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Gung Hay Fat Choi! Xin Nian Kuai Le! Happy Year of the Sheep/Ram/Goat!

So how are you celebrating? Here are some of my favourite children’s books for Chinese New Year:

The Year of … Continue reading ... →

Not everyone may have kids, but all of us unavoidably were kids, once. A fair chunk of my childhood centered around books; reading them and collecting them. Certain stories only ever experienced one reading over 30 years ago, but for reasons inexplicable, remain unforgettably potent and as vivid to me as if I’d read them […]

The Year of the Snake slithers in this weekend but have no fear! Ancient Chinese wisdom says a snake in the house is actually a good omen because it means that your family will not starve. The sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, the snake represents wisdom, intelligence and self-control. The snake also represents the ability to strike at will, quickly and powerfully. The Year of Snake promises to be a time of steady progress and attention to detail. Focus and discipline will be necessary for all of us to achieve what we set out to create.

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festival in the Chinese calendar and celebrations take place around the world . What better way to get into the spirit by reading some Chinese New Year children’s books! Here are a few books we’ve blogged about that we would definitely recommend:

Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series by Oliver Chin,

The Great Race / The Story of the Chinese Zodiac by Dawn Casey, illustrated by Anne Wilson;

The Day the Dragon Danced by Kay Haugaard, illustrated by Carolyn Reed Barritt

Fang Fang’s Chinese New Year by Sally Rippin

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac by Gabrielle Wang, illustrated by Sally Heinrich

Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat by one of my favorite authors Grace Lin. Be sure to visit Grace’s blog t0 read about her plans for bringing in the New Year with  her daughter Rain Dragon and to get some New Year crafts suggestions.

My Mom Is a Dragon and My Dad is a Boar and Hiss! Pop! Boom! by Tricia Morissey

Happy, Happy Chinese New Year! written and illustrated by Demi. Read our interview with Demi here and see our gallery of her stunning illustration work here.

And here’s a special kidlit New Year celebration  for those of you who live in San Jose, CA, USA.  Children’s author Oliver Chin will be reading from his new book The Year of the Snake: Tales from the Chinese Zodiac, on Feb. 19th at the Joyce Ellington Branch library. Details here.

Last week after I posted about Shaun Tan‘s book The Arrival being set to a musical score, I spent some time searching the internet to find out about other children’s books which had been set to musical scores. Interestingly enough the first event that came up on my search was for a January 2012 production of another Australian author’s book:  The Race for the Chinese Zodiac by Gabrielle Wang. I had been just been in contact with Gabrielle a few weeks ago when we posted our review of her book The Garden of Empress Cassia so I quickly sent off another email to her and she provided me with the following details on the event which is taking place at the Melbourne Recital Centre in Melbourne, Australia:

THE RACE FOR THE CHINESE ZODIAC

Date: 11 am, Sat.  Jan 21.  For ticket info click here.

Based on the picture book The Race for the Chinese Zodiac by Gabrielle Wang (author), Sally Rippin (illustrator) and Regina Abos (designer) and inspired music by the Australian Chinese Music Ensemble, led by Wang Zheng-Ting, this concert will delight and amaze children and their families as they enjoy one of China’s favourite fables.

The Jade Emperor has declared a great race: the first animals to cross the river will win a place in the Chinese Zodiac.  Thirteen animals line up along the shore.  But there are only twelve places to be won.  Who will miss out?

The story of how the animals of the Chinese zodiac came to be is told through music and projected images.  Learn about the story behind the Rat, the Snake, the Horse and other endearing characters of this traditional tale and discover the sounds of Chinese instruments.

CHINESE PAINTING WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN

Date: Sat. Jan 21, Sun. Jan 22. Click here for times and ticket info

Gabrielle studied Chinese painting at the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Art in Hangzhou, China. In this workshop she will teach children the four treasures of the painting studio and the basics of Chinese brush painting with plenty of hands on practice. Come join Gabrielle and leave with a finished Chinese painting of your own.

DRAGON TALES

Date: Sat. Jan 21 Click here for times and ticket info.

Celebrate the new year of the Dragon by taking a special Dragon tour. Gabrielle Wang, award-winning author of The Race for the Chinese Zodiac, will teach you how to draw these mythical animals, and then make a scale to place on the dragon that will wind up the Chinese Museum’s staircase.

It’s going to be a fabulous day with authors, from award winning to best sellers author – everything from books for boys to No to bullying to fantasy to reading for the future.

Keeping Books Alive day is supporting Young Australian Art & Writers as well with awards at the dinner.

There’re books signings, prizes, meet and greet with authors, storytelling and dinner with some of Australia’s loved authors – Gabrielle Wang, Dianne Bates, Michael Salmon, Phil Kettle, Meredith Costain, Paul Collins, Michael Panckridge …. and it’s intimate and fabulous.

It’s subsidized for the day at $110 which includes dinner, talks, cocktails and canapes in the beautiful RACV Melbourne. Near the railway station.

I’m in Melbourne to receive the Australian Family Therapists Award for ‘Always Jack’ and will be speaking on a panel at 10.45 at the Keeping Books ALIVE Conference.

Presented by the Australian Children’s Literary Board.

Booking: Rob Leonard [email protected]

ph: 03 5282 8950

Say hello to me if you can make it.

Love to see you there. 

Susanne

The ghost adventure is dark, eerie in the Woodland 1880s mansion at Ipswich Festival.

Leigh Hobbs creator of the famous and fractious ‘OLD TOM’ was being ‘scary’ with fabulous author Meredith Costain hamming it up as his doppler behind him.

General Macarthur stayed at Woodlands and his red leather chair and desk dominates an upstairs room. So of course the guys all sat in the General’s chair. Then the girls go into the act.

Highlights:-

Hanging out at the pool table with all the writers & illustrators – author Sue Whiting and illustrator Anne Spudvilas were hilarious at our game of chance and dice – I rolled a full 5 dice!!!!!!

400 hundred kids packed into the performance of  ‘I Am Jack’ held spellbound -Lowood, Silkstone, Bethany, Bundamba, Toogoolawah, Brassall, Kentville, Lockrose schools were FABULOUS!

Morning walk with illustrator and author mark Wilson, illustrators Anne Spudvilas and Leigh Hobbs through the mist and field.

LOVE the authors and illustrators there – Deborah Abela, Brian Faulkiner, Sally Rippin, Gabrielle Wang, Gus Gordon, Lucia Mascuillo, Mark Wilson, Tristan Bancks, Sheryl Gwyther, Angela Sunde and ……

Thankyou to Festival Director Jenny Stubbs.

Thankyou to Mark Wang Deputy Chairman Museum of Chinese Australian History for organising this special collection of Australian children’s and young adult books to the Shanghai library in an act of friendship and thanks. 

                     Shaun Tan’s ‘The Arrival’

A Collection of Australian Children’s Books presented to Shanghai Library

MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER FOR THE ARTS

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By: Susanne Gervay, on 3/31/2010
Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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