TAS e-NEWS The Children’s Book Council of Australia (Tasmanian Branch) Inc. Issue 3: June 2013
Patron: Mrs Frances Underwood PO Box 113, Moonah, Tas, 7009 - email: [email protected] web: www.cbcatas.org – blog: http://cbcatas.blogspot.com/ Editor: Penny Garnsworthy
From the President
Welcome to the June newsletter! Our Tasmanian judge on the book of the year awards, Lyndon Riggall has decided that he cannot continue for the second year of his two year appointment. This is really sad as Lyndon fulfilled the role to perfection and as a young male certainly differed from the usual profile of judges.
Lyndon made three presentations on the Short List and Notable Books around the state – Launceston, Hobart and Devonport. Those who attended were treated to one of the best presentations I have seen for a long time. It is sad not more attended but that is the way of the world or at I least tell myself it is.
I admire the way Lyndon has conducted himself doing the almost overwhelming job of reading and judging so many books, and doing it so well. I am sure everyone will join with me in thanking him and wishing him well in the future.
Lyndon’s resignation was not without some drama as the rules mean that any replacement can only judge for the remainder of the two year term. As the boxes of books are already arriving there was very little time to find a replacement. Member, Tehani Wessely, had been a West Australian judge and had to cut her term short because of her move to Tasmania. Tehani agreed and the National Board approved her completing Lyndon’s term. I believe that, with her experience as a CBCA judge and an Aurealis judge and coordinator, Tehani is an excellent choice.
To celebrate Book Week there will be a reception at Government House on Monday 18 August 2013. More news on this later! Richard Pickup, President
What’s Inside this Issue Topic Page Topic Page From the President 1 Nella’s Book Reviews 11 From the CBCA Tas. Judge 2 Resources 12
Visual Spatial Learning and children’s books 3 From the Editor 12
CBCA Tas. Out and About 5 Literary Days 13 Will you be our next CBCA Tas. Judge? 5 Dates for your Diary / New Members 14 Congratulations! 7 CBCA Tas. Membership Form (att.) In Memory of 11 Reading Time Application (att.)
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 1 From the CBCA Tas. Judge
Although many of you will have heard through various announcements, it is not without some reluctance that I type the words: I am retiring from judging. 2012 was the busiest year of my life so far without any reasonable competition: thesis, artist in residence program, and a box of books arriving every other week. I’ve been busy, but I’ve also been learning. Learning about life, learning about writing, learning about books.
It wasn’t a simple decision to make. I started studying teaching earlier this year and immediately realised that an immediate return to academia was a mistake. I love learning, but the essays, tests and exams can wait.
My friends have scattered across the country and the world, and I’d love to be able to visit them without rushing home to do more reading and reporting. Outside of that I am playing a young Ray Bradbury, taking little bits of work when I can get them, writing stories and living in libraries.
I have loved being a judge, particularly in the last few months of the silence breaking. This is where I’m most comfortable – sharing the tales I love and getting excited about them. Meeting my coordinators and the other judges has been special missing out on five days next year with such fun and literate people is my saddest loss.
I would like to thank all of you for your support over this intense year. It has been a really exciting opportunity for me to be involved, and I hope I’ve done you all justice. I take comfort in the fact that I leave you in the hands of Tehani Wessely, who is dedicated, brilliant, and who I’m sure will take up my pet cause of making sure that speculative offerings don’t slip through the cracks! I’ll be taking some time off to read a good book. This time, I choose! Lyndon Riggall
Event: Read for Australia
As part of this year’s National Literacy and Numeracy Week, Read for Australia will be held on Wednesday 31 July at 2.00pm (AEST).
Teachers and students in schools across the country are invited to participate in a mass simultaneous read of the Read for Australia selected book Herman and Rosie by Gus Green .
Set in New York, the story is about friendship, music and following your dreams. Gus Green who was originally from Northern NSW spent many years working on cattle stations around Australia before pursuing a drawing career.
Since illustrating his first children’s book in 1996 he has written and illustrated over 70 books for children. For more information about Read for Australia and how you can get involved, go to: www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au/national celebration literacy/read australia
‘She'd always been a little excitable, a little more passionate about books than your average person, but she was supposed to be - she was a librarian, after all.’ ~ Sarah Beth Durst
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 2 Visual Spatial Learning and Modern Children’s Books by Andrea Potter
Children today are different to what children were like when we were young, and this needs to be taken into account when creating and choosing children’s books. Children are increasingly becoming Visual Spatial Learners (VSLs) due to abundant exposure to images on computers and television. This high level of exposure to images is stimulating their brains and helping children create new thinking pathways. This is a wonderful opportunity for educators who can take advantage of images to help children to learn faster and more deeply.
I am an illustrator, artist and art teacher and I am very aware that I learn very differently to most people my age. People in their 40s and older are more likely to be Auditory Sequential Learners than VSLs. Auditory Sequential Learners are more likely to learn phonetically and with information presented in sequence. VSLs are more likely to learn using imagery and imagination. How does this impact upon the modern children’s book?
Books for upper primary children have fewer illustrations than books for younger children. I wonder if this may correlate with children’s waning interest in reading as they get older. It would be understandable to think that older children no longer need pictures and this may be true, but illustrations stimulate their brains differently to text. I believe that books filled with images will keep these VSL children interested in reading for longer.
We only have to look at how children love books by Andy Griffith and Terry Denton to see a good example of how this works. The images and text works together to create something larger than the sum of the parts. The images and text are interconnected and this stimulates more areas of the brain. This does not mean that I think that all comics, or all illustration rich books, are good books. I believe that good quality books, full of images, are more likely to keep children reading, especially if they are about a topic that interests the child. I do love comics and graphic novels but there are a lot of them that don’t have good images and if the images are not stimulating I don’t feel inclined to read them. So quality is still the key.
As a VSL myself, I notice I learn much faster when I can see the big picture first and can see the benefit from taking on the new information. Some children, however, haven’t had lots of books read to them before they go to school. Once at school, unfortunately these children might have to learn the letters and word identification before they are convinced that books are full of exciting stories and adventures. This is very sad as they don’t know books are fun, surprising and entertaining. These children need to learn that books are full of exciting adventures, fun characters, drama and comedy, as opposed to hard work.
VSLs often love fantasy. They learn heaps from fantasy as it stimulates their imagination and they can begin to think of strange and wonderful possibilities. In the past, some people believed that fantasy wasn’t suitable for young children. They believed children wouldn’t know the difference between what is real and what is not; everyone knows when they are watching TV and when they are not and it is the same with imagination.
Reading fantasy books helps children believe in the impossible. Having the ability to believe in the impossible has been very important for the advancement of our society. The Wright brothers and Henry Ford had to believe it was possible for their machines to work, in order to put all that hard work into inventing. Without this kind of imagining we wouldn’t be living in houses, driving cars or be able to fly to another country.
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 3 Article by Andrea Potter (cont’d)
Some children learn so much more with an imaginative approach to learning. I remember my VSL daughter learning to read through an imaginative approach to letter, word identification and stories. This was instantly successful while learning phonetically and learning by rote didn’t work at all. This applies to many modern children, especially for children with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (but that is another story).
The biggest stumbling block I have found, for children who are learning, is if they don’t believe they will be able to do something they actually prevent themselves from learning. If they think it is impossible, they subconsciously set out to prove they can’t learn it. Once they can imagine they will be able to read and learn new things, they open the doors to let the information in. What I love about fantasy books is that it builds the ability to believe in the impossible. Fantasy books are not merely ‘escapist’ literature, they can help children significantly, as they help them think of possibilities outside the norm and their own experience.
Our school now has iPads and I can see firsthand how the children love them. They can be used to encourage reluctant readers to read. After all, the children love using the iPads. When children love something or are interested in a topic, they are very keen to learn. Evidently, it is great teach to their interests, that is, connecting what the child needs to learn, to what they are interested in.
Previously I hadn’t been keen on the move towards e books but now I have had a significant change of mind and find them full of new possibilities. E books can be sold at an affordable price, and still be full of images and in colour too!
E books don’t have to contain flashy little animations, which might be entertaining but distract the reader from being immersed into the story (which is why I wasn’t keen on e books in the first place). E books can be books that so happen to be in e book form. I think the best e books are the ones which are designed specifically to be an e book. The text and the image can still hold the strongest focus. Instead of double pages (pretending to be a paper book) I think it is better to have one page at a time, with fixed layout so that the image and the text are best presented for the proportions of the screen.
We still need to consider layout, rather than the arrangement of images being a slave to the option of changing font and font size. I think it is also great to have an image per page – or as many images as possible anyway. At the moment PDF e books are the most accessible for children, as they can be viewed on a wide range of devices, including Macs and personal computers. Hopefully new image friendly, file formats will be developed soon that are viewable across a wide range of devices as well as on computers. After growing up in a small country town with limited access to books and after working in a small town, I now see the great benefits of having e books that children can buy with their pocket money. I love the idea that a child who lives too far away from a library or bookshop, can still be able to have access to books. I keep thinking about these issues, no doubt I will keep adapting my ideas, especially as the e book readers evolve. As a book creator, I have found this change of mind very stimulating and full of opportunities for making books that I believe will help very young children develop their reading skills.
Andrea Potter is a Tasmanian artist, illustrator and art teacher. Learn more about Andrea and her books at: www.andreafaithpotter.com.
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 4 CBCA Tas. Out and About
On 13 April CBCA Tasmania hosted a publishing seminar at Newstead College in Launceston. Attendees were writers, both beginning and experienced, and guest speaker, publisher/author Tehani Wessely gave an informative presentation on publishing.
Via a comprehensive and sometimes amusing Powerpoint presentation, Tehani spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of traditional book publishing versus e book publishing and what publishers look for in a manuscript.
CBCA Tasmania President Richard spoke to the group about copyright for writers and Secretary Nella explained what self published authors need to do, technically, to ensure their publications can be sold in bookshops. It was a wonderful, well attended event!
On the evening of 13 April CBCA Tasmania members Carol and Penny attended their very first ‘RAVE’ event at the Tailrace Centre in Riverside.
The event, for 12 16 year olds and hosted by the West Tamar Council, is held annually as part of Youth Week celebrations.
Over 300 young people attended this year’s event which offered games and various other types of entertainment, food and a place to just get together to talk, and later to dance.
Carol and Penny displayed this year’s CBCA Older and Younger Readers’ Shortlists and Notables books and spoke to many of the attendees about books and reading.
Event: Festival of Golden Words
You will no doubt agree we have some amazing authors here in Tasmania. CBCA Tasmania likes to promote them as much as we can on our website and in TAS e News. And the Tasmanian Writers Centre provides professional development opportunities and assistance for writers around the State including a writers’ weekend in Hobart during 10 Days on the Island.
Now, a major writers’ festival, the brainchild of local author Stephen Dando Collins , has been announced for the north of the State from 14 16 March next year. In May, the West Tamar Council announced the Festival of Golden Words would be held annually at Beaconsfield to include writers’ workshops, panel discussions, conversations with authors, book launches, poets’ breakfasts, literary luncheons, a literary dinner, and food and wine literary events in West Tamar vineyards.
Several high profile Australian authors have already confirmed their attendance for the 2014 festival and more information will be available following the festival launch in October, including a website.
So, watch this space!
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 5 Will you be our next CBCA Tas. Judge?
Applications are invited for the Tasmanian representative on the interstate judging panel for the 2015 and 2016 CBCA Book of the Year Awards.
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (Tasmanian Branch) Inc. invites applications for the honorary position of CBCA Book of the Year Awards Judge representing Tasmania on the National Awards Judging Panel for the 2015 and 2016 CBCA Book of the Year Awards. Reading commences in May 2014.
Selection Criteria:
• Recognised standing and qualifications in the field of children’s literature • Wide and recent knowledge of children’s literature, especially Australian children’s literature • Awareness of illustration techniques, design, editing, printing and production processes • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Eligibility for serving as a judge:
• Those seeking the position as Tasmanian judge must be current financial members of The Children’s Book Council of Australia (Tasmanian Branch) Inc. • A person with a current vested interest (i.e. with books issued over this period) in the Awards may not be a judge. Examples include authors, illustrators, book editors and publishers.
Notes:
• Judges are appointed for a two year term. • The reading period extends from approximately May until February. Reports on each book are compiled and circulated, and discussed via email and teleconferences with other members of the panel during this time. • Between the end of February and the Short List announcement, judges prepare for the five day Judges’ Conference in late March/early April, by rereading and refining potential shortlists. All judges attend the Judges’ Conference at which short lists, honour books and winners of the Awards are decided.
The Tasmanian judge is also expected to promote the Awards in the Tasmanian community, to write brief reports for the newsletter, and to contribute to the compilation of Notable Australian Children’s Books.
Detailed information of the process, role and responsibility can be found in the Awards Handbook section on the CBCA National website http://cbca.org.au/publisherinfo.htm (go to: Judges’ Role and Responsibilities).
To apply for this position:
• send a letter outlining your interest and addressing the selection criteria to The President, The CBCA (Tasmanian Branch Inc.), PO Box 113, Moonah, Tas, 7009 or • email your application to: [email protected] .
And if you would like to speak to a former judge about the role, please feel free to contact Maureen Mann [email protected] or Carol Fuller [email protected] .
Applications close on 30 September 2013.
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 6 Congratulations!
Australian Awards:
Ten Tiny Things by Meg McKinlay & Kyle Hughes Odgers (Fremantle Press) has won the Australian and New Zealand division of this year’s Crystal Kite Member’s Choice Award (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators).
The Wilderness Society Children’s Literature Award shortlist and winners have been announced:
Preschool category:
Our Nest is Best! by Penny Olsen & Penny O’ Hara (NLA Publishing) Kangaroos Hop by Ros Moriarty & Balarinji (A&U) The Last Dance by Sally Morgan (Little Hare) – Winner!
Primary category:
Ten Tiny Things by Meg McKinlay & Kyle Hughes Odgers (Fremantle Press) Tanglewood by Margaret Wild & Vivienne Goodman (Omnibus Books) – Winner! Bizi the Musk Duck of Barren Box Swamp by Ann Maree Thompson (self published) www.wilderness.org.au/regions/victoria/environment award for children2019s literature winners announced
The shortlist for this year’s Reading & Enjoying Australian Literature (REAL) Awards , which acts as a shortlist for children’s choice book awards in the Australian Capital Territory (COOL Awards), New South Wales (KOALAs), the Northern Territory (KROC Awards) and Victoria (YABBAs), has been announced at: www.booksellerandpublisher.com.au/DetailPage.aspx?type=item&id=27050
2013 BILBY Awards shortlist has been announced at: http://qld.cbca.org.au/bilby.htm
The shortlists for this year’s New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards have been announced:
Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature
A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty (Pan Macmillan) – Winner! Three Summers by Judith Clarke (Allen & Unwin) The Ink Bridge by Neil Grant (Allen & Unwin) Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin) Into that Forest by Louis Nowra (Allen & Unwin) Unforgotten by Tohby Riddle (Allen & Unwin)
Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature
The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon by Aaron Blabey (Viking) – Winner! Brotherband 1: The Outcasts by John Flanagan (Random House) Pookie Aleera is Not My Boyfriend by Steven Herrick (UQP) A Bear and a Tree by Stephen Michael King (Viking) The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk: Kingdom of Silk Series 6 by Glenda Millard illus. Stephen Michael King (HarperCollins) Dragonkeeper Book 4: Blood Brothers by Carole Wilkinson (Walker Books)
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 7 Congratulations! (cont’d)
2012 Aurealis Award Winners
Best Children’s Fiction (told primarily through words): Brotherband: The Hunters by John Flanagan (Random House Australia)
Best Children’s Fiction (told primarily through pictures): Little Elephants by Graeme Base (Viking Penguin)
Best Young Adult Short Story: The Wisdom of the Ants by Thoraiya Dyer (Clarkesworld)
Best Young Adult Novel (Joint winners)
Dead, Actually by Kaz Delaney (Allen & Unwin) Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin
Best Illustrated Book / Graphic Novel: Blue by Pat Grant (Top Shelf Comix)
Best Fantasy Novel: Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin)
Australian and New Zealand authors and illustrators have been acknowledged on the 2013 White Ravens list for international children’s and youth literature.
Mr Bear Branches and the Cloud Conundrum by Terri Rose Baynton (ABC Books) Trust Me Too by Paul Collins (ed) & Judith Ridge (intro) (Ford Street) In the Lion by James Foley (Walker Books) The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Walker Books) Sophie Scott Goes South by Alison Lester (Viking) Alex and the Watermelon Boat by Chris McKimmie (Allen & Unwin) Grace Beside Me by Sue McPherson (Magabala Books) A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty (Macmillan) Into that Forest by Louis Nowra (Allen & Unwin) City by James Roy (UQP)
The following New Zealand authors and illustrators feature on the 2013 list:
Uncle Trev and His Whistling Bull by Jack Lasenby (Gecko Press) The Word Witch by Margaret Mahy, Tessa Duder (ed) & David Elliot (HarperCollins) Melu by Kyle Mewburn, Ali Teo & John O’Reilly (Scholastic)
The complete list for 2013 can be found www.ijb.de/files/whiteravens/wr13/Countries13.htm
Australian Nominees for the HCA Award 2014
IBBY Australia Inc. is proud to announce its nominations for the prestigious biennial Hans Christian Andersen Awards for writing and illustration in 2014: Ron Brooks for Illustration and Nadia Wheatley for Writing.
The HCA Award is the highest international recognition given to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children’s literature. It honours the achievements of creators nominated by the over seventy national sections of the International Board on Books for Young People.
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 8 Congratulations! (cont’d)
The HCA Award for Writing has been presented since 1956 and the Illustrator’s Award since 1966. Australia has made a number of past nominations and in 1986 was recipient of both awards – Patricia Wrightson for Writing and Robert Ingpen for Illustration. On 25 March at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, IBBY announced that 60 nominations had been received from its member sections for the 2014 HCA awards. The international jury members will now assess the nominations and IBBY will announce the winners at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in March 2014.
The APA Pixie O’Harris Award has been awarded to Dr Maurice Saxby AM . The award in honour of Pixie O’Harris, one of Australia’s best loved children’s illustrators, recognises outstanding contributions made to Australian children’s books by people in the industry.
In her presentation speech at the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) dinner Margaret Hamilton AM said that ‘f ew people have worked in the field of Australian children’s literature as consistently or for as long as Dr Maurice Saxby AM. Through his teaching, mentorship and encouragement of authors, illustrators and publishers, he has had a wide reaching effect on the development of books for children in this country.’
Citing just a few of Dr Saxby’s achievements, Margaret Hamilton said ‘He spent many decades lecturing at colleges and universities. He instigated courses on children’s literature and, it is fair to say, established children’s literature as a field of academic study in Australia, where it is now taught at the highest level. Through his teaching and his passion for children’s literature he has influenced literally thousands of teachers and librarians.’
‘When the Children’s Book Council began in Sydney in 1945, Maurice Saxby was there. In 1957, when the CBCA became a national organisation he was the First National President. He has twice served as judge for the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year Awards and also for the NSW Premiers Awards. He twice served as a juror for the Hans Christian Andersen awards. In 1965 the two HCA medals for writing and for illustration went to Australia, to author Patricia Wrightson and illustrator Robert Ingpen, the first time both awards had ever gone to the same country.’
New Zealand Awards:
Margaret Mahy Medal
The 2013 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal has been awarded to writer, book judge and former children’s librarian Bill Nagelkerke for his services over more than three decades. www.booksellers.co.nz/book news/christchurch writer bill nagelkerke winsstorylines margaret mahy medal 2013
Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) Awards
Junior Fiction Award – Esther Glen Medal
The Queen and the Nobody Boy: A tale of Fontania by Barbara Else (GECKO Press) Drover’s Quest by Susan Brocker , (HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) Ltd) When Empire Calls by Ken Catran (Scholastic NZ Ltd) Red Rocks by Rachael King (Random House New Zealand) The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate de Goldi (Random House New Zealand) Lightening Strikes: The Slice by Rose Quilter (Walker Books Australia)
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 9 Congratulations! (cont’d)
Young Adult Fiction Award
My Brother’s War by David Hill (Penguin NZ) The Nature of Ash by Mandy Hager (Random House New Zealand) Marked by Denis Martin (Walker Books Australia) Earth Dragon, Fire Hare by Ken Catran (HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) Ltd) Snakes and Ladders by Mary anne Scott (Scholastic NZ Ltd)
Illustration Award Russell Clark Award
The Dragon Hunters by James Russell, illus. Link Choi (Dragon Brothers Books Ltd) Mister Whistler by Margaret Mahy, illus. Gavin Bishop (Gecko Press) Kiwi: The Real Story by Annemarie Florian, illus. Heather Hu nt (New Holland Publishers Ltd) Blue Gnu by Kyle Mewburn, illus. Daron Parton (Scholastic NZ Ltd) Melu by Kyle Mewburn , illus. Ali Teo & John O’Reilly (Scholastic NZ Ltd) A Great Cake by Tina Matthews (Walker Books Australia)
Non Fiction Award – Elsie Locke Medal
At the Beach: Explore & Discover the New Zealand Seashore by Ned Barraud and Gillian Candler (Craig Potton Publishing) Eruption! Discovering New Zealand Volcanoes by Maria Gill (New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd) 100 Amazing Tales from Aotearoa by Simon Morton and Riria Hotere (Te Papa Press)
For more information go to: www.lianza.org.nz/awards/lianza childrens book awards
International Awards:
The Teens’ Top Ten YALSA is a ‘teen choice’ list where every title is nominated and voted on by teens in the USA. The 2013 Teen’s Top Ten Nominations can be found at: www.ala.org/yalsa/sites/ala.org.yalsa/files/content/teenreading/teenstopten/2013%20TTT%20Nomina tions.pdf
The winners of the sixth annual Children’s Choice Book Awards (USA) :
Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta illus. Ed Young (kindergarten to second grade) Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel (third to fourth grade) Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess by Rachel Renée Russell (fifth to sixth grade) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (teen)
Jeff Kinney was named author of the year for Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7: The Third Wheel
Robin Preiss Glasser was named illustrator of the year for Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet , written by Jane O’Connor
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 10 In Memory
CBCA Tasmania is saddened to hear of the passing of:
Australian author and illustrator Gregory Rogers . In 1993 his book, Lucy’s Bay , written by Gary Crew , was shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year Award. In 1995 he won the prestigious UK Kate Greenaway Medal for his illustrations in Libby Hathorn ’s Way Home , becoming the first Australian ever to receive this honour.
Rogers is perhaps best known for his sequence of three wordless picture books that began with The Boy, the Bear, the Baron, the Bard , but he also illustrated picture books by authors including Margaret Wild , Ian Trevaskis , Laurie Stiller , Gary Crew , Libby Hathorn and Victor Kelleher and wrote educational books, anthologies of poems, collections of short stories and non fiction texts. In addition to picture book illustration, Rogers taught and lectured in illustration in Australia and overseas. He painted portraits and was an entrant in the 2002 Archibald Prize. He was also a talented musician and collected CDs, antiques and books. His final project was the illustration of France Watts ’ Sword Girl series and several of his picture books will be released in the coming months and years. and
E L (Elaine Lobl) Konigsburg , a two time winner of the Newbery Medal ( From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler , in 1968; The View from Saturday , in 1997) and the only writer to have received both the Newbery Medal and a Newbery Honor in the same year, died on 19 April at age 83.
Nella’s Book Reviews
The Cryptic Casebook of Coco Carlomagno (and Alberta) Book 1: The Perplexing Pineapple by Ursula Dubosarsky & Terry Denton (Allen & Unwin)
When giant floating pineapples appear outside his office each afternoon Coco, the Chief of Police in Buenos Aries, calls his cousin Alberta for help. Don’t be fooled. This is more than a wonderful first chapter book. There are word and visual puzzles to solve to help unravel the mystery. A fun filled treat for budding word spies.
Saurus Street: Tyrannosaurus in the veggie patch by Nick Falk & Tony Flowers (Random House)
Crazy adventures with fun filled illustrations and decorative fonts. First in a series. Nick Falk is a psychologist and author who lives in Tasmania. Watch the video clip at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAf2bdYTKNs
I enjoyed Six Impossible Things immensely and was really looking forward to seeing Fiona Wood at Reading Matters this year. Then, the lovely Robin Clark from Macmillan gave me a reading copy of Wildlife . Wow – Fiona Wood hasn’t lost her touch.
Instead of going on exchange to France as her friends Dan, Estelle and Janie have done, a grieving Lou transfers to her mother’s old school for the wilderness experience ‘jolly outdoorsy camp term. There she is in a hut with Sibylla and Holly, the wickedest ‘best friend’ since Lago. Sibylla is learning how to cope with her new found fame – being a billboard model for a perfume ad and kissing Ben Capaldi, the most popular boy in the year level. Michael, Sibylla’s real best friend, a nerdy runner, is the other main character in this contemporary boarding school style novel. The writing is unpretentious and realistic; the characterisation is perfect. A poignant novel and insightful view into the complications of modern teenage life. Highly recommended 14+.
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 11 Resources
Read to My Child
When you don't have time to read the book yourself (and the kids want it read for the 100th time, perhaps!), visit www.readtomychild.com.au, an Australian website where your child will be read to by a real, live person Jasmine Berry, the creator of the site. And if there’s a particular book you would like to see recorded for later reading, you can ask Jasmine via the website.
Read Aloud 15 Minutes is a non profit organisation in the USA that is working to make reading aloud every day for at least 15 minutes the new standard in child care. When every child is read aloud to for 15 minutes every day from birth, more children will be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten, more children will have the literacy skills needed to succeed in school, and more children will be prepared for a productive and meaningful life after school.
Go to: www.readaloud.org/mission.html
The International Reading Association (IRA) provides a reading list which is evaluated by children for children. Children’s Choices Reading List has been a source of recommended books since 1974 and is used by teachers, librarians and parents – and of course children! The project is co sponsored by the Children’s Book Council (USA).
Go to: www.reading.org/resources/booklists/childrenschoices.aspx
From the Editor
Some of you will know that I love chickens; in fact, I have three who are an absolute delight. Not only do they provide me with a regular supply of fresh tasty eggs, but they give me hours of enjoyment as a result of their very distinctive and fun personalities.
In fact, one of my chickens, Hermione, seems to be having a personality crisis of sorts and believes she is a parrot. Whilst sitting chatting with the girls the other day, she flew up and perched herself on my right shoulder – oh, to have a camera
But this started me thinking about chickens in children’s literature and how they’ve been such a popular topic over the years. I started researching and couldn’t believe how many children’s books feature chickens!
What about these wonderful Australian titles? Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox , Big Red Hen and the Little Lost Egg by Margaret Wild , Mr Chicken Goes to Paris by Leigh Hobbs , Kip by Christina Booth and Out of the Egg by Tina Matthews .
Why do we write about chickens so often? And why do we read so many stories about chickens to our children? I’d love to hear your ideas!
In the meantime there is, of course, the age old question: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Think you know the answer? Then take a look at this: www.madore.org/~david/misc/chicken.html.
Penny Garnsworthy
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 12 Literary Days
This issue we celebrate famous literary days for the months of May and June.
Birth of James Matthew Barrie , author of Peter Pan (aka Peter and Wendy )
which he first wrote as a play in 1904 and later as a novel in 1911. In 1929 Barrie
gave the copyright of the Peter Pan works to Great Ormond Street Hospital in 9 May 1860 London and this was celebrated at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. 13 19 May Children’s Book Week held in the United States. Administered by the 2013 Children’s Book Council: www.cbcbooks.org, Children’s Book Week has been held annually since 1919. During Children’s Book Week public and school libraries and bookstores promote activities for children that are designed to encourage a love of books. 17 May 1900 First printing of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz written by L Frank Baum and illustrated by W W Denslow . The publisher, George M Hill Company agreed to publish the book only after Fred R Hamlin of the Grand Opera House agreed to make the musical stage play, The Wizard of Oz, to publicise the novel. By 1938 over one million copies of the book had been printed and by 1956 there were three million copies in print. 20 May 1949 Birth of Mary Pope Osborne , American author of the award winning and bestselling Magic Tree House series which has sold over 100 million copies worldwide. The popularity of the series eclipsed that of Harry Potter as No. 1 on the New York Times Bestseller list in 2006.
22 May 1849 Death of Maria Edgeworth , an Irish author who wrote for both children and adults. She was one of the first realist writers in children's literature and was a significant figure in the evolution of the novel in Europe. Her first children’s novel The Parent’s Assistant was published in 1796. 29 May 1839 Birth of English author Mary Louisa Molesworth , who typified late Victorian writing for girls who were too old for fairies and princesses but too young for Austen and the Brontes. Some of her best known books were Tell Me a Story ( 1875), The Cuckoo Clock (1877) and The Carved Lions (1895). She has been called the ‘Jane Austen of the nursery’. Typical of the time, her young child characters often speak with a lisping style with words misspelt to represent children’s speech. June 1908 Publication of Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery . It has been translated into 20 languages and has sold 50 million copies. 25 June 2006 The Children’s Party at the Palace was held at Buckingham Palace Garden to honour the 80 th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. The event, which was attended by 2,000 children and 1,000 adults, had the theme ‘British Children’s Literature’. On the grounds was an authors’ corner where authors including J K Rowling and Philip Pullman read from their books and signed autographs. 26 June 1905 Birth of Lynd Ward , an American artist and storyteller known for his series of wordless novels using wood engraving, and his illustrations for both children’s and adult books. His children’s book, The Silver Pony , was illustrated entirely in black, white and shades of grey. In 1953 he won the Caldecott Medal for The Biggest Bear . He also illustrated two Newbery Medal winning books and six runners up.
‘No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. She will not want new fashions nor regret the loss of expensive diversions or variety of company if she can be amused with an author in her closet.’
~ Lady Montagu, providing advice on raising her granddaughter, 1752
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 13 Dates for your Diary Date Event Location/Contact Montagu Bay Primary School 30 July Zart Art Book Week Workshop 4.00pm – 6.30pm [email protected] Mowbray Heights Primary School 31 July Zart Art Book Week Workshop 4.00pm – 6.30pm [email protected] 2.00pm across Australia 31 July Read for Australia www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au/natio nal-celebration-literacy/read-australia Ulverstone Primary School 1 August Zart Art Book Week Workshop 4.00pm – 6.30pm [email protected]
5 August CBCA Executive Committee Meeting Ross Bakery Conference Room
16 August BOTY Awards announcement Events to be advised
Government House, Hobart 18 August Book Week Governor’s Reception Details to be advised
Events to be advised 17 23 August Book Week www.cbcatas.org/bookweek/ Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart Australian School Library Association 28 Sept 1 Oct www.asla.org.au/Professional- Biennial Conference learning/ASLA-Conference-2013.aspx
October (TBA) CBCA Tasmania AGM To be advised
Communities for Children Expo October (TBA) City Park, Launceston (CBCA participating)
19 25 October Children’s Week Events to be advised
CBCA Tasmania Life Members
Kay Allport Angela Briant Jenni Connor Berenice Eastman Maureen Mann Judy Moss Glenn Pullen Bonnie Tilley
New Members!
Nikki Brannigan Janet Grecian (Hobart Bookstore) Roberta Poynter Roxanne Steenbergen Helen Thomsett
Welcome! We look forward to meeting you at events around the state.
‘To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.’ ~ Victor Hugo, Les Miserables
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 14 Who’s Who in CBCA Tasmania?
President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Richard Pickup Patsy Jones Nella Pickup Brendon Thomas
Merchandise Manager Committee Member Committee Member Committee Member Helen Thomas Carol Fuller Rosemary Kellaway Jessie Mahjouri
2013 14 Judge Newsletter Editor Tas. Representative to President CBCA Tehani Wessely Penny Garnsworthy the CBCA National Board National Board Maureen Mann Angela Briant
CBCA Awards Foundation
Major Donors:
Proudly Funding Prizes for Australia Post, Sandy Campbell, Jean Chapman (in memoriam), Era the Children’s Book of the Publications, Five Mile Press, Libby Gleeson AM, Bob Graham, Hachette Year Awards Children’s Books Australia, Hardie Grant Egmont, HarperCollinsPublishers ______Australia, Ipswich District Teacher Librarians’ Network, The James N Kirby Foundation, Kinross Wolaroi School, Koala Books, The Library Board of Benefactors: Queensland, Beryl Moncrieff Matthews (in memoriam), Jill Midolo (in Scholastic Australia memoriam), Angela Namoi, The Northern Territory Government, Parents & Allen & Unwin Boys of Sydney Grammar Edgecliff Prep School, Penguin Books Australia, Laurie Copping OAM Eve Pownall (in memoriam), Random House Australia, Marion E Robertson (in memoriam) (in memoriam), Emily Rodda (Jennifer Rowe), Gillian Rubinstein, Maurice Thyne Reid Trust No. 1 Saxby AM, SA Department of the Arts & Cultural Development, University of Queensland Press, Julie Vivas, Walker Books Australia, Cassandra Weddell, Qld (in memoriam), Margaret Wild, Maisie Williams, Garah, NSW (in memoriam), Sue Williams.
Donations to the CBCA Awards Foundation are tax deductible and can be sent to: PO Box 172, Blackheath, NSW, 2785 Phone : (02) 4787 8492 or (02) 9630 2424/ Fax : (02) 9630 2594 or donate on line at: http://cbca.org.au/foundation.htm
CBCA Tasmanian Branch Newsletter No. 3, 2013 Page 15 The Children’s Book Council of Australia
Tasmanian Branch Inc. PO Box 113 Membership Form MOONAH TAS 7009 www.cbcatas.org Tax Invoice 2013
The Children’s Book Council of Australia works to improve the quality of children’s books through the Children’s Book of the Year Awards which recognise and publicise the best of Australian literature for children. Membership of the CBCA is open to any person, school, library or other organisation.
Benefits of Membership:
• Book Week materials available for purchase at discounted prices • Regular information about author and illustrator tours, speakers and events (preferential bookings) • Quarterly newsletters • Eligibility for schools to participate in the Southern Tasmanian Readers’ Cup
Membership is from 1 January until 31 December 2013
Personal Member Name: Email address: Institutional Member* School/Institution: 1st Contact name: Email address: 2nd Contact name: Email address:
Postal Address: Postcode: Telephone: (W) (AH/Mobile)
*Institutional membership is in the name of the school/institution but two designated contact people have voting rights and can claim discounts on behalf of the school/institution.
Membership rates:
Personal: $35.00 OR Institutional: $70.00 OR Full time students, Health Care Card or $20.00 Tasmanian Government Seniors Card holders: Donation to Awards Foundation: $ Amounts over $2 are tax deductible
Payment:
I enclose cheque / money order for $ made payable to CBCA (Tasmanian Branch) Inc. OR I have paid $ by electronic transfer to CBCA (Tas. Branch) Inc. (BSB 067 002 / Account No. 28037843) and my internet banking confirmation no. is:
DOE Finance One users: please use supplier code C010780 – payment is due within 7 days.
Please complete all details and post this form to : PO Box 113, Moonah, Tas, 7009 or email to: [email protected] Please note: Details on this form are forwarded to CBCA National Office. The information is used by both CBCA Tasmanian Branch Inc. and CBCA National Office to contact you about children’s literature events or other information relevant to children’s books. If you do not wish your information to be forwarded to National Office please tick
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