Unfortunately, we are unable to enter into individual email correspondence about book proposals. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts via post or email.

If you are interested in writing and are asking for general information and advice, it is a good idea to look in your local library for books that will tell you how to get started.

It is best to approach a literary agent who will be able to advise you on your work and will know the most suitable publisher to whom you should submit it. Names and addresses of UK literary agents (including children's agents) can be found in The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, published annually by A&C Black and available from most libraries.

Publications
Writers News
» www.writersnews.co.uk

Books for Keeps
» www.booksforkeeps.co.uk

Carousel
» www.carouselguide.co.uk

Organizations
The Writers Advice Centre for Children's Books
» www.writersadvice.co.uk

Offers individual editorial and marketing advice by editors currently involved in children's publishing. Also day conferences and courses. S.A.E. for details.

Booktrust
» www.booktrust.org.uk

Offers a free book information service to the public. They also hold a reference library of every children's book published in the past two years.

The Federation of Children's Book Groups
» www.fcbg.org.uk

An organization for all those involved in children's books.

City Lit
» www.citylit.ac.uk

A college for adult education. Provides a wide variety of writing courses including writing for children. Daytime and evening.

Arvon Foundation
» www.arvonfoundation.org

Offers people the opportunity to live and work with professional writers. Runs residential writing courses around the UK, including writing for children.

We wish you luck in placing your work.

Please send copies of your work (no original art work) by post to:

Anna Billson - Art Director
Puffin Art and Design
Penguin Books
80 Strand
London
WC2R 0RL

You can write to your preferred author/illustrator at the following address:

Name of author/illustrator
c/o Puffin Publicity, Penguin Books
80 Strand, London
WC2R 0LR
Please do not email your request.

Although we will forward your letter we can not supply authors' addresses for privacy reasons. Similarly we are unable to act as booking agents for events; arrangements for school/library events are entirely between yourselves and the author/illustrator concerned.

You can write to your preferred author/illustrator at the following address:

Name of author/illustrator here
c/o Puffin Publicity, Penguin Books
80 Strand, London
WC2R 0LR
Please do not email your request.

Although we will forward your letter we can not supply authors' addresses for privacy reasons. Similarly we are unable to act as booking agents for events; arrangements for school/library events are entirely between yourselves and the author/illustrator concerned.

However, if you are a school with a planned author visit please contact Puffin DK Schools Direct on 0500 807 981. For any publicity material you require, you can contact puffin@penguin.co.uk. Please do this at least 28 days prior to your event.

The most successful visits are those where the children are already fans of the author. You can approach any of the authors/illustrators that feature on our website or in our printed catalogue, although we cannot guarantee their availability - please check with the author/illustrator you would like to visit.

The Society of Authors recommend minimum rates of £200 for a day and £150 for half a day, but an author is entitled to propose a different fee. The standard charge is £100 pounds in Scotland. You should also cover any travel/accommodation expenses which the author incurs.

Regional Arts Associations often have Writers in Schools Programmes and may help with payment. Contact Booktrust for further information.

The earlier, the better - that way, you can always approach someone else if your first choice can't make it. Four to six months ahead is about right. Give as much information as possible about your plans:

Once the author has agreed to come, ask about their requirements. Do they need special equipment e.g. a slide projector, or pens and a flipchart? Will they need a lift to and from the station?

Make sure they are familiar with the visitor's work beforehand and start them thinking about questions to ask. What about creating a display to welcome a favourite illustrator to your school? In some cases posters are available from Puffin.

Puffin can provide further information about the author - check out Authors & Illustrators link to Author and Illustrators landing page for our handy Author I.D. Cards, complete with a photograph, plus full biographies to read on screen or print out.

You could also discuss the publishing process and how a book is made from start to finish.

At least a month before the visit, contact your local bookshop or regular supplier. If you experience any difficulty, contact Puffin DK Schools Direct on 0500 807 981. Check with the author which books they plan to talk about and order more copies of those.

Let parents know that books will be available for sale. Send out a list of titles and prices (check current prices with your bookseller) so the child can bring in the right money. Alternatively, if children already have a copy of the author's book they can bring that in for signing.

Build time for bookselling and signing into your timetable for the visit.

Two weeks before the visit, contact the local newspapers. If they are interested in sending a photographer and reporter, fix a time which won't disrupt your schedule.

When they arrive, offer a drink and quickly run through the plan for the day. Most speakers welcome a glass of water, and perhaps a few biscuits! Give the author at least fifteen minutes break between each session and, if they're with you for a full day, give them proper breaks and lunch.

Most authors are not trained teachers, nor are they insured to look after school classes, so there should always be a teacher around during the sessions.

Speaking of Books
Speaking of Books is a service which was set up to provide assistance in the organisation of author visits. They give advice, support and back-up that benefits schools, libraries, publishers and the writers themselves. Many leading authors, illustrators, poets and storytellers can be reached through Speaking of Books.

For more information contact:
Jan Powling
Speaking of Books Ltd
Room 105
John Humphries House
4-10 Stockwell Street
Greenwich
London SE10 9JN
Tel/Fax: 020 8858 6616

Young Booktrust and Booktrust Scotland
The Young Booktrust provides useful help and advice on all aspects of children's books, runs a successful membership scheme for schools and administers the annual national Children's Book Week.

For further information please visit:
» www.booktrust.org.uk
» www.scottishbooktrust.com

By using the Search facility on the Puffin website, you can search for, and buy, any Puffin title currently in print in the UK. You can search for a Puffin book by either Title or Author Name. Unfortunately, if you don't have this information, it will be impossible for us to find the book for you.

If you can't find the Puffin book you are looking for on puffin.co.uk, it may be that it is published by Puffin in the US, but has a different UK publisher. Websites such as Amazon.co.uk can be used to find out who the UK publisher is and whether the title is available in the UK.

If you can't find the Puffin book you are looking for on puffin.co.uk, and you are sure it is a UK Puffin book, it may be that it is out of print. When a title goes out of print it is generally considered unavailable. However, sometimes a copy can be located on a shelf in a second-hand bookstore.

Try any of the following websites:

» www.scottishbooktrust.com

» www.abebooks.com

» www.bibliofind.com

» www.amazon.co.uk may also have second-hand editions for sale, just search for your book and click on buy used.

To help you with book selection we've compiled a number of booklists on special themes. All the lists have been compiled independently by reviewers who have selected freely from the children's books published by Puffin, providing a review of every book chosen.

View our selection of booklists at www.booksondemandonline.co.uk

Our online catalogue contains all Puffin titles, including new and recent releases plus hints and tips on how to use the online catalogue and browse facility.

You can view our most recent catalogue at www.puffincatalogue.co.uk

Puffin work closely with schools and will always endeavour to help you with your school projects. Information on all our authors and their books can all be found in the Author and Illustrator area of the Puffin website and all author pages. If you have a question for an author, you can also write to them.

Puffin do not generally publish pop-up books, so any queries relating to designing or selling your own pop-up book should instead be directed to a more appropriate publisher.

If you can't find the information you're looking for on puffin.co.uk, you can contact posters@penguin.co.uk and we will answer your query within 14 days.

Although we will endeavour to help you with your project, we are unable to disclose confidential company information regarding sales and/or members of staff.

If you are a reviewer interested in Puffin titles, please visit our Online Press Office for more information.

Puffin titles are available at all good bookshops in the UK. You can also order books directly from the Puffin website. To place an order, simply click on the buy button against the appropriate book title. Use the shopping basket to select further titles and see the contents of your shopping basket. When you have finished shopping, click to pay, and you will be asked to enter your delivery information and your credit card details. All orders must be in UK pounds sterling. The availability and published prices are correct at time of going to press but are subject to alteration without prior notice.

If you have any questions regarding your order please email us at: customer.service@penguin.co.uk

We encrypt all transmission of sensitive data and secure all of our repositories of data. When you use your credit card to shop at www.puffin.co.uk, your transaction is secure. Our servers use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), an advanced encryption technology that works with Netscape Navigator (versions 2.0 and above), Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 3.0 and above), and AOL (AOL 3.0 and above). This technology safeguards your personal information and privacy.

See our Safe Shopping page for more details.

If you are unhappy with your purchase from www.puffin.co.uk for any reason, you can return it to us in its original condition within 14 working days, and we will give you a full refund. If the return is the result of our error, or if the item was damaged before it reached you, we will also happily refund the postage costs.

To make a return please send back the item securely wrapped, along with your packing slip and a letter giving the reason for the return.

Please send the package to the following address: Online Customer Service
Penguin Books Ltd
Edinburgh Gate
Edinburgh Way
Harlow
Essex
CM20 2JE

We recommend that you use a recorded delivery service.

Books on Demand is a free resource for teachers, where you can order any Puffin, Penguin or DK title direct, take advantage of exclusive discounts and get free advice from qualified educational advisors. For more information on Books on Demand visit www.booksondemandonline.co.uk.

More information for Teachers can be found within our Teachers area on this site.

Booksellers can now order your Puffin books online! provides booksellers around the world access to order status, title, price and availability information and order placement.

Visit www.PuffinBookClub.co.uk where you'll find all the information you need on what the Puffin Book Club can do for your school, plus how to join.

Taking care of the environment is very important to us; it can't be all take take take. So here at Puffin and Penguin we want to give something back, visit Green Puffin for information on all that we're doing to help.

Books on Demand is the convenient way to order books for your school. With 20% discount on all orders, it's also an economical way to meet the demands of the curriculum. To find out more, visit booksondemandonline.co.uk. You can view booklists which include titles chosen by educational consultants to meet curriculum requirements (for both primary and secondary schools), plus you can view and order any Penguin Group book.

All job vacancies at Puffin are advertised on Penguin Careers site.

If you would like to undertake work experience at Puffin please visit Penguin Careers.

Candidates are selected by the relevant department, but all correspondence will be via Human Resources.

Placements with Puffin are usually for one or two weeks. We are only able to accommodate one person at a time, so please try to ensure you offer a selection of possible dates. Computer literacy is a distinct advantage to your application.

For any enquiries regarding ordering Puffin books, please contact the Penguin Group

(UK) Customer Services team:
Penguin Group (UK) Customer Services
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow
Essex
CM20 2JE

Telephone: 0870 607 7600
Fax: 0870 850 1115