School's back, and Lolly's all the rage

Press release
January 24 2005
School's back, and Lolly's all the rage

The name Lolly Leopold is likely to be a hot topic for classroom conversation as the new school year begins.

The anarchic Lolly and her pals are the stars of CLUBS, New Zealand's best-selling children's picture book over the Christmas-New Year period. CLUBS marked the debut of Wellington-based publisher Trapeze, who were caught short by the popularity of CLUBS and ordered a second print run to meet high demand in the lead up to Christmas.

The lavishly-illustrated hardcover book is the product of a collaboration between Wellington writer Kate De Goldi and artist Jacqui Colley. It is intended as the first in a series of Lolly Leopold stories.

Publisher Bruce Foster says although CLUBS is aimed at six to ten-year-olds, it also has adult readers hooked. "Booksellers are telling us that adults are buying copies for themselves as well as for young readers in the family. It seems we've also produced a coffee table book."

Ms Love's Room Seven gang have also taken their adventures into cyberspace at lollyleopold.com. De Goldi says the website will offer further reading suggestions for a range of age groups. Wellknown as a reviewer of Children's Books on National Radio, De Goldi will post reading lists of her recommended reads on the website from February 1. She says the "glorious" Ms Love embodies the inspirational role teachers have for their pupils. "She's as much a hero as Lolly," says De Goldi.

National Radio reviewer John McIntyre last week placed CLUBS among his top four children's books for 2004 and said it heralded a completely new genre worldwide. "Very few books ever produced are as ambitious as this," McIntyre told listeners on Nine to Noon.

CLUBS Hard cover 32pp 25x29cm ISBN 0-476-00912-X Published 2004 RRP $19.95

Please contact the Publisher, Bruce Foster for copies of CLUBS for review or use in "lucky draw" or other promotions.

Website: www.lollyleopold.com

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