The Nation's Favourite Children's Books

TOP OF THE POTTS!

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone announced nation’s favourite children’s book after thousands vote

Reading charity Booktrust is today pleased to reveal that J.K. Rowling'sHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the nation’s favourite children's book, with over 24,000 votes cast this autumn.

To mark Children’s Book Week 2013, proudly supported by Kindle, book fans of all ages were invited to pick their ultimate storybook to read before the age of 14, with a mixture of modern greats and beloved classics making the top ten. Already marking its territory as a hugely successful film franchise,The Hunger Games finished second behind the debut Harry Potter book. Classics such asThe BFG and The Very Hungry Caterpillar also ranked highly, both making the top ten.

The win adds yet another accolade to J.K. Rowling's magical creation, whose unrivalled success made her the world's first and only billionaire author. The adventures of the Gryffindor wizard inspired a whole generation of young and adult readers, with over 400 million copies of the book sold worldwide. The resulting films also proved critically and commercially successful and launched the careers of several British actors. And the proliferation of lucrative DVDs, toys, video games, memorabilia, and even theme park attractions contribute to the total global value of the franchise at $15bn.

Starting with 500 titles, Booktrust experts whittled them down to compile the list of 100 books every child must read before 14, giving bookworms the unenviable task of choosing their most-loved novel.

Titles were also split into age categories.The Very Hungry Caterpillar topped the 0-5 age group and Roald Dahl'sThe BFG won with 6-8 year olds. The top two reads overall,Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and The Hunger Games each triumphed in the 9-12 and 12-14 categories before total votes determined the final results.

The most popular titles show that although classic storytelling remains popular with younger children, modern franchises have had a real impact on older readers. Of the books in the top ten, nine have since been made into huge film adaptations.

Claire Shanahan, Head of Arts, Booktrust, said: "As the biggest ever grossing literary franchise, kids and adults alike clearly can't get enough of Harry Potter. It’s a worldwide phenomena - it has captured the imaginations of a generation of readers who have grown up in love with Harry or Hermione, want to be friends with Ron, and are truly terrified by Voldemort.Even when up against heavyweights such as Dahl and Tolkien, Rowling ‘s creation remains the nation’s firm favourite.”

“We’re thrilled that the public have voted in their thousands. Lists such as this are a great way of celebrating the outstanding quality of past and present authors and illustrators. Plus Christmas and the New Year is a fantastic time to get our children excited about books! ”

Emma Hopkin, MD Childrens and Educational, Bloomsbury Publishing, said:“We are thrilled that children have voted Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as the nation’s favourite children’s book. It is wonderful that Harry Potter can still hold the same magic for children now as it did when it was first published sixteen years ago. Lists like this are such a brilliant way to engage debate and discussion of books for children and to reflect the sheer quality and variety that young readers can enjoy today.”

Jorrit Van der Meulen, Vice President, Amazon Kindle EU, said: “Everyone remembers their favourite childhood book. The public have voted in droves for their most-loved stories and it is fantastic to see such enthusiasm and interest in reading – a passion that we share at Amazon.”

The final top ten is as follows:

Overall Top 10

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

The Hunger Games

The BFG

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Winnie-the-Pooh

The Cat in the Hat

The Fellowship of the Ring

Charlotte's Web

Northern Lights

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

 

The 100 selected titles:

Title	Author	Age range
The Cat in the Hat	Dr Seuss	0 - 5 years
Where the Wild Things Are	Maurice Sendak	0 - 5 years
The Tiger Who Came to Tea	Judith Kerr	0 - 5 years
The Very Hungry Caterpillar	Eric Carle	0 - 5 years
The Elephant and the Bad Baby	Elfrida Vipont	0 - 5 years
Meg and Mog	Helen Nicholl	0 - 5 years
Dogger	Shirley Hughes	0 - 5 years
Each Peach Pear Plum	Allan Ahlberg	0 - 5 years
Would You Rather?	John Burningham	0 - 5 years
The Snowman	Raymond Briggs	0 - 5 years
Not Now, Bernard	David McKee	0 - 5 years
Where's Spot?	Eric Hill	0 - 5 years
Dear Zoo	Rod Campbell	0 - 5 years
Gorilla	Anthony Browne	0 - 5 years
Hairy Maclary From Donaldson's Dairy	Lynley Dodd	0 - 5 years
The Jolly Postman	Allan Ahlberg	0 - 5 years
Princess Smartypants	Babette Cole	0 - 5 years
I Want My Potty	Tony Ross	0 - 5 years
We're Going on a Bear Hunt	Michael Rosen	0 - 5 years
I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato	Lauren Child	0 - 5 years
Room on a Broom	Julia Donaldson	0 - 5 years
Lost and Found	Oliver Jeffers	0 - 5 years
Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears	Emily Gravett	0 - 5 years
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes	Mem Fox	0 - 5 years
I Want My Hat Back	Jon Klassen	0 - 5 years
Pippi Longstocking	Astrid Lindgren	5 - 7 years
Winnie-the-Pooh	A. A. Milne	6 - 8 years
The Story of Babar	Jean de Brunhoff	6 - 8 years
Little House in the Big Woods	Laura Ingalls Wilder	6 - 8 years
The Enchanted Wood	Enid Blyton	6 - 8 years
Five on a Treasure Island	Enid Blyton	6 - 8 years
Finn Family Moomintroll	Tove Jansson	6 - 8 years
My Naughty Little Sister	Dorothy Edwards	6 - 8 years
Charlotte's Web	EB White	6 - 8 years
A Bear Called Paddington	Michael Bond	6 - 8 years
Asterix the Gaul	Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo	6 - 8 years
Flat Stanley	Jeff Brown	6 - 8 years
The Worst Witch	Jill Murphy	6 - 8 years
Mister Magnolia	Quentin Blake	6 - 8 years
The Queen's Nose	Dick King-Smith	6 - 8 years
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs	Jon Scieszka	6 - 8 years
Amazing Grace	Mary Hoffman	6 - 8 years
The Adventures of Milly Molly Mandy	Joyce Lankester Brisley	6 - 8 years
Horrid Henry	Francesca Simon	6 - 8 years
The Sheep-Pig	Dick King Smith	6 - 8 years
Clarice Bean, That's Me	Lauren Child	6 - 8 years
That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown	Cressida Cowell	6 - 8 years
Diary of a Wimpy Kid	Jeff Kinney	6 - 8 years
The BFG	Roald Dahl	6- 8 years
The Arrival	Shaun Tan	6- 8 years
The Adventures of Tin Tin	Herge	9 - 12 years
Swallows and Amazons	Arthur Ransome	9 - 12 years
Ballet Shoes	Noel Streatfield	9 - 12 years
The Hobbit	J R R Tolkien	9 - 12 years
The Little Prince	Antoine de Saint-Exupéry	9 - 12 years
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe	C. S. Lewis	9 - 12 years
The Borrowers	Mary Norton	9 - 12 years
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase	Joan Aitken	9 - 12 years
Stig of the Dump	Clive King	9 - 12 years
Carrie's War	Nina Bawden	9 - 12 years
Goodnight Mr Tom	Michelle Magorian	9 - 12 years
The Witches	Roald Dahl	9 - 12 years
Matilda	Roald Dahl	9 - 12 years
Truckers: The First Book of the Nomes	Terry Pratchett	9 - 12 years
The Story of Tracy Beaker	Jacqueline Wilson	9 - 12 years
Flour Babies	Anne Fine	9 - 12 years
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone	J. K. Rowling	9 - 12 years
Skellig	David Almond	9 - 12 years
Holes	Louis Sachar	9 - 12 years
Artemis Fowl	Eoin Colfer	9 - 12 years
Journey to River Sea	Eva Ibbotson	9 - 12 years
Private Peaceful	Michael Morpurgo	9 - 12 years
Millions	Frank Cottrell Boyce	9 - 12 years
Once	Morris Gleitzman	9 - 12 years
A Monster Calls	Patrick Ness	9 - 12 years
I Capture the Castle	Dodie Smith	12 - 14 years
The Fellowship of the Ring	J R R Tolkien	12 - 14 years
The Owl Service	Alan Garner	12 - 14 years
Watership Down	Richard Adams	12 - 14 years
Forever	Judy Blume	12 - 14 years
The Ruby in the Smoke	Philip Pullman	12 - 14 years
Northern Lights	Philip Pullman	12 - 14 years
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging	Louise Rennison	12 - 14 years
Witch Child	Celia Rees	12 - 14 years
Coram Boy	Jamila Gavin	12 - 14 years
Kite Rider	Geraldine McCaughrean	12 - 14 years
Mortal Engines	Philip Reeve	12 - 14 years
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time	Mark Haddon	12 - 14 years
Looking for JJ	Anne Cassidy	12 - 14 years
Stormbreaker	Anthony Horowitz	12 - 14 years
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas	John Boyne	12 - 14 years
Noughts and Crosses	Malorie Blackman	12 - 14 years
The Graveyard Book	Neil Gaiman	12 - 14 years
The Knife of Never Letting Go	Patrick Ness	12 - 14 years
Revolver	Marcus Segdwick	12 - 14 years
Life: An Exploded Diagram	Mal Peet	12 - 14 years
Maggot Moon	Sally Gardner	12 - 14 years
Junk	Melvin Burgess	12 - 14 years. At top end of age band
How I Live Now	Meg Rosoff	12 - 14 years. At top end of age band
The Hunger Games	Suzanne Collins	12 - 14 years. At top end of age band

Red House Children's Book Award Shortlist

The children of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups have been busy reading all year and now their favourites have been selected as the shortlist for the 2014 Red House Children’s Book Award.
The shortlisted books are:

Books for Younger Children
Superworm – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (Scholastic)
Walter and The No Need To Worry Suit – Rachel Bright (HarperCollins)
How To Hide A Lion – Helen Stephens (Alison Green Books)
Hippospotamus – Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross (Andersen)

Books for Younger Readers
The Land of Neverbelieve – Norman Messenger (Walker)
Atticus Claw Breaks The Law – Jennifer Gray (Faber & Faber)
Claude In The Country – Alex T Smith (Hodder Children’s Books)

Books for Older Readers
Killing Rachel – Anne Cassidy (Bloomsbury)
The 5th Wave – Rick Yancey (Penguin)
W.A.R.P.: The Reluctant Assassin – Eoin Colfer (Puffin)

Book your Place at Book Week Scotland 2013

With only a few weeks to go until Scotland’s second national celebration of books and reading, communities across the country are gearing up for a week-long programme of events, activities and projects that will run from 25 November to 1 December, 2013.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Book Week Scotland, Scottish Book Trust has been working with a range of partners to deliver a fun-packed week, with the aim of bringing Scots of all ages and from all walks of life together. A diverse programme of over 400 free book-related events will be held across the country, with an emphasis on celebrating whatever you enjoy reading, be it a book, comic, blog or newspaper. Author Ambassadors Nick Sharratt, Shari Low and Ryan Van Winkle will be leading the push to spread the joy of reading.

There really is something for all the family during Book Week Scotland, from Designing your own Book Cover, listening to Scottish Tales of Adventure, Teddy Bear Sleepovers, Christmas-themed Creative Workshops and much more. Pre-school children are spoilt for choice with Bookbug sessions and storytelling taking place across the country, whilst for older children there are a whole host of creative activities to participate in. These include Story-weaving with hands-on Celtic Quilt-making, Dickens on Screen, Chatterbooks reading group and a Character Treasure Hunt. There will also be visits from Children’s authors including Matthew Fitt, Lari Don, Robin Mitchell and the infamous Etherington Brothers, to name but a few.

In addition to this, three free picture books will be gifted to every Primary 1 pupil, taken from the shortlist for the Scottish Children’s Book Awards 2013: Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, What's the Time Mr Wolf by Debi Gliori and Jumblebum by Chae Strathie and Ben Cort. Scottish children’s illustrator and author Mairi Hedderwick will also be bringing her most famous character, Katie Morag, to life for children across Scotland, during a special live broadcast in partnership with the BBC on 28 November.

What’s more, 150,000 free copies of a short story and poem collection written by Scottish people, Treasures, will be distributed throughout the week via bookshops, libraries and other channels. This specially made book contains competition-winning entries that were inspired by their authors’ most treasured belongings, taking a variety of forms including poems, diary entries and stories. Contributions include previously untold accounts of unexpected objects such as a steamship, a VHS tape, a rucksack and a chip of concrete. There are also some well known contributors including John and Carole Barrowman, Richard Holloway and Denise Mina.

If you who have your own ideas about how you’d like to celebrate Book Week Scotland, schools, families and communities are being encouraged to host a Big
Book Bash, which can take any shape or form, at any time or place. This might be as simple as a book swap or a storytelling group, or as elaborate as a literary fancy dress party. You can sign up online at www.bookweekscotland.com to receive a free resource pack full of tips and ideas to help get you started organising your very own Big Book Bash.

You can also get involved online by voting for your Favourite Scottish Book from the last 50 years. The top 10 books, chosen from a shortlist of 50 titles, will be announced at the end of Book Week Scotland. Also revealed during the week will be three Reading Heroes; individuals nominated by the public for their inspiring reading activities in each of the following categories: Most Inspiring Reader, Most Committed Reader, and Most Unusual Reading Habit. The chosen hero from each category will be asked to create a short film about their passion for reading.

Perhaps most anticipated of all are the five large art installations due to be unveiled in communities across Scotland during the week, a project that aims to inspire people during their everyday lives to pick up a book, and maybe have a go at writing one themselves. This ambitious project is a fantastic highlight to what will have been a very exciting week focusing on the enjoyment of books, reading and writing.

For more information about Book Week Scotland 2013 and how you and your family can get involved and be part of the fun, visit www.bookweekscotland.com, where you can find information about all the events taking place in your local area, vote for your favourite Scottish book, and discover a whole host of resources and ideas to help you celebrate and share whatever it is you love to read.

South Ken Kids Festival 2013

From Monday 18 to Sunday 24 November 2013, the Institut français in London will be staging the 16th annual South Ken Kids Festival. This year’s edition of one of the biggest children’s festivals in the UK will last a full week and feature over 50 public events including drawing duos, workshops, talks, films, live music, book signings, and more.

With a lively mix of household names such as Debi Gliori, Chris Riddell and Nicholas Allan, and up-and-comers who are sure to create the next generation of best-sellers – Lucille Clerc and Claudia Boldt, among others – this year’s line-up presents the best of present and future, France and the UK. Quentin Blake, who has been the festival’s patron since its birth, celebrates its sweet 16 in style by drawing live on stage with Philippe Dumas, known to some as the French Quentin Blake. Other notable guests include Christian Heinrich and Christian Jolibois of Les P’tites Poules fame, Marion Billet, Roland Garrigue, Ben Newman and Mathieu Sapin. This festival will also be the opportunity for many teens – and the young at heart – to discover Oksa Pollock, the French Harry Potter, which has already been published in nearly 30 countries and made its debut in the UK last June, and to meet the authors Anne Plichota and Cendrine Wolf. British fans are already longing for volume 2, which will come out in February 2014. Most of our other French guests have also had their books translated into English, so UK audiences can discover the very particular world of French picture books, full of charm and sophistication.

The week will be filled with activities and free screenings for schools, while the weekend opens up to the general public with workshops, talks, and imaginative events such as Impro!, which mingles live drawing and piano improvisation, featuring a panel of illustrators and world-class pianist Karol Beffa. The trademark event of the festival, the Drawing Duo, will delight audiences with collaborative live drawing by a French and a British illustrator projected on the big screen of Ciné Lumière. The Big Duo starring Quentin Blake and Philippe Dumas launches the weekend’s festivities, to be followed by Drawing Duos featuring Christian Heinrich and Ben Newman, Roland Garrigue and Nicholas Allan, as well as Chris Riddell and Mathieu Sapin.

The festival also widens its scope by bringing UK audiences a bigger programme of films than ever before. This year’s edition includes adaptations of picture books and comic books – Aya de Yopougon, My Mommy Is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill, Room on the Broom – and the restored version of a timeless classic, The King and the Mockingbird.

All the books by participating artists will be on sale during the Festival and children will have the opportunity to meet their favourite authors and illustrators, who’ll be only too happy to sign their books. The schedule of the book signings can be found on the website.

We’re running a national competition for kids in the UK in partnership with Eurostar. Children are invited to make their own illustrated book about adventures aboard a magical train for a chance to win amazing prizes!

The South Ken Kids Festival 2013 is proud to be supported by the following sponsors and partners: the Institut français in Paris, TV5 Monde, Renault, Eurostar, La Page, Tales on Moon Lane, Bloomsbury, Nobrow, and Pushkin Press.



Venue


Institut français | 17 Queensberry Place | London SW7 2DT

Info & bookings: www.southkenkidsfestival.co.uk | 020 7871 3515

Press inquiries


Hélène Fiamma at helene.fiamma@diplomatie.gouv.fr | 020 7073 1307

Natacha Antolini at natacha.antolini@institutfrancais.org.uk | 020 7871 3520

Lorraine Keating (PR, Oksa Pollock) at lorrainekeating1@gmail.com | 07936 449335

© Ben Newlan

© Debi Gliori

© Claudia Boldt

Programme


Monday 18 November



Film: Aya de Yopougon


10.30am-12pm | in French with English subtitles | free

British schools (Year 8-Year 12) - French schools (5e-3e)

Film: My Mommy Is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill



1.30pm-2.45pm | in French with English subtitles | free

British schools (Year 5-Year 6) - French schools (CP-CM2)

Tuesday 19 November

Film: Room on the Broom, followed by a Q&A



10.30am-11.30am | in English | free

British schools (Reception-Year 2) - French schools (Moyenne section-CP)

Wednesday 20 November

Film: La Sorcière dans les airs



10.30am-11.15am | in French | free

Thursday 21 November

Event: Cackling Away with
Les P’tites Poules

10.30am-11.30am | in French | £5

French schools (CE1-CM1)

Film: The King and the Mockingbird (Le Roi et l’Oiseau)



1pm-2.30pm | in French with English subtitles | free

French schools (CP-CM2) - British schools (Year 5-Year 9)

Friday 22 November

Event: Oksa Pollock, the Art of Novel Writing



10.30am-11.30am | in French | £5

French schools (5e-3e)

Prize Ceremony



5pm-5.45pm | in English | free

The Big Duo: Quentin Blake & Philippe Dumas



6.30pm-7.30pm | in English | ages 5+ | £5

Saturday 23 November

Film: La Sorcière dans les airs (Room on the Broom)



10am-10.45am | in French | ages 4+ | £5

Workshop with Christian Jolibois



10am-11am | in French | ages 8+ | £7 | max. 25 children

3.30pm-4.30pm | in French | ages 8+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Workshop with Mathieu Sapin



10am-11am | in English | ages 7+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Meeting Oksa Pollock



11am-12pm | in English | ages 10+ | £5

Drawing Duo: Christian Heinrich & Ben Newman



11.30am-12.10pm | in English | age 3+ | £5

Workshop with Marion Billet



1pm-2pm | in English | ages 4+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Drawing Duo: Roland Garrigue & Nicholas Allan



1.30pm-2.10pm | in English | ages 3+ | £5

Create Your Own eBook



2pm-4pm | in English | ages 7-10 | £15 | max. 10 children

Meeting Debi Gliori



2.30pm-3.30pm | in English | ages 4+ | £5

Workshop with Ben Newman



2.30pm-3.30pm | in English | ages 8+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Meeting Chris Riddell



3pm-4pm | in English | ages 8+ | £5

Workshop with Christian Heinrich



3.30pm-4.30pm | in French | ages 8+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Impro!



5pm-6pm | in English | ages 3+ | £7

Sunday 24 November

Film: The King and the Mockingbird (Le Roi et l’Oiseau)



10am-11.30am| in French with English subtitles | 3+| £8, conc. £6

Workshop with Marion Billet



10am-11am | in English | ages 4+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Workshop with Debi Gliori



10am-11am | in English | ages 6+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Create Your Own eBook



10am-12pm | in English | ages 10-13 | £15 | max. 10 children

Workshop with Claudia Boldt



11.30am-12.30pm | in English | ages 4+ | £7 | max. 25 children

2pm-3pm | in English | ages 4+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Meeting Philippe Dumas



11.30am-12.30pm | in English | ages 6+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Drawing Duo: Chris Riddell & Mathieu Sapin



12.20pm-1pm | in English | ages 3+ | £5

Film: My Mommy Is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill



2pm-3.15pm | in French with English subtitles | 6+| £8, conc. £6

Workshop with Roland Garrigue



2pm-3pm | in English | ages 5+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Workshop with Nicholas Allan



3.30pm-4.30pm | in English | ages 4+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Workshop with Lucille Clerc



3.30pm-4.30pm | in English | ages 6+ | £7 | max. 25 children

Film: Aya de Yopougon



4pm-5.30pm | in French with English subtitles | 8+ | £8, conc. £6

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at the Polka Theatre, London

Polka Theatre

240 Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB +44 (0)20 8543 4888 www.polkatheatre.com


Tumble down the rabbit hole into a magical Wonderland this winter

Join the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts in a magical Wonderland this winter, as Polka’s traditional show for the season shines a new light on one of the most loved stories of all time. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland comes alive for a new generation at Polka Theatre from 22 November 2013 – 15 February 2014.
 
Directed by Rosamunde Hutt, written by Simon Reade and with set design by Ti Green this is a Wonderland with a difference. Dusting off the Victorian setting Polka take a fresh look at the story to bring Lewis Carroll’s vivid dream world to life, bursting with original songs and music, stunning contemporary set and costume designs and plenty of imagination and humour for children aged 6+ and their families.

Top of the list of children's favourites since 1865, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a timeless tale about growing up. Audiences meet a very modern Alice, played by Ebony Feare; a curious, intelligent and fearless character who is finding out who in the world she is Exploring her attic on a cold winter’s day, Alice’s sister wants her to be quiet, her Mum wants her to stop eating sweets and no one wants to play. But as the White Rabbit appears, Alice's attic is magically transformed into a series of beautiful, strange and fantastical worlds.

Writer Simon Reade remains true to the original, with a gloriously funny and lively script full of mad, oddball characters and curiously strange occurrences!

Leave behind the cold winter afternoons, tumble headfirst down the rabbit hole and enter a world where Alice learns to find her own voice and be courageous. There will be magic, heart, jeopardy, slapstick and of course a song to sing on the way home.

Director Rosamunde Hutt said of the show: “It’s a great thrill to be creating a brand new production of this extraordinary book! Whether we are six or sixty the story weaves a fascinating spell. Come and join us as we travel through Wonderland with Alice and let’s hope we get home safe and sound by teatime!”

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland plays at Polka Theatre from 22 November 2013 – 15 February 2014 for ages 6+. Tickets are £16 (concessions £11) and can be booked online at www.polkatheatre.com or by calling the Box Office on 020 8543 4888. 

Adventures in Wonderland is sponsored by Morrisons Solicitors.

News from IBBY on the death of Robert Leeson

 

You will be sad to hear of the death of Robert Leeson, one of the leading children’s writers and children’s literature critics of the late twentieth century.

Alongside a considerable body of writing for children, Bob Leeson was pre-eminent among those writers, critics and campaigners who brought a social awareness to children’s literature, making it responsive to a more diverse society. His influential Reading and Righting (1985) argued for a children’s literature that was inclusive and committed to social equality.

Bob Leeson was also a great and active supporter of IBBY, serving on the IBBY UK Committee for many years in a number of roles. Following his retirement from the Committee, he was one of our select band of honorary members.

I will be sending condolences to Bob’s widow, Gunvor, and his family, on behalf of us all.

Best Wishes,

Clive Barnes (Chair of IBBY UK)

Jim Eldridge's Story Adventure

HOT KEY BOOKS LAUNCHES JIM ELDRIDGE’S STORY ADVENTURE SUPPORTED BY BOOKTRUST

Hot Key Books returns with another Story Adventure, a free interactive online writing project for KS2 children, for the first time supported by literature charity Booktrust. Launched on 7 October, this new Adventure is with award-winning author Jim Eldridge. The second half of his new book THE WRESTLING TROLLS has disappeared and he needs help to rewrite it in just 8 weeks!

Running from 7 October to 16 December 2013, Jim will post a new chapter of the book on www.thestoryadventure.com each week and ask children what THEY think should happen next. Not only will they have the chance to influence the story and watch their creativity come alive, but Adventurers whose ideas are chosen by Jim will be credited in the final published book. Children and schools can sign up as a whole class / library group or join individually.

Alongside the interactive parts of the story there is also a schedule of activities reviewed by primary school teachers that the children can get involved in which fit into the Reading and Writing Curriculum (EN1, EN2 and EN3) including non-fiction, drawing, science, maths and journalistic tasks that will support and further their learning.

Using a secure site hosted on a Ning community platform, www.thestoryadventure.com already has over 400 subscribers after the successful Fleur Hitchcock Story Adventure that saw 2,000 children help author Fleur Hitchcock to write the sequel to Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week SHRUNK! The sequel SHRUNK! MAHEM AND METEORITES will be published in January 2014.

Jim Eldridge says: ‘I've been earning my living as a writer for over 40 years, but it all began for me in childhood: reading, and making up little stories of my own. I am absolutely delighted to be doing the next Story Adventure because - who knows - with children helping to create and write the next WRESTLING TROLLS book, some of them may go on to develop ideas of their own and see it in book or story form. The writers of the future are here, now, and they're doing The Story Adventure. How great is that!’

Hot Key Books Editorial Director Sara O’Connor says: “I’m thrilled to be part of building a community of young readers who think the creation of books is exciting – we already have kids drawing dragons and forests. Jim is the perfect author to carry on Fleur’s creative energy and Booktrust is the perfect partner to support it.”

Alison Keeley, Head of Schools at Booktrust says: "Booktrust is delighted to support a scheme that not only engages children in writing, but gives them a tangible reward in the form of a credit in a published book. Children are natural storytellers and hopefully this will highlight for them the enjoyment in writing. Hot Key Books have shown themselves to be creative innovators and we look forward to working with them."

For more information about the project go to www.thestoryadventure.com

…

 

SLA School Librarian of the Year

This year two people have been awarded the honour of the SLA School Librarian of the Year at a celebration at the Hotel Russell in London, on 7th October.

Candy Gourlay, author of the award-wining Tall Story and recently published second novel, The Shine , presented the award to:

Hilary Cantwell , librarian at St Paul’s Community College (http://www.stpaulswaterford.ie/ ), Waterford, Republic of Ireland.
Hilary gained expertise in New York schools and public libraries before joining an Irish government programme to create school libraries. St Paul’s has 430 students and is in a rural county with the highest unemployment in Ireland. It is affiliated to the Irish government’s inclusion programme, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (http://goo.gl/GJ57jQ ).

John Iona , librarian at Oasis Academy (http://www.oasisacademyenfield.org/ ), Enfield, Middlesex.
John creates award-winning resources, delivers the school’s Extended Project Qualification programme and plays a significant role in curriculum planning and support. The school has 1,100 students of which up to 70% have English as a second language. John actively promotes reading for pleasure with a number of initiatives including Reading Games .
Ginette Doyle, Chair of the SLA School Librarian of the Year Selection committee said: “It was an extremely strong, and international, Honour List. In the end we chose two librarians both working in different ways to bring their libraries into the heart of the school and learning. They are not joint winners, but each deserves the accolade of SLA School Librarian of the Year. ”
SLA School Librarian of the Year Award 2013

Book your Place at Scotland’s Reading Celebration

Book Week Scotland 2013 Programme Announced

The full programme for Scotland’s second national celebration of books and reading has been announced.

 

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Book Week Scotland, Scottish Book Trust will deliver a week-long nationwide focus on books, reading and writing from 25 November to 1 December, 2013.

A diverse programme of book-related events will be held across the country, with an emphasis on celebrating whatever you enjoy reading, be it a book, comic, blog or newspaper. Many of the events will be hosted by some of Scotland’s best-loved authors, with highlights of the week including:

• Three free picture books gifted to every Primary 1 pupil in Scotland. The titles consist of the shortlist for the Scottish Children’s Book Awards 2013: Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, What's the Time Mr Wolf by Debi Gliori and Jumblebum by Chae Strathie and Ben Cort.
• Over 400 book-related events in 349 different locations including pop-up book shops, an all night pyjama party in an art gallery, events in libraries and underground book mic nights in a nightclub.
• 150,000 free copies of Treasures, a short story and poem collection written by the people of Scotland, will be distributed through many channels including bookshops, libraries,VisitScotland visitor centres and the Royal Voluntary Service network. Well known contributors include John and Carole Barrowman, Mairi Hedderwick and Denise Mina.
• The Ten Favourite Scottish Books will be announced at the end of Book Week Scotland.
• Scottish children’s illustrator and author Mairi Hedderwick will bring her most famous character, Katie Morag, to life for children across Scotland during a special live broadcast in partnership with the BBC on 28 November.
• Individuals, communities and organisations across Scotland will be encouraged to host a Big Book Bash to celebrate reading during Book Week Scotland. You can download an information pack from www.bookweekscotland.com.
• Think you know Scotland’s most inspiring reader, or most committed fan? Perhaps you know someone who likes to read in an unusual place? Nominate them at www.bookweekscotland.com to be a national Reading Hero.
• Five large art installations will be unveiled in communities across Scotland to inspire reading.

The names of this year’s Book Week Scotland Author Ambassadors were also unveiled: Children’s author and illustrator Nick Sharratt, popular fiction author Shari Low and poet Ryan Van Winkle will lead the push to spread the joy of reading throughout the country.

Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said:

“The first Book Week Scotland in 2012 was a great success with over 20,000 people attending events across Scotland. This year’s programme provides even more exciting events for children and adults to celebrate the wonder of the written word.

“Scotland has a strong literary canon and Book Week offers a great opportunity for everyone to celebrate our word-class wealth of talent, creativity and imagination.

“No matter what age, no matter what walk of life we come from, it’s never too early or too late to find the time to read and to discover whole new worlds outside our own.”

Marc Lambert, Chief Executive of Scottish Book Trust, said:

“Book Week Scotland is a celebration of our love affair with books, and of the power of reading and writing, surely humankind’s greatest cultural invention. We want to involve all Scots in a national conversation about what they like to read, and why. Whether it’s escaping for a few hours into fictional worlds, enjoying precious time with your children as you read a bedtime story, fact finding for homework, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or finding out more about your sporting hero, books enrich all aspects of our lives and hold open the door to a million different possibilities.”

Aly Barr, Development Officer, Creative Scotland, said:
“Book Week Scotland is one of the most anticipated sequels of 2013. The programme is itself a treasure trove of events for children just starting to learn about the wonders to be discovered between the covers of a book, for people for whom books are one of the joys of life, for book lovers in every part of Scotland. I can't wait."

Moira Methven, interim CEO, Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) said:
"We are really excited to be supporting Book Week Scotland this year. It's great that local libraries are going to be venues for lots of events, with over 100 authors visiting libraries for 'Book Week Scotland in Libraries', where you will get to meet authors and listen to unique readings.

"We're also looking forward to seeing lots of fun Big Book Bashes taking place in libraries across the country and don't forget to pop into your local library during the week to pick up your free copy of 'Treasures'.
"Before you vote for your favourite Scottish book, why not discover more about it by logging onto askscotland.org.uk and one of our librarians will answer your question."

Initiated by the Scottish Government and supported, along with a Readers in Residence programme in libraries, by £250,000 from Creative Scotland, Book Week Scotland will be delivered by Scottish Book Trust. Book Week Scotland in libraries is funded by The Scottish Library and Information Council.

Photographs from this morning’s announcement are available on request from helen.croney@scottishbooktrust.com.
Audio clips from key spokespeople including Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, and Actor and Presenter John Barrowman are available at http://audioboo.fm/ on the Scottish Book Trust Audioboo page.

Eighth annual Roald Dahl Day

Mischief and mayhem at the RSC

Roald Dahl’s daughter plus very special musical guests celebrate eighth annual Roald Dahl Day

 

In celebration of the eighth annual Roald Dahl Day, Puffin is to host Roald Dahl Day Puffin Virtually Live, an interactive webcast streamed live on Friday 13^th September at 2pm from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, home of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon where the multi award-winning production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical premiered before transferring to London and New York.

This year’s Roald Dahl Day celebrations pay tribute to the MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM within the work of the world’s number one storyteller. We all love Roald Dahl’s more villainous characters, whether it’s the terrifying Trunchbull, currently wowing audiences in the glorious Matilda The Musical at London’s Cambridge Theatre, or the Grand High Witch – about to be immortalised in a new audiobook read by Miranda Richardson. And when it comes to MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM, nobody does it with more aplomb than Mr Willy Wonka, whether in the original book or played by Doug Hodge in the smash-hit musical which has just opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

So what mischief and mayhem will take place at the RSC on the 13^th September?

• Hosted by Michael Rosen, former Children’s Laureate and author of children’s biography Fantastic Mr Dahl, Michael will be in conversation with Roald Dahl’s daughter, Lucy Dahl, the inspiration for Matilda, finding out about the mischief and mayhem her father got up to at home and in the writing of his work.
• There will be a live performance of “Naughty” from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical by one of the four young actresses who share the much-coveted title role at the Cambridge Theatre in London.
• Cherry and Jerry, the unforgettable news reporters from the spectacular new musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, present an EXCLUSIVE video that provides eye-opening video interviews and behind the scenes insights that will guide pupils through the incredible creative process of this gigantic production!
• Behind the scenes footage of all the fun sound technicians had making the sound effects for Puffin’s brand new Roald Dahl audiobook recordings at the world famous Pinewood Film Studios will be aired for the first time.
• Viewers will also have the opportunity to put their questions to Michael and Lucy and to send in their stories and anecdotes of mischief and mayhem to be read out during the course of the event.

Francesca Dow, MD of Penguin Children’s, said, ‘Puffin’s programme of Virtually Live events demonstrate our desire and our ability to reach hundreds of thousands of children worldwide with rich and varied content from some of our greatest authors and illustrators. We are extremely proud of our multi-platform events programme which aims to connect as many kids globally as possible to the authors and illustrators and help bring stories alive.’

Registration is now open at www.puffinvirtuallylive.co.uk and Roald Dahl fans from across the globe are invited to join in this exclusive webcast. Last year’s PUFFIN VIRTUALLY LIVE reached a quarter of a million young people all over the globe, from Ipswich to India; from Huddersfield to Hong Kong.

 

The Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture 2013

Kevin Crossley-Holland, celebrated author and President of the School Library Association, delivered an enchanting and beautifully crafted lecture: Footprints on the Grass: Speaking of Gardens and Children's Books to a full house at Homerton College Cambridge on 6th September.

 

Philippa Pearce died in 2006, but respect and affection for her writing is as strong as ever. In her memory, a series of lectures is now underway, each intended to celebrate excellence in writing for children.

The inaugural Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture was held on 11th September 2008, at Homerton College, Cambridge, and focused on Philippa Pearce's own writing and contribution to children's literature. Subsequent lectures have ranged more widely and speakers have included Michael Rosen, Michael Morpurgo, Philip Pullman and Malorie Blackman. The 2014 Lecture will be given by Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Kevin's speech was filmed and will be available on the Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture website soon. http://www.pearcelecture.com

 

 

 YOUNG WINNERS OF THE 2013 HENRIETTA BRANFORD WRITING COMPETITION

Six talented young writers have been announced as winners of the 2013 Henrietta Branford Writing Competition. They are:

Charlotte Cohen age 15 years from Carnforth, Lancashire

Ella McElligott age 14 years from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire

Alexia Sloan age 12 years from Cambridge

Maximilian Allanby-Bassett age 11 years from Wimbledon

James Martin age 10 years also from Wimbledon

Grace Davis age 9 years from Halifax, West Yorkshire

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition is an annual competition for young people which runs in conjunction with the prestigious Branford Boase Award.

The Branford Boase Award recognises a debut children’s author and their editor and was set up in memory of the outstanding children’s writer Henrietta Branford and the gifted editor, Wendy Boase, Editorial Director of Walker Books. They both died of cancer in 1999.

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition aims to find and encourage writers of the future, something Henrietta Branford was always keen to do.

The competition is open to anyone under the age of 19 and this year as last year there were hundreds of entries from all over the country, often thanks to the encouragement of teachers and school librarians. Entrants had to complete a story begun by last year’s winner, author of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, Annabel Pitcher.

Nikki Gamble of Writeaway and the Just Imagine Story Centre in Chelmsford judged the entries and said, “The quality of the stories submitted was extremely impressive. It is always a very hard competition to judge but I felt that the winners’ stories are truly exceptional The young authors show real ability to create character, to win and hold their readers’ interest, and to build tension and suspense.’

The six winners are all invited to attend the Branford Boase Award celebration party in London on 11 July. There they will meet Dame Jacqueline Wilson and the authors shortlisted for the award as well as editors, publishers, agents, and other professionals in this field. They will receive a copy of each of the books shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award and be able to have their books signed.

For further information please contact Andrea Reece on 07807893369 or andrea.reece@zen.co.uk

 

The books on the 2013 shortlist are

After the Snow by S D Crockett, edited by Emma Young (Macmillan)

The Things We Did for Love by Natasha Farrant, edited by Julia Heydon-Wells (Faber)

Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan, edited by Mara Bergman (Walker)

A Hen in the Wardrobe by Wendy Meddour, edited by Janetta Otter-Barry (Frances Lincoln)

Black Arts by Andrew Prentice & Jonathan Weil, edited by Simon Mason (David Fickling)

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton, edited by David Fickling (David Fickling)

A World Between Us by Lydia Syson, edited by Sarah Odedina (Hot Key)

The Branford Boase Award was set up in memory of the prize-winning author Henrietta Branford and Wendy Boase, editorial director and one of the founders of Walker Books. They worked together on a number of Henrietta’s novels, a partnership they greatly enjoyed. Both Henrietta and Wendy died of cancer in 1999.

The Award is the joint idea of Julia Eccleshare and Anne Marley MBE. Julia is the children’s books editor of The Guardian. Anne was Head of Children’s, Youth & Schools Services for Hampshire Library & Information Service for many years and is now a partner in Authors Aloud UK, an author booking agency. She has served on many children’s book award panels, including the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Awards.

For more information about the award and the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition visit www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk .

Images are also available on

www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk/bbapress.html

Or contact Andrea Reece on 07807893369 or andrea.reece@zen.co.uk