iBbY Info is the e-newsletter of iBbY Ireland, the Irish national section of IBBY, an organisation dedicated to promoting intercultural dialogue through children's literature.

iBby Ireland and iBbY news

iBbY Ireland Symposium and AGM, 4th March

iBbY Ireland is delighted to invite you to our forthcoming evening symposium and AGM which will be held from 6pm on Monday the 4th of March in The Wood Quay Venue at Dublin City Council Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8. We will enjoy hearing insights from a panel of guest speakers exploring some of the most exciting current events and projects in children's literature in Ireland. There will be a brief AGM after the panel discussion at which a new iBbY Ireland committee will be elected for 2013. We welcome participation from all members and invite anyone interested in becoming a member of our new committee to come along. More information about the event will be available soon on our website and via this newsletter and we look forward to seeing you then.

Recent Noteworthy Children's Literature Books and Projects

The Schneider Family Book Award for Representations of Disability in Children's Books

The Schneider Family Book Award is donated by Dr. Katherine Schneider, and celebrates a U.S. author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Three annual awards are presented for the best Teen, Middle School and Children's Book. The winner of the Schneider Family Children's Book Award is Back to Front and Upside Down! written and illustrated by Clair Alexander. The winner of the Schneider Family Middle School Book Award is A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean. The winner of the Schneider Family Teen Book Award is Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer and Peter Lerangis.

Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Award

Stonewall Children's and Young Adult Literature Award is given annually to English-language children's and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience. The winner of the 2013 Award is Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. Four Stonewall Honor Books were named: Drama, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier; Gone, Gone, Gone by Hannah Moskowitz; October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard by Lesléa Newman, and Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie  by S. J. Adams.

The Coretta Scott King Awards

Designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace, these Awards annually recognize outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience. This year's winner is Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changes America by Andrew Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Two Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books were named: Each Kindness written by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis and No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. The winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award is I, Too, Am America, illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Langston Hughes.

The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

This U.S. Award, established in 1999, honors excellence in literature written for young adults. The award-winning book may be fiction, nonfiction, poetry or an anthology and can be a work of joint authorship or editorship. The award is named in honor of the late Michael L. Printz, longtime YALSA member and Topeka, Kansas, school librarian, known for discovering and promoting quality books for young adults. This year's winner is Nick Lake for In Darkness. Four Printz Honor Books were named: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz; Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein; Dodger by Terry Pratchett and The White Bicycle by Beverly Brenna.

John Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal honours the author of the year's most outstanding contribution to American children's literature. Presented every year since 1922, the Medal is named for 18th-century British bookseller John Newbery. Receiving the Newbery Medal virtually guarantees that the winning book will remain in print and on library and bookstore shelves for years to come. The winner of this year's Medal is Katherine Applegate for her novel, The Only and Only Ivan. Three Newbery Honor Books were named: Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz; Bomb: The Race to Build -and Steal-the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin and Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage.

Thinking Trees: A Primary School Resource

Within the context of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), Thinking Trees: Development, Trees and Our Independent World is designed for primary school children in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th classes to encourage them to explore the importance of trees and forests in our daily lives. It also stimulates them to reflect about some of the consequences of the loss of trees and how each of us can contribute positively to sustainable development. More information about this recent publication.

2013 Asian/Pacific American  Awards for Literature

The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association, has selected the winners of the 2013 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature. The awards promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and are awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The awards are given in five categories, with winner and honor books selected in each category. The winners of the 2013 awards include Picture Book Winner:    Good Fortune in a Wrapping Cloth, written by Joan Schoettler and illustrated by Jessica Lanan; Children's Literature: Hildi Kang's Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan and Young Adult Literature winner: Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary written by Keshni Kashyap.

Journeys from Images to Words and Back Again Research Project and Website

This project on picturebooks, visual literacy and diversity involved researching, testing and evaluating a new approach to teaching and learning in order to enhance the language and literacy of children from diverse backgrounds and improve learning support at a time of changing educational needs. The increasing number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, many of them New Arrivals, presents both challenges and opportunities to schools in terms of teaching and learning. This new approach builds on the potential of image and visual strategies, often overlooked in the curriculum, as a means of addressing the complex issue of literacy development. Check out the project website : www.journeys-fromimagestowords.com/

2013 Caldecott Medal Winner

The 2013 Caldecott Medal winner is This Is Not My Hat, written and illustrated by Jon Klassen. In this darkly humorous tale, a tiny fish knows it’s wrong to steal a hat. It fits him just right. But the big fish wants his hat back.... Five Caldecott Honor Books were announced: Creepy Carrots! illustrated by Peter Brown and written by Aaron Reynolds;  Extra Yarn, illustrated by Jon Klassen; Green, illustrated and written by Laura Vaccaro Seeger; One Cool Friend illustrated by David Small and written by Toni Buzzeo and Sleep Like a Tiger, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski and written by Mary Logue.

2013 Costa Children's Book Award

Sally Gardner has won this year's Costa Children's Book Award for her young adult novel, Maggot Moon, which has a dyslexic hero at its heart. Gardner said: "In all my experience since becoming a full-time writer, winning this award is the most phenomenal. I used to be an illustrator and now I paint with words; I've discovered exactly what words can achieve as pictures. Maggot Moon is a book I’ve always wanted to write and Standish has been waiting to be written for years. It is thrilling that the story now stands defiant in the world. It is a great honour to have won this award, and for me, it goes towards proving the power of dreams." The shortlist included Diana Hendry's The Seeing, Hayley Long's What's Up with Jody Barton? and Dave Shelton's Bear in a Boat.

Marsh Award for Translation in Children's Literature

Howard Curtis has won the 2013 Marsh Award for his translation from Italian to English of In the Sea There Are Crocodiles written in by Fabio Geda. The Marsh Award aims to emphasise translation as an art and seeks to address a situation in the UK in which less than 3% of work published for children and young people has come from the non-English speaking world. The impact of the award has been reflected in the growing number of children's books published in translation since it began. The complete shortlist comprised Fatima Sharafeddini for My Own Special Way by Mithaa Alkhayyat (retold by Vivian French), translated from Arabic; Ros and Chloe Schwastz for The Little Prince by Antoine de St-Exupery, translated from French; Lucia Graves for The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafron, translated from Spanish and Karin Chubb for Themba by Lutz van Dijk, translated from German.

Children's Literature Activities and Events

14th February is International Book Giving Day!

Held this year on Thursday 14th February, International Book Giving Day's focus is on encouraging people worldwide to give a book to a child. You're encouraged to 1) give a book to a friend or family member, 2) leave a book in a waiting room for children to read, or 3) donate a gently used book to a local library, hospital or shelter or to an organization that distributes used books to children in need internationally. The aim is to invite people around the world tothink about the best ways to help children in need in their communities and that they will celebrate International Book Giving Day in ways that make sense to them. For more information about Irish and international events, see bookgivingday.com.

YOU CREATE workshops at Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire

The Pavilion Theatre is holding a new series of YOU CREATE writing and illustration workshops taking place on Saturday mornings throughout the Spring. These 11am-12.30pm sessions offer a great opportunity for young artists and writers to learn new skills while having fun in a safe and relaxed environment. Events include a T-shirt Design workshop with Chris Judge (Saturday 16th February) for ages 8-12 years, Jane Austen Write-a-Rama with Sarah Webb (Saturday 2nd March) for age 11+, Where's Larry? Drawing Jam with Philip Barrett (Saturday 16th March) for age 6-8 years and Mini-Comic Madness with Finian Taite (Saturday 13th April) for ages 8-12 years. For programme and booking information, contact The Pavilion Theatre at 01 2312929 or book online at http://www.paviliontheatre.ie/

Dates Announced for Children's Books Ireland Conference

The CBI Conference will take place on Saturday 18th May and Sunday 19th May in The Lighthouse Cinema, Smithfield. This year's conference theme is "Rebels and Rulebreakers". Guest speakers include translator, festival curator and journalist Sarah Ardizzone, ‘Prince of Preschool’ Hervé Tullet, bestseller author John Boyne, comic book heroes Sarah McIntyre, Alan Nolan and  Rory McConville, Claude the Dog’s creator Alex T. Smith, author of The Weight of Water Sarah Crossan, Brazilian author Ana Maria Machado,  Cló Mhaigh Eo publisher Colmán Ó Raghallaigh and recent Caldecott medal winner John Klassen. The conference will be open for booking from 1st March and programme and booking information will be available at www.childrensbooksireland.ie.

Family and Schools Programme at Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare

The Riverbank Arts Centre is holding the following series of events during Spring. For booking information, contact The Riverbank box office at 045 448330 or book online at www.riverbank.ie/. Monster Doodle Masterpieces (ongoing until 2nd March) is an exhibition of children's artwork produced during Monster Doodle workshops at The Ark and Riverbank with illustrators Niamh Sharkey, Steve Simpson, Michael Emberley, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Fintan Taite and Peter Donnelly. The Big Books Bash in Celebration of World Book Day on Saturday 2nd March 11am - 4pm will include a Children's Books Ireland Book Clinic (11am-3pm) as well as a Where's Wally Treasure Hunt (11am-3pm). Alex Barclay will be in conversation with Derek Landy about Epic Adventures in Books on Thursday 7th March from 10.30am-12pm as a schools event for 5th and 6th class (€4). From Saturday 16th March to Saturday 27th April, the exhibition, Giotaí ón nGairdín / Pieces of the Garden, based on the Irish-language picturebook Cogito by Andrew Whitson, will run in the Riverbank Children's Gallery with free entry.

"There and Back Again: Heritage and Horizons" ISSCL Symposium

The Irish Society for the Study of Children's Literature (ISSCL) is holding the symposium on children's literature, "There and Back Again: Heritage and  Horizons", on Saturday 9th March from 10am-2.30pm at Pearse Street Library, 138-144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Éilis Ní Dhuibhne will be giving the keynote address and speakers will include Gráinne Clear, Máire Kennedy, Anne Markey, Patricia Kennon, Catherine Smith, Riona Nic Congail, Cliona Ó Gallchoir and Pádraic Whyte. The event will be followed by the ISSCL AGM. Booking and programme information is available at www.isscl.com.

Calls for Papers and Academic Events in Children’s Literature

Conference on Cultural Minorities in Children's Literature and Verbal Culture

This conference, to be held on 24th and 25th April 2013 in Reykjavík, Iceland, is arranged by The Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages, University of Iceland in cooperation with The campUSCulturae Network, The Nordic Culture Fund, and The Committee for Nordic Studies Abroad. Papers are invited on the following two central themes: Minority Children’s Literature versus Global Popular Culture and Children’s Culture and Roots of Minorities. Keynote lectures will be given in English but workshops will be organized in the Nordic languages. A possibility remains to give lectures in other languages upon request. Send 250-400-word abstracts by 20th February to The Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages: infovigdis@hi.is. Please use the subject header: campUSCulturae_your last name_first name initials.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equality in Children's Literature

Beth Cox and Alexandra Strick will be editing this May 2013 special edition of Write 4 Children Journal. Papers are invited on all aspects of diversity: where are Romany/Traveller children in literature? The perpetuation of negative stereotypes in books; the representation of refugee children in books; how do looked after, adopted and fostered children see themselves in books? How do fairy tales challenge or promote stereotypes? Are transgender identities suitable material for children's books? Is there too much political correctness in children's books? Where are the mixed-race families in children's literature? What are the merits or otherwise of gendered marketing? Send 3000-5000-word papers by 1st March to alex@strick.co.uk and  beth@withoutexception.co.uk.

Tove Jansson: A Centennial Celebration

This special issue of The Lion and the Unicorn invites articles on the work of Fino-Swedish author Tove Jansson. Topics could examine Tove Jansson as a crosswriter regarding his works for children and work for adults; Tove Jansson as a multimedial author (word and image in her novels, picturebooks and comics; her illustrations to other children’s books); Tove Jansson and the concept of canonicity; place and space in Tove Jansson’s works; Queer readings; intertextuality and metafiction; ecocritical and posthumanist approaches; Transcultural reception; Moomin characters as cultural icons; epitexts, including web sites, transmediations, social media, games, merchandise, and theme parks. Send 4500-6000-word essays as a Word attachment to Professor Maria Nikolajeva at mn351@cam.ac.uk by 1st July. Accepted essays will appear in the April 2014 issue to mark Tove Jansson’s centenary on 9th August.

Que Todos Signifique Todos: Inclusivity and Mexican Children's Literature

Submissions are invited for a special issue of Bookbird to coincide with the 34th IBBY International Congress to be held in Mexico City in 2014. Papers are welcomed that examine texts for children from Mexico or the Latin American world as they relate to or intersect with the conference theme: “Que todos signifique todos / May Everyone Really Mean Everyone.” Topics could include inclusivity/ exclusivity; stereotyping;  diversity; participation; belonging; multiculturalism; genre, form and themes (including, but not restricted to, fantasy, realism, young adult fiction, visual texts, poetry, controversies and taboos). Send 250-word abstracts to both editor and guest editor by 1st May: Roxanne Harde (rharde@ualberta.ca) and Beatriz Alcubierre Moya (balcubie@gmail.com). Full articles (4000 words) will be expected by 1st September 2013. See Bookbird’s website at www.ibby.org/bookbird for full submission details.

Comics, Picturebooks and Childhood

Papers are invited for this special issue (June/July 2014) of The Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics. Topics could address creators who work with both these media, such as Raymond Briggs and Shaun Tan; comics for children and constructions of childhood; controversies around comics, picturebooks, childhood and child readers; defining the borders and emerging areas in comic book studies; Manga, comics and picturebooks; comic book conventions and avant-garde innovations; divergences and intersections between comic books and picturebooks; when and how does a comic book creator become perceived as a picture book creator? In what ways do constructions of childhood as innocent and vulnerable impact upon what is considered suitable content in a comic or a picture book? Send 5000-7000-word articles by 31st March to Dr Mel Gibson at mel.gibson@northumbria.ac.uk.