TAS e-NEWS The Children’s Book Council of (Tasmanian Branch) Inc. Issue 4: August 2014

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 August issue of Tas-e-News!

No doubt many members are busy with Children’s Book Week and Numeracy and Literacy Week preparations and some southern schools will be participating in the Readers’ Cup competition.

July brought some sad news. First was the death of Governor Peter Underwood, husband of our Patron Frances Underwood. Both Governor and Mrs Underwood were strong advocates for literature and reading. He will be missed. Last week we heard about the death of Jo Goodman, Victorian Branch member, former CBCA Board director and recipient of the 2009 CBCA Distinguished Services Citation. Many former judges know Jo as the arbiter of all things to do with the Book of the Year Awards as she had led the team that updates the Awards handbook for many years. CBCA Tasmanian Branch offers our sincere condolences to Mrs Underwood and her family and to Jo’s family.

On a happier note, Hugo McCann has been nominated as a Life Member of CBCA Tasmanian Branch. A celebration will be held on October 26th. Venue to be confirmed. Hugo taught the Literature for Children course to many B Ed. students from 1976-1994. If you know someone who would wish to celebrate with us, please let them know. Hugo’s Citation will be included in the October newsletter.

And don’t forget to drop by the CBCA Book Week stall at Salamanca Market on Saturday 16 August!

Richard Pickup, President

What’s Inside this Issue? Topic Page Topic Page

From the President 1 Resources 6

From the CBCA Tas. Judge 2 Children’s Books… globally 8

Children’s Book Week 2014 3 From the Editor / Dates for your Diary 9

Congratulations! 4 Who’s Who in CBCA ? 10

Nella’s Reviews 5 CBCA Tas. Membership Form 11

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 1 From the CBCA Tas. Judge

After the gradual start to judging with just six books, Boxes B and C have been more challenging time-wise with 17 and 39 books respectively.

I have found the whole process, so far, interesting both professionally and personally. From a work point of view I have been introduced to a wide range of authors and books that I can recommend to my students.

I have also needed to focus more than I would usually do in a classroom setting on the visual literacy of each book in terms of the illustrations and overall presentation.

Personally I have been extended in reading a wide range of genres and, as I currently work in an all girls’ school, it is refreshing to again read literature that may be considered directed more towards boys. Tricia Scott

The Reading Hour

Its back for 2014: from 6pm–7pm on Tuesday 19 August!

‘The Reading Hour initiative reminds parents and caregivers that reading together doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking in their busy lives, and that sharing a book with a child for 10 minutes a day - or just over an hour a week - will still give that child the best chance of becoming a good reader along with all the social and educational benefits it brings.’

For more information, or to register your interest go to: www.love2read.org.au/index.cfm

Little Stanley

Little Stanley is the World’s largest children’s picture book series. ‘The series is focussed on educating children about real life experiences and providing them with a better understanding of the world around them, through the adventures of Little Stanley, his experiences and education, which can be read to children and later read by children, from a young age and throughout their development.’

The author, Michael Bernacki , was born in Launceston and gained two degrees from UTAS before travelling the world. Little Stanley is the result of Michael’s passion for education and early childhood learning.

So far, there are 200 books in the series, and they are sold worldwide as downloadable e-books from www.amazon.com and iTunes. Fifty per cent of all sales go to children’s charities like the Starlight Children’s Foundation, Camp Quality, Make A Wish, sidsandkids and the Leukaemia Foundation.

Why not check them out at: http://littlestanleytheseries.com/

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 2 Children’s Book Week 2014

Perform Educational Musicals will be touring their brand new in-school production WORLDS APART!

Celebrating the 2014 Book Week theme Connect to Reading , their Book Week incursion explores how, in an ever changing world, books remain a consistent way to connect with others and celebrate the fact that a good story is timeless.

Featured will be a selection of the CBCA 2014 shortlisted books. 2014 will also be commemorating the Anzac Centenary being 100 years since the First World War. For further details and to book, go to: www.performmusicals.com .

The form for merchandise is available on the CBCA website:

www.cbcatas.org/merchandise/

While you're there check out the new A3 collectable poster set:

www.cbcatas.org/assets/Order_form_for_posters.pdf

These posters can be used in classrooms, bedrooms, child care centres and anywhere you wish to promote reading.

Coming Events!

Book an Adventure: Bruny Island Children’s Literature Festival 15-18 January 2015 - Call for Festival Volunteers!

Next summer several famous Australian children’s book writers and illustrators will be joining Bruny Island families and visitors at Adventure Bay, Bruny Island to celebrate children’s books and their creators. In partnership with the Children’s Book Council of Australia (Tasmanian Branch), Events Tasmania, Bruny Island Arts, the Kingborough Council and many other organisations, the Festival will offer a range of thrilling writing and illustration workshops for the under 14s, an exhibition of kids’ book illustrations, a children’s book fair and a Viking Community Event, based on Norman Jorgensen and James Foley ’s award picture book, The Last Viking .

We are seeking volunteers from CBCA and the wider community to help out with organising the Festival and with storytelling and craftwork during the Festival. If you can help in any way, we would love to hear from you. Please contact:

Jessie Mahjouri – [email protected] or telephone 0439 314 703 Anne Morgan - [email protected] or telephone (03) 62931347

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 3 Congratulations!

Tasmanians: Julie Hunt is the winner of the inaugural Readings Children’s Book Prize for Song for a Scarlet Runner . And shortlisted in the Wilderness Society's Environmental Award for Children's Literature are:

 Anne Morgan (author) and Gay McKinnon (illustrator) for The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land & other eco-tales (Interactive Publications) in the Young Readers’ section.  Christina Booth for Welcome Home (Ford Street Publishing) in the Picture Book section.  Sally Odgers for Rainforest Lullaby illus. Lisa Stewart (Scholastic Press) in the Picture Book section.

2014 LIANZA Children’s Book Awards Finalists:

Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award

Dunger by (Gecko Press) Brave Company by (Penguin Books) Project Huia by (Scholastic New Zealand) Felix and the Red Rats by James Norcliffe (Random House New Zealand) A Winter’s Day in 1939 by Melinda Szymanik (Scholastic New Zealand)

Young Adult Fiction Award

Recon Team Angel, Book 3: Ice War by Brian Falkner (Walker Books Australia) Dear Vincent by (Random House New Zealand) When We Wake by Karen Healey (Allen & Unwin) Bugs by Whiti Hereaka (Huia NZ Ltd) Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox (Gecko Press) Cattra’s Legacy by Anna Mackenzie (Random House New Zealand)

Russell Clark Illustration Award

Bruiser and the Big Snow by (Random House New Zealand) Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber illus. Brian Lovelock (Walker Books Australia) Taka Ki Ro Wai by Keri Kaa illus. Martin D Page (National Treasures Design Ltd t/as Tania & Martin) The Teddy Bear’s Promise by Diana Noonan illus. (Craig Potton Publishing) Henry’s Map by David Elliot (Random House New Zealand)

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 4 Congratulations! (cont’d)

Speech pathology awards: Go to: www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/spa-news-a-events/book-of-the-year-awards

The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children’s Book Awards: Go to: www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/2014awards/

Guardian children's fiction prize longlist:

The Diaries of Bluebell Gadsby: Flora in Love by Natasha Farrant (Faber) Phoenix by SF Said (David Fickling) Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (Walker Books)

The Dark Wild by Piers Torday (Quercus) Shine by Candy Gourlay (David Fickling) We Were Liars by E Lockhart (Hot Key Books) She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick (Orion) The Lost Gods by Francesca Simon (Faber)

The shortlist for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize will be announced this month and the winner on 13 November.

Nella’s Reviews

The Three Bears Sort Of by Yvonne Morrison , illus. Donovan Bixley (Scholastic)

A finalist in the Picture Book Category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

If you have a child who’s developing critical analysis skills (constantly asking ‘why’ at the precocious know-all stage), you’ll understand the difficulties met by the storyteller who narrates the tale of Goldilocks and the three bears.

‘In a cottage? How did three bears live in a cottage? They live in caves.’ And in response to Daddy Bear saying, ‘Someone’s been sitting in my chair’, ‘ How did he know?’ ‘She’d moved the cushions.’ A hilarious read.

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 5 Nella’s Reviews (cont’d)

That Car! by Cate Kennedy , illus. Carla Zapel (Allen & Unwin)

A delightful picture book about a family of kids who moves to a farm and finds an old car that takes them on magical adventures.

What Happens Next? by Tull Suwannakit (Walker Books)

Little Ellie and her Granny are going to town dressed in hats and red gumboots. Granny tells a story about bears that wear hats and red gumboots. Little Ellie frequently asks, ‘What happens next?’

Meanwhile we see what Little Ellie can see – a Grandma Bear and Little Bear on the bus a few seats behind them, riding on a merry-go-round, playing hide and seek, etc. When Grandma finally notices the bears and recovers from the shock, Little Ellie takes over the story. A loving and funny story.

Resources

Reading Time Online replaces Reading Time in print and includes all your old favourites such as reviews, interviews with established and emerging authors and illustrators and reports from CBCA judges. You will also find booklists, articles on topics of interest to the children's book world, guest blog posts and more here on Reading Time Online at: http://readingtime.com.au/

This year the Lu Rees Archives celebrates its 40 th birthday. Currently the Archives holds 25,000 books including 3,200 in 53 different languages; authors’ papers and illustrators’ artworks; unique audiotapes and photographs, and 450 research files on authors and illustrators. This year will also see the establishment of the Lu Rees Foundation to fund the Archives in perpetuity. Keep up-to-date with their news and events as they celebrate Australian children’s literature, at: www.canberra.edu.au/lurees - and find them on Facebook and Twitter.

This is a UK organisation that supports and encourages parents and carers to read to their children - and helps them to learn about children’s books. It is a national voluntary self-funded organisation and has strong national links with children’s publishers, authors, illustrators and all organisations that support their aim. For more information go to: www.fcbg.org.uk/

This non-profit organisation’s mission is to support the world’s children in becoming effective members of the global community – who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas – by making the best in children’s literature available online and free of charge. For more information go to: http://en.childrenslibrary.org

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 6 Resources (cont’d)

is a ‘cool’ new Australian magazine for 8-14 year olds that covers historical events from the very beginning of time…

HistoriCool ‘delivers educational information in the form of fun articles, games, quizzes and activities. With articles that link in with the new Australian Curriculum for History and others that children won't ever learn in the classroom, HistoriCool aims to spark an interest, even love, of history in all Australian children.’

This full colour magazine is published six times per year in hard copy or for iPad.

For more information go to: www.historicool.com.au/main/page_home.html

In Memory

Jo Goodman , who served as President and Vice-President of the Victorian Branch of CBCA as well as Victorian Judge of the national CBCA Book Awards, has passed away.

Jo had both a passion for, and extensive knowledge of, children’s literature. She was instrumental in the Nan Chauncy Award and was the inaugural convenor of the Leila St John Award for outstanding service to children’s literature in Victoria.

Jo was a champion of Australian picture books and was instrumental in establishing the Crichton award which encourages and recognises emerging illustrators in the field of Australian picture books. She was also an author and editor, co-editing the CBCA award winning short story collections Dream Time and Into the Future . and received a citation from the CBCA national body for ‘long and dedicated service’.

Jo’s contributions ‘have changed the landscape of Australian children’s literature’. In 2010 she received a citation from the CBCA national body for ‘long and dedicated service’.

Walter Dean Myers , the award-winning children’s author best known for his many novels that portray the often difficult life experiences of young African- Americans, died on 1 July.

Monster (HarperCollins, 1999) won the first-ever Michael L Printz Award for excellence in literature for young adults in 2000.

His books have also earned two Newbery Honours: Scorpions (HarperCollins in 1989) and Somewhere in the Darkness (Scholastic in 1992). He won a Caldecott Honor for Harlem (Scholastic, 1998); five Coretta Scott King awards and the inaugural Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 7 Children’s Books… globally

E is for Ethiopia

Yohannes Gebregeorgis is a native Ethiopian who learned to read in his village school and eventually found his way to the United States as a political refugee. There he earned a Master’s Degree in Library Science and became a children’s librarian in San Francisco. When purchasing books for the library he found he was unable to find books printed in any of the Ethiopian languages. So in 1998 he founded an organisation called Ethiopian Books for Children and Education Foundation (EBCEF).

Since that time, and with the support of American volunteer staff, Yohannes has made great strides towards promoting literacy in Ethiopia, including opening a free children’s library in Addis Ababa, establishing a Book Week annually from 1-7 April and pioneering a Donkey Mobile Library, a mobile cart pulled by donkeys that takes over 2,000 books to rural areas.

Funding for the organisation’s progress initially came from the publishing and sales of Yohannes’s book Silly Mammo which is based on Ethiopian traditions and customs. The book was the first of its kind published in both Amharic and English. EBCEF encourages the writing and publishing of good quality children’s books in Ethiopia and to this end, an award, the Gold Kuraz, has been set up. The first winner was Mit’i Mit’iti written in Amharic by Mary Jaafar. It is the story of a young chick who decides to prove herself to the other farm animals by imitating their best qualities. Sounds like a lot of fun!

Sources: www.prweb.com/releases/2006/08/prweb422102.htm / www.ethiopiareads.org/

F is for

One of Finland’s most successful children’s series featured The Moomins and was written by Finnish author Tove Jansson . The Moomins are a family of white, roundish fairy tale characters with large snouts, resembling hippopotamuses. This carefree family lives in Moominvalley and has adventures along with their friends. The series comprised nine books including five picture books and a comic strip, released between 1945 and 1993. The Moomins have since been the basis for a number of television series, films and even a theme park ‘Moomin World’ in Naantali, Finland.

One commentator states that ‘no subjects are off limits in Finnish children’s and young adult books’ and the variety is enormous, from board books for babies to iPad apps. There are funny books, books on realism and alternative realities, books on everyday life and love, even picture books that portray everything from same-sex love to conflicts between parents and children. Here is a sample but feel free to go to: www.finlit.fi/fili/pics/FILI_booksforchildrenandyourgreaders2012_www.pdf

Tatu and Patu in Helsinki (2003) and Constable Sniffer (2003) by Asko Sirkia The Girl and the Jackdaw Tree (2004) by Ritta Jalonen and Kristina Louhi Cello and Ball (2009) by Lauri Torhonen’s Farewells, the Arctic Sea and Me (2010) by Terhi Rannela Minttu the Bridesmaid (2011) by Maikki Harjanne Tatu and Patu’s Adventures in Outer Space by Aino Havukainen and Sami Toivonen (2011) The Crocodile in Love (2011) by Hannu Hirvonen

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moomin / www.playingbythebook.net/2011/01/13/more-finnish-childrens-books/ www.finlit.fi/fili/pics/FILI_booksforchildrenandyourgreaders2012_www.pdf

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 8 From the Editor

Technology. We can’t seem to live without it, but it doesn’t always work the way we want it to… does it?

Recently I read in The Examiner about a grade 4 student from Ravenswood Heights Primary School who is involved in The Smith Family’s Student2student Program .

This national program brings together a primary school student and a high school student (a reading buddy) twice weekly over the phone for a half-hour reading session. Both participants are provided with a mobile phone and given 1800 minutes of call time via a sponsor organisation.

This student’s mother said that not only was her son enjoying the sessions but his reading had improved - and his interest in reading had grown; and she felt his confidence was growing in other ways too. A recent review of the program found that 93% of participants in Tasmania improved their reading and two-thirds boosted their reading age by more than six months.

Now there’s technology that works! Penny Garnsworthy [email protected] For more information about this wonderful program, go to: www.thesmithfamily.com.au/what-we-do/our-work/at-school/early-years-and-primary/student2student

Dates for your Diary 2014 Date Event Information

16 August CBCA Book Week Stall Salamanca Market,

19 August The Reading Hour 2014 www.love2read.org.au/index.cfm

16-22 August Children’s Book Week Theme: Connect to reading

26 October Hugo McCann Celebration event Venue to be confirmed

2015 Book an Adventure: Bruny Island [email protected] / 0439 314 703 15-18 January Children’s Literature Festival [email protected] / (03) 62931347

CBCA Tasmania Life Members Kay Allport Angela Briant Jenni Connor Berenice Eastman Maureen Mann Judy Moss Glenn Pullen Helen Thomas Bonnie Tilley

‘Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.’ ~ John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

CBCA Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 9 Who’s Who in CBCA Tasmania?

President Vice-President Treasurer Merchandise Manager Richard Pickup Jessie Mahjouri Patsy Jones Trudi Fielding

Minutes Secretary Committee Member Committee Member Newsletter Editor and Archives Officer Rosemary Kellaway Kathy Norton Penny Garnsworthy Nella Pickup

2014-15 Judge Tas. Representative to the President - CBCA Tricia Scott CBCA National Board National Board Jenni Connor Angela Briant

CBCA Awards Foundation

Major Donors: Australia Post, Sandy Campbell, Jean Chapman (in memoriam), Era Proudly Funding Prizes Publications, Max Fatchen (in memoriam), Five Mile Press, Libby for the Children’s Book Gleeson AM, Bob Graham, Hachette Children’s Books Australia, Hardie of the Year Awards Grant Egmont, HarperCollinsPublishers Australia, Ipswich District ______Teacher-Librarians’ Network, James N Kirby Foundation, Kinross- Wolaroi School, Koala Books, Library Board of Queensland, Beryl Benefactors: Moncrieff Matthews (in memoriam), Jill Midolo (in memoriam), Angela Scholastic Australia Namoi, Northern Territory Government, Parents & Boys of Sydney Allen & Unwin Grammar Edgecliff Prep School, Penguin Books Australia, Laurie Copping OAM (in memoriam), Random House Australia, Marion E Robertson (in (in memoriam) 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), Maisie Williams, Garah, NSW (in memoriam), Margaret Wild, 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 Tas e-News No. 4, 2014 Page 10 The Children’s Book Council of Australia Tasmanian Branch Inc. Membership Form PO Box 113, MOONAH TAS 7009 ABN 703 485 18062 Tax Invoice 2014 www.cbcatas.org

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 for young people. 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) • Bi-monthly newsletters • Eligibility for schools to participate in the Southern Tasmanian Readers’ Cup

Membership is from 1 January until 31 December 2014

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; two designated contact people have voting rights and can claim discounts on behalf of the school/institution. Personal members cannot obtain discounts on behalf of the school.

Membership rates:

Personal: $35.00 Institutional: $70.00 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 No. 067 002 / Account No. 28037843) and my Internet transaction receipt/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  Newsletters and communications will be sent via email wherever possible.