Children's Archives - Blacksmith Books

A Dirty Story

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

“This is a story for girls and boys
Who don’t like putting away their toys;
Who think a bed is a trampoline
And can’t be bothered to keep things clean….”

From the creators of The Chinese Calendar Tales comes a tale of dastardly deeds and good clean fun! It’s the eve of the annual Tidy Town competition, and the Neats are working day and night to make their town look exactly right. But then the Grots hatch an evil plan with rather unexpected results!

More rollicking fun with fast-paced rhyme and fabulous illustrations by the best-selling Brennan/Harrison team.

Ages 4 to 8

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An Even Dirtier Story

HK$100.00
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CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

“This is a tale of two small towns
Which grace the district of Twinkle Downs:-

The first where people are good and smart
And do their chores with a happy heart;
The second where they are bad and mean
And never bother to wash or clean….”

Hold onto your hats! The Grots are up to their filthy tricks once more at the Twinkle Downs’ annual Maypole Dance! But they soon learn that life isn’t meant to be greasy when the Neats get even again in this rib-tickling sequel to A Dirty Story.

More rollicking fun for the whole family with Sarah Brennan’s funny, fast-paced rhymes and Harry Harrison’s hilarious illustrations.

Ages 4 to 8

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Out of stock
Boxed Set of 12 Chinese Calendar Tales

HK$1,198.00
USD: US$153.38
CNY: CN¥1,110.55
GBP: £120.10
EUR: €141.17
AUD: AU$230.52
CAD: CA$209.21
JPY: ¥24,100
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

An entire set of all 12 Chinese Calendar Tales, plus companion title The Tale of Pin Yin Panda, in a beautiful display box. Perfect as a gift for Chinese New Year, Christmas, birthdays or any other special occasion!

Includes:

The Tale of Run Run Rat / The Tale of Oswald Ox / The Tale of Temujin [Tiger] / The Tale of Rhonda Rabbit / The Tale of Chester Choi [Dragon] / The Tale of Sybil Snake / The Tale of a Dark Horse / The Tale of Rodney Ram / The Tale of Ming Kee Monkey / The Tale of Rickshaw Rooster / The Tale of Desmond Dog / The Tale of Ping Pong Pig / The Tale of Pin Yin Panda

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Hong Kong for Kids: A Parent’s Guide

HK$158.00
USD: US$20.23
CNY: CN¥146.47
GBP: £15.84
EUR: €18.62
AUD: AU$30.40
CAD: CA$27.59
JPY: ¥3,178
Hong Kong’s bestselling parents’ guide is back, completely revised for 2015 and more comprehensive than ever before, with 70+ outing ideas! Filled with exciting child-friendly activities to do, see and experience, Hong Kong for Kids gives parents and educators all the important information they need to have a successful and stress-free outing with kids.

Whether you’re a tourist visiting the city for the first time, a seasoned expat, a life-long resident or a teacher planning a school field trip, this book is indispensable.

Look inside this book
Click below to view sample pages from Hong Kong for Kids. You will need a pdf reader to view these excerpts.
Contents
Sham Shui Po themed street shopping
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Victoria Peak Garden
Sample maps

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My Rooftop

HK$98.00
USD: US$12.55
CNY: CN¥90.85
GBP: £9.82
EUR: €11.55
AUD: AU$18.86
CAD: CA$17.11
JPY: ¥1,971
by Jonathon Ving "I live in a big city. And this is the view from my rooftop." My Rooftop tells the story of a young boy growing up in a rapidly modernizing Asian metropolis. It follows his relationship with the changing landscape as seen from the top of his apartment building. He can see the river, where ships pass day and night. He can see a golden temple shaded by trees. He can see the towers where people go to work, and the hill where the sun sets. While shared with millions of other people, the view is still very privately his own. But how should he react when a new building starts to block his view? My Rooftop is a tale for all children who face the uncertainty of change. 40 pages of beautifully painted art are accompanied by an audio CD featuring original music, sound effects and narration.

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Pickle the Porcupine and the Wild Hong Kong Adventure

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Catherine Choi

Pickle the Porcupine lives high in the hills of Hong Kong, where he loves to nibble on tree trunks. But one day he finds himself lost in the busy streets of the city. How can he find his way home to the forest?

This poetic and fun tale of a loveable local creature will introduce you to all sorts of Hong Kong transport: ferries, buses, trams and more. See how many kinds of transport you have travelled on!

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Storm Whale

HK$130.00
USD: US$16.64
CNY: CN¥120.51
GBP: £13.03
EUR: €15.32
AUD: AU$25.01
CAD: CA$22.70
JPY: ¥2,615
Illustrated by Jane Tanner

Shortlisted for the 2018 Australian Prime Minister's Literary Award, Children's Fiction

A captivating and beautifully illustrated story about three sisters who find a stranded whale on a windswept beach and try to save it.

Bleak was the day and the wind whipped down
when I and my sisters walked to town ...

With a powerful, poetic text, wonderful to read aloud, and illustrations full of life and movement, Storm Whale celebrates the majesty and vulnerability of nature and our place in it.

"A story of the sea and the possibilities of interactions between humans and other creatures… a story of human kindness and hope" - Magpies

Ages 4 to 8

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The Crocodile who Wanted to be Famous

HK$100.00
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CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Mariko Jesse, translated by Liang Yue

Published by Sixth Finger Press, distributed by Blacksmith Books

A television-loving crocodile named Crafty swims from his riverside village to find fame in the big city. His arrival is front-page news all around the world! But once there, he begins to question what he really wants.

Inspired by the real-life saltwater crocodile that visited Hong Kong, The Crocodile who Wanted to be Famous blends fact, fiction and fable – a genuine classic in the making.

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The Dragon’s Back

HK$98.00
USD: US$12.55
CNY: CN¥90.85
GBP: £9.82
EUR: €11.55
AUD: AU$18.86
CAD: CA$17.11
JPY: ¥1,971
by Theadora Whittington

Chinese fung shui tells us there is a dragon inhabiting every green valley, protective of the mountains and its route to the sea.

Hiking into the hills of Hong Kong for a weekend picnic, Luke and his parents suddenly find their path blocked by a forest fire. Can the friendly mountain dragon help? Or is the mythical creature equally at risk from the actions of careless human beings?

With original painted art, and a cut-out dragon for children to make themselves, The Dragon’s Back sends a gentle message of caring for the environment.

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The Extraordinary Amazing Incredible Unbelievable Walled City of Kowloon

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Imagine living in a high-rise mini-city that people built with their own hands. This city took up only the size of a sports stadium, but it was home to sixty thousand people! What would it be like to live in the most tightly packed place on Earth? Fiona wanted to find out, so she went there to paint, draw and meet the people of the amazing Kowloon Walled City. There was nowhere else in the world like it. The extraordinary things she discovered are inside this book… Based on Fiona Hawthorne's real-life experiences in the famous Walled City of Kowloon, this is a children's book which is also for adults. A young female artist ventures into a place that everyone tells her is dangerous, but she spends time getting to know the people, and draws and paints their everyday lives. By doing so, she discovers the truth: that the Kowloon Walled City was industrious, child-friendly and welcoming. Even though the Walled City was very much Hong Kong, this story of discovery and acceptance is universal. Vibrant, colourful, detailed artwork depicts the busy life of a unique community that no longer exists.

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The Marvellous Adventures of Maggie and Methuselah: A Mystery in Hong Kong

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Charly Cheung Maggie loves hanging out with her best friends Methuselah (her talkative African Grey parrot) and Edmund (the richest boy in Hong Kong), but she loathes attending boring parties with her high-flying mum and dad! Little does she know that a Family Fun Day at Government House will trigger a thrilling adventure involving one of Hong Kong's greatest mysteries: what happened to the immensely valuable Chater Collection, which was hidden on the eve of the Japanese invasion in World War Two? A funny, exciting story for pre-teens set in one of the world's most exotic cities, where cultures meet and risks are for the taking! For readers aged 8 to 12 who love mystery, history and adventure! With 80+ illustrations. "Sarah Brennan’s work is a meeting between traditional Asian narratives and the universal taste of children for graphic stories. The tale-telling gifts shown in these books, along with the exuberance of the language and rhymes, make them unique in children’s literature." – Thomas Keneally, Booker Prize-winning author of Schindler’s Ark

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The Tale of a Dark Horse

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

It's 135BC and Emperor Han Wudi is desperate for a horse… but not just any horse. The horse he wants is tall, dark and handsome, fleet as a bird and free as a gipsy. But will it ever be pinned down? A tale of mystery, history and the fabulous Silk Road!

Highlights the “heavenly horses” of the Ferghana Valley, Han Wudi and his conquest to the West, and the Silk Road.

Age range: 7 to 12

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The Tale of Chester Choi

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Chester Choi is one bad dragon. He just loves children… eating them, that is! But Chester has a secret – he’s desperately lonely and what he really wants is a friend. A tale of greed, bad upbringing and the transformative power of love!

Features the dragon in Chinese mythology and the South China Sea.

Age range: 5 to 8

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The Tale of Desmond Dog

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Desmond Dog is noble, honest and brave… but he’d also make an excellent pirate!

Will the hero of the fishing village of Hong Kong be lured into a life of crime by infamous pirate queen Ching Shih? Find out in this exciting tale of trickery, temptation… and treasure!

Ages 6 to 12

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The Tale of Ming Kee Monkey

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Ming Kee is the cheekiest monkey in Yunnan, and her jungle friends are getting REALLY annoyed! Then one day she offends the Emperor Taizong of Tang! Ming Kee flees the jungle… but where has she gone, and will she ever return? And will she ever mend her mischievous ways? A tale of mayhem, monkey business… and the getting of wisdom!

Highlights the famous Legend of the Monkey King, the extraordinary 7th-century Buddhist explorer Xuanzang, and the exceptional biodiversity of Yunnan Province.

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The Tale of Oswald Ox

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Meet Oswald Ox, bone idle on the farm, just chewing his cud and rolling in the mud while all the other animals are hard at work. No wonder he’s in trouble! Then the winter stores go missing, and Oswald is firmly in the frame. Will wisdom and dignity triumph over meanness and greed? A tale for our times…

Features Chinese farming practices including the use of oxen, rice paddies and farm animals.

Ages 7 to 10

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The Tale of Pin Yin Panda

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Pin Yin Panda has beauty, brains and a healthy ego to match. So on Chinese New Year’s Eve she makes a surprise announcement: next year will be the first Year of the Panda! Will the tradition of millennia be swept aside or will this practically perfect panda be put in her place? And what does the Edinburgh Zoo have to do with it? Find out in this funny and fabulous new companion story to the Chinese Calendar Tales!

Features the Legend of Lord Buddha’s Race, panda diplomacy and 12 Chinese Zodiac stickers. Launched at Edinburgh Zoo 2012!

Age range: 7 to 12

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The Tale of Ping Pong Pig

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

It’s 1420, and the mighty Yongle Emperor loves every inch of the brand new Forbidden City… but most of all he loves PORK! Enter Ping Pong Pig, a plump, pretty and altogether delicious pig, and her nemesis, the Minister of Most Important Things. Will Ping Pong achieve her life’s ambitions, or will they be cut short on a Ming Dynasty platter? Find out in this crackling tale of trickery, camouflage and porcine pursuit!

Features Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor; the Forbidden City; Admiral Zheng He’s giraffe; the quest of Chinese emperors for the Elixir of Life; and the characteristics of people born in the Year of the Pig.

Age range: 6 to 12

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The Tale of Rhonda Rabbit

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

It’s 221BC, and the mighty Emperor Qin Shi Huang is not amused. Somebody or something is stealing from the royal vegetable patch! Enter Rhonda Rabbit, one very bad bunny, with extremely annoying habits and an appetite to match! Will the Emperor save his greens, or will Rhonda Rabbit live to crunch another day? Find out in this funny and fabulous Chinese Calendar Tale!

Features the mighty Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the Great Wall of China and the Legend of the Rabbit in the Moon.

Age range: 7 to 12

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The Tale of Rickshaw Rooster

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Rickshaw is a proud, vain and extremely noisy rooster living in the backstreets of 1920s Shanghai. When the Annual Race along the famous Bund is announced, winning is a matter of national pride for the contestants representing Shanghai’s international Concessions. But Rickshaw Rooster has other ideas! Will the foreigners win again, or will a local hero carry the day? Find out in this tale of loyalty, ruffled feathers and cocky determination!

Highlights 1920s Shanghai, its famous Bund, the international concessions, the end of empire and the rise of nationalism in China, and the special characteristics of people born in the Year of the Rooster.

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The Tale of Rodney Ram

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Rodney Ram is gorgeous, from his ear-tips to his toes. But there’s just one problem – he doesn’t want to lead his flock! Then famine grips Guangdong Province, and the sheep are in mortal danger. Will Rodney rise to the challenge, and save their woolly hides? Find out in this shaggy tale of shyness, sheep and an awful lot of luck!

Features the Legend of the Five Rams of Guangzhou, the city of Guangzhou and the history of rice cultivation in China. Shortlisted for the Golden Dragon Book Awards 2016.

Age range: 6 to 12

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The Tale of Run Run Rat

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Meet Run Run Rat – a loveable rodent with a mission. He’s determined to find fame and glory when he sets out to travel the length and breadth of China. But fame and glory find him in the most unexpected way when he reaches Beijing on the eve of the Olympics Marathon… this funny story in rhyme will inspire anyone from 5 to 105 who believes that victory belongs to those who persevere!

The story features the Beijing Summer Olympics 2008 and famous Chinese sites including the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, Guilin River and Harbin.

Ages 5 to 10

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The Tale of Sybil Snake

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Everybody adores Sybil Snake – she’s beautiful, clever and extremely charming. But all is not as it seems in the Emperor’s menagerie, and Sybil is more of an enchantress than meets the eye! A tale of mystery, missing treasure and the extraordinary magic of love. Ssss… sss… ss… s… s… s…

Features the Legend of Lady White Snake, the true story of Wu Zetian (China’s only female Emperor) and Kublai Khan’s famous menagerie.

Age range: 7 to 12

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The Tale of Temujin

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Illustrated by Harry Harrison

Temujin the Tiger is the Terror of the East. He’s wrought a trail of destruction and fine dining from Mongolia right up to the gates of the Grand Imperial Palace in Beijing! But Princess Precious is pretty awful as well, with a talent for tantrums and an ear-piercing scream! Watch what happens when two irresistible forces collide in this hilarious rhyming tale for kids of all ages!

Features Genghis Khan and the Imperial Palace in Beijing.

Age range: 6 to 10

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Time Tourists: Extinct mammals go on holiday

HK$100.00
USD: US$12.80
CNY: CN¥92.70
GBP: £10.02
EUR: €11.78
AUD: AU$19.24
CAD: CA$17.46
JPY: ¥2,012
Everyone loves dinosaurs, but so many other groups of wonderfully weird (and often giant) animals used to roam the Earth too – they just never had as good a publicist. The planet has seen tons of bizarre-looking mammals, which were closer to us both in biology and in time.

What if they took a holiday from being extinct?

Take a trip around the globe with these outlandish “time tourists” as they visit the modern-day places each species once called home. Colour your way through space and time and help make their travels brilliant!

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