Hamilton launches Rocket Bird Books

Former Andersen Press and Templar publisher Libby Hamilton is starting up her own imprint under the Barrington Stoke umbrella, focusing on picture books "with no limits".

Rocket Bird Books will release a list of 10 trade-focused picture books for all ages in both fiction and non-fiction from January 2023.

Hamilton will work with guidance from Lucy Juckes, co-founder of Barrington Stokes. The list aims to "nurture new talent and [give] established creatives a new voice", and has highlighted the importance of giving illustrators and authors equal billing and recognition.

Hamilton said of the new venture: “Rocket Bird Books will be picture books with no limits – not on age, subject or format. This is about taking readers on adventures they will want to revisit again and again. When a child thinks of themselves as a book lover before they’ve even started the mechanics of reading, it has a powerfully positive impact on the rest of their life – that’s our mission and I am so proud to be leading it.”

The imprint has also committed to examining its production options to make the business more environmentally friendly. 

Its team will be headed up by Hamilton, with sales, PR and marketing spearheaded by Emma O’Donovan, who, alongside formal training in illustration and graphic design, has more than 20 years’ experience in publishing across major publishing houses. 

UK sales for Rocket Bird Books will be outsourced to Bounce Sales & Marketing, under the direction of Robert Snuggs. International sales are managed by Faber & Faber, while international rights will be handled by Tina Amor. Design and creative will be overseen by graphic designers Mike Jolley, Camille Pichon and Ness Wood. 

Juckes said: “Having championed illustration with Vivian French at Picture Hooks, I am delighted to be working with Libby Hamilton, a passionate advocate of visual storytelling whose editorial skill and entrepreneurial acumen will drive the list.”