bedtime reading – it will provoke that uncontrollable hysterical giggling in kids that terrifies all adults, but that proviso aside, it’s an absolute winner. ~ Andrea Reece Stop press... Jim will be appearing at the Cheltenham Festival on Sunday 11th October. Click here to find out more. Further information from the Cheltenham Festival.
February 2015 Series of the Month - Barry Loser | What to say about the Barry Loser series to recommend it to the uninitiated? Well, if burps, characters with smelly breath, bogey-eating schoolboys and poo jokes make you double up, then these books are absolutely for you. Barry Loser is a real winner as far as six to eight year olds are concerned, even the most reluctant of readers. Divided into short chapters and full of Jim Smith’s distinctive cartoon style illustrations the books are easy reads that deliver every time. In this new story Barry’s baby brother Desmond Loser the Second is making his life difficult, while outside the home Barry is set on getting his hands on a can of the new drink, Tears of Granny Laughter. Jim Smith writes juvenile farce par excellence – ‘salute the keelness!’ as Barry would say.
This is the 5th madcap book in the Barry Loser series, perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Mr Gum and Tom Gates. All of our Lovereading4kids reader review panel, made up of children love this series, and some said it is even better than its rivals! Be careful where you read this series for both the story and the illustrations will guarantee uncontrollable hysteria throughout.
The Barry Loser notebooks are perfect reads for the more reluctant 7+ reader with plenty of pictures & humour to keep reader interested. The second in this series, I am still not a Loser, deservedly won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2013.
Barry Loser is back giving another hilarious glimpse into his busy life and, above all, into his ongoing campaign to prove that he is a really cool guy. It’s harder than ever for Barry to be cool when his mum becomes the new voice and face of the supermarket. But Barry is not one to give up easily and he’s certain that he is now over being a loser forever. Can this really be true? Jim Smith’s illustrations capture all the loser jokes brilliantly. The third book in this funny madcap must-read series for 7+ boys and girls. If you liked The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, you'll love this!
Winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2013 for the funniest book for children aged seven to fourteen. Barry Loser perfectly combines the random inner thoughts and outer goofiness of a schoolboy set on being the ‘keelest’ kid in school, but thwarted by friends, enemies and his gran. Full of crazy cartoons, chaotic situations and hare-brained schemes, this diary will make you laugh out loud, cringe and snigger, all at the same time!
Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2013 Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans will love how the ill-named Barry Loser copes with the ups and downs of school life. Told in words and pictures, Barry’s way of telling the story of how he survives in school and in life is a triumph of how a cool kid can outsmart the bullies. The Lovereading comment: This is a madcap must-read for 7+ boys. I Am Not A Loser is the first of three notebooks belonging to Barry Loser. Follow Barry as he tries throw off his loserness, take revenge on the terrible Fronkle-burping Darren Darrenofski and finally become a winner.
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