There's Nuffin Like a Puffin
Celebrating 70 spectacular years of Puffin Books
Over the past 70 years Puffin Books has been at the forefront of children’s publishing. Seven Stories is proud to present an exhibition that celebrates Puffin Books and showcases some gems from the Seven Stories archive. There's Nuffin like a Puffin will provide visitors with a rare chance to see original material from some of the best known and loved children's books, classic and modern, of the past 70 years, including Stig of the Dump, Worzel Gummidge, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Borrowers, Artemis Fowl and Percy Jackson.
Kate Edwards, Chief Executive of Seven Stories said: "Anyone growing up in Britain will, at some time or another, have read, enjoyed or even fallen in love with a Puffin Book. They have become part of our treasured childhood memories and part of nation's rich literary heritage. When you see the Puffin on the cover of a book you know that inside is a great story. We are proud to stage this exhibition as part of this very special anniversary."
Francesca Dow, Managing Director of Puffin Books added: "This exhibition is a stunning retrospective of our authors and their work over seven fabulous decades of Puffin. Featuring exhibits from treasured authors such as Roald Dahl to contemporary bestsellers such as Eoin Colfer, this year-long exhibition is a must for all families and children’s book lovers nationwide. Puffin was the first publisher of paperback books for children and so it is very fitting for this special show to take place at the first gallery and archive in the UK wholly dedicated to the art of British children's books."
The exhibition displays one of the treasures of the Seven Stories Collection for the first time; the Kaye Webb archive. Kaye Webb was the second chief editor of Puffin Books, holding the position for almost 20 years, from 1961 to 1979. Kaye, and her inventive approach to publishing for children, changed the face of the industry. Her values are shared by Seven Stories. She believed that books for children should be of the highest quality, they should be daring in their ambition and most of all they should be affordable. She was the first to publish some authors and illustrators well known today, including Roald Dahl and Raymond Briggs, and she changed the predominant format of her books to paperback, bringing down their price. The Puffin Club and Puffin Post were her inventions, designed to involve children and to give them the chance meet authors and each other, and to share the joy of reading.
There's Nuffin Like a Puffin is an exhibition for all the family, showing original illustrations and manuscripts, alongside Seven Stories' now famed interactives that involve children (and grown ups!) in book and story. For example, visitors can experience Stig of the Dump's cave, create Michael Rosen inspired poetry using rhyming stepping stones, and make spells with Jan Pieńkowski's Meg and Mog in a magical cauldron.
Seven Stories hopes that visitors will get involved in the exhibition by telling us their favourite Puffin book and joining in the celebration that shows there really is Nuffin Like a Puffin.
Exhibition supported by Puffin Books Limited and Northern Rock Foundation. Seven Stories is a registered charity number 1056812. Supported by Arts Council England and Newcastle City Council.
