Two Little Bugs, one White Raven.

Two Little Bugs by Mark and Rowan Sommerset (Dreamboat Books) has been selected as a 2012 White Raven - one of 250 outstanding children’s books published around the world last year.

“White Ravens” are selected by the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany as examples of “extraordinary and innovative books for children and adolescents. White Ravens “inspire and provoke, set new trends, and are of the highest quality in terms of language, content, and artistry. They indicate children's books that deserve worldwide attention on account of their universal themes and their unique and innovative style."

Of the thousands of titles submitted, Two Little Bugs was also awarded a “special mention” by the International Youth Library committee – an honour reserved for only a handful of titles. As a result of its selection, it will be showcased at this year’s Bologna and Frankfurt book fairs alongside two other NZ YA titles: The Traveling Restaurant by Barbara Else (Gecko) and The Scent of Apples by Jacquie McRae (Huia).

The International Youth Library is based in Munich, Germany. They have a unique archival collection of almost 600,000 children’s books in over 130 languages. All titles held at the library can be accessed by researchers and visitors from around the world.

To see what the IYL had to say about Two Little Bugs, The Travelling Restaurant, and The Scent of Apples, click here.