When we aren’t flat out at our day jobs we compile, for your browsing pleasure, cool children’s book happenings (and peripherally related news) from around Aotearoa, the world and the internet.
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Book news from Aotearoa
Right, lets start with the awards news. This week saw Donovan Bixley receive the Mallinson Rendel Award for Illustrators, a bi-ennial award given to an established illustrator. Raymond Huber is the 2018 Children’s Literature Resident at the University of Otago. And Storylines has announced the winner of the Betty Gilderdale Award for service to children’s literature: it’s Maureen Crisp!
Several high-profile people have shared their love of books lately, with World Cup winner Stacy Waaka one of them – she tours as a Duffy Role Model. Paula Morris has shared her interest in the Little House on the Prairie and Laura Ingalls Wilder in this essay on The Spinoff (and in her new book).
Both Thalia and Sarah attended the Storylines Hui last month, and here is what Melinda Szymanik came away with; and Kathryn Van Beek. Sarah spoke on a panel about crowdfunding and what The Sapling offers writers and illustrators. She also managed to attend this talk from Tessa Duder, looking positively at the future of children’s publishing.
There are a few book series being published at the moment that we can’t fit into features, so here goes: Gisborne teenager Ryan Robinson has completed a six picture book series over four years and self-published it; the SPCA has just published another in its series on developing empathy towards animals; and Chaz Harris and Adam Reynolds are following up Promised Land with a second book, Maiden Voyage, this time joined by Jaimee Poipoi. Here’s a sneak peek:
And this is a while ago now, but in case you missed it, The Commuting Book from Christchurch interviewed Sarah about children’s literature and more.
We’d also like to give a heads-up for the NZ Book Council’s The School Library, a publication Sarah started ages ago as a PDF, which is now online and awesome. They are also fund-raising at the moment to take 80 more authors into 80 more schools, inspiring 8,000 more students – find out more here.
Finally, some events: There will be a Postmodern Picturebook Seminar at Te Kura Toi Tangata Faculty of Education at the University of Waikato on 7 December 2017, featuring Julia Marshall. Maureen Crisp will be giving the Storylines Spring lecture at 7pm on Monday 27 November at the Guest Room, Southern Cross, email childlitnz@storylines.org.nz for tickets.
And Thalia and Sarah – yes, two of your own editors! – will be the guest speakers at the Dorothy Neal White Collection Christmas event, on Wednesday 29 November. Come along!
And stuff from the farthest reaches of the globe (and internet)…
Here are a few famous folks sharing their love for children’s books. Here is Ludacris rapping Llama Llama Red Pyjama (I would love to recommend Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam to him). Meanwhile, Salman Rushdie admits to a boyhood crush on Alice in Wonderland; while The Miniaturist author Jessie Burton is writing a feminist reimagining of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Celebrity fans of Graphic Novels share how they got into the genre here.
All the hot writers are releasing their Christmas books right now. We have John Green talking about his OCD with The Guardian as Turtles All the Way Down releases; you’ll see above Oliver Jeffers’ trailer for his new book Here We Are; Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett have released The Wolf, The Duck and The Mouse (here’s the trailer). David Walliams has just released Bad Dad, while Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway is also new on shelves – here is Jeff Kinney interviewing Greg Heffley. Oh and of course Philip Pullmans’ Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage is going gangbusters, check out Ruby’s review.
In classic children’s book news, there is to be Goodnight, Moon sequel. And discover the story of the German Jewish refugees who created Curious George.
Lauren Child is of course the United Kingdom Children’s Laureate now, and here are her thoughts on the importance of dawdling and dreaming.
Did you see that the stage show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is going to Melbourne in 2019? Thalia saw this two-show extravaganza in London and recommends it to Harry Potter fans. And in movies we are looking forward to: the movie of Wonder is released in NZ cinemas on 30 November 2017 (trailer below); and while this is a while away, A Wrinkle in Time (filmed in NZ) is due for release in 2018.
Next issue we will bring you best book lists for children’s books from all over the world! Till then, kia pai tō rā whakatā!