Short-listed for the Bishop's Stortford Picture Book Award 2022
Albert the pet tortoise has a problem: trying to reach a tasty treat, he has ended up on his shell, upside down and stuck! Can the other garden creatures overcome their rivalry, team up and help him get back on his feet? Packed with comical, charming illustrations and vibrant colour, this timeless tale shows the power of working together, thinking creatively, and how even the smallest amount of assistance can make a very big difference. Also included are fascinating facts about the real-life tortoise called Albert, who inspired this story, and tortoises around the world a modern-day mini-dinosaur living life on the veg!
What people are saying:
'Beautiful, heart-warming and wonderfully illustrated. I am in love with Albert!' Julian Clary, comedian and writer and author of The Bolds series
'Sensationally illustrated, with a dilemma only teamwork can resolve, and containing acrobatic ants! What more could you want?' Clive Mantle, star of The Vicar of Dibley, Casualty & Robin of Sherwood, author of the Freddie Malone adventures
'It's utterly brilliant and charming and if you're an upside down tortoise, essential reading.' Paul Whitehouse, Gone Fishing, The Fast Show
'A great little story of coming together to help those in need & fantastically illustrated' Joe Sugg, star of YouTube and Strictly Come Dancing
'I like this book, I like the drawings and I like the man who wrote it. I like tortoises. What's not to like?'Jeremy Clarkson
'Tortoises are fascinating characters. They seem quite independent as they plod their way through life. Not Albert, though - he needs help. He finds it through all the friends he never knew he had. Ian Brown tells us Albert's heart-warming story, and makes us laugh along the way. Eoin Clarke's illustrations are stunning. What a lovely book. What will Albert get up to next? I can't wait.' Michael Aspel, TV presenter
'What a lovely feel good story. All the creatures working together to help Albert . Great message for children and getting them to learn about tortoises. Fabulous Illustrations. I loved it and it made me smile.' Vicki Michelle MBE, actress 'Allo 'Allo, I'm A Celebrity, radio presenter, charity ambassador
'Funny, inventive and stunningly illustrated, this topsy-turvy tale is a delight. I was rooting for Albert from page one.' Philip Ardagh, author, winner Roald Dahl Funny Prize
'What a treat for our youngest book-lovers and for grown-ups who will guide them through it. Stunning illustrations and well-chosen words tell the story of Albert the tortoise getting back on his feet after a fall, helped by a somewhat disorganised band of garden creatures. There's lots here to delight young children (even a toilet joke!) plus intriguing facts about tortoises. More of Albert please.' John Craven OBE, Countryfile, Newsround
Ian Brown is a London-based writer and producer for television and former Fleet Street journalist. His TV credits include Top Gear, The South Bank Show, This Is Your Life, Take Your Pick, Petrolheads and the feature documentary Born to Royalty. He has written or produced for the likes of Pierce Brosnan, Harrison Ford, Simon Cowell, Tom Jones, George Lucas, Liam Neeson, Jason Statham, Martin Scorsese, and Bruce Forsyth, among many others. Ian is also the creator and writer of grownup cartoon series The Bruvs. The Albert series are his first book titles for children. Eoin Clarke has worked for thirty years in the animation industry as a director, animator and storyboard artist his directorial work across films, commercials and documentaries has garnered thirty awards. Clients include the BBC, Channel 4, BFI, and Ray Harryhausen, as a storyboard artist, as well as animation for the opening titles of popular TV series with Harry Hill and Gone Fishing with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse. The Albert series are his first illustrated books.
