Clarice Bean, That's Me [Hardcover]

Poor Clarice Bean, sharing her bedroom with her irritating brother Minal Cricket, coping with his tendency towards hanging upside down until he turns purple, and having to squish all her worldly goods into the tiniest of spaces. It just doesn't seem fair, especially as her boy-obsessed, lipstick wearing sister has a room all to herself, as does her older brother Kurt--a non-communicative teenager "in the dark tunnel of adolescence".

And its all right for her parents: dad escapes the chaos of the family home by going to his office, granddad spends most of his time "having peace and quiet" in his comfy chair, and mum disappears into the bathroom with a truck load of lotions and potions when it all gets too much for her.

But Clarice, despite all her efforts, can't find her own peace anywhere until one day she throws her brother's duvet out of the window and then "accidentally on purpose" tips a bowl of spaghetti hoops over his head. Then she is in Big Trouble, and she is sent to her room for 3 whole hours. And it's best piece of peace and quiet she has had in ages.

Clarice Bean, That's Me is an outstanding, clever and absolutely hilarious scrap-book style picture book that charts the chaotic lifestyle of its heroine with outrageously quirky illustrations and a cut-to-the-chase writing style that is both imaginative and refreshingly irreverent.

Lauren Child's Smarties Prize shortlisted title will have children and adults alike returning time and time again to the Bean household to bask in the heartwarming glow of an intelligent, funny and honest take on family life, delivered with an enviable wit that is set to make young Clarice something of a superstar. (Ages 6 to 8) --Susan Harrison

Clarice Bean has to share her room with her younger brother, has an older brother who is in the tunnel of adolescence, a grandad who pours soup on his cornflakes and a boy next door who copies her. All she wants is peace and quiet.

Lauren Child grew up in Marlborough, Wiltshire. She is the middle of three sisters and both her parents are teachers. She has had a variety of jobs from waitressing to designing exotic, elegant lampshades and working as an artist's assistant to Damien Hirst. Lauren Child is considered one of the most talented children's book author/illustrators working today and has won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato, the Nestle Gold Book Award for That Pesky Rat and the Nestle Bronze Book Award for Beware of the Storybook Wolves. Utterly Me, Clarice Bean, Lauren's first fiction title, was a runaway success all over the world followed by Clarice Bean Spells Trouble and Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now. Lauren has now sold over 3 million books in 19 countries across the globe. Notable events in Lauren's career include selection for Quentin Blake's Magic Pencil Exhibition 'British Library' in 2005; the Charlie and Lola TV series winning a BAFTA in 2007; In 2008 Lauren was appointed Artist for Peace by UNESCO and has been spearheading a project to raise money for UNESCO's Programme for the Education of Children in Need, called My Life is a Story. All profits from the sale of a special edition of That Pesky Rat will go to UNESCO. A retrospective of Lauren's work is now a major new exhibition starting at the Manchester Art gallery and now travelling the country. Lauren loves designing and making things and finds it exciting to see her drawings turned into objects. Other favourite things include the cinema, TV matinees, small Italian cars, handbags, cardigans, travelling and being picked up from the airport. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.