Barefoot Books Blog

Behind-the-Scenes: Making our Greek Myths Series

We Barefoot editors refer to our book projects as our babies. So you can imagine how proud I am to have just brought a trio of beautiful book babies into the world! I had the privilege of working with an incredible team—storytellers Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden, illustrator Carole Hénaff, and editor-in-chief Tessa Strickland—to create [...]

Debra Messing on Living Barefoot

We were delighted to have Emmy-award winning actress, Debra Messing, at our Book Expo booth at the packed Javits Center in New York City yesterday. Debra has narrated two of the books on our Autumn 2013 programme: The Little Red Hen, and The Barefoot Book of Jewish Tales. She spent a busy hour signing [...]

So Long, Amazon!

At Barefoot Books we believe that small is beautiful. From small, home-based beginnings twenty years ago, we have grown into an international, award-winning independent children’s book publisher. We are committed to cultural and economic diversity; and this is reflected in both our publishing program and in our business model. With this philosophy at the heart [...]

An Interview with Barefoot Books Illustrator Carole Hénaff

Our newest independent reader series is based on stories from Greek mythology, retold by master storytellers Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden and illustrated by Carole Hénaff. The creative process to take text to vivid illustrations is a fascinating one. We are delighted to share an interview with Carole and an introduction by Editor-in-Chief Tessa Strickland. [...]

A Cheerful Flower Craft inspired by Over in the Meadow

April showers bring May flowers, and what better way to welcome a fresh bunch than with a simple and fun craft? These paper tulips are easy to make and look beautiful grouped in a bouquet or connected with string and hung from a window. Make Your Own Colorful Tulips A Barefoot Activity for Kids Age [...]

Tips for Helping Tweens Find Time for Pleasure Reading

Homework. Swimming. Riding. Saxophone. Friends. Family time. Dinner. Homework. Bedtime Story. Sleep. Add in there a bit of laughter, play, riding bikes with siblings, and chores, and you have the makings of a very busy tween. Does any of this sound familiar? We’re living it. Our 11-year-old daughter can make my busiest days look fairly [...]

Creative Cauldron: A Farmer’s Life for Me

When I first got into publishing, I had some quite inaccurate ideas about what editors do. I was sure that being an editor meant always having your red pen in hand, reading manuscripts and cogitating about literature all day. I do read a lot of manuscripts and I am never far from a red pen. [...]

Book of the Month: Theseus and the Minotaur

I first read the story of Theseus and the Minotaur in an issue of the children’s weekly comic, ‘Look and Learn’. I must have been about eight years old. I was both fascinated and appalled by it – fascinated by the culture of ancient Crete and appalled by the behaviour of Theseus, who abandons Ariadne [...]

Saddle Up with a craft inspired by A Farmer’s Life For Me!

There are many animals on the farm in A Farmer’s Life for Me, like wooly sheep, clucking hens, a big pig with her piglets and beautiful grazing horses. In this craft you will make your own paper bag horse, inspired by the ones in the story! Be creative with the colours of the mane, add [...]

A Buzz-worthy Interview with Beeman Author Laurie Krebs

The Beeman has surpassed even our own expectations; we were thrilled in 2010 when the book was announced as the winner of The English Association’s Award for the Best Non-Fiction title for Children aged 4-7. So when we heard about Laurie Krebs and The Beeman being selected for New York State’s Agriculture in the Classroom’s [...]