Norton Juster in the UK

I thought I had written my last blog on this site but as the new team have not yet taken over thought I couldn't pass up mentioning the excellent evening at Foyles where Norton Juster talked to Nicolette Jones.

A near capacity audience rocked with laughter and learnt a little more about this fine American author. Daniel Hahn interviewed him the following morning and this will appear in the Independent on Sunday sometime during the next few weeks. An interview by Michelle Pauli will also appear on the Guardian website. And there will be an article by David Blanch in the next issue of Carousel - they met for lunch at the extremely pleasant Portrait Restaurant at the top of the National Portrait Gallery (wonderful views across Trafalgar Square).

see also http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/473585.html

New Team

As you have probably read in Carousel there are changes to the Editorial Team. I and husband Chris Stephenson felt that the 50th issue was a good point to stop. A new team will be taking over - though David, Pat and Val remain. And new people will be handling the website - the website itself will be undergoing a design change which we hope you enjoy.

If you are a writer, actual or potential or illustrator again actual or potential you might be interested to look at the schedule for the next Society of Authors Children's Writers and Illustrators Group Conference which takes place this September. Just visit www.cwigconference.com to see the programme. Non-members are welcome. Email me if you have any queries enid.stephenson@gmail.com

Salvatore Rubbino

Salvatore Rubbino's work has often received compliments in Carousel, most recently in the article looking at books about London. Now you can buy original artwork from his latest book "Just Ducks!" written by Nicola Davies and published by Walker this month.
You can see a range of them at www.childrensbookillustration.com . The top picture shown is original published artwork "They're STILL eating when I cross the bridge to go to school" Watercolour, gouache and white acrylic paint. 590mmx420mm £595. The second "Just Ducks!" is original unpublished artwork. Watercolour and gouache. 310mmx360mm £345. Any queries please contact Linda Owen-Lloyd at linda@childrensbookillustration.com

In 2011 Salvatore was judged one of the country's top ten new illustrators in the Booktrust Best New Illustrators Award.

Chinese Children's and Picture Book Art Exhibition

London hosts the first exhibition in Britain of Chinese Children's and Picture Book Illustration. The exhibition coincides with this year's focus on China at the London Book Fair and will be launched at an opening ceremony and discussion forum - The Era of Picture Reading - at the London Book Fair on Monday 16 April where British illustrators including Michael Foreman, John Burningham and Carol Thompson will meet visiting Chinese illustrators Liam Peilong, Xiong Liang and Jiang Jianwen.

The exhibition is at the Bhavan Centre, Institute of Indian Art and Culture, 4a Castletown Road, London W14 9HE 16-22 April open frm 11am to 7pm. The gallery is just round the corner from the Earls Court Exhibition Centre the site of the London Book Fair. The discussion is at the London Book Fair on 16 April at 2.30-3.30.

Campaign for the Book

Alan Gibbons says:
Schools Minister Nick Gibb has said: “I passionately believe that every school should have a school library.” I have written to him pointing out that I submitted a petition calling for statutory school libraries and it was rejected. I would urge everyone to email him on gibbn@parliament.uk asking him to move towards a position where school libraries become statutory.