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

Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2013

The Coventry Inspiration Book Awards, administered by Coventry SLS, were held last week in the form of a glitzy, star-studded ceremony. The winners in each of the children's categories, as voted for by young readers via Coventry City Council's website, were as follows: Never Too Young A Very Strange Creature by Ronda Armitage (Illus. by Layn Marlow) What's the Story? Black Dog by Levi Penfold Raring 2 Read The Beast by Ann Evans Read it or Else! The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan Simply The Book This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees Our Favourite Classics The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner Many of the winning authors were in attendance to receive their awards, as was Quentin Blake, who accepted the inaugural 'Lifetime Inspiration Award'. For more information about the awards, including the original shortlists in each category, click here.

The 2013 Scottish Children's Book Awards

The 2013 Scottish Children's Book Awards Children with some of the shortlisted books at yesterday's launch The Scottish Children’s Book Awards 2013 shortlists were announced yesterday (Tuesday 18th June), celebrating the most popular children’s books by Scottish or Scottish-based authors or illustrators. The nine books, which will now go to a children’s vote, include four former shortlisted authors, two previous winners, one debut author and one small Scottish independent publisher. The shortlist is split into three age categories, and was chosen by a panel of judges including a teacher, librarian, bookseller, children’s books experts, a Bookbug coordinator and two groups of pupils. Run by Scottish Book Trust in partnership with Creative Scotland, and voted for entirely by children, these are Scotland’s largest book awards, with a total prize fund of £12,000. Shortlisted authors and illustrators receive £500 per book, and the three overall winners receive £3,000 each. Bookbug Readers (3-7 years) The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb (Macmillan) What’s the Time Mr Wolf by Debi Gliori (Bloomsbury) Jumblebum by Chae Strathie and Ben Cort (Scholastic) Younger Readers (8-11 years) Black Tide by Caroline Clough (Floris) The Accidental Time Traveller by Janis McKay (Floris) Really Weird Removals.com by Daniela Sacerdoti (Floris) Older Readers (12-16 years) Ferryman by Claire McFall (Templar) The Seeing by Diana Hendry (Bodley Head) The Book of Doom by Barry Hutchison (Harper Collins)

CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medal winners

CKG - the winners!
The winners of this year's CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals were announced at a ceremony earlier today:

The winner of the 2013 CILIP Carnegie Medal is: Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, published by Hot Key

The winner of the 2013 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal is: Black Dog by Levi Pinfold, published by Templar Books

Congratulations to both authors and their respective publishers!

Poetry Rivals 2013

Poetry Rivals 2013: The UK Poetry Event that Embraces and Encourages Poets of all Ages.

Whether you want to put the world to rights through rap, make people laugh with a humorous verse or maybe show your softer side by writing a love piece about someone special, Poetry Rivals 2013 is the competition for you! Poetry Rivals has announced its 2013 National Poetry competition with more prizes on offer than ever before including a £1,500 ‘Proprint’ self-publishing package and the opportunity to perform at the event’s all-important Slam Final! This ever-growing annual event in the literary calendar helps poets of all ages express themselves, gain confidence in creative writing and experience the stimulating world of performance poetry. The Poetry Rivals 2013 contest is divided into three categories: under 16 year olds, 16-25 and over 25’s and is open to everyone throughout the UK. The organisers are particularly aiming to attract teachers and schools to get involved and to encourage pupils from all across the UK to take part. Schools are invited to send in pupils’ poems to be considered for publication in an anthology and the chance to be invited to the Slam Final! The school with the best set of entries will win a full day's spoken word workshop with popular double act Dead Poets. Mark Grist and Mixy have been working with schools for the past 5 years and their workshops have inspired thousands of children all over the UK. Entrants can submit poems on any subject and in any poetic style and this year the organisers have come up with by far their most impressive selection of prizes to date. The under 16’s first prize is a top of the range laptop. The winner of the 16-25 category will receive a one-to-one workshop with Mark Grist , a video of their performance created with a crew of professionals and a paid performance at a UK festival. Top prize in the over 25’s is a Proprint self-publishing package worth £1,500 which includes typesetting, cover design, proofs, ISBN registration and 250 printed copies. In addition there will be runner-up prizes in all categories of cash prizes and/or Kindles. The top 50 poets from each age category will be listed on the Poetry Rivals website and invited to perform their poem at one of the live Poetry Slams held in April 2014. Poetry Rivals also aim to help children reading aloud to improve their confidence in class and when performing. There are downloadable tips from the website http://www.poetryrivals.com/under-16s/reading-poetry-aloud.php Competition host Mark Grist will kick-start the finalist event and the judges will watch and mark each performance. Poetry Rivals was launched in 2009 to search for new poetry stars and is run by Bonacia Ltd. Entrants are invited to submit a poem on any subject and in any poetic style. Entries can be submitted online, by email or post. More details can be found by visiting www.poetryrivals.com About Poetry Rivals Poetry Rivals is a National Competition now in its 5th year. This exciting and well respected competition provides poets from across the UK with the opportunity to be published alongside other and possibly more established poets. Poetry Rivals also seeks to encourage people young and old to express themselves with confidence using performance poetry. The chosen judges poetry experts including Mark Grist, who was a judge and the slam host in 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012. Mark Grist is a teacher based in Peterborough, a performance poet (who reached last year's UK Slam Championship Finals), and a poetry activist. Contact: Tazmin Hunt Telephone: 01733 890099 Email: tazmin.hunt@poetryrivals.com

Polka Theatre Autumn Winter Season 2013 – 2014

Please find below a press release as well as performance and workshop listings for the new Polka Theatre Autumn / Winter season 2013 – 2014. We are taking a trip down the rabbit hole this Christmas in Polka’s adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for ages 6 – 11 from 22 November 2013 – 15 February 2014. Ages 3 – 5 meet the friendliest gorilla in the world from 16 October 2013 – 15 February 2014, with a new stage adaptation to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the heart-warming children’s book Gorilla by former Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne. Polka has also created Mini Gorilla - a special version for toddlers aged 1 – 2. Older audiences aged 9 - 13 are invited to talk about climate change in The Planet and Stuff. Part live-science demo, part hyper-active game show, The Planet and Stuff has been created with local children from Polka’s Young Voices Panel (27 September – 26 October).

National Poetry Day 2013 – water, water, everywhere

Thursday 3rd October 2013 A nationwide celebration of all things poetical On 3rd October people of all ages will take part in the 19th annual National Poetry Day, inspired by the theme ‘water, water, everywhere’. National Poetry Day this year challenges participants to smuggle poetry into the most unlikely places: not just in libraries and classrooms, but on fishing boats and ferries, via postcards, mobile phones and announcements on station platforms. The devisers of the best wheezes for bringing poetry off the bookshelves will be honoured with specially commissioned odes, clerihews and rhyming couplets. Prizes, poetic installations, performances and online happenings featuring world-famous poets and poetry lovers will send ripples throughout the nation. In London, inspiration will follow the river Thames to Southbank Centre, which will host National Poetry Day Live with the Poetry Society, a jubilant afternoon of performances, readings, films, and the announcement of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year. Commuters at St Pancras station will be entertained by readings from this year’s John Betjeman Poetry Competition for Young People. In Birmingham, which unveils the identity of the city’s latest poet laureate on National Poetry Day, the national poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, will read with Imtiaz Dharker in an event hosted by Writing West Midlands. And in Wales, four poets will be shut in rooms with keyboards and pencils until they have produced one hundred new poems – in Welsh. The Royal Shakespeare Company and Tate will be among many organisations highlighting poetry in the run up to the day and on National Poetry Day itself. In Scotland, more than 300,000 poetry postcards will be given away by the Scottish Poetry Library, in partnership with Scottish Water. Short films of the poems featured will bring apt, funny and moving words to the screens of phones and laptops. Events will spill over the days preceding and following National Poetry Day itself, including performances by Simon Armitage inspired by his seven-week walk from Minehead to Lands End along the South West Coast Path – in which he will be paying for board and lodging with poetry – and a celebration of canal poetry, Waterlines Live, at Birmingham Literature Festival on October 6th and 13th. The month of National Poetry Day will begin on October 1st with the eagerly-awaited announcement of the winners of the Forward Prizes for Poetry, and the launch of the annual Forward Book of Poetry at Southbank Centre William Sieghart, Chairman of the Forward Arts Foundation and founder of National Poetry Day, says: “National Poetry Day is a chance to abandon the prosaic for 24 hours, to use rhythm, rhyme, free verse, irregular beats and raps to make words more vivid. It’s a day with a difference, when language floats free from regular rules. Find a poem you love and share it, online and face-to-face, or make up some poetry of your own. This year’s water theme, lifted from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner, is just a starting point: without water we die, without poetry we cannot fully live.” Founded by the Forward Arts Foundation 19 years ago, National Poetry Day is now a major national event: last year it reached more than 50 million people. To find out how to get involved or to promote your National Poetry Day event,visit www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk See our Facebook page or find us on Twitter @poetrydayuk / #NPDLive

POWERFUL REFUGEE STORY WINS NEW AWARD FOR RADICAL CHILDREN’S FICTION The Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) is delighted to announce that the winner of the inaugural Little Rebels Children’s Book Award is Sarah Garland for her book, Azzi In Between (Frances Lincoln). Commenting on today’s announcement, guest judge and children’s author Elizabeth Laird said, “Azzi tells a simple and powerful story, one with which we should all be tragically familiar, with a text and pictures that are rich, appealing and satisfyingly detailed”. Booktrust founder and guest judge Wendy Cooling added, “The graphic novel style gives it freshness and immediacy. The text and illustration work together brilliantly as they invite children to enjoy the story and to think about the lives of other children”. In a marked departure for the author, best known for her warm narratives of family life, Azzi In Between is in a graphic format and tells the powerful story of a family forced to flee their homeland and settle in a strange and unfamiliar country. The book is based on the author’s own experience of working among refugee families and is endorsed by Amnesty International. Kate Kellaway of The Observer described Azzi In Between as “a masterpiece”. Fen Coles, director of Letterbox Library who administered the award, said, “At a time when there are so many damaging myths circulating about refugees and asylum seekers, it is heartening to see a book which tells the truth- and in a way which children can relate to”. The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award winner was announced today at the first London Radical Bookfair, convened by the ARB and held in Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. Wendy Cooling, Booktrust founder and guest judge, presented Sarah Garland with a cheque and a framed picture created by Guardian cartoonist, Ros Asquith. Earlier in the day, Wendy Cooling chaired a discussion on ‘progressive children’s writing’ with two of the shortlisted authors, Sarah Garland and Jeanne Willis. Elizabeth Laird described Willis’ shortlisted book, Wild Child (Walker) as “a truly radical work, celebrating freedom and originality on every page”. The two other shortlisted titles were John Boyne’s The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket (Corgi Children/Random House UK) and Yokococo’s Hans and Matilda (Templar Publishing). The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award (www.littlerebelsaward.wordpress.com) is a new award given by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers and administered by specialist children’s booksellers, Letterbox Library. The award recognises children’s fiction for readers aged 0-12 which promote social justice and is the brainchild of Nik Gorecki, Housmans Bookshop; speaking about the award, Nik said, “The Alliance of Radical Booksellers is working hard to promote radical publishing and children’s books are an important element of that. There’s still lots of plans in the pipeline for the future and next year we hope to introduce a category for teen readers”. The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award is run parallel to the ARB’s award for radical non-fiction for adults; guest judges for the adult award include Nina Power and former London Mayor, Ken Livingstone.

Branford Boase Award: Shortlist 2013

BRANFORD BOASE AWARD: SHORTLIST 2013 ‘Seven outstanding debuts, eight really interesting authors, doing really interesting things’ The shortlist for the Branford Boase Award 2013 is announced today. The Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. For the second year running, over 60 books were submitted for the award, an indication of the wealth of talent amongst new authors for children, and of UK publishers’ enthusiasm to nurture and promote them. The shortlist is particularly varied and includes outstanding novels for young readers, historical romances, a ghost story, a challenging dystopian thriller and a time-travel adventure set in 16th century London, the last by a writing duo. The seven shortlisted books 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) This year the judges are Joy Court, Learning Resources Manager for Coventry City Council; Prue Goodwin, consultant and lecturer in children’s literature; Julie Randles, former Managing Director of Scholastic Book Clubs; and Annabel Pitcher, author of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, winner of last year’s Branford Boase Award. The panel is chaired by Julia Eccleshare, children’s books editor of The Guardian. Julia Eccleshare says: ‘This year’s longlist was exceptionally strong and the shortlisted books are extremely accomplished. Here are eight really interesting authors, doing really interesting things in their writing.’ The Branford Boase Award judging panel has a very successful record in picking future best-selling and critically acclaimed authors. Previous shortlisted and winning writers include Marcus Sedgwick, Meg Rosoff, Philip Reeve, Cathy Cassidy, Kevin Brooks, William Nicholson, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Mal Peet and Bali Rai. Last year’s winner Annabel Pitcher was recently awarded the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for her second novel, Ketchup Clouds while her Branford Boase winning debut My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece was shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. The winner of the 2013 Branford Boase Award will be announced on Thursday 11th July at a ceremony in London. The winning author receives a cheque for £1,000 and both author and editor receive a unique, hand-crafted silver-inlaid box in the shape of a book.

Look out for Little Rebels on May 11th!

Little Rebels Children's Book Award Shortlist

The winner is announced on May 11^th.

The shortlist has been announced for the new award for radical children’s fiction, The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award. Shortlisted 2012 titles are: Azzi In Between by Sarah Garland (Frances Lincoln), Hans and Matilda by Yokococo (Templar/Bonnier), Wild Child by Jeanne Willis (author) and Lorna Freytag (ill.) (Walker) and The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne (Random House UK: 2012).

The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award recognises fiction for ages 0-12 which promotes or celebrates social justice and equality. It is given by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) and is administered by specialist children’s booksellers, Letterbox Library. Guest judges Wendy Cooling, (Bookstart co-founder & editor) and Elizabeth Laird (children’s author) will be meeting next week to discuss the shortlist.

The winner of the inaugural award will be announced at the new ARB London Radical Bookfair to be held on May 11th at Conway Hall, London. The winner will receive a cash prize and a framed print by children’s author/illustrator and Guardian cartoonist, Ros Asquith. The print has been especially created for the award and features little rebels waving banners, including child-friendly slogans such as “Save the Whale, Save the Snail”.

The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award will be marked by a panel discussion on ‘progressive children’s literature’ which will be chaired by Wendy Cooling and will include author Sarah Garland. The winner of the sister award for adult non-fiction, The Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing, will also be announced at the bookfair- 8 titles have been shortlisted and will now be judged by author and lecturer, Nina Power, former London Mayor, Ken Livingstone and author, Laura Oldfield-Ford.

Kerry Mason, Co-Director of Letterbox Library said of the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award, “we were surprised and delighted by the many publisher submissions we received for Little Rebels. There is a real excitement and buzz about the award which we hope to build on for next year”.

She added, “Hard economic times can sometimes lead to publishers sticking to safe and tested book series and reprints. It is heartening to see that even when the going gets tough, some UK children’s publishers are still happy to take risks, to stay creative, to venture out into the unusual and deliver us thoughtful, provocative and radical yarns. This wonderful shortlist includes the true-to-life story of a refugee family, an anarchic feline adventure, an untamed & unkempt child within a visionary picture book and a protagonist who has no business being ‘ordinary’”.

Nik Gorecki of Housmans Bookshop and co-ordinator for the ARB said, “Book prizes tend to gravitate towards the conservative. I imagine partly this is due to a culture formed of corporate sponsorship, but also a more general conformism. The two ARB book prizes are free from such pressures- the prizes being administered by bookshops reverses the usually top-down nature of such awards”.
Keep updated on the Little Rebels award by visiting www.littlerebelsaward.wordpress.com or following @LetterboxLib / @ARB_information.

Book in for a Big Adventure!

Scotland’s Children Invited to Book in for a Big Adventure

Hundreds of free ‘Big Adventure’ events to be held during Bookbug Week: 20 – 26 May
Bookbug, Scotland’s national book gifting programme, today announces details of its annual Bookbug Week celebrations, which will see thousands of families taking part in free events across the country between 20 and 26 May.
This year’s celebrations are based around the theme of Bookbug’s Big Adventure. Babies, toddlers and their parents are invited to gather at special free events across Scotland to enjoy mini adventures and wild rhymes, exciting stories and energetic songs. Children who attend the events will receive a special Bookbug Week rhyme mat featuring adventure-themed songs and rhymes, with beautiful artwork by Scottish illustrator Cate James. Parents also have a chance to win a set of her books in daily prize draws on Facebook during Bookbug Week.
Bookbug is Scottish Book Trust's Early Years programme, encouraging parents and children to read together from birth. The programme gifts a total of 540,000 free books to every baby, toddler, three year old and Primary One child in Scotland every year. Over 240,000 children in Scotland benefitted last year, with even more set to receive free books in 2013 and 2014.

Bookbug also runs regular free story, song and rhyme events called Bookbug Sessions, which attracted audiences of half a million parents and children in 2011-12, and are held in libraries, shopping centres and other community venues.

The Bookbug Week Flagship event will be held at Vogrie Country Park in Midlothian, where hundreds of parents and young children will celebrate the programme by exploring the great outdoors with the Midlothian Ranger Service and joining Bookbug for some songs, rhymes and stories.

For details of local Bookbug Week events, just visit www.scottishbooktrust.com/bookbug or ask at your local library.

Anna Gibbons, Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years Programme Manager, said:

 “We’re very proud of Bookbug Week, our annual celebration of the Bookbug programme, run in partnership with Scottish library services. Thousands of families come together to celebrate reading with their children at hundreds of libraries across Scotland. Bookbug hopes that everyone will join in with his Big Adventure and spread the message that sharing books with young children is free, fantastic and fun!”

New book from James Mayhew & Clara Vulliamy

Roll up, roll up… for a new picture book by dream team,

James Mayhew & Clara Vulliamy

Bubble & Squeak by James Mayhew (Illustrated by Clara Vulliamy)

Publishing: 2nd May 2013   Price: £11.99 hardback   ISBN: 9781408313664

 

Both well-known and much loved author/illustrators in their own right, Bubble & Squeak marks James and Clara’s first creative collaboration, and is a heart-warming story set at a circus and showing that friendship can overcome all differences - big and small!

 

People travel from far and wide to watch Bubble, the amazingly graceful elephant, perform her daredevil act, The Pyramid of Peril. But Bubble, although surrounded by friends, is desperately lonely - until an equally lonely little mouse appears. This funny and compassionate story of two unlikely companions is filled with drama, suspense and a touch of tenderness, depicted with stylish illustrations.

 

James Mayhew—author and illustrator of the popular Katie and Ella Bella Ballerina series—tells this tale with wit and warmth; while Clara Vulliamy—author and illustrator of the Bear with Sticky Paws, Lucky Wish Mouse, and Muffin series—beautifully captures all the glamour and glitz befitting of a golden age with adorably retro-style artwork.

 

About the Author & Illustrator:

James Mayhew created Katie's Picture Show over twenty years ago as a way to share his enthusiasm for art with children. His series of Katie books is much-loved and respected as an early introduction to art. Ella Bella Ballerina and the Sleeping Beauty was James's first title featuring the budding ballerina Ella Bella, with illustrations that capture all the beauty and elegance of the ballet. James lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and son.

Clara Vulliamy studied at Chelsea School of Art, The Ruskin and the Royal Academy. She started concentrating on writing and illustrating children's books when she had children of her own and has now written and illustrated many stories for young children, including the Muffin and Lucky Wish Mouse series for Orchard. Clara lives in Twickenham, with her husband and children.

 

About Orchard Books:

Orchard Books is an imprint of Hachette Children’s Books, part of one of the UK’s largest trade publishing groups. The four children’s imprints offer an unequalled range of titles, and between them publish many of the most respected books in children’s publishing.

Orchard Books has an excellent track record in creating bestselling and award-winning books for children of all ages and interests, including New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter, Beast Quest, Rainbow Magic and Charlie & Lola.

1.5 million free books...

‘But Excuse Me, This is Your Book’: title celebrating

reading and libraries is this year’s free Booktime book

for children starting school

1.5 million free books to be gifted through Booktime: two books for every 4-5 year old in England and Wales

www.booktime.org.uk

Booktrust and Pearson today announce the new titles for Booktime, which will give two free books to every child starting school in England and Wales in the 2013-14 school year. This year’s books for children in England are

But Excuse Me That is My Book, published by Puffin, an imprint of Penguin Children’s and Tom’s Mad Mop, from the Bug Club series by Pearson UK, part of Pearson's education business. 4-5 year olds in Wales will receive

But Excuse Me That is My Book

as well as a Welsh language title to be selected this spring.

730,000 children aged 4-5 in England and Wales will each receive a free Booktime book pack in their first year of primary school. With two free books in every pack, along with additional copies for teachers and librarians, 1.5 million books in total will be given through Booktime, which aims to inspire a lifelong love of reading by encouraging families to have fun reading together.

But Excuse Me That is My Book

stars the hugely popular Charlie and Lola characters created by Lauren Child. Children will join Charlie, Lola and their friends on a trip to the library to look at all the different types of books that Lola might like to read. It is a warm and funny story about family, friends and the importance of trying new things, in a refreshed edition published especially for Booktime.

But Excuse Me That is My Book is intended to inspire children through Booktime to seek out lots of new books and stories to enjoy.  In England, Booktime packs will also contain a book for children to support them on their reading journey, from Pearson UK.

Tom’s Mad Mop, written by Celia Warren and illustrated by Bill Ledger, is a bright and familiar story about playing with friends, which parent and teachers can

use to help children in their own reading

.

Peter Hughes, head of corporate responsibility at Pearson, said:
“Reading is fundamental to learning and in today's modern world, to living. Pearson,

Penguin and Booktrust hope that this gift will help unlock a wonderful world of stories.”

Booktime will be supported by a range of resources and games at

www.booktime.org.uk

** For further information on the Booktime programme please contact Rosi Crawley on

Exhibition: The Art of Simon Bartram at The Illustration Cupboard

The Art of Simon Bartram

Simon Bartram is a profoundly talented artist, whose ability springs from his northern roots as a fine artist to a lucrative and increasingly successful career as an author and book illustrator. We are proud to throw a spotlight on the dual aspect of his creativity as an increasingly sought-after artist, who has quietly gained serious respect from collectors and publishers alike. Born in Jarrow and living in Newcastle, Simon draws inspiration from a rich heritage. His fine art paintings pay homage to heroes like Stanley Spencer, and engage us in a gritty urban realism of Newcastle life. As a whole-hearted supporter of Sunderland AFC his work is inspired by the energy and passions of his Tyneside home.

Alongside this we highlight his work as an author/illustrator and creator of Bob Man on the Moon. This impressively successful series attracts an international audience and has pinned Simon on the international publishing map. In both disciplines technical mastery and rich ability affords Simon virtuosity of execution and a uniqueness of vision, infused with intuitive sensitivity and the infamous northern humour. We commend his work to those with illustration and fine art collections.

 

Exhibition date

24 April - 12 May 2013

22 Bury Street, St. James's, SW1Y 6AL

Weekdays 9:30am - 6:00pm, Saturdays 11:00am - 5:00pm
www.illustrationcupboard.com
gallery@illustrationcupboard.com / +44(0)207 976 1727

The last place bookshops ought to die - Call to arms

Michelle Lovric,author of four children's books set in Venice has alerted Carousel to a horrible situation in this wonderful city.  Basically all the bookshops are closing down in a domino effect.  The writers of Venice, and about Venice, have got together for a big campaign.  You can read all about this dire state of affairs in Michelle's excellent blog  The last place bookshops ought to die  http://the-history-girls.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-last-place-that-bookshops-ought-to.html
Michelle invites you to show your support by joining the Facebook group Venice City of Readers (in Italian) https://www.facebook.com/groups/480626258677072/

Polly Dunbar and her puppets - Free event!

Award Winning Author’s Puppets Bring the Write Stuff to Children

Award winning author-illustrator Polly Dunbar and her Long Nose puppets are set to be the star of a magical free event on Thursday 25th April, which will be broadcast live over the internet to tens of thousands of children across the UK.
Young fans of Polly’s books are invited to tune in as she brings her latest picture book, Arthur’s Dream Boat, to life with a little help from the Long Nose puppets, a variety of charismatic hand puppets, full body costumes and masks, all with huge personalities.
The free Authors Live event, run by Scottish Book Trust and BBC Scotland Learning, is suitable for children aged 4-7 and will be streamed live from the BBC Scotland Learning website on Thursday 25th April at 11am. Authors Live is funded by Creative Scotland.
The author and illustrator of many picture books, Polly is the daughter of the distinguished author Joyce Dunbar who she collaborated with on the picture book Shoe Baby. Polly’s Tilly and Friends series of books has recently been made into an animated adventure for CBeebies and her best-selling book Penguin won the Nestle Silver award 2007, The Book Trust Early Years award 2007, The Red House Award 2008 and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Polly is also the co-founder of Long Nose puppets, a touring puppet company who create inspiring, inventive and colourful puppet shows for the very young and have made successful adaptations of the books Shoe Baby, Fly Away Katie and Penguin. 
Commenting on the upcoming event, Polly said:
 “I'm very excited that the Arthur's Dream Boat puppet show will beamed in to hundreds of classrooms! We approach making our puppet shows as though we are making a giant picture book; each scene change is like the turn of the page. With theatre you can bring a book to life with many different layers: music, movement, lighting and of course the key part to bringing a story to life…a live audience!” Jasmine Fassl, Children’s Programme Manager at Scottish Book Trust, said:
“Scottish Book Trust is delighted to welcome Polly and the Long Nose Puppets to Scotland for this exclusive online event. Our young viewers can look forward to letting their imaginations run riot as Polly’s books come alive on the stage through the artistry and rich drama of puppet theatre.”The award-winning Authors Live programme is an exclusive series of authors’ events streamed live over the internet to provide young people, parents and teachers with the chance to get up close and personal with some of the world’s leading children’s writers. Run by BBC Scotland Learning and Scottish Book Trust, Scotland’s leading agency for the promotion of literature, reading and writing, the programme was the first of its kind in the UK. Anyone can sign up to watch and it is completely free.
Over 800,000 people from 153 countries across the world have tuned in to watch the Authors Live events. The programme began in March 2010 with poet Michael Rosen, followed by author of The Gruffalo and Children’s Laureate, Julia Donaldson. The programme has also seen events from world class authors Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo, Charlie Higson and Francesca Simon.

Reading Street Report

NEW 'READING STREET’ REPORT REVEALS KEY BENEFITS OF CHILDREN READING BEING MISSED
UK Parents under pressure to prioritise academic success over emotional development and self-esteem.

London, April 12, 2013: A new report into children’s reading by leading children’s publisher, Egmont UK reveals key benefits of reading for pleasure in childhood are being over-looked by parents who feel they need to focus on academic and future career success.

The Reading Street report highlights how a change in UK parenting style, a reluctance to say ‘no’ and the rise of screen-time is squeezing reading for pleasure as children and parents are surrounded by targets, results and extra-curricular activities.

Egmont UK asked parents to prioritise the most important benefits of reading to younger children from a list of ten benefits. The three benefits considered of least importance were Social development (11%), Emotional development (10%) and Increasing self-esteem (8%). The top three benefits identified by parents were Language development (64%), Improving imagination (51%) and Giving them a head-start at school (37%).
Reading Street also reveals 85% believe today’s parents are less strict in saying ‘no’ to children. The main reason for this, agreed by 47% of parents in the study, is the feeling of guilt at the lack of time spent with children. Other reasons cited include 44% believing it’s harder to say ‘no’ when their children’s friends get/do what they want and 41% identifying that it’s less stressful for the parents.

In contrast, 23% of parents believe that this same lack of strictness does not apply to them and their children in their own lives. Parents also give different reasons for their own lack of strictness, most commonly saying it is for the sake of family harmony. 25% of parents reveal it is less stressful to just say yes and deflect from arguing. Children's use of technology was identified as a key catalyst for potential confrontation, but often parents choose to avoid conflict; 50% of parents of 5-7 year old admitted to worrying about their excessive use of screens but only 20% try to restrict it.
The Reading Street report concludes this combination of circumstances is squeezing the space for children to spend time reading for pleasure and calls for a reassessment of the value of reading for pleasure in a child’s development.

Alison David, Consumer Insight Director, Egmont UK, said: "It’s tempting for people to want to point the finger at one single thing when we read headlines and statistics that say that reading for pleasure is in decline – whether that’s time poor parents, target driven schooling or the rise of screen time. As our Reading Street research unfolds we’re starting to see that it’s a combination of all those circumstances, all of which are adding up to pressure on reading. The victim right now is a time and a place in children’s lives for the simple but essential pleasure of reading."

Rob McMenemy, Senior VP Egmont English Language & Central Europe, commented, "Over half of parents we spoke to wished they had more time for reading with their children, which is fantastically positive, but many simply didn’t feel they could prioritise it. Despite wanting to help their children succeed, many parents we spoke to didn’t realise that reading for pleasure will bring their child the advantages they hope and strive for. We’ve also found that in many families reading still thrives, and through Reading Street we want to find out how and why, and what it’s going to take to inspire more children to read."
Egmont UK's Reading Street is based on work by Egmont UK’s specialist insight team who have observed the reading habits of 12 families across the UK and conducted a supporting study of over 1,000 parents of 2-16 year olds.

Full details of Reading Street – Chapter One: Reading And Home are available at www.egmont.co.uk/readinglives. Reading Lives is Egmont’s conversation about reading and children today. Everybody interested in children’s reading can take part at the Reading Lives blog or on Twitter at #ReadingLives.

Further copies of Reading Street will be published during 2013.

Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival

The Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival today announced the programme for the festival’s landmark tenth year this June.

The children’s programme is particularly strong this year, with superstars Lauren Child and Francesca Simon talking about their new books, Stoneheart author Charlie Fletcher and Astrosaurs author Steve Cole doing special sessions, and Master of Horror Darren Shan bringing zombies to Harmony House Gardens, amongst a host other author sessions and fun activities which make up the Family Book Festival.

The Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival takes place in Harmony Garden, Melrose from Thursday 13th to Sunday 16^th June. The full programme is available at www.bordersbookfestival.org. Ticket prices range from £5 to £14. Box Office: 0844 357 1060 and online