Johannes Herwig

Half Lion

Halber Löwe
Rough in the Sound of the Street, Full of Heart Underneath

The last year of school begins for Sascha. Hanging out in the condemned house and increasingly dangerous tests of courage with his buddies: Is this what the rest of his life looks like? And then something happens. Something that shatters everything that used to be and calls into question everything that can still be. To duck away any further - impossible.
Rough in the sound of the street, full of heart underneath: in his new novel, Johannes Herwig tells of a friendship that seems to be above everything, and of the difficulty of taking responsibility. For those you care about - and for yourself.

Cornelia Franz

Swing High

Swing High
Swing Dancing on the Volcano

Hamburg, Summer 1939. As the Second World War looms ever closer, Henri and his friends spend a seemingly carefree summer together. They meet at the swimming pool or in the park, and someone always brings a gramophone along - and then things really heat up! Jazz music enchants the "Swingbuddies" with their relaxed "joie de vivre". But this music is a thorn in the Nazis' side.

It's a dangerous dance on a volcano. One evening when Henri and his girlfriend encounter a Gestapo patrol, they find themselves caught up in a matter of life and death . . .

This book, based on true stories of the Hamburg Swing Dance youth from 1939 to 1941, tells the suspenseful story of an uprising in the middle of World War II. The "Swings" were brave, uncompromising and full of life!
Johannes Herwig

Heroes Of The Shard

Scherbenhelden
Leipzig, 1995: The city is in an upheaval. Nino lives alone with his father and has the usual headaches of a fifteen-year-old: stress in school, a first love. One day he and his best friend Max are caught shoplifting, then he’s bailed out by a group of punks that one day will claim him as their own. Then comes more aggravation: conflict with his father, feelings for a girl who carries a dark secret, and daily threats from neo-Nazis that seem to be everywhere. What’s more, Nino is determined to find out why his mother left him and his father behind just before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Johannes Herwig (“Until the Stars Tremble”) has set against the background of German unification this raw and emotional portrait of youth in the grip of change and aimlessness. This is a story of hope.
Johannes Herwig

Until the Stars Tremble

Bis die Sterne zittern
Leipzig, 1936. On the first day of the summer holidays,
16-year-old Harro gets into a fight with members of the
Hitler Youth. He unexpectedly gets help from like-minded
people who, like him, want nothing to do with the Nazi
ideology. In the year that follows, everything changes for
Harro. Conflicts with his parents and trouble at school,
nights at campfires, political action, first love – and above
all, the fear that his wild activities might have dangerous
consequences.
The "Leipzig Meuten", a group of oppositional youth gangs,
inspired Johannes Herwig’s debut. His discussion of growing
up in a dictatorship is powerful, thrilling, and emotional.
The questions he poses are as applicable now as
they were then: should one participate, should one quietly
adjust, or should one resist?
Maja Nielsen

The Tunnelbuilder

Der Tunnelbauer
Berlin 1961: Things couldn't be better for Achim - he has his Abitur in the bag, a place at university is
secure and Chris, the girl he secretly loves, seems to like him too. But everything changes overnight with the building of the Wall, the GDR regime takes a tougher tone. Distrust, persecution and arrests are the order of the day. When one of his friends ends up in prison, Achim makes a difficult decision he must get out of East Berlin and leave everyone he loves behind. Once on the other side, he does everything he can
to help people escape from the GDR. Together with other helpers, he digs tunnels from West to East Berlin in constant fear of being discovered by the Stasi and full of hope that one day he will see Chris again.
A gripping novel about the legendary tunnel escapes from the GDR, based on a true story.
Dirk Reinhardt

Train Kids

Train Kids
The 14-year-old Miguel leaves his village in the Guatemalan mountains to find his mother. Years ago, she left him and his sister Juana to work in the United States. She has stayed in this far-away land for many years, never coming back, although she has been promising to do so again and again. But Miguel doesn’t want to be put off anymore. He needs to find out about his mother’s disappearance. Has she stopped loving him and his sister?
With a heavy heart Miguel leaves his sister behind and starts out on a long northbound journey. At the Mexican border he meets others who have the same destination: mysterious Fernando, little Ángel, smart Jaz and silent Emilio. They decide to take a chance together. All of them are driven by their longing for the people they have lost and by their hope for a better life.
Freight trains are the only way to cross Mexico. And soon Miguel and the others realize that they are part of a much bigger trek rolling northbound. Thousands of people are travelling as blind passengers on the trains, facing many risks. One false step when jumping on the train, one unattended moment on the roof, one careless slumber at night and their lives might be over. Corrupt police men and greedy robber bands are hunting them. They are suffering from thirst and hunger, from the heat in the jungle, the coldness in the mountains and the drought in the desert.

Rights sold to Mexico, Spain (Spanish and Catalan), Japan and Slovenia

Dirk Reinhardt

Over the Mountains and Over the Sea

Über die Berge und über das Meer
Every year in spring, the nomads stop by Soraya's village on their way to their summer home in the Afghan mountains. Accompanying them is Tarek, who knows sheep better than anyone else and is a wonderful storyteller. But this year Soraya waits for him in vain. According to an old tradition, as the seventh daughter in her family, she was raised as a boy and was able to move freely and attend school. But as a 14-year-old, she has reached the age where she should be living as a girl again in the quiet of her home. In fact the Taliban has, in no uncertain terms, mandated that she do so. They have also threatened Tarek and expect him to put his excellent animal tracking abilities to work for them. The nomads' plight worsens dramatically. Tarek and Soraya can see no other way and each journey out into the world, without knowing where the other is or what they're doing. Unexpectedly, they cross paths in the mountains.
Maja Nielsen

A Crime in Eden 1919

Tatort Eden 1919
From Breckerfeld to Berlin! The 17-year-old Biko can hardly believe his luck. He actually got into the famous Artistenschule, a training academy for circus performers in Berlin! An old suitcase in the lost and found at the Artistenschule sends him 100 years back in time to a tumultuous time in Berlin – the era of the First World War, the November Revolution, and the murder of Rosa Luxemburg.
A Crime in Eden in 1919 – a genuine political crime story begins. But modern-day Berlin is also very exciting: As the son of an African, Biko is presumed to be one of the many refugees who've arrived in the city. And all of a sudden, he finds that there is much more at stake than his dream of being a performer ...
Stepha Quitterer

A Beginner's Guide to Improving the World

Weltverbessern für Anfänger
Mina’s school announces an essay competition: A Beginner’s Guide to Improving the World. Really!?
First prize – a trip to Tallinn, Estonia
– goes to the class with the most enthusiasm for the subject. That leaves Mina cold at first. But then her grandma goes into a nursing home and all of a sudden it’s clear where a person could have a clear impact on someone’s
daily life.

So Mina organizes a nursing home visiting service – not an easy assignment for a class that even the school psychologist avoids.
What’s more, she has to deal with toxic classmates, a failed romance, boring teachers and her parents’ split-up.
After a rough start, what follows is a total surprise, not just for Mina . . . !
This bold and pitch-perfect debut novel by Stephanie Quitterer sets off ideas like fireworks.
Volker Mehnert, Tim Köhler

Magellan - Or Great Moments in Ocean Exploration

Magellan
In 1519 a fleet of five ships with 265 men aboard sets out from Spain’s Atlantic coast to find a western route to the legendary Spice Islands. Their commander is Portugal’s Magellan, a brilliant seaman and a determined explorer.

On September 6, 1522 a single, worm-eaten ship is the only vessel to return. On board are 18 ragged sailors, more dead than alive. Magellan is not
among them . . .

Three years had consumed the voyage that began as an expedition and became a trip that no human had accomplished before – a circumnavigation of the globe.

This book tells the story of Magellan’s astonishing achievement in a gripping narrative and evocative illustrations
Judith Burger

Ringo, Me and The Completely Clueless Summer

Ringo, ich und ein komplett ahnungsloser Sommer
Outside, the world zooms by. Asta sits in the train, anticipating what promises to be the best summer ever. Because in Geschrey, the most remote place in the world, the days are longer, the rain is gentler, and time passes slower than anywhere else - and it's also where Ringo lives. Asta and her best friend will swim in the lake, hang out, eat ice cream, and act silly. Not to mention act in a play: this summer for the first time, Asta will have a small role in the summer theater run by Asta's parents.

But instead, everything turns out wrong. All of a sudden Ringo is the star of the play and Asta is left high and dry. Will their friendship survive?

A summer story full of poetry and lightness. And the history of a great friendship.
Stepha Quitterer, Claudia Weikert

Pepe and the Octopus - Escape from the Waste Mafia

Pepe und der Oktopus auf der Flucht vor der Müllmafia
Let's Escape The Waste Mafia!

An eleven-year-old boy and an octopus are on the run from the waste mafia. Men in magpie-blue suits, brutal profiteers, want to get rid of the octopus, which the sea animals have sent out to convince people to stop dumping their plastic waste into nature and to ban plastic altogether.
A wild, constantly surprising and funny chase halfway around the world, a thrilling road trip, realistic environmental thriller and a story of an extraordinary friendship.

Linguistically witty, fast-paced, original and told with a modern sensibility – the new story by Stepha Quitterer is a must-have for all young fans of James Bond and Indiana Jones!

Volker Mehnert, Claudia Lieb

Magical Places

Magische Orte
On the Trail of Myths and Secrets - A Journey to the Magical Places on Earth
There are places in the world that have their own special magic. A peak like Mount Everest, surrounded by myths and secrets. Or lonely Easter Island, with its stone giants - a mystery even today. Then there is legendary Atlantis: no one knows if it really existed. A crevice in Iceland, the meeting place of two continents full of unimaginable power. These are some sites, places and even cities that have their own "magic", or at least leave a magical impression on humans, even if it's pure fantasy!

This book leads us on a world tour of 18 magical sites. It's no ordinary journey, but a wild, daring trip never undertaken before!

Acclaimed artist Claudia Lieb's evocative illustrations bring the magic of these special places to life!

Contents:
Atlantis - An Ancient Myth of Humankind
Thingvellir - The Parliament in the Continental Divide
Stonehenge - The Dance of the Giants
Lorelei - The Charming Maiden of the Rhine
Delphi - Sacred Oracle at the Hub of the Universe
Timbuktu - The Mirage at the Edge of the Desert?
Brandberg Mountain - Art Museum under the Sky
Tutankhamun's Grave - Buried for 3,000 Years in Desert Sands
Jerusalem - Birthplace of Three World Religions
Mount Everest - The Roof of the Earth
Mount Tai Shan - The Stairway to Heaven
Fujiyama - The Most Beautiful Mountain on Earth?
Uluru - The Memorial in Sandstone
Easter Island - The Home of the Stony Giants
Macchu Picchu - Ghost City in the Mountain Peaks
Palenque - Sunken in the Ancient Jungle
Mesa Verde - Life on the Precipice
The Milky Way -- Magical Flickerings from the Starry Sky
Vitali Konstantinov

All the Money in the World

Alles Geld der Welt
A world without money is hard to imagine. Every nation has its own currency. And our everyday lives, whether we’re at home, shopping or enjoying leisure time -- are marked by daily exchanges of money.

But what is money really? Coins, bills, something stored in the bank? What about something complicated, like cryptocurrencies? Money is a huge subject. Who invented it, and when and why? What was trade like before money? And why is money divided up so unequally?

Ever since money has existed, there have been arguments about what it is. A means to an end, or an end in itself? A thing, or an idea? A blessing or a curse? There has been every possible explanation.

And yet, money remains a puzzle.

With the help of this entertaining but informative graphic nonfiction book, at last we can begin to understand this puzzle and perhaps even become skilled money managers!

Rights sold to Belgium/The Netherlands, France, China (simplified Chinese Characters), Russia, Spain, Taiwan (Complex Chinese Characters), Japan and Italy

Vitali Konstantinov

It Is Written

Es steht geschrieben
Carve patterns on stones, shells and bones, drawings in the sand and messages on birch barks: Our ancestors already had the desire to use simple or even complicated characters to communicate with each other . And we imitate them until today! In an entertaining comic style, this book follows the development of over 100 writings from around the world, from the very beginning up to the digital age: from Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics to the Greek alphabet all the way to today's emoji's and invented languages like Klingon.

Rights sold to China (simplified Chinese characters), Belgium/The Netherlands, France, Korea, Romania, Russia, Taiwan (complexe Chinese characters), Italy, Japan and Spain

Silke Vry, Martin Haake

Sunken Cities, Forgotten Cultures Great Archeologists and their Discoveries

Verborgene Schätze, versunkene Welten
What could be more exciting than to bring remnants of bygone times-buried cities, archaic cultures, ancient treasures- to light?

This large nonfiction book takes us along into the exciting world of archaeology. The lively narration invites us to join the scholars on their journey and learn everything about the most significant archaeological finds of the past 500 years, including the discovery of the Mayans, the ancient sports stadium Olympia, the grave of Tutankhamen, and the Terracotta Army in China. We run into many of the people who laid the groundwork for modern archeology (Heinrich Schliemann, Robert Koldewey, and Johann Winckelmann) and learn about the pioneering archaeologists of today (Thor Heyerdahl and Franck Goddio). The adventurous stories behind these great discoveries also familiarize us with the exciting excavation techniques used in the process. The large-format, collage-like illustrations help us delve even deeper into the adventure of archeology.

Rights sold to Romania, China and Korea

Anke Bär

Cherry Thief

Kirschendiebe
"It's the luckiest thing in the world that we ended up here, even if the unluckiest thing in the world got us here."
Lotte lives in a forester's house, although her father isn't a forester. The reason is that the war took the life of her cousin Knut's father as well as an eye from the teacher Fettig. Since the horrible Ms. Gressmann has been running the forester's house, many things have been forbidden, such as picking cherries. But Lotte won't let that keep her down.
If you want cherries, you just have to steal them.
And she thinks it's ridiculous that only the boys are allowed to wear Lederhosen.
Judith Burger, Ulrike Möltgen

Roberta in Love

Roberta verliebt
Roberta is absolutely sure: she is in love!

She fell in love with Felix, the new one in her drawing course. From now on she has to think of him, always and everywhere! But she is just eleven years old and her mom thinks an eleven year old girl isn’t yet able to fall in love with anyone. However Felix stays in her mind, in her heart and in her tummy, he is simply everywhere. Unfortunately she doesn’t even know where he lives. How can she meet him again? How can she tell him about her feelings for him? And how can she make him also to fall in love with her?!
Fortunately, to be in love with someone else doesn’t only mean to be lovesick, it also grants one superpowers!
Judith Burger, Ulrike Möltgen

Gertrude Beyond Borders

Gertrude grenzenlos
Who names their child Gertrude?! Gertrude is the new kid in Ina's class and she's different from all the other girls that Ina knows. She's got Western clothes, a smile that'll bowl you over, and the bluest eyes you've ever seen. But Gertrude is also different because her father is a poet and her family has applied for an exit visa. In the DDR of the late 70s, this meant they were enemies of the state. Not only is the school against their friendship, but Ina's mother is up in arms. Things go off the rails.
What to do when you've found the friend of a lifetime but everything's so complicated? Ina and Gertrude forge a plan they call "Commando Rose" to protect their friendship against all odds
Cornelia Franz, Petra Baan

How I Saved Einstein's Life

Wie ich Einstein das Leben rettete
It’s shortly before midnight on February 28, 2020, and Emily is on board the
Queen Mary 2, sailing toward New York. Tomorrow is her 12th birthday and the
ocean crossing is her birthday present.

Suddenly, she finds herself in an entirely
new place and time -- on board a refugee ship in the year 1913!

The same happens to Lorenzo and Malik, who have made this trip before. They relate the news that after the ship arrives in New York, a fire will break out, killing and injuring many on board. They must prevent this catastrophe! Somehow they have to find a way to travel back in time. If there’s anyone that can help, it’s Albert Einstein.

A suspenseful adventure story that looks back in time to 1913, when many German citizens left everything behind to start a new life in a foreign land.

Rights sold to Hungary, Italy, Japan, Russia and Turkey