IN BRIEF - CHILDREN'S AND YOUNG ADULTS' Axel Scheffler Das Hausbuch der Narren und Schelme (The Book of Fools and Jesters) Gerstenberg Verlag, August 2006, 208 pp ISBN: 3-8067-5090-4 Axel Scheffler is a household name in Britain: why, even the Queen has invited him to entertain her small guests and J. K. Rowling outed herself recently as an ardent admirer of The Gruffalo. His pictures with their cartoon-like quality breathe life into a menagerie of characters, human and animal. His latest work offers a delightful anthology of fools and jesters from the pens (or quills) of the Brothers Grimm, Boccaccio and Gorki, among others, in a collection that could be tailored to fit a particular readership. These are timeless tales which still make the reader chuckle, or shudder, tales to be passed down to another generation and later ones still. With Axel Scheffler's illustrations sprinkled liberally throughout, this is an enticing book to read aloud from and to look at with children. Axel Scheffler was born in Hamburg in 1957. After studying art history at the University of Hamburg he moved to England to study illustration at the Bath Academy of Art. He is regarded as one of the foremost illustrators now working internationally. His award-winning books include, The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, The Smartest Giant in Town and The Snail and the Whale. Rights available from (for the illustrations and the concept of the anthology): Gerstenberg Verlag Rathausstraße 18-20 31134 Hildesheim, Germany Tel: +49 51 21106454 E-mail: ina.feist@gerstenberg-verlag.de Contact: Ina Feist Gerstenberg Verlag was founded in St. Petersburg in 1792 and moved a few years later to Hildesheim. Today's attractive list includes children's literature and illustrated non-fiction titles for all age groups. Highlights include Eric Carle's international bestseller The Very Hungry Caterpillar, illustrated books by famous artists such as Jutta Bauer,and Rotraut Susanne Berner, as well as Gerstenberg's 50 Classics, a non-fiction series for young adults.