Mayhew, James – The Bell Bookshop https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk Henley-on-Thames Wed, 20 May 2026 13:34:56 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/cropped-Bell-Background-Blue-32x32.png Mayhew, James – The Bell Bookshop https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk 32 32 My Book of Classic Nursery Tales https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/my-book-of-classic-nursery-tales/ Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=51884 Favourite nursery stories, combined with Mayhew's magical illustrations, make this a gift book to treasure.

]]> A beautiful new collection of eight nursery tales – traditional stories for younger children, including all the favourite classics, delightfully retold and enchantingly illustrated by James Mayhew, internationally bestselling author and illustrator of Once Upon a Tune,  A Symphony of Stories, the  Mrs Noah series and many other much-loved picture books.

The stories included are: Goldilocks and the Three Bears (England), Little Red Riding Hood (Germany), The Billy Goats Gruff (Norway), The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf (England), The Enormous Turnip (Ukraine), The Tortoise and the Hare (Ancient Greece), The Gingerbread Man (North America), The Vain Little Mouse (Spain)

Using the same technique of colourful cut-outs and collage as in his bestselling Once Upon a Tune: Stories from the Orchestra,  James Mayhew has created another spectacular gift book, this time for a very young audience.

]]> The Ella Bella Ballerina Treasury https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/the-ella-bella-ballerina-treasury/ Thu, 09 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/the-ella-bella-ballerina-treasury/ Little ballerinas will adore these three delightful tales, bound together in a beautiful treasury.

This collection contains three much-loved Ella Bella stories:

Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake
Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella
Ella Bella Ballerina and The Sleeping Beauty

Each story is filled with magic and adventure, as Ella Bella helps Cinderella get to the Royal Ball, saves Sleeping Beauty from the bad fairy's spell, and reunites the Swan Princess with her true love.

With spellbinding artwork from the award-winning James Mayhew, as well as a bonus spread which teaches readers six ballet moves, this timeless collection will enchant and delight any young ballet lover.

]]> A symphony of stories https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/a-symphony-of-stories/ Thu, 14 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=44266 Following bestseller Once Upon a Tune, this beautiful gift book introduces children to six more musical classics through story and illustration

]]> Six world famous orchestral pieces from six renowned composers feature in this superbly illustrated gift book, introducing children to the world of classical music through story and illustration.

James Mayhew tells the stories of six much-loved pieces of music, accompanied by breathtaking illustrations:

Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns
The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi
The Sunken Cathedral by Claude Debussy
The Butterfly Lovers by  Chen Gang and He Zhanhao
The Planets by Gustav Holst
The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky
]]> Once Upon a Tune https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/once-upon-a-tune/ Thu, 09 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/?post_type=product&p=16402 Six wonderful stories that inspired world-famous music, accompanied by brilliant illustrations

]]> Once Upon a Tune brings you six wonderful stories from many lands, all of which inspired great music. You can battle trolls with Peer Gynt if you go In The Hall of the Mountain King; grapple with a magic broom in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, meet the evil Witch of the North in The Swan of Tuonela, sail the seven seas with Sinbad the Sailor in Scheherazade; be a prince disguised as a bee in The Flight of the Bumblebee and become a fearless hero in William Tell.

The stories are excitingly told and stunningly illustrated by James Mayhew, who is famous for bringing live classical music, art and storytelling to families across the UK.

There are also Musical Notes where you can find out more about the stories and music, plus James’s recommended recordings to download and listen to.  

]]> Ella Bella Ballerina Magic Toyshop https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/ella-bella-ballerina-magic-toyshop/ Thu, 04 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/ella-bella-ballerina-magic-toyshop/ Everyone’s favourite little dancer, Ella Bella Ballerina, steps into an enchanted toyshop in this magical ballet adventure.

Discover a world of fairytale toymakers and dancing dolls in in this beautiful introduction to classic ballet, La Boutique Fantastique. With a sparkling foiled cover and exquisitely detailed illustrations, this is the perfect gift for all would-be ballerinas.

Look out for the other books in the series:

Ella Bella and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake
Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella
Ella Bella Ballerina and The Sleeping Beauty
Ella Bella Ballerina and The Nutcracker

]]> Ella Bella Ballerina & Midsummer Nights https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/ella-bella-ballerina-midsummer-nights/ Thu, 05 May 2016 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/ella-bella-ballerina-midsummer-nights/ Everyone’s favourite little dancer, Ella Bella Ballerina, steps out of fairytales and into the world of Shakespeare as she goes on a magical adventure in Fairyland, with Puck, King Oberon and Queen Titania. Who will the queen fall in love with when under the king’s spell? And what will become of the hapless actor Bottom, transformed into a donkey?

Beautifully illustrated and perfectly pitched for a young audience and all would-be prima ballerinas, and a wonderful very first introduction to the stories of the ballet and Shakespeare. From James Mayhew, the creator of the Katie series of books – featuring the hugely engaging Katie and making art an adventure for every child.

]]> Katie & The Mona Lisa https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/katie-the-mona-lisa/ Thu, 01 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/katie-the-mona-lisa/ Join Katie as she steps into some of the most famous paintings in the world for an exciting art adventure!

When the Mona Lisa's smile goes missing, it's up to Katie to help find it again. On the way, they meet a princess, a dragon, a winged lion and an angel. But can Katie make the Mona Lisa smile again?

'A wonderful way to engage children with art. A brilliant combination of education and storytelling' – Parents in Touch (Katie's Picture Show)

This first introduction to Italian Renaissance art features five great masterpieces: Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci,
St George and the Dragon by Raphael, Primavera by Sandro Botticelli, The Lion of St Mark by Vittore Carpaccio and An Angel in Red with a Lute by Giovanni Ambrogio de Predis.

Classic picture book character, Katie, has been delighting children for over 25 years. Why not collect all 13 titles in the series?
Katie's Picture Show
Katie and the Impressionists
Katie and the Sunflowers
Katie and the British Artists
Katie and the Waterlily Pond
Katie and the Starry Night
Katie and the Spanish Princess
Katie and the Bathers
Katie in London
Katie's London Christmas
Katie in Scotland
Katie and the Dinosaurs

]]> Katies London Christmas https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/katies-london-christmas/ Thu, 03 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/katies-london-christmas/ Discover the magic of London at Christmas time with this classic Katie picture book.

When Katie and Jack are woken up late on Christmas Eve by a loud sneeze, little do they realise that they are about to embark on the most amazing evening! Soon they are flying high across London, over snow-dusted landmarks, through the star-scattered sky with the one and only Father Christmas, in his sleigh, with his magical reindeer! But can they help Father Christmas to deliver all his presents and be back in time for Christmas morning?

‘Wonderful … magical … the foiled cover and magical illustrations of London in all her festive glory make this book the perfect Christmas gift’ – Parents in Touch.

]]> Katie & The Bathers https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/katie-the-bathers/ Thu, 06 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/katie-the-bathers/ Join Katie as she steps into some of the most famous paintings in the world for an exciting art adventure!

On a hot, sunny day, a painting of some bathers in a cool river proves too tempting for Katie, and so she dives straight into the picture! But Katie doesn't just cause a splash – she causes a flood! Paddling with new friends might be fun, but how will Katie stop the water pouring into the gallery?

'A wonderful way to engage children with art. A brilliant combination of education and storytelling' – Parents in Touch (Katie's Picture Show)

This first introduction to Pointillism features five great masterpieces: Bathers at Asnieres, Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte and Port of Honfleur by Georges Seurat, Woman Hanging up the Washing by Camille Pissarro and Portrait of Felix Feneon by Paul Signac.

Classic picture book character, Katie, has been delighting children for over 25 years. Why not collect all 13 titles in the series?
Katie's Picture Show
Katie and the Impressionists
Katie and the Mona Lisa
Katie and the Sunflowers
Katie and the British Artists
Katie and the Waterlily Pond
Katie and the Starry Night
Katie and the Spanish Princess
Katie in London
Katie's London Christmas
Katie in Scotland
Katie and the Dinosaurs

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