Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag

• Daniel Fehr
• Illustrated by Raphael Kolly
• Spring 2022, 32 pages, 29.6 x 23.7 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 4+
• All rights available

Duckie is a true panicmonger, always fearing the worst. Even a little outing with the mouse, to the new beaver’s lodge, is an extremely risky venture, in Duckie’s opinion! What if the weather suddenly takes a turn for the worse? Or if they get lost forever in the woods? Whilst Duckie thinks that every moment could be her last, the images paint quite a different picture: the story of a wonderful summer outing. Sometimes everything is just a question of state of mind…

• Florian Beckerhoff
• Illustrated by Barbara Scholz
• Spring 2022, 128 pages, 17.3 x 24.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 6+
• All rights available

Mucky, the shy tarsier, was taken in by the farmer Bernard. He does not understand all the farm animals, but he understands the farmer – and he has a problem: he is broke and the farmer’s wife Grotty from the big farm next door wants his farm! Mucky tries to prompt the animals to help their farmer! But in vain. Only the little limping nanny goat Trinny, who gets on everyone’s nerves, listens to him.

• Nina George, Jens J. Kramer
• Illustrated by Horst Hellmeier
• Spring 2022, 192 pages, 14.8 x 21.0 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 8+
• All rights available

Silent but deadly, triple plop, cloud of truth: with the help of his friend Bobby, Paul discovers the superpowers of passing wind! With this secret superpower, the two eleven-year-old boys first get up to all kinds of mischief and chaos. But when their favourite teacher is in danger and Paul saves her life with a very special fart, they understand that doing so at the right time can also do good…

• Christoph Droesser
• Illustrated by Nora Coenenberg
• Spring 2022, 112 pages, 19.5 x 24.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 8+
• All rights available

A person in Germany lives on average for 30,000 days. Who would have thought that we sleep away almost 10,000 of these days? Or that we pass wind 400,000 times during this time? At times funny, at time astounding, at times educational – but always interesting: the successful duo Christoph Drösser and Nora Coenenberg illustrate what big and small records we set over the course of an average life.

• Jens Baumeister
• Illustrated by Stefanie Reich
• Spring 2022, 208 pages, 14.8 x 21.0 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 10+
• All rights available

When Tessa frees an old demon by mistake, she has no idea what she has let loose. The world is being threatened because the demon world is planning to invade earth. And now it is up to Tessa, together with the demon, to prevent precisely that! But Bifax is less than thrilled and regularly declares how annoying he finds humanity in general. Will the two of them succeed in pulling together and giving their all to save the world?

• Colin Hadler
• Spring 2022, 348 pages, 13.6 x 20.5 cm
• Paperback
• Ages 13+
• All rights available

Romy is spending the holidays in the secluded village of Ancora. Without a mobile phone, in the middle of nature. But the summer is far from carefree, because strange incidents keep occurring in the village and Romy is shocked to realise that everything she is currently experiencing corresponds exactly to a poem by her mother. But what did her mother have to do with Ancora? And why does the last line of the poem end with her death? Not only must Romy go back into the past to understand the lines of the poem, the others living in the village are also facing a dark threat: the revelation of the truth.

• Daniel Napp
• Spring 2020, 32 pages, 22.7 x 29.4 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 4+
• All rights available

Probably the most fun picture book for the 2020 European Championships!

Strong rivals, stronger friends!

The farmer has invited Dr Brumm and his friends to a football match. Instead of a friendly game, they are facing a hard-hitting match against the farmer and his professional playing nephews. Can this game be won by Dr. Brumm and Co.?

• Martina Baumbach
• Illustrated by Imke Sönnichsen
• Spring 2020, 192 pages, 14.5 x 20.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 8+
• All rights available

Magical mix of the art of metamorphosis, friendship, everyday school life!

The school year has got off to an exceptionally exciting start, when the new teacher reveals to Merle and Finn that they are animal shapeshifters! Merle can hardly wait for the lesson with him What animal might she be harbouring within her?

• Sabine Bohlman
• Illustrated by Barbara Schoene
• Spring 2018, 32 pages, 29.0 x 23.2 cm
• Picturebook
• 4+
• All rights available
• Website

His cuddly blanket is all the world to the little dormouse. Just this once, the squirrel is allowed to borrow it to help him carry his nuts home. But no sooner have the little dormouse and the squirrel got to the squirrel’s nest than the next animal is in need of help: the hazel mouse is too frightened to climb down from the tree! And so – the cuddly blanket is made into a safety sheet. It turns out that the blanket is also a great safety rope for the mole, a changing room for the snail and a tipi for everyone to play in. But above all it is a wonderful all-friends-under-one-blanket blanket.

• Sabine Bohlmann
• Illustrated by Kerstin Schoene
• Spring 2020, 32 pages, 29 x 23.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 4+
• All rights available

Volume 5 of our bestselling picture book series!

The little dormouse wants to sleep outdoors tonight. But then, alone in the dark, he does feel a little uneasy. Luckily his friends come by and have some advice about how to quickly dispel the fear. Together they discover that darkness can be beautiful!

• Patrick Hertweck
• Spring 2020, 304 pages, 14.5 x 20.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 10+
• All rights available

Exceptional adventure & pageturner with deep undercurrents!

On the trail of the gold miners

Sierra Nevada, 1856 Tahnee must help her father, who is being chased by bounty hunters. She promised him to succeed in getting to San Francisco! She still has no idea that Tara lives there on a grandiose estate, with whom she shares a special fate...

• Katja Ammon
• Illustrated by Alexander Kopainski
• Spring 2020, 400 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 13+
• All rights available

A new talented romantasy voice!

Is your world really the only one that exists?

By mistake, Lejla creates a crack between our world and the evil, derelict world of darkness. When the mysterious Dorian comes into her life, she needs his help to find out who she really is and to restore the balance between the worlds.

• Corinna Rindlisbacher
• Illustrated by Pascal Nöldner
• Spring 2020, 240 pages, 14.5 x 20.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 10+
• All rights available

Back as a trend: games books!

Nothing for the fainthearted!

Henna and Gregor only wanted to assist a magician, but something went totally wrong and suddenly, they land in a bizarre world full of bubbling mud holes and grisly demons. But which way leads out of this mess? It is all in the reader’s hands.

• Gerd Rübenstrunk
• Spring 2016, 304 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Hardcover
• YA, Ages 12+
• All rights available
• Website

No sooner has he moved to Barcelona than Daniel is questioned by the police. The reason: he was the last person to see Lola’s uncle alive. But not only the police are investigating – Daniel is aware that he is being followed by a gang of mysterious guys. There seems to be some secret surrounding the uncle and he and Lola are determined to get to the bottom of it. And indeed, in an old notebook they come across a cryptic reference to a mystic artefact. In the city’s most hidden crannies they find one reference after the other. However, when they finally do know what the mystery is about the legendary blood ring of Timur Tamerlan, the chase has already turned into a game of life and death …

• Otried Preußler & Susanne Preußler-Bitsch
• Illustrated by Daniel Napp
• Spring 2016, 32 pages, 22.7 x 29.4 cm
• Picturebook
• Ages 4+
• All rights available
• Website

Tonight the little ghost discovers that everything in the castle museum was newly arranged. He starts rearranging things, that’s fun! The next day the castle caretaker can scarcely believe his eyes. What a mess! He already suspected that there must be a ghost in the castle, and he decides to drive it away. But the little ghost is not going to let anyone get the better of him that easily.

• Kerstin Schöne
• Illustrated by Kerstin Schöne
• Spring 2016, 32 pages, 29.4 x 20.0 cm
• Picturebook
• Ages 4+
• Rights sold to Vietnam, Turkey
• Website

The turtle is sad. All the other animals are nimble and fleet-footed, but it takes her too long to do everything. So the animals hatch out a plan to help her. They huddle up close together to make one gigantic slide for the turtle to whoosh down. What super-duper fun! And after the turtle has hurtled past all the animals she realises that there indeed are things you should take your time for – and that are true friends. A new delightful story about friendship!

• Guido Wandrey
• Illustrated by Guido Wandrey
• Spring 2016, 16 pages, 24.5 x 32.0 cm
• Boardbook
• Ages 3+
• All rights available
• Website

Defending castles with intrepid knights, watching the fearless vikings getting ready for long voyages, hunting for treasure with daredevil pirates or riding through the prairie with brave Indians – these enthralling pictures contain so much to be discovered and explored. As an extra, there is a cheeky exploring cat waiting to be discovered in each search-and-find picture.

• Christian Klippel
• Spring 2016, 320 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Hardcover
• YA, Ages 14+
• All rights available
• Website

Get away from it all – that is all she wants to do. Laura runs away from Hamburg and goes to Italy. Here she meets two somewhat shady but very charming characters. Laura, Guido and Walter and their sky-blue Vespa drift through the days, and at night they sleep in a hut in the middle of a flowering meadow … Paradise itself, a damn good life! Then reality catches up with this paradise. Laura has to decide where she belongs; the three of them are challenged to a dangerous race; and the brutal police guy Pirrone starts hunting the teenagers. In the end Laura finds out that Guido and Walter are wanted drug dealers. When they witness Pirrone’s death in a tragic accident, all they can do is escape to Germany …

• Ann-Katrin Schade, Lukas Hüller
• Spring 2016, 96 pages, 17.0 x 24.0 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 8+
• All rights available
• Website

Children have a clear sense of justice. They are interested in their own rights and the rights of other children, no matter whether it concerns how much pocket money they should have and when bedtime is, or more comprehensive matters like war and peace. Here at last is a book that deals with such questions. It all started with a photography project in Tyrol in September 2015. Each of the ten rights is represented in a house designed by children. There is a search-and-find picture of this children’s rights village containing a lot waiting to be discovered, including the children who voice their own opinion of any particular right.

• Ursula Wölfel
• Illustrated by Regina Kehn
• Spring 2017, 96 pages, 14.5 x 20.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 8+
• Rights sold to Mainland China, Italy
• Website

The American Indian boy Flying Star wants to be one of the grownups, for then he would be able to join the buffalo hunt. But the buffalos have disappeared since the White Man came into their land. Flying Star and his friend Grassbird secretly ride over to the White Man to tell them that the buffalos belong to the Indians. And Flying Star would like to find out more about why the White Man came into their land. Doesn’t the White Man know that because of this the Indians are struggling to survive? He has a big surprise, for he discovers that the White Man is not as wicked as he had thought. When Flying Star and Grassbird return their tribe is full of admiration for their courageous deed.

• Fabian Lenk
• Illustrated by Anton Riedel
• Spring 2017, 128 pages, 14.5 x 20.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 8+
• All rights available
• Website

Ben belongs to a blue-blooded clan. According to his mother, top marks at school are self-evident. But with Ben? Forget it! What a good thing he at least has one friend; Otto, an opossum. The fact that Otto can speak is a secret closely guarded. This secret is joined by a second one, for an unidentified flying object crashes bang in front of the door to Ben’s room...

• Rena Fischer
• Spring 2017, 464 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 13+
• All rights available
• Website

A boarding school for highly gifted students, not exactly Emma’s dream! But it is not an ordinary school: All her school mates also have special talents, as she has too. For example, the charismatic Aidan can influence the elements, and more than that he turns Emma’s emotions upside-down. When suddenly Jared, a former student, discloses the sinister secret to her, Emma finds herself caught in the middle between the sides...

• Arne Jörgen Kjosbakken, Dialika Neufeld
• Illustrated by Jan von Holleben
• Spring 2017, 96 pages, 14.8 x 21 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 8+
• All rights available
• Website

Every third marriage ends in divorce. In this complicated situation parents are usually not in a position to pay as much attention to their children as would be necessary. And yet children need clear answers to their urgent questions. This is why the author developed a concept focussing on the emotional needs of children and based on his many years of working as a therapist with children. The answers are those of Dialika Neufeld, renowned SPIEGEL editor, and the pictures are by Jan von Holleben with the support of twenty children who went through the divorce process of their parents and know exactly what it feels like.

• Anja Kömmerling, Thomas Brinx
• Illustrated by Verena Körting
• Spring 2017, 112 pages, 17 x 24 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 6+
• All rights available
• Website

In the carpet land of Felt, Fluff and Fuzz are thunderstruck. A huge ball has entered their land, threatening disaster. Only one being can help: the black no-name, a dangerous but wise spider. Fluff and Fuzz have to find her, no matter what. But the road to the spider is dangerous, passing evil silver fish, burping woodworms and nasty dustmen … Will Fluff and Fuzz manage to avert the huge disaster threatening their land?

• Lukas Heiner
• Illustrated by Medienhaus Baden-Baden Studio 88
• Spring 2017, 256 pages, 17 x 24 cm
• Hardcover
• Ages 6+
• All rights available
• Website

Freddy’s father is one of the most famous pirate captains. But he has been missing for years and Freddy has no greater wish than to look for him out there on the high seas. When the sea dog Kork appears on the scene, this dream comes within reach, for the Emperor has promised to appoint King of the Pirates whosoever should bring him the treasures of all the seven seas. Freddy is certain of one thing: if his father is still out there he will follow the Emperor’s call. Together with the oddball sea dog Kork, he hoists the sails and sets off on the wildest, most dangerous and exciting journey of his life. PIRATES AHOI!!

• Clara Benedikt
• Spring 2018, 368 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Young Adult, Ages 13+
• All rights available
• Website

So-called formers are masters of telekinesis, they manipulate thoughts and can change reality. This gift is only powerful with human beings that have been born with it. But they are in great danger, for there is someone hunting them down. Dr. Levander. Hanna discovers that she has the gift at her 16th birthday. At the same time the good-looking Jan starts showing an interest in her. He manages to gain her trust and Hannah lets him into her secret. But then, after manipulating him, he reveals that he knows more about her gift and admits that he has only been using her. He injects her with a sedative. When Hannah comes round again she is kept at bay until the arrival of Dr. Levander.

• Emily Bold
• Spring 2018, 400 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Young Adult, Ages 13+
• All rights available
• Website

Just before Thorn’s 16th birthday, she realises in the middle of a school lesson that something is not quite right with her. She can scarcely breathe and finally rushes out of the classroom, driven by an inexplicable power within her. From that moment on, her life completely falls apart: She gets to know that she is half human and half silver wing. And that she is in danger, because as a half-being, she should have been killed at birth...

• Rainer Wekwerth + Thariot
• Spring 2018, 416 pages, 13.5 x 20.5 cm
• Hardcover
• Young Adult, Ages 14+
• All rights available
• Website

2018: Suddenly Jake’s eyes are as keen as an eagle’s, and he’s having an intense sense of smell ... 2118: Travis is a doctor treating pregnant 16-year-old Lee Hastings who’s baby is due in four weeks. He happens to meet her three days later, without her baby bump. She runs away. While looking for her, he comes across an organisation obviously supporting the cause of children, but in fact having totally different aims dangerous for all mankind.

• Christian Nürnberger + Prof. Dr. Stephan Kaußen
• Spring 2018, 112 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Hardcover
• 13+
• All rights available
• Website

In his portrait, Christian Nürnberger has impressively shown how the unpolitical student turned into a pioneer recognised all over the world fighting for a democratic and free society and finally even became the first President of South Africa.

The renowned journalist Dr. Stephan Kaußen, who lives in South Africa, also takes a look at Mandela’s political heritage and the current situation of the people in the country. How do things stand with equality and freedom in South Africa today?

• Oliver Scherz
• Illustrated by Barbara Scholz
• Spring 2018, 128 pages, 17 x 24 cm
• Hardcover
• 6+
• All rights available
• Website

Habbi is joyfully jumping about in the woods stuffing his cheeks with all sorts of treasures, until he suddenly crashes into a wolf, a squirrel’s greatest enemy. But instead of pouncing on him, he looks weakly at him through half-closed eyes. He seems to be badly injured. How could Habbi possibly leave him alone there? Each day he brings him food and gradually they become friends – until their friendship is put to a tough test …

• Emily Bold
• Spring 2019, 304 pages, 13.6 x 20.5 cm
• Paperback
• 12+
• All rights available
• Website

In order to improve her geography knowledge, Samantha spends her holiday in Scotland. No sooner has she arrived at her guest family than she is drawn into the legends and myths of the area. Like about the mysterious Payton, who appears to harbour a sinister secret. Payton is over two hundred years old, trapped forever in the body of a nineteen-year-old and furthermore with a curse not to feel any emotions – until he meets Sam who finally makes him feel something again. However, with every step in Payton’s direction, Sam gets closer to a gruesome truth that is enmeshed in the turmoil of time.

• Torsten Fink
• Spring 2019, 432 pages, 14.7 x 22 cm
• Hardcover
• 13+
• All rights available
• Website

As infants, Ayrin and Baren were abandoned on the threshold of an inn. Now, 16 years later, the twins start their training with a peculiar runes master. Soon the twins get caught up in a dangerous web of sinister forces with which they have more in common than they suspect. Because the witch king who is threatening the world of people is their father. Their mother was also a magician and bequeathed a great magical talent to Ayrin –
her art of drawing the magical runes will decide about the fate of humanity.

• Julia Dippel
• Spring 2019, 544 pages, 13.5 x 21.5 cm
• Paperback
• 13+
• All rights available
• Website

Ari considers herself a quite normal child of divorced parents: she lives with her temperamental mother and snubs her rich father. However, all her average worries suddenly pale into insignificance when supernatural beings try to kill her. One of them is Lucian, for whom Ari is high up on the hit list as the daughter of his arch enemy. However, when he realises how mistaken he has been, the two of them embark on a dangerous search for answers. A chasm of intrigue, betrayal and the power games of a secret society opens up before them.

• Carmen Hochmann
• Illustrated by Stephan Schlensog
• Spring 2019, 12 pages, 24.5 x 32 cm
• Boardbook
• 3+
• All rights available
• Website

Whether it is a christening, sugar festival, Bar Mitzvah, Vesak or Diwali: through the large teeming pictures, children will get to know the most important festivals and rituals of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism in Germany.

A little girl shows the way on each page and the motifs on the picture strips and explanatory texts on the fold-out pages guarantee searching fun and playful learning.

• Oliver Scherz
• Illustrated by Daniel Napp
• Spring 2019, 112 pages, 17.3 x 24.5 cm
• Hardcover
• 6+
• All rights available
• Website

When Fred Fuzzhead wants to wrap his long monkey arms around Maud like every morning, he makes the astounding realisation that Maud has gone. Will with the lion’s mane and the bear Bom do not know where Maud might be either. Then they find a message that Maud has left on the kitchen table, showing a building and Maud in it with a sad look on her face. Fred, Will and Bom are sure: Maud has been abducted!

The three cuddly animals waste no time in knotting together a couple of items of clothing and letting themselves down out of the playroom window. They land directly in the city, amidst beeping cars and rushing people. Where can they possibly find Maud here?

• Michael Ende, Wieland Freund
• Illustrated by Regina Kehn
• Spring 2019, 208 pages, 17.3 x 24.5 cm
• Hardcover
• 6+
• Rights sold to Hungary, Israel, Turkey, Czech Republic
• Website

Nipper is on the road with his parents, who earn their living as puppeteers. Nowhere is more boring than at home, in Nipper’s opinion. He therefore runs away, determined to learn the tricks of the trade from the notorious robber Rodrigo Roughneck. What Nipper doesn’t know: Rodrigo Roughneck is quite different from how he makes out to be. All his jittering adventures are smoke and mirrors and lies, because deep down Rodrigo is a real wimp. To ensure he isn’t exposed, he must get rid of this Nipper as soon as possible – and demands proof of his courage! Full of determination, Nipper hatches a plot to abduct Princess Flip, not suspecting that a far mightier villain than he has set his sights on the princes.