Phaidon Press is pleased to announce the publication of NICHOLAS AND THE GANG, the fourth in the acclaimed Nicholas children's book series, featuring the adventures of a young French schoolboy who is always getting into trouble. With text by Ren+¬ Goscinny, author of the famed Asterix the Gaul series, and with illustrations by New Yorker cover artist Jean-Jacques Semp+¬, NICHOLAS AND THE GANG is now available in English for the first time. The first book in the series, NICHOLAS, won the 2006 ALSC's Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Award for an outstanding children's book originally published in a foreign language.Following the publication of Nicholas, Nicholas Again and Nicholas on Vacation, NICHOLAS AND THE GANG is the equally charming fourth title, bringing to life more adventures and exploits with the little boy often referred to as the Dennis the Menace of France. We follow Nicholas to a birthday party at the girl next door's house and watch him play a messy game of chess. Firmly established as a literary cult figure, Nicholas has already charmed millions of readers worldwide since these books were first published in France over forty years ago. Considered classics and available in twenty-six languages, the Nicholas stories have the ability to delight both children and adults.