We’re huge fans of books here at New Kid Club, in particluar Children’s Picture Books, which provide us with endless inspiration and joy. For example, here’s a snapshot of Carly’s book collection, see…

Carly is lucky enough to live in a UNESCO city of literature, Manchester, in the North of England, It’s a fantastic city to visit and in recent years the literary scene has been buzzing. With the opening of a brand new poetry library, an annual Literature Festival and many new book stores appearing. So here’s a quick guide to the book stores of Manchester, should you ever find yourself here, in need on a good story and some visiual inspiration!

First up is UNITOM, my favourite! UNITOM has a expertly curated selection of design magazines, fanzines, art books from around the world, covering everything from fashion to street art and beyond. There’s also a great selection of greetings cards, stationery and accesories. If you’re lucky enough, the resident dog might be there to say hello!

The largest bookshop in the north can be found on Deansgate, the mega Waterstones! It’s likely you can find any book here, it also has a huge children’s section, a cafe and amazing non fiction area, for all those beautiful food book covers!

A newer addition to Manchester is Queerlit, Europes largest LGBTQ+ book shop. The shop has recently moved into a new building in the trendy neighbourhood of Ancoats. It now has a large cafe and co-working space too and is well worth a visit. The shop stocks LGBTQ+ related books, graphic novels and children’s books and is a really chilled place to browse and have a cuppa.

House of Books and Friends, another new addition, House of Books has a cafe and a great selection of novels and children’s books. It also has a mission to combat loneliness and social isolation. Projects funded by book sale profits will engage the square mile around the shop, working alongside local charities to combat social isolation and connect a wide breadth of people including the elderly, new parents, and local schools. How cool is that!

Village books in the Northern Quarter stocks a wide selection of contemporary art, design, fashion and photography publications. They also source self-published and small press zines from artists around the world. There’s always something to be found here you won’t get elsewhere.

Others not to miss..

Anywhere out of The World, a hidden gem of a bookshop in the Northern Quarter which stocks shelves of secondhand tomes.

The legendary Arndale Book & Magazine Exchange, worth a visit for the retro window display, but it does get seedier the further inside you go, you have been warned!

Paramount Books is next door, an old school book shop with a vast array, alongside the usual, there’s also an big selection of biographies and autobiographies of actors and musicians, vintage comics and National Geographic magazines.

Manchester Book Buyers, a fun stall to browse, full of bargain books!

I’ve snuck in Siop Shop here, you’ll be hungry by this point, so may I recomend a donut from this fab cafe?

Last but not least is Fred Aldous a Manchester institution. This art shop sells books, gifts, stationery, stylish home wares and that’s just upstairs. Downstairs you’ll find art and craft supplies, more books, laser cutting facitlites and more. go visit!

Street Art-Northern Quarter

Carbs, carbs and more carbs please!! Bread is at the fore front of this trend with loaves, sandwiches and bagels but there’s plenty of room for their pals pasta, pizza and pastries!

Will the food trend be disappearing anytime soon? We don’t think so!

Hello, Carly here, freshly back from a trip to Italy to visit the Bologna Children’s Book fair!

It’s hard to describe the fair itself, words like: amazing, huge, overwhelming, inspiring and busy, spring to mind. There are 1500 exhibitors, numerous illustration exhibitions, events and talks, all taking place over the 4 day fair.

I had just 1 day to see everything, so I put on my most comfortable shoes and set off exploring! Here’s a short round up of some nice things I saw, starting with the Illustrators Exhibition, which I was selected to be a part of! There was also an amazing exhibition of the work of Andrea Antinori.

There were so many beautiful books on display, it was hard to take it all in, but I managed to remember to take some pictures at least..

And I couldn’t go home without taking some of these beauties with me!

And lastly, the amazing illustrators wall, filled with the posters and business cards of illustrators from around the world!

We love this trend of colourful markets and shopping baskets, find joy and creativity in the everyday. Want to see how it’s inspired our current collection? Head to our portfolio!

Aliens do exist! At least they do in our current kids collection. Travel to out of space with cute planets, kooky aliens and out there rocket ships. Head to our online portfolio to take a look.