Bath Children's Literature Festival

　
The Festival opened on September 18th with a hugely successful discussion between Lorna Bradbury (Deputy Literature Editor of the Daily Telegraph) and Malorie Blackman. She captivated her audience by telling them about Double Cross the fourth book in the Noughts and Crosses trilogy!!
Carousel were delighted to sponsor a session in the Guildhall for families and young children. With an audience of about one hundred excited readers they learnt how Annette and Nick Butterworth created their wonderfully warm and reassuring stories about Jake, the well meaning dog who enjoys life but gets into lots of scrapes. Enthusiastic child artists joined in the game of Squiggles and left with their creations rolled up under their arm.
Bathed in sunshine, it was a pleasure to walk between the different venues for a packed programme of events for children of all ages. The Festival’s final weekend is February 26th – 27th. For details of events visit www.bathkidslitfest.co.uk

Book Trust Teenage Prize Shortlist

Auslander by Paul Dowswell (Bloomsbury)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Bloomsbury)
Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray (Definitions)
The Ant Colony by Jenny Valentine (HarperCollins)
The Vanishing of Katharina Linden by Helen Grant (Puffin)
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (Walker)

Writer in Residence, Book Trust

Ghanaian performance poet becomes Booktrust’s second online writer in residence
www.booktrust.org.uk
　
The Ghanaian author and performance poet Nii Ayikwei Parkes has been announced as the second author to take on the role of Booktrust online writer in residence. As well as performing his unique brand of poetry on major stages across the globe, Nii Parkes is an established author of poetry and fiction for both children and adults – he has had his poem ‘Wrong Side’ memorised by pupils across the UK and his poem ‘Tin Roof’ was featured by the ‘Poems on the Underground’ initiative in June 2007. A socio-cultural commentator who has sat on broadcast panels with literary heavyweights such as Margaret Atwood and A.S. Byatt, he is the author of the novel Tail of the Blue Bird and the co-founder and Senior Editor of flipped eye publishing.
Nii takes over from the Booktrust Teenage Prize winner Patrick Ness, who during his time in post wrote a much fêted exclusive addition to the award-winning The Knife of Never Letting Go. The writer in residence programme will run for two years, with a new author taking up the position every six months.
Nii will take up his tenure from today, Monday 14 September 2009.
During his time in the post, Nii will contribute one new poem to be published on the Booktrust website, a fortnightly blog, a video interview by schoolchildren, writing tips and advice on getting published, as well as hosting a special poetry event.
Nii Parkes commented:
"I am delighted and honoured to be Booktrust’s second-ever online writer in residence, taking the virtual baton from the excellent Patrick Ness. Every writer is (or should be) a reader first, and Booktrust does more to get people reading than any organisation I know (my nine-month-old daughter has already devoured eleven books endorsed by Booktrust). I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity that this residency offers
to interact with readers, to share my experience, to explore the nuances of translation as people consume stories - for stories are only the starting point; the real tale lives in the contemplation the stories trigger, the dialogue they generate after the last page is closed."
Nikesh Shukla, Booktrust Website Editor:"Nii Parkes is the Freddie Flintoff of publishing: a true all-rounder- he’s a performance poet, an author, a publisher, an editor and the hardest working man in the biz. He was an obvious choice to take over from Patrick Ness as our new writer in residence, and we’ve scored a century by getting him. Nii’s self-made career has given him a wealth of knowledge of the publishing industry and he will be a huge inspiration to aspiring writers. As someone who is immersed in technology and social networking media too, it’ll be great to collaborate with him on new and exciting multimedia online projects for Booktrust."

Handa's Hen

going on tour! It opens at The Polka Theatre in Wimbledon on 26 September and ends at The Albany Theatre in Deptford on 27 December - calling at 12 other venues, in and out of London.Details can be found:-
on the Little Angel website http://www.littleangeltheatre.com/(click on What's On) and the Walker Books website http://www.walker.co.uk/ (click on What's On) Two actresses, fifty-five puppets, movement and song are combined in this production. Come to Handa's Kenyan village where Mondi the hen has gone missing. Handa and her friend, Akeyo look everywhere. They find lizards, frogs, spoonbills and lots of other animals. But where is Mondi - and what's her secret?

Writing Competition

To celebrate the publication of Wishing for Tomorrow, Hodder Children’s Books are running a writing competition judged by Hilary McKay. Two lucky winners will receive a beautiful Victorian writing set and a signed copy of Wishing for Tomorrow. Four runners-up will receive a signed copy of the book.
To enter, choose ONE of the writing scenarios below. Send your entry (maximum one side of an A4 sheet) to:
Wishing for Tomorrow Competition
Hodder Children’s Books
338 Euston Road
London NW1 3BH
Closing date: 31st October 2009
1. In Wishing for Tomorrow. Ermengarde desperately misses her best friend, Sara Crewe. Alice, the maid, encourages her to write to her absent friend to tell her about life at the school.
Imagine you are writing to Sara Crewe describing a typical day at your school.
2. In A Little Princess there is a poor hungry rat called Melchesidec who befriends Sara when she is banished to the attic. In Wishing for Tomorrow, Ermengarde looks after him when Sara has gone, and also makes friends with Bosco, next door’s pampered cat.
Imagine you are an animal who befriends a schoolgirl. Write a diary entry about a typical day spent with her at her school. Remember that you are writing from the point of view of the animal!
　

Second Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture

Photograph from left to right:Morag Styles, Reader in Children's Literature and Education at Homerton College, Cambridge/ Michael Rosen / Philippa's Pearce's daughter - Sally Christie and her son. Outside Homerton College where Michael Rosen delivered the second Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture - What is children's poetry for? : towards a new, but child-specific, 'Apologie for Poetrie' (Sir Philip Sidney, 1595). The 2010 lecture will be given by Michael Morpurgo at Seven Stories, The Centre for Children’s Books and the 2011 lecture by Philip Pullman, at Homerton College. For more details visit http://www.pearcelecture.com/

An excellent lecture - Michael Rosen overcame the poor microphone sound which gave a disconcerting hiss...

Booktrust Roald Dahl Funny Prize Shortlist

The Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under:

The Great Dog Bottom Swop by Peter Bently illus Mei Matsucka - Andersen
Octopus Socktopus by Nick Sharratt - Alison Green Books
Elephant and Joe is a Spaceman by David Wojtowycx - Alison Green
Crocodiles are the best animals of all by Sean Taylor illus Hannah Shaw - Frances Lincoln
Mr Pusskins best in show by Sam Lloyd - Orchard
The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg ilus Bruce Ingman - Walker

The Funniest Book for Children aged Seven to Fourteen:

The Galloping Ghost by Hilda Offen - Catnip
Eating things on sticks by Anne Fine illus Kate Aldous - Doubleday
Grubtown Tales: Stinking rich and just plan stinky by Philip Ardagh illus Jim Paillot - Faber
The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams illus Quentin Blake - HarperCollins
Purple Class and the half-eaten sweater by Sean Taylor illus Helen Bate - Francis Lincoln
Ribblestrop by Andy Mulligan - Simon & Schuster

Bill Bailey, one of the judges, comments: It was great fun judging the prize, mainly because the standard of the books was so high...it's so hard to choose between them, and at one point it got so tense we got through a whole plate of chocolate brownies..it's tough this judging lark.

Write Aways Second Conference

All Join In: Participation and Inclusion in Literacy a one day conference at the Leeds Hilton 23 October 09 from 9.30 - 4.00 for teachers and librarians. Details on www.writeaway.org.uk/index.php Reduced fee booking until the end of September.

Just Read Campaign

The initial meeting of the "Just Read" Campaign took place in early June. Stimulated by the BBC4 documentary, Just Read, which featured Michael Rosen working with a school in Cardiff, a group of authors, illustrators, retailers, teachers, literary agents, librarians, publishers and national literacy organisations gathered to discuss how a campaign could help all schools become book-loving schools.

Michael Rosen led the first session by asking "How can we defend reading for pleasure". Amongst the positives were that it creates empathy and understanding; provides fun; improves communication skills; stimulates the imagination. The meeting was against the overuse of extracts/worksheetsp; a negative or unenthusiastic attitude to books in class; judging children's reading; lack of communication between teachers/librarians and the industry.

It was agreed that a plan with clear steps that can be taken by groups and individuals should be created.

Further information about the campaign will be given on this blog as and when we hear of it!

And no this is not a late post...I've simply been waiting for a contact address for the campaign which has now arrived. So if interested contact justread@scholastic.co.uk

Children's Book Show

This autumn a few writers and illustrators will be on tour to ten theatre venues around the country. Full details on www.thechildrensbookshow.com It may well be my imagination but it seems less people are taking part this year.

Croft Castle

Nothing to do with books, but just a wonderful place to go this summer. There are various items of tree art but this one really took my eye...and lots of running space for children. Croft Castle, Yarpole, Herefordshire - an NT place. The old, dead oak is 46' high and was wrapped in heavy duty red cotton drill fabric by the artist Philippa Lawrence.

Illustration Cupboard Summer Exhibition

First British Exhibition of Graphic Artist Kevin O'Neill is now on show at the ever enterprising Illustration Cupboard Gallery which can be found at 22 Bury Street, St James London SW1 - nearest tube Green Park. Perfect for teens and older. Illustrations, signed books etc for sale.

Visiting Schools - part 4

If you can go to the BBC Home page, then to I Player (at the very bottom) click on BBC 2 and click on Newsnight Thursday 16 July then push the line under the picture until you get 40 mins in and you will see an excellent encounter between Anthony Horowitz and Anthony Browne on the merits or otherwise of the VBS system. Highly recommended.

School Visiting Perils part three

Story from BBC News website 16 July :

...Government officials have suggested many authors will not need checks to visit schools. A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said "These checks have been misunderstood. Authors will not have to register with the Vetting and Barring Scheme if they work with children once or infrequently. In fact, people working in schools will only be required to register if they work with children on a regular basis. This is because visitors to schools, even if they are supervised by a teacher at all times, are being placed in a unique position of trust where they can easily become deeply liked and trusted by pupils. We therefore need to to be sure that this trust is well placed in case pupils bump into them out of school where a teacher is not present. While we fully accept that the vast majority of workers or volunteers would never abuse their position of trust, parents would not want adults working regularly with young children, even on a voluntary basis, without any sort of background check at all."

Gives me a shiver ... Of course no one wants children to be abused or put into any kind of danger. But, and this for me is a Mount Everest of a But, we do want children to talk and engage with adults. And we do want adults to talk and engage with children. That is how we all learn and live and enjoy life. And yes of course reasonable care should be taken...but should we monitor (for example) all corner shops where the kids go in, spend pocket money and have a bit of banter with the shopkeeper on a very regular (daily) basis? Of course not. The whole logic seems deeply flawed. An author could be liked and trusted after one visit and then where are you? What constitutes regular? Hints of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"
Enid Stephenson

School Visiting Perils part two

There is a further story about this in The Independent today...see their website http://www.independent.co.uk
I have tried to give the full link but for some strange reason it fails...but it is listed under Editors Choice.

Visiting Schools - new perils

Children's Authors heading the front page of The Independent today, whatever next.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/authors-boycott-schools-over-sexoffence-register-1748267.html

When putting the various news blogs in I keep clear of comment but this seems so very stupid I can't resist. I can't imagine why a Labour Government should be contemplating this, or indeed any Government. Surely the very simple solution is that whenever anyone visits a school to speak a paid member of the school staff should be present at all times.

I was sorry to read that the new Children's Laureate, Anthony Browne and another good children's author, Gillian Cross should fail to see the slippery slope this ruling would begin.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jul/16/writers-schools-vetting-children-s-laureate

Where would the vetting stop? What about those booksellers taking books into schools? What about parents taking games after school? The list is endless. In fact the logical conclusion is for everyone in the country to be vetted ...1984 here we come quarter of a century on.

Enid Stephenson in her personal capacity and not speaking for anyone else at Carousel as I haven't spoken to them!

Old Possum’s Children’s Poetry Competition 2009

Carol Ann Duffy, the new Poet Laureate, is to chair the judging panel for a worldwide poetry competition for 7-11 year olds. The Competition is organised by the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf, a poetry book club for young people run by the Poetry Book Society. To link with National Poetry Day on Thursday 8 October, children will be asked to write a poem in English on the theme of ‘Heroes and Heroines’.

Now in its fourth year, the competition is open to both individuals and schools. Cash prizes of £250 for first prize, £100 for second and £50 for third will be awarded, along with books and CPB memberships, in two age groups, 7-8 year-olds and 9-11 year-olds. Entries will be accepted from Thursday 10 September, up until the closing date of Monday 19 October. The winners will be announced at a gala celebration in London in December.

The British Council partnership, established last year, will continue to encourage entries to the ‘International Learner category’ for children based outside the UK who are learning English as a foreign or second language.

The Old Possum’s Children’s Poetry Competition will encourage children to write poems of their own and help teachers to bring poetry alive in the classroom. A teacher’s guide to accompany the competition will be available to download from the Children’s Poetry Bookshelf website (www.childrenspoetrybookshelf.co.uk) from early September, along with further information about the competition.

Carol Ann Duffy is joined by a distinguished panel of people who either write poetry for children or are passionate about it: John Agard, poet and playwright, whose Young Inferno has just won the 2009 CLPE Poetry Award; Antonia Byatt, Director of Literature Strategy at Arts Council England; Gillian Clarke, National Poet of Wales, playwright and translator; Janetta Otter-Barry, Publisher of Janetta Otter-Barry Books, an imprint of Frances Lincoln; and Roger Stevens, poet, author, musician and founder of the Poetry Zone website.

The Old Possum’s Children’s Poetry Competition is generously supported by Old Possum’s Practical Trust.

For further information about the Competition please contact:
Hilary Davidson email hilary@poetrybooks.co.uk
or Chris Holifield email chris@poetrybooks.co.uk
at the Poetry Book Society tel 020 7833 9247

Anthony Browne Exhibition October 2009

New Children’s Laureate, Anthony Browne, is exhibiting with Images of Delight at
Cox & Power’s sensational space in London’s Marylebone High Street.

This is Anthony’s first solo show in which all of the artwork is for sale and will include rarely seen sketches from such classics as Gorilla (1983),
Alice in Wonderland (1988), Willy’s Pictures (2000)and Into the Forest (2004), as well as magnificent finished pieces.

The Exhibition will run for two weeks, from Saturday 17th October until Saturday 31st October 2009 and all of Anthony’s books will be available across the road at Daunt Books.

Fans of Anthony Browne’s work will be able to meet him on the open days,
Saturday 17th and Friday 23rd October, from 11am-1pm and 3pm-5pm.

CLPE Poetry Award 2009

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education is delighted to announce that the winner of the CLPE Poetry Award for 2009 is:

John Agard: The Young Inferno, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura
Frances Lincoln £12.99

The presentation was made at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education on Tuesday July 7th 2009 by last year’s winner Jackie Kay.

What are you like? Exhibition

The original idea for the exhibition, curated by Quentin Blake, was taken from a Victorian parlour game in which you draw pictures of your favourite things to create a cryptic self-portrait. For this exhibition, 45 people in the public eye were asked to illustrate eight favourite things from a list of twelve, in order to create a self-portrait.

Contributors were asked about their favourite animal, book, clothes, comfort, food, pastime, place, possession, music, shoes, weather and their pet aversion (the thing they love to hate!). The contributors to the exhibition were all selected for having the skills to express themselves visually, and were encouraged to use whatever medium they most enjoy. Among the famous people whose work appears in the exhibition are: Andrew Marr, Anna Ford, Brian Eno, Eric Clapton, Eric Carle, Jack Penate, Jan Pienkowski, Sir Paul Smith and Shirley Hughes.

The resulting works are diverse in style: from Quentin Blake’s instantly recognisable pen and ink drawings of people and Shirley Hughes’ enchanting watercolours to Lauren Child’s unique combination of text, drawing and collage and a series of polaroid photographs by portrait and fashion photographer Mary McCartney.

The exhibition is running at Manchester Art Gallery from 4th July to 31st August and at Wingfield Barns in Suffolk from 4th to 30th September.

For more details, including opening hours please visit

www.manchestergalleries.org

www.onesuffolk.co.uk/WingfieldArts