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Find out moreAdam Stower is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books. He was born in England and grew up in a village at the edge of Lake Zurich after his family moved to Switzerland. Adam has loved drawing for as long as he can remember. He achieved a first-class honours degree in Illustration from Norwich School of Art, followed by a master’s degree in Narrative Illustration from the University of Brighton.
Adam has illustrated sixteen picture books to date, seven of which he wrote himself. He has also illustrated many chapter books for children both here and in the US.
His books have received international acclaim, winning prizes at home and abroad, including the Red House Book Award for Bottom’s Up! (Author – Jeanne Willis) 2010 and the Wanda Gag Read-Aloud Book Award (US) for Silly Doggy! 2013.
Adam’s publishers include David Fickling Books, Puffin, Templar Publishing, Bloomsbury, Faber and Faber, Random House, Scholastic (US), Alison Green Books and Candlewick (US) and his books are translated into many languages around the world.
Aside from his work for children’s fiction, Adam also does regular editorial and advertising illustration work. Adam often visits schools, libraries and festivals at home and abroad where he entertains children and adults alike with readings from his books and live-drawing demonstrations.
Much of King Coo was inspired by Adam’s memories of playing in the woods at the back of his home with his brother, Matt, and of the time he spent at a 462-year-old boarding school in north Norfolk.
Adam lives in Brighton, with his wife, his daughter and a cat called Murray.
Author photo © Paul Winter
BE WARNED! AWFUL ANIMALS LURK INSIDE... Millions of readers have loved The World's Worst Children, The World's Worst Teachers and The World's Worst Parents - now they will delight in this ludicrously laugh-out-loud collection of pets, brought to you by the phenomenal Number One bestselling author David Walliams, with every story illustrated in vibrant colour by Adam Stower. These ten tales of the world's craziest creatures will have you shaking with laughter. You'll never look at pets in the same way again! Marvel at Houdini, the magician's rabbit. Take a trip around the world with Zoom, the supersonic tortoise. Gasp at the chaos created by Griselda, a grizzly bear with a big secret. And RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! It's Furp, the monstrous goldfish! Good pets, bad pets, supervillain pets, pets as big as a house and pets that could eat you in one gulp - these are the most hilarious and horrendous animals around.
Fin is forgetful. He forgets to brush his hair, leaves his school lunch box behind – no big deal. But, one night, Fin forgets to turn off the tap in his basin, and because he’s also forgotten to remove the plug, the basin fills with water, then the bathroom, then the bedroom, the house, village until eventually Fin has flooded the whole world. The fish are delighted - at last, they can go anywhere - and treat Fin as a hero. For the birds though, things aren’t so good. Fortunately, Fin can fix it all by pulling the plug. It’s a very funny story, full of inventive and visually thrilling scenes - Fin’s adventures with the fish are glorious – and it allows us all to inhabit a totally different world for a while. Dive in!
Howl with laughter and squeal with delight at this monstrously exciting new picture book from number one bestselling author David Walliams, illustrated by the awesome Adam Stower! Howler is a SMALL werewolf with a BIG problem. He is just not SCARY! And that makes him the odd one out at Monster School... But when Howler finds some new friends, he discovers that being the ODD one out might just make him the COOLEST one of all... This hilarious new picture book is full of squeal appeal and has giggles on every page.
June 2019 Book of the Month | Kids who like their adventures wild, funny and full of the unexpected will love Adam Stower’s King Coo stories. Starring ordinary schoolboy Ben and his best friend, the totally extraordinary Coo, a bearded girl who lives a secret life with her wombat Herbert in some woods near Ben’s home, they are a brilliant mix of action, invention and jokes of all kinds – verbal, visual, slapstick. This escapade sees the two friends thwart a band of thieves who are intent on stealing priceless golden artefacts from the local museum. For all the zaniness, the plot makes perfect sense and Stower’s excellent illustrations move it along at pace. One to recommend to fans of Tom Gates or Timmy Failure.
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2018 | A glorious romp of a story full of confusion and chaos but with a strong message about trusting yourself and standing up to bullies. Terrorised by Monty Grabbe, the very nastiest school bully you can imagine, Ben hides under the rubbish bin – one of the bullies favourite places of persecution – and finds himself in a twisting tunnel that leads him to somewhere quite unrecognisable and apparently a long, long way away. Now in the land of King Coo, a bearded female ruler, Ben enjoys some stinky, splotchy, squelchy adventures in which he also defeats Monty. Told in words and pictures, Adam Stower’s hilarious story is beautifully presented in this hugely attractive hardback.
May 2017 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month May 2017 | A glorious romp of a story full of confusion and chaos but with a strong message about trusting yourself and standing up to bullies. Terrorised by Monty Grabbe, the very nastiest school bully you can imagine, Ben hides under the rubbish bin – one of the bullies favourite places of persecution – and finds himself in a twisting tunnel that leads him to somewhere quite unrecognisable and apparently a long, long way away. Now in the land of King Coo, a bearded female ruler, Ben enjoys some stinky, splotchy, squelchy adventures in which he also defeats Monty. Told in words and pictures, Adam Stower’s hilarious story is beautifully presented in this hugely attractive hardback. ~ Julia Eccleshare Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month for May 2017 The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue King of the Sky by Nicoloa Davies A Story Like the Wind by Gill Lewis King Coo by Adam Stower The Tale of Angelino Brown by David Almond Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman The Big Bird Spot by Matt Sewell
In a lively, highly readable book Nicola Davies examines ways that man and animals interact, highlighting species whose intelligence and adaptability causes real problems for their human neighbours. Take the Kea for example: these super-smart birds cause no end of mischief in New Zealand, sometimes just for the fun of it; or macaque monkeys who damage crops, cables and peoples’ houses in India and seem easily able to outwit the humans trying to limit their activity. As well as showing them just how clever animals are, these fascinating stories will set children thinking about the effect mankind has on the natural world. The final chapter gives examples of humans and animals working together, which should start children thinking about better ways we can share the planet in the future. ~ Andrea Reece
Go back to the Space Race with No.1 bestselling author David Walliams for a breathless cinematic adventure full of mystery, action, laughs and surprises - and a secret that could change the course of history... America. The 1960s. Ruth loves climbing trees, making a mess and throwing stones. But the thing she loves most is SPACE. The girl is OBSESSED. She spends her days reading comics about alien invasions, doodling UFOs, watching B-movies about Earth being invaded by creatures from Mars... and gazing at the stars through her old, battered telescope. Until one night, Ruth creeps out of bed in the attic room of her rickety old farmhouse to watch the stars - and is just dozing off when she spots something blazing across the sky. Something that looks like a flying saucer! Is she dreaming? No! And the flying saucer is on fire... But when the UFO crash-lands in the cornfield, and Ruth rushes to help, she finds a mystery - and an adventure - beyond her wildest dreams... David Walliams was most recently Children's #1 bestseller with The World's Worst Pets (TCM chart: 30 April 2022)
Go back to the Space Race with No.1 bestselling author David Walliams for a breathless cinematic adventure full of mystery, action, laughs and surprises - and a secret that could change the course of history... America. The 1960s. Ruth loves climbing trees, making a mess and throwing stones. But the thing she loves most is SPACE. The girl is OBSESSED. She spends her days reading comics about alien invasions, doodling UFOs, watching B-movies about Earth being invaded by creatures from Mars... and gazing at the stars through her old, battered telescope. Until one night, Ruth creeps out of bed in the attic room of her rickety old farmhouse to watch the stars - and is just dozing off when she spots something blazing across the sky. Something that looks like a flying saucer! Is she dreaming? No! And the flying saucer is on fire... But when the UFO crash-lands in the cornfield, and Ruth rushes to help, she finds a mystery - and an adventure - beyond her wildest dreams... David Walliams was most recently Children's #1 bestseller with The World's Worst Pets (TCM chart: 30 April 2022)
Howl with laughter and squeal with delight at this monstrously exciting new picture book from number one bestselling author David Walliams, illustrated by the awesome Adam Stower! Howler is a SMALL werewolf with a BIG problem. He is just not SCARY! And that makes him the odd one out at Monster School... But when Howler finds some new friends, he discovers that being the ODD one out might just make him the COOLEST one of all... With giggles on every page, this hilarious new picture book is perfect for ALL little monsters.
Lily wanted a doggy, but her mum said dogs were too messy, too smelly, and far too much trouble. So, she got Lily something else... When Lily's mum finally agrees to buy her a furry feline friend, not everything is as it seems. Sausages are stolen, dens are destroyed, and kitty chaos soon takes over. But is Lily's teeny-tiny companion really to blame? Or could a far more ferocious feline be lurking in the shadows... Jam-packed with humour and charming illustrations, Adam Stower's follow-up to Silly Doggy! is a purr-fect tale of mischief, misplaced blame, and laugh-out-loud cat-astrophes!
One day, Lily saw something WONDERFUL in her garden. It had four legs, a tail, and a big, wet nose...and Lily had ALWAYS wanted one! Looking outside her bedroom window, Lily gets the BEST surprise ever - a doggy! But this is no ordinary doggy - this is an enormous bear escaped from the zoo. Delighted with her new 'canine' friend, Lily and Doggy have a fantastic day together, raiding the fridge and playing in the park. But their fun is suddenly cut short whenthelocal zookeeper comes to collect his lost bear. Luckily for Lily, the next day brings another wonderful surprise at the bottom of her garden... A hilarious tale of mistaken identity and furry fun!
BE WARNED! AWFUL ANIMALS LURK INSIDE... Millions of readers have loved The World's Worst Children, The World's Worst Teachers and The World's Worst Parents - now they will delight in this ludicrously laugh-out-loud collection of pets, brought to you by the phenomenal Number One bestselling author David Walliams, with every story illustrated in vibrant colour by Adam Stower. These ten tales of the world's craziest creatures will have you shaking with laughter. You'll never look at pets in the same way again! Marvel at Houdini, the magician's rabbit. Take a trip around the world with Zoom, the supersonic tortoise. Gasp at the chaos created by Griselda, a grizzly bear with a big secret. And RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! It's Furp, the monstrous goldfish! Good pets, bad pets, supervillain pets, pets as big as a house and pets that could eat you in one gulp - these are the most hilarious and horrendous animals around. David Walliams was most recently Children's #1 bestseller for six weeks with Gangsta Granny Strikes Again! (TCM chart: from 20 Nov 2021)
Cuddle up and laugh with this heart-warming and funny new children's picture book from number-one bestselling author David Walliams, gloriously illustrated by the awesome Adam Stower! One morning, deep in the forest, a beautiful baby panda was born. The panda was different to all the others, as he had dazzling orange fur. I will call you Marmalade, his mummy whispered. . . Meet Marmalade, the little panda who goes on a big adventure as he sets off to explore the forest one day to find where he belongs. Along the way, he meets all sorts of animals . . . until he sees he has come full circle and is back home with his mum, which is where he always did belong, of course! This gorgeous and endearing story is a celebration of family love, being yourself and finding your place in the world. It is the perfect story to share with your special someone - big or little.
Grubb, the young apprentice at Alistair Grim's Odditorium (a flying house of mechanical wonders) finds himself on the run, as all of London is convinced that Alistair Grim is a villain. Grim, however, has come up with a plan to defeat the real villain: the evil Prince Nightshade, who wants the Odditorium's power source for himself. Desperate to clear their master's name and save the world, Grubb and the rest of the Odditorium's crew set off on a perilous underwater adventure to the mythical realm of Avalon. The object of their quest? The legendary sword Excalibur, the only blade powerful enough to pierce Prince Nightshade's suit of magical armour. Along the way, Grubb and his friends must confront a murderous banshee, sea monsters, and a witch with a grudge against Alistair Grim. But that's not all, and Grubb soon learns that their fate was written long ago in an Avalonian prophecy that not even Alistair Grim could have predicted.
Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, is considered by many to be the first novel in English, and its success was so enormous that by the end of the nineteenth century it had spawned more translations and versions than any other previous English book. An everyman character who has become part of our cultural heritage, Defoe's castaway - shipwrecked, imperilled and facing a host of elemental challenges - lives an archetypal life of survival, adventure and personal development. On one level a simple adventure story, while at the same time an allegory, a quest novel and a spiritual autoEdition Biography, Robinson Crusoe has captured the imagination of readers for nearly three centuries.
The classic tale of Phileas Fogg and his quest to travel around the world in just eighty days. Full colour illustrations throughout. English Learner's Editions are part of the Usborne Reading Programme developed with reading experts at the University of Roehampton. They come with CD recordings in British and American English and downloadable worksheets and teacher's notes.
A hilarious new story with fabulous pictures by an internationally acclaimed illustrator. Captain Quack and his loveable yak deliver the post to the mountains and back. At least, that's the idea. But Yak loses all the post, and keeps picking up friends instead. Stranded baa-lambs; lost chickens; even some hitch-hiking rabbits - Yak stacks them all up on his back, till he surely can't carry any more. Or can he? Join Quack and Yak on their brilliantly bonkers journey, and find out just how much you can stack on the back of a yak.
When Lily looks out of her bedroom window, she gets the best surprise ever - a doggy! But this is no ordinary doggy, this is an enormous bear escaped from the local zoo. Lily is delighted with her new 'canine' friend and she and Doggy have a fantastic day - told through a 'lost doggy' poster Lily has made. Unfortunately the zookeeper recognises his lost bear from the poster and comes to reclaim him. Luckily for pet lover Lily, the next day brings another fantastic surprise at the bottom of her garden!
Charming, funny, beautifully illustrated this is an hilarious picture book that will resonate with dog lovers, both adults and children, as they read it together. It is full of visual jokes and it comes complete with a fold-out poster When Lily looks out of her bedroom window, she gets the best surprise ever - a doggy! But this is no normal doggy, this is actually an escaped bear. Lily's adventure with doggy is told through a poster Lily has made, advertising that she's found a lost dog. Sadly a zookeeper comes to collect Doggy. But the next day, Lily has another fantastic surprise and Lily's sadness turns to joy as she sees'kitty' an escaped tiger in her garden.
When Lucy Pennykettle suspects there's a monster in her bedroom, her mum knows exactly what to do. She makes a guard dragon - Gruffen - to look after Lucy. But soon Gruffen realises there's a mystery behind the monster...
Trouble is brewing in Scrubbley! The town council want to demolish the old clock. Lucy isn't really interested in a silly old clock but her mother is determined to save it -- with the help of a timing dragon called Gauge...
Family and Friends is a seven-level primary course which offers you an exceptionally strong skills training programme covering language, phonics, and civic education.
A brilliantly light hearted celebration of the bare bottie! Human toddlers protest against the wearing of nappies, knickers, pants, boxers, bloomers or briefs. After all, the human babies protest in the jaunty rhyming text whilst the entertaining illustrations which illustrate the dottiness of the concept, animals definitely do not wear smalls!
When Matthew Bourne gets his own computer he can't wait to start emailing his best friend Angie. But the expansion of the Internet has disturbed the spirit zone and a spooky message on Matthew's computer screen leads him to contact Giles, a boy who died fifty years ago. This ghostly friend desperately needs to contact his mother and Matthew is the only one who can help him. But danger is never far away when the living meet the dead... A paranormal adventure with a startling twist.
More bookish adventures here when the pirates in the bedtime story Mungo loves come to life. Suddenly, armed only with a teddy bear, Mungo is the hero of the swashbuckling adventures. Bold, carton style illustrations make this a lively night time romp.
The classic tale of Phileas Fogg and his quest to travel around the world in just eighty days, with full colour illustrations throughout. Part of Young Reading Series 2 for readers growing in confidence.
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