Thinking about children’s literature in a multilingual context

8th March 2022 18.30-19.30 on Zoom

This talk by Dr Christine Hélot was the second in IBBY UK’s series of events looking at children’s literature in a multilingual world.

Dr Hélot is Professor of English at the University of Strasbourg, France. As a sociolinguist, her research focuses on language in education policies in France and in Europe, bi-multilingual education, intercultural education, language awareness, early childhood education, and children’s literature and multiliteracy.

See here for a video of the talk.

Round the World Book Tour: Wednesday, 23 February

A tour of the world, looking at recently published children’s books, took place on Wednesday, 23rd February, via Zoom. 

Special guests, translator Daniel Hahn and Editor Sarah Odedina, together with the IBBY UK committee introduced some of their favourite children’s books from a range of different countries, many of them in translation.

The books discussed were:

RUSSIA

Sugar Child (subtitled A Story of the Girl from the Last Century as Told by Stella Nudolskaya) by Olga Gromova, 2014.

Once There Was A Girl by Ilya Mikson, 2020, first published in 1991. A fictionalised account of Tanya Savicheva’s life during the siege of Leningrad

Presented by Ekaterina Shatalova

 DENMARK

Lene Kaaberbol. Wildwitch series. Pushkin

Presented by Rebecca Butler

 ITALY

Telephone Tales – Gianni Rodari / Valerio Vidali / Antony Shugaar (Enchanted Lion)

Presented by Daniel Hahn

 USA

HUM AND SWISH written and illustrated by Matt Myers. A Neal Porter book published by Holiday House

Presented by Sarah Odedina

 GHANA

EVEN WHEN YOUR VOICE SHAKES  Ruby Yayra Goka, Norton Books for Young Readers.

Presented by Sarah Odedina

 INDIA

THE CHOWPATTY COOKING CLUB Lubaina Bandukwala A duckbill Book, an imprint of Penguin India

Presented by Sarah Odedina

 KOREA

I Am the Subway – Kim Hyo-eun / Deborah Smith (Scribble)

Presented by Daniel Hahn

 JAPAN

Temple Alley Summer – Sachiko Kashiwaba / Miho Satake / Avery Fischer Udagawa (Yonder)

Presented by Daniel Hahn

 AUSTRALIA

Colin Thiele: Jodie’s Journey

Presented by Rebecca Butler

 NEW ZEALAND

Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea (2020) By T. K. Roxborogh and Phoebe Morris

The Bomb/Te Pohu (2018) by Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan

Presented by Nicola Daly

30 November 2021 Hans Christian Andersen Award 2022 – judging and shadowing

What is it like to judge a prestigious international award for literature? How can you decide?

Evelyn Arizpe, Professor of Children’s Literature at Glasgow University, will talk about her experiences as a judge for this prestigious award and will be joined by some of her postgraduate students who have been ‘shadowing’ the process. They will introduce some of the nominees submitted by 33 of the national sections of IBBY.

Students participating in the shadowing have written blogs about individual nominees

See below for the nominee spotlights:

Suzy Lee

Xiong Liang

Kestutis Kasparavičius

Marcus Sedgwick

Linda Wolfsgruber

Sylvia Weve

Sinan Hallak

Elena Odriozola

Annika Thor

Arai Ryoji

Beatrice Alemagna

Piret Raud

Margaret Wild

Iwona Chmielewska

Sydney Smith

Carll Cneut

Angèle Delaunois

Sergey Makhotin

Franz Hohler

Tonke Dragt

David McKee

Evelyn Arizpe

28 June 2021 IBBY AGM and Reading round the world

1. Greece. The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Egmont). Presented by Lina
2. The Netherlands. Talking to Alaska by Anna Woltz, translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson (Rock the Boat). Presented by Becky
3. Belgium and Lebanon. Ghady & Rawan by Fatima Sharafeddine & Samar Mahfouz Barraj, translated from Arabic by Sawad Hussain & M. Lynx Qualey (Center for Middle Eastern Studies at The University of Texas at Austin). Presented by Ruth
4. Middle East/Chile. Daniel and Ismail by Juan Pablo Iglesias & Alex Peris (Yonder), English/Arabic/Hebrew – first published in Chile. Presented by Ruth
5. Peru/USA. Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match by Monica Brown & Sara Palacios, Spanish/English translation (Children’s Book Press). Presented by Karenanne
6. USA. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon (Houghton Mifflin). Presented by Jess
7. China. Bronze and Sunflower and Dragonfly Eyes by Cao Wenxuan, translated by Helen Wang (Walker Books). I Want To Be Good by Huang Beijia, translated by Nicky Harman (New Classic Press). Presented by Helen
8. Indonesia. The Adventures of Na Willa by Reda Gaudiamo, illustrated by Cecelia Hidayat (The Emma Press). Presented by Ruth
9. Russia. The Apartment: A century of Russian history by Alexandra Litvina, illustrated by Anna Desnitskaya, translated by Antonina Bouls (Abrams). Gamayun Tales: An anthology of modern Russian folk tales by Alexander Utkin – graphic novel (Nobrow). Presented by Ruth

IBBY UK / NCRCL Annual Conference 2019

Saturday 9th November 2019 | Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, London

A World of Information: Children’s Non-Fiction Books in the Digital Age

The date for this year’s IBBY UK/NCRCL Conference has been confirmed for 9 November 2019 at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education with the theme: A World of Information: Children’s Non-Fiction Books in the Digital Age.

See here for more information and how to book!

IBBY UK ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2019

Monday 24th June 2019 | Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, 44 Webber Street, London SE1 8QW

Please join us to hear about IBBY’s work of the past year and to hear Caroline Lawrence’s presentation about diversity in Roman London.

Free to members. Tickets £3.50. Book your place at on Eventbrite here.

Tiny Owl Publishing: Grobblechops Book Launch

Thursday 21st February 2019, 6.00pm – 8.00pm | 44 Webber St, South Bank, London, SE1 8QW | CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education)

Come and celebrate the launch of new picture book ‘Grobblechops’ by author Elizabeth Laird and illustrator Jenny Lucander!

Amir’s worried about the monster under the bed! What if it has huge teeth and growls like a lion? What if it tries to eat him up? And what if the monster has a mum and dad too? But Dad reassures Amir that if the monster family comes to play, then Amir might just make a friend instead. A timeless tale of monsters under the bed, Grobblechops is based on a story by the thirteenth-century poet, philosopher and Sufi mystic Rumi.

Featuring a reading of this fantastic new picture book with award-winning author Elizabeth Laird and a book signing. There will be a panel discussion about Rumi and his stories with author Elizabeth Laird, publisher Delaram Ghanimifard and CLPE’s Ann Lazim.

For more information on the event, please follow this link: Grobblechops Book Launch  

To find out more about Tiny Owl Publishing:

Website: http://tinyowl.co.uk/
Twitter: @TinyOwl_Books 

#NoWords: The Story of Books

24th November 2018 – December 2018 | Hay-on-Wye, Wales  |  Contact the gallery on 01497 822 9431 to check opening times.

This exhibition of more than 200 wordless picture books will be on display from 24th November 2018 and through December 2018, accompanied by a programme of events and workshops.

The owner of the collection, IBBY UK member Clare Walters, has her own website showcasing some of the books on display: https://wordlessbooks.co.uk

#NoWords

Website: https://thestoryofbooks.com/2018/10/21/nowords/
Twitter: @thestoryofbooks

IBBY UK / NCRCL 25th Annual Conference 2018: ‘Crafts and Hobbies in Children’s Books’

Saturday 10th November 2018, 9.30am – 5.15pm | Digby Stuart College, University of Roehampton

This year’s conference explores the significance of crafts and hobbies as theme, practice, motif, educational tool and generational bridge. We will be thinking about the historical shifts in the role and significance of these activities in childhood experience as depicted in a wide range of texts. We will examine the role of crafting and hobbies in children’s fiction and in picture books; think about the role of books in craft and hobby activities; and consider the craft dimensions of books as material objects, looking at the use of collage and textile as illustrative components, at paper-cutting and pop-up books, and at books that are themselves craft or hobby objects. The conference will include keynote presentations by well-known illustrators and craft practitioners, academics, and key figures in the children’s literature world.

Tickets: Book your place here!
Website: https://www.ibby.org.uk/activities/conferences/
Twitter: @NCRCL & @IBBYUK 

Drawing Words: an exhibition curated by Lauren Child 

1 October 2018 – 11 January 2019, 10am – 5pm | British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2BN

Following this, it will be exhibited internationally by the British Council and partners. While Peter Rabbit, Paddington Bear and Winnie the Pooh are universally recognised and demonstrate the rich history of children’s book illustration in the UK, Drawing Words looks to the future. The ten illustrators showcased here have been selected for their distinctly personal and unique work, to offer a snapshot of the vibrant work being produced today.

Website: https://literature.britishcouncil.org/project/drawing-words
Twitter: @LitBritish

South Ken Kids Festival

19-25 November 2018 | Institut français du Royaume-Uni, London

The South Ken Kids Festival returns for its 21st edition! From 19 to 25 November, meet glorious authors and illustrators, including Quentin Blake (the festival’s patron), Axel Scheffler, Magali Le Huche, Bridget Marzo and many more brought to you by the Institut français in London! Expect a programme packed with live drawing, storytelling, workshops, talks, films, music and digital sessions.

Website: www.southkenkidsfestival.co.uk
Twitter @SouthKenKids

Children’s Book Circle

28th November 2018, 6.30-9.30pm | St Bride Library, London

The CBC is proud to host the annual Eleanor Farjeon Award, which recognises an outstanding contribution to the world of children’s books by an individual or organisation. They will be revealing 2018’s winner shortly.

Their speaker for the Patrick Hardy Lecture 2018 will be zoologist and author, Nicola Davies. Nicola is the author of the Branford Boase shortlisted Home, The First Book of Animals, The Variety of Life and many more.
Tickets are available now!

Children’s Book Circle
Celebrating 50 years of passion for children’s literature 
Website: www.childrensbookcircle.org.uk 
Email: childrensbookcircle@gmail.com
Twitter @ChildBookCircle

Litmus fest 2018

29-30 September 2018, 6.45pm, 2.00pm | StageSpace Pleasance Islington

Moonbird by Joyce Dunbar and illustrated by Jane Ray 

‘He doesn’t listen for his name’ said a father (who happened to be a King.) A tale of a family who don’t know how to communicate. Can the Moonbird show them that listening is not always about hearing?

Puppetry, British Sign Language, animation and physical storytelling; a story of family, acceptance and identity.

Accessible theatre for all the family
Accessible for Deaf and hearing audiences

Litmus Fest 2018 is the third annual R&D festival hosted by Pleasance Islington. The festival supports 6 companies in their development of new work, and an opportunity to showcase and receive feedback on work-in-progress performances. The festival takes place over 6 days, 25 Sept – 30 Sept, with 2 performances each night, and tickets for 2 shows are only £12!
More info here.

UK IBBY Honour List 2018

27 September 2018, 6.30pm | Waterstones Piccadilly

We hope you can join us to celebrate the UK IBBY Honour List nominations for 2018.
With:
Sita Brahmachari author of Tender Earth (Macmillan)
Viviane Schwarz, illustrator of I Am Henry Finch (Walker Books)
Charlotte Barslund, translator of Wildwitch Fire (Pushkin)

In conversation with IBBY committee members, followed by questions from the audience.
All three will be awarded diplomas for this international nomination – they will join authors, illustrators and translators from the 77 IBBY member countries.  A catalogue of all the nominations will be available in September.

Drinks from 6.30pm with book signings to follow. 

The event is free to IBBY members and £4.00 for non-members.
To ensure your place, please book through Eventbrite at https://ibbyhonourlist2018.eventbrite.com 
Queries: events@ibby.org.uk

The Day War Came: Nicola Davies and Rebecca Cobb in conversation

3rd September 2018, 6.30-8.00pm | Foyles, 107 Charing Cross Road

Author Nicola Davis and illustrator Rebecca Cobb will share their thoughts about their book The Day War Came and their work for the charity Help Refugees.

The book tells the story of a child fleeing the terrors of war and draws attention to the 3,000 unaccompanied Syrian children the UK government decided not to give a safe haven in 2016. Nicola called on illustrators, authors and children to paint, draw or sketch an empty chair and share it on Twitter with #3000chairs. A selection of artwork created for the #3000Chairs campaign by some of the country’s most notable children’s illustrators will be displayed at this very special event. Nicola and Rebecca will discuss their work together and the importance of raising awareness for humanitarian causes followed by a Q&A.

The event is free but you need to register here.
If you choose to make a £5 donation to Help Refugees on the same link you will automatically be entered into the draw to take away one of the stunning #3000chair illustrations on the night.

Writer’s Weekend Workshop

7-8 July 2018, 9am-5.30pm | The Department Store, 248 Ferndale Rd, Brixton, London SW9 8FR

Gain expert insight to the business of writing for young readers at this intensive weekend workshop.

On Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 July, renowned publisher Sarah Odedina will be hosting an intensive two-day writer’s workshop featuring some of the publishing industry’s leading professionals in the world of children’s literature. Authors, editors, literary agents and publishing innovators will come together to share knowledge and know-how with aspiring writers. The star line-up includes Malorie Blackman, Patrice Lawrence, Sarah Shaffi and more… The aim is to help improve aspiring authors skills and impart vital understanding of the way the publishing industry works.

The fee for the weekend is £200, which includes refreshments and lunches on both days. To promote inclusion the workshop organisers are giving 10% of places to BAME writers. In addition ‘Knights of’ will fund an extra free place. If you would like to apply for one of these free places please send us your bio, a synopsis of your work in progress and the first 1000 words of pieces of fiction or sample of your poetry. Deadline for free place submission is the 1st June 2018. To register for a free place please email sarahodedina1@gmail.com. 

For further details and to book tickets, please go to https://writersworkshop.blog.

IBBY UK Annual General Meeting and presentation by Steve Martin

20 June 2018, from 6.00pm | Black Cultural Archives, 1 Windrush Square, London SW2 1EF

Please join us to hear about IBBY UK’s work of the past year and to hear Steve Martin’s presentation. The Black Cultural Archives (BCA) exhibition is open until 6pm and you are welcome to visit it before the AGM. 

6.00pm AGM
6.45pm Drinks
7.00pm Presentation by Steve Martin

Steve Martin was born in Bedford and has worked as a journalist for The Voice and Bulletin. He is the author of a novel, Incomparable World (1996) and a non-fiction title, Britain’s Slave Trade (1999), published to accompany a television series screened on Channel 4.

He lives in lives in South London where he works as a researcher and writer of Black history. In 2007 his children’s novel, Jupiter Williams, was published. It tells the tale of a boy who lives in the African Academy in Clapham, London, in 1800. His latest book is Jupiter Amidships (2009).

He will illustrate his experiences of using archive documents and images in writing children’s fiction and as a spur to enhancing literacy in primary and secondary schools.

The event is free to both members and non-members but please book your place on Eventbrite at ibbyukagm2018.eventbrite.com

BCA is five minutes walk from Brixton tube station, Victoria Line and on many bus routes. https://blackculturalarchives.org/visit-us/
Enquiries: events@ibby.org.uk

Young Palestinians Speak: Living Under Occupation

7 June 2018, 6.30pm | Heffers Bookshop, 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1TY

A discussion with the authors of Young Palestinians Speak: Living Under Occupation

Join Anthony Robinson and Annemarie Young as they discuss Young Palestinians Speak, their new book which provides a platform for children and young people, from all over this occupied land, to speak in their own voices about the day-to-day experience of living under the heavy boot of occupation. The talk will be illustrated with photographs from the book, and followed by a Q&A, and refreshments.

For further details and to book tickets (£4 in advance), please go to youngpalestiniansspeak.eventbrite.co.uk or from Heffers in person, or by calling 01223 463200.

Young Palestinians Speak: Living Under Occupation

11 May 2018, 6.30pm | Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD

 Writing from the frontline: crossing borders, being there and reporting back – a panel discussion

To celebrate the publication of Young Palestinians Speak: Living Under Occupation by Anthony Robinson and Annemarie Young (Interlink Books, £16.99), this panel discussion with Anthony Robinson, Annemarie Young, Beverley Naidoo and Elizabeth Laird, chaired by Michael Rosen, will discuss all genres of writing – fiction, non-fiction and poetry – and how literature can give a voice to those who are not heard.

For further details and to book tickets (£5) please go to the Newham Bookshop. Proceeds of ticket sales will go to Playgrounds for Palestine and to a Palestine book charity (TBC)

Q&A with Melvin Burgess

19 April 2018, 6.30pm | The Portico Library, Manchester

IBBY UK and the Portico Library are pleased to present a Q&A session with author Melvin Burgess. A patron of The Portico Library, Melvin is an award-winning author of children’s and young adult fiction. Often referred to as ‘the godfather of teen fiction’ by the British press, his novel Junk, published in 1996, was widely lauded for its realistic portrayal of youth, drugs and sex. He was nominated by the UK for the prestigious 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award, which is presented biennially by IBBY. Previous winners of the award have included Tove Jansson and David Almond.

The event will be chaired by Hannah Kate, a poet and short-story writer based in Manchester whose work has appeared in various national magazines. As well as an academic, she is a presenter for North Manchester FM radio station and the host of a popular literature show, Hannah’s Bookshelf, every Saturday with various authors.

After an introduction and dialogue with Melvin Burgess, Hannah will open the floor to questions from the audience.

For further details and to book tickets please go to the Eventbrite page

IBBY UK/British Council London Book Fair Seminar

Finding New Voices: Children’s Literature from the Baltics
11 April 2018, 10.00am | Children’s Hub, London Book Fair

Each of the Baltic countries has a flourishing children’s book market, previously little-known in the UK. This panel discussion, a joint venture between IBBY UK, the British Council and Firefly Press, explores the publication choices of several UK children’s publishers and introduces the authors / illustrators and the books they have chosen to publish. We will look at the journey to publication and what these books will bring to the UK children’s market.

Featured speakers include the publisher Roger Thorp (Thames & Hudson), Penny Thomas (Firefly Press), Emma Wright (Emma Press), as well as Baltic authors and illustrators on their lists. The event will be chaired by Pam Dix of IBBY UK.

For further details please go to the London Book Fair website

IBBY UK/Inclusive Minds London Book Fair Seminar

Mind the Gap: Celebrating Authentic Inclusion
10 April 2018, 11.30am | Children’s Hub, London Book Fair

IBBY UK and Inclusive Minds present a rare opportunity to hear young disabled people in conversation with authors about disability in books.

The seminar will explore the need for more inclusive books, looking at examples of books that are doing it well and the gaps that still exist. How can disabled characters be included positively, naturally and authentically? How can books highlight less ‘visible’ forms of disability? And how can they support empathy, without emphasising difference? Where are the gaps and the opportunities?

The Silent Striker by Peter Kalu and Carnegie Award-winning One by Sarah Crossan were two of 23 recent books identified by a team of experts on behalf of IBBY UK, as nominations for the IBBY Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities list. Some of the books selected by the team feature forms of disability rarely, if ever, found in mainstream children’s literature, showing how far the UK has come in terms of inclusion.

A discussion involving these authors and Inclusive Minds Young Ambassador Emily Davison will highlight the value of books such as these. The seminar will explore what makes the inclusion successful and authentic, and how this impacts the young people reading. It will discuss positive ways of featuring less visible/less well-known disabilities and examine how to include such conditions whilst avoiding sentimentality and sensationalism. It will consider the conflict between the need to enhance understanding whilst also ‘usualising’ such conditions.

For further details please go to the London Book Fair website

Pop-up Creators

An illustration exchange across the UK and Baltic countries
9 April to 20 May 2018 | ROSL London Clubhouse

ROSL ARTS are proud to work with Pop Up Projects to present Pop Up Creators. The exhibition presents an international exchange of outstanding and emerging illustrators and comics artists across the UK, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The project commissioned 18 published children’s illustrators and comics artists across four countries to work with multilingual groups of talented 16-24 year-old visual artists in 16 universities and colleges. Guided by their artist-mentors, the 160 students will produce their own illustrated stories in a distinct ‘leporello’ format. The resulting library will be launched during the London Book Fair 2018, coinciding with the Baltic Countries Market Focus. An exhibition telling the story of the project and showcasing the work by students and professional illustrators will run at Over-Seas house, home to the Royal Over-Seas League for 10 weeks. Featuring a full library of leporellos as well as reproductions of some of the stories and selected artwork elements, the exhibition will be co-curated with Pop Up Projects, the House of Illustration and ROSL ARTS. A series of events will run during the course of the exhibition.

For further details please click here.

2017 IBBY Honour List Celebratory Event

Thursday 5th October| 6.30pm – 8.30pm| Waterstones Piccadilly, London

To celebrate Melvin Burgess’s nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2018, IBBY UK will host a panel discussion at Waterstones Piccadilly with Melvin Burgess, Lucy Christopher and Juno Dawson. To celebrate Melvin Burgess’s nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2018, IBBY UK will host a panel discussion at Waterstones Piccadilly with Melvin Burgess, Lucy Christopher and Juno Dawson.

Free to members but booking will be via Eventbrite – details nearer the time.

The Children’s Bookshow

22 September – 24 November 2017 | theatres around the UK

The Children’s Bookshow takes the best writers and illustrators from around the world to UK theatres each autumn to share their work with children and bring back the joy to reading.

This year’s programme will host writers and illustrators from Japan, Estonia, Russia, Finland and the UK highlighting the importance of children reading books outside of their language and culture.

The 2017 tour runs from Friday 22nd September when Michael Rosen kicks off with a hilarious gig at the Theatre Royal Newcastle, to Friday 24th November when we’ll end the tour with our partner, the European Commission Representation in the UK, at Europe House with Finnish, Estonian and Russian writers and a homegrown talent, Alexis Deacon, author of Beegu, who will be talking about the Moomins with our Finnish friends.

Full list of participating authors and illustrators 2017: Michael Rosen, Megumi Iwasa & Jun Takabatake, Judith Kerr & John Burningham in conversation with Nicolette Jones, Guo Yue and Clare Farrow, Rachel Rooney, Jo Empson, David Litchfield, Bruce Ingman, Daniel Morden, Jessica Souhami, Horatio Clare & Jane Matthews, Kätlin Vainola & Ulla Saar, Timo Parvela & Virpi Talvitie

Full list of 2017 locations: Bexhill on Sea, Bristol, Hereford, Ilkley, Ipswich, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Lowestoft, Newcastle, Plymouth, Stafford, Wolverhampton.

For further details and to book tickets please go to www.thechildrensbookshow.com

2017 IBBY Honour List Celebratory Event

Wednesday, 20th September| 6.30pm – 8.30pm | Illustration Cupboard, London

Reception at the Illustration Cupboard to launch Jane Ray’s solo exhibition and celebrate her nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2018. Reception at the Illustration Cupboard to launch Jane Ray’s solo exhibition and celebrate her nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2018.

Free to members but booking will be via Eventbrite – details nearer the time.