Outside In - Children's Writers In Translation Bookshow

The Children’s Bookshow is celebrating its fifth year with a dazzling array of children’s writers and performers from across the globe. Boori Monty Pryor from Australia, Francesco D’Adamo from Italy and Kazumi Yumoto from Japan are amongst the authors taking part. The tour also includes three dates with Michael Rosen, the recently appointed UK Children’s Laureate.

The theme ‘Outside In: Children’s Writers in Translation’ has been chosen to introduce children to the richness of the world’s many literatures through fiction and live performance. It follows on from the Bookshow’s first successful literature in translation tour in 2005. During the tour, as well as appearing in performances in theatres, some of the authors will also take part in free writing workshops for local schools to help broaden children’s horizons and provide a fresh outlook on others’ lives and cultures.

The Children’s Bookshow is the only annual UK tour of children’s authors and poets and is supported by Arts Council England. The tour is timed to coincide with Children’s Book Week (1-7 October 2007) organised by Booktrust. Dates within the tour also form part of the Ilkley and Manchester Literature Festivals and the Bexhill Children’s Literature Festival.

The Authors:
Daniel Morden from Wales is one of the leading storytellers in the UK. His Children’s Bookshow Event will be based on his published collection of Welsh Gypsy Tales, translated from the Roma in the 1920s. He has told tales all over the world and his first published anthology Weird Tales from the Storyteller was nominated for the Tir na n-Og Welsh Children’s Book Prize.
Boori Monty Pryor is an indigenous Australian. His father is from the Birri-gubba Nation and his mother’s tribal group is the Kunggandji. Awards include the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction and the National Aboriginal and Islander Observance Day Committee Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the promotion of indigenous culture’.
Lilli Thal is from Germany; her most recent novel Mimus was short-listed for this year’s Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation. Lilli has a Master’s degree in medieval history, art and archaeology and has won multiple awards for her three previous young adult novels.
Kazumi Yumoto was born in Tokyo where she still lives today. She is the author of Letters from the Living, The Spring Tone and The Friends. Her awards include the Mildred L Batchelder Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. Her book The Friends has been made into a feature film by Japanese director Shinji Somai.
Francesco D’Adamo is a writer and teacher who lives in Milan. His first novel published in the UK, Iqbal was short-listed by the American Library Association for both the John Newberry Medal and the Randolph Caldecott medal. He has also received the New York Christopher Award and the International Reading Association Teachers’ Choices Booklist Prize. Aurora Metro Press will publish his new book, My Brother Johnny, in October to coincide with the tour. Daniel Pennac is one of France’s most celebrated authors. His books for adults and children have been translated into over thirty languages. His translator Sarah Adams won the Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation for his novel The Eye of the Wolf. Most recently, Walker Books have published his The Rights of the Reader with illustrations from Quentin Blake, a book that has sold over a million copies in France.

Kevin Crossley-Holland will interview Lilli Thal during the bookshow. Kevin is a poet, librettist and reteller of myth, legend and folk tale as well as a novelist. He has won numerous awards including the Carnegie Medal, Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, Smarties Prize and the Tir na n-Og Welsh Children’s Book Prize. Orion will publish his latest book Gatty’s Tale in paperback in October 2007.

Eva Ibbotson will interview Lilli Thal during the Bookshow. Eva writes for both children and adults. Her awards include Nestle Gold and Silver Awards, runner up for both the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year and the Guardian Fiction award. She has also been short-listed for the Carnegie Medal. Pan McMillan will publish her new novel The Morning Gift in October 2007.

Tim Bowler will interview Kazumi Yumoto during the Bookshow. Tim has won numerous awards for his children’s books most notably The Carnegie Medal for his third novel River Boy. He has also won the Angus Book Award, Lancashire Libraries Children’s Book Award, South Lanarkshire Book Award and the Stockton Libraries Award.

Oliver Wilson-Dickson will perform with Daniel Morden during the Bookshow. Oliver works as a performer and composer with bands and theatre companies in the UK and abroad. Recent collaborations include a show at the Royal Opera House and a new project with the poet Ian McMillan and several leading musicians.

Michael Rosen will interview Kazumi Yumoto, Francesco D’Adamo and Daniel Pennac for the Bookshow. Michael is one of the most influential figures in contemporary children’s literature and was this year appointed as the fifth Children’s Laureate. With his own writing, his anthologies and performances he has been instrumental in taking poetry out of the ghetto and into the hearts and minds of children throughout the UK and beyond.

Quentin Blake will perform with Daniel Pennac and Michael Rosen for the Bookshow. Quentin is the UK’s best-known and much loved illustrator of children’s books. Although he is known for his collaboration with Russell Hoban, Michael Rosen, and most famously, Roald Dahl, he has also created much-loved characters of his own, including Mister Magnolia. His books have won numerous awards and in 1999 he was appointed the first ever Children’s Laureate. In 2002 he won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration and in 2004, the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.

The Dates:
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill Thursday 27 September 10.30amDaniel Morden (Wales) and Oliver Wilson-Dickson For Children of Primary School ageBox office 01424 229 111 boxoffice@dlwp.comChildren £2 Teachers freehttp://www.dlwp.com/

Unicorn Theatre, LondonMonday 1 October 1.30pmBoori Monty Pryor (Australia)For Children of Primary School ageBox office 020 7645 0560 boxoffice@unicorntheatre.com Children £5 Teachers freehttp://www.unicorntheatre.com/

King Henry's School, IlkleyTuesday 2 October 1:45pmBoori Monty Pryor (Australia)For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 01943 816714Children £3 Teachers freehttp://www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk/

Library Theatre, ManchesterFriday 5 October 10:30amBoori Monty Pryor (Australia)For Children of Primary School ageBox office 0161 236 7110Children free Teachers freehttp://www.librarytheatre.com/http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/ Library Theatre, ManchesterFriday 5 October 1:30pmLilli Thal (Germany) and Kevin Crossley-Holland For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 0161 236 7110 Children free Teachers free http://www.librarytheatre.com/ http://www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/

Seven Stories, NewcastleMonday 8 October 10:30amLilli Thal (Germany) and Eva IbbotsonFor Children of Secondary School ageBox office 0845 271 0777Children £3.50 Teachers free (2 for every 10 children) Adults £5http://www.sevenstories.org.uk/

Oxford Playhouse, OxfordWednesday 10 October 10:45amKazumi Yumoto (Japan) and Tim BowlerFor Children of Secondary School ageBox office 01865 305305Children £4 Teachers free (1 for every 15 children) Adults £5.50http://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/

Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield Thursday 11 October 1:00pmKazumi Yumoto (Japan) and Michael Rosen For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 01246 345 222Children £3 Teachers free http://www.pomegranatetheatre.co.uk/

L'Istituto Italiano di Cultura, LondonFriday 12 October 6:30pmFrancesco D'Adamo (Italy) and Michael Rosen For Children of Secondary School ageBox office 020 7235 1461Children free Teachers free Adults freehttp://www.iiclondra.esteri.it/

L'Institut Français, LondonWednesday 5 December 6:30pmDaniel Pennac (France), Michael Rosen and Quentin BlakeFor Children of Primary School ageBox office 020 7073 1350Children free Teachers free Adults freehttp://www.institut-francais.org.uk/

Children's Book Week 2007

Children's Book Week
1-7 October 2007
Children's Book Week is an annual celebration of reading for pleasure co-ordinated by Booktrust. They provide resources to help schools and libraries focus on children's reading for a special day or week, and to plan activities and events to encourage children's enjoyment of books. The theme of this year's Book Week is the environment.

Free Resource Pack
The Children’s Book Week pack contains a useful Resource Guide including a range of activity sheets, a new poster, a bookmark and the updated Best Book Guide. State primary schools and public libraries in England will receive a free copy of the pack in the week beginning the 18 June.
For more posters or to request additional free packs, email education@booktrust.org.uk
Children's Book Week Resource Guide (Adobe Acrobat pdf 3.5Mb)
Crayola and Children's Book Week Poster Competition
Get thinking about Children's Book Week by designing posters for this exciting competition
Supporters
Children's Book Week is sponsored by Crayola. With thanks to Egmont UK Ltd, this year's lead publisher sponsor. Thanks also to Bloomsbury Children's Books, Walker Books and illustrator Deborah Allwright for their support

Children's Book Week Events
What are your plans for Children's Book Week? Let education@booktrust.org.uk know.