Sunday, May 29, 2011

Judith Kerr Exhibition

"From The Tiger Who Came to Tea to Mog and the Pink Rabbit" a retrospective of the work of Judith Kerr will be on display at the V & A Museum of Childhood 28 May to 4 September. Well worth a trip to Bethnal Green. You can easily visit the museum, open every day 10am to 5.45pm, by tube to Bethnal Green (a five min. walk from the station) or numerous buses stop outside D6, 106, 254, 309, 388. Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA

Shirley Hughes Exhibition

A celebration of 30 years of Alfie at the Illustration Cupboard Galley, 22 Bury Street, St James, London - just off Piccadilly. Always worth visiting this attractive and enterprising and unstuffy gallery. This exhibition runs from 2-25 June.

Charlotte Voake et al

A whole raft of joyous illustrations to buy by such artists as Charlotte Voake, John Lawrence and Salvatore Rubbino. Have a look at the website www.childrensbookillustration.com

Hackney Short Novel Award

The votes are in....and Hackney pupils have declared ‘The Uniform’ by Tommy Donbavand the winner of the 2011 Hackney Short Novel Awards!

Now in its second year, the Awards sees pupils from secondary schools in Hackney reading and reviewing a shortlist of five novels and voting for a winner. The Short Novels Awards scheme is the result of a collaboration between The Learning Trust, the publishing house Barrington Stoke, local bookshop Victoria Park Books and the Ministry of Stories in Hoxton.

The winning novel was announced at an event held at Hackney Town Hall on Thursday (26 May) with close to 60 pupils in attendance from the five participating schools – Bridge Academy, Cardinal Pole Catholic School, Petchey Academy, Skinners’ Academy and Stoke Newington School.

Commenting on his win, author Tommy Donbavand said: “I'm thrilled that The Uniform was chosen as the winner of the Hackney Short Novel Award. I'd always wanted to write a spooky story without any zombies, werewolves or other creepy characters - just real people in a terrifying situation - and The Uniform was that story. To hear that people are enjoying reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it is simply wonderful!”

Monday, May 16, 2011

BRANFORD BOASE AWARD: SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The 2011 shortlist for the Branford Boase Award is announced today. The Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children.

The books on the shortlist are:

I Am The Blade by J.P. Buxton, edited by Beverley Birch (Hachette, £5.99)
When I Was Joe by Keren David, edited by Maurice Lyon (Frances Lincoln, £6.99)
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay, edited by Bella Pearson (David Fickling, £5.99)
Unhooking The Moon by Gregory Hughes, edited by Roisin Heycock (Quercus, £5.99)
Out Of Shadows by Jason Wallace, edited by Charlie Sheppard (Andersen Press, £6.99)
The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh, edited by Imogen Copper (Chicken House, £6.99)

Carousel has reviewed all the shortlisted titles in the last few issues.

The Branford Boase Award was set up to encourage new writers and is given each year to the most promising work of fiction for children by a first time novelist. The Branford Boase Award also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent.

The Branford Boase Award judging panel has had an uncanny ability to pick 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.

This year’s eminent judging panel is: independent bookseller Isla Dawes, of The Barnes Bookshop; Jake Hope, librarian and Bookseller Magazine reviewer; Damian Kelleher,journalist and writer and Lucy Christopher, author of Stolen, 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 varied and impressive shortlist is a very positive statement about the strength and health of children’s books. Everyone is looking for creative new authors and it good to see them being spotted by both the major houses and the small and independent publishers”.

The winner of the Award will be announced on July 6th 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.

The Branford Boase Award gratefully acknowledges support from Walker Books and
Dame Jacqueline Wilson O.B.E.

Monday, May 02, 2011

suffolk libraries - u-turn hurrah!

East Anglian Daily Times reports
Controversial county council proposals to stop running its library service have been abandoned.
Suffolk County Council had planned to divest the service and hand over responsibility for running libraries to community groups, parish councils or other organisations. The plans could have resulted in the closure of 29 community libraries if no groups took over the running of them. However, due to the strength of feeling across the county, which resulted in a number of demonstrations in towns such as Saxmundham, Leiston and Eye, the county council has made a dramatic U-turn.
It emerged last night that the authority will retain ultimate responsibility for running libraries – although communities will have an opportunity to help run individual branches. And while there is no guarantee that all branches will be retained, cabinet member with responsibility for libraries Judy Terry said she expected the overwhelming majority to stay open. She said: “I really hope that all libraries will remain open, ultimately we would like to be able to see new libraries created for communities across the county.” The libraries are set to be run by a community interest company which will be fully owned by the county council – but will include representatives of communities across Suffolk as well as councillors and officials.