Trees are so much a part of our daily lives, whether we take them for granted or find ourselves fighting for their survival: so it is perhaps unsurprising that there are many stories from all over the world that feature trees, woods or forests as a central theme or ‘character’… … Continue reading ...
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By: Maryann Yin,
on 6/1/2015
How did acclaimed illustrator Allen Say forge his career path? The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature has organized the “Journey of Memory: Allen Say” exhibit.
This art show shines the spotlight on 80 pen and ink and watercolor illustrations. These pieces were originally published in 22 books.
The Joslyn Art Museum will play host to this program. A closing date has been scheduled for August 9th.
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By: Aline Pereira,
on 10/31/2012
I thought I’d counted very carefully, honest guv’nor, but somehow one extra ghost snuck in there – I’m not sure which one – and I’ve ended up with a ‘Reader’s 10′. (If you’re not sure what a Reader’s 10 is, you’ll need to look at Janet Wong’s Top 10: Multicultural Poetry Picks (2002-2012)). So here’s a list of my favorite ghost encounters – they cover a range of age-groups and genres. Some of the ghosts are friendly, some make you ponder, and some are just plain terrifying…
~ The Young Inferno by John Agard, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura – I’ve blogged about this modern take on Dante’s Inferno for a teen audience here and here. It sends shivers down my spine every time I read it.
~ Takeshita Demons by Cristy Burne – Miku has just moved from Japan to the UK and it soon becomes clear that several yokai demons have followed her there. When her little brother is kidnapped, her empty, snow-bound secondary school unexpectedly becomes a battle-ground… this will have you on the edge of your seat!
~ Ship of Souls by Zetta Elliott – I read this earlier this year on a very choppy ferry crossing and was so riveted that I remained oblivious to the scene of sea-sick desolation around me – yes, I loved it. Read my review here.
~ Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara – it was love at first sight here with both the illustrations and the sweet story of a witch and her cat who move into a new house that’s full of ghosts. Imagine putting ghosts through the washer and hanging them up as curtains!
~ Hannah’s Winter by Kierin Meehan – Hannah meets more than she bargained for when she goes to stay with Japanese family friends for the winter – and readers might just have to sleep with the light on after being carried along through the pages into the small wee hours!
~ Just In Case by Yuyi Morales – in this gorgeous sequel to the equally funny and delightful Just A Minute, the ghost of Zelmiro “helps” Señor Calavera to find twenty-two (Spanish Alphabet) presents for Grandma Beetle’s birthday – and tricks him into giving her what she wants most…
~ Requiem for a Beast by Matt Ottley – there are many ghosts in this tour de force combining spoken and written text, graphic narrative, and music that blends Australian Aboriginal song and movements from the Latin Requiem: both in the lost memories of the stolen generation, and at the end of a young man’s physical and psychological journeys to come to terms with his family’s past.
~ Home of the Brave by Allen Say – a man’s kayaking excursion suddenly brings him into a bewildering, dreamlike encounter with the ghosts of Japanese-American children incarcerated during the Second World War, and jolts him into insight of his own family history.
~ The Barefoot Book of Giants, Ghosts and Goblins retold by John Matthews, illustrated by Giovanni Manna – as might be expected from a Barefoot anthology, this is a beautifully presented and the nine stories from all over the world make great read-alouds. Most notable among the ghosts is the love-sick Cheyenne “Ghost with Two Faces”.
~ The Secret Keepers by Paul Yee – I have to admit, I had real difficulty deciding which one of Paul Yee’s ghost stories to choose for this list… They are all compelling books that are impossible to put down so I’ve gone for The Secret Keepers for purely personal reasons because I was there at the launch and heard Paul reciting the opening.
~ The Ghost Fox by Laurence Yep – a small boy has to use his wits to save his mother from the evil Ghost Fox intent on stealing her soul. Vivid descriptions and attention to detail; plkenty of tension and some humor too. Favorite quote: (Fox speaking to servant) “Fool, you don’t celebrate a great victory with turnips.”
And P.S. If you haven’t yet seen our fabulous 10th Anniversary Giveaway, announced yesterday, go here right now!
By: Aline Pereira,
on 10/24/2012
We are extra lucky today as not one but two experts have concocted a gourmet feast of their Top 10 favourite multicultural stories about food. It seems fitting that authors Grace Lin and Jama Rattigan should each select food as their theme, since they have both written stories revolving around tasty recipes – as you will discover by looking at each of their menus. In fact, each has put a book by the other on her menu, while unaware that the other was cooking up their own recipe, so it seems fitting that we should bring you the whole spread for you to gorge on at a single sitting – and it’s also interesting to see which books come up as double portions…
Jama Rattigan is the author of Dumpling Soup illustrated by Lilian Hsu-Flanders (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1998); The Woman in the Moon: A Story from Hawai’i illustrated by Carla Golembe (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1996); and Truman’s Aunt Farm illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Sandpiper, 1996). As well as her website (check out the recipe for Dumpling Soup), Jama also hosts the truly delectable Jama’s Alphabet Soup, a must-visit blog for anyone interested in children’s books, food, or both at the same time.
Grace Lin‘s latest book is Starry River of the Sky (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012), the much-awaited companion novel to Newbery Honor Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009). She has written and illustrated many books for a wide age-range of children, including The Ugly Vegetables (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999) and Dim Sum for Everyone (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2001); and picture books she has illustrated include Where on Earth is my Bagel? by Frances and Ginger Park (Lee & Low Books, 2001). You can read our 2010 interview with Grace here, and view some of her beautiful artwork in our Gallery here and here. And do check out Grace’s website and blog, where she has a fantastic giveaway on offer in celebration of the launch of Starry River of the Sky.
Top 10 Favorite Multicultural Picture Books about Food by Jama Rattigan
Whether it’s a big platter of noodles, warm-from-the-oven flatbread, fried dumplings, or a steamy bowl of Ugly Vegetable Soup, there’s nothing tastier than a picture book about food. You eat with your eyes first, then step into the kitchens or sit at the tables of friends and family from faraway places, all of whom seem to agree that love is the best seasoning for any dish, and food tastes best when it is happily shared. These tasty tales always make me say, “More, please!”
~ Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong and Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt, 2002)
~ Aunty Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie Lo and Beth Lo (Lee & Low, 2012)
~ Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park and Ho Baek Lee (Clarion, 2005)
~ Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore and Kristi Valiant (Shen’s Books, 2009)
~ Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules and Kathryn Mitter (Albert Whitman, 2009)
~ Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2007)
~ Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia and Ken Min (Lee & Low, 2011)
~ The Have a Good Day Café by Frances Park and Ginger Park, illustrated by Katherine Potter (Lee & Low, 2005)
~ The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin (Charlesbridge, 1999)
~ Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto and Ed Martinez (Putnam, 1993)
My Top Ten Food-Themed Multicultual Books by Grace Lin
In my family instead of saying hello, we say, “Have you eaten yet?” Eating and food has always been a successful way to connect us to culture, familiar as well as exotic–perhaps because it’s so enjoyable! So these books about food can be an appetizer to another country, a comfort food of nostalgia or a delicious dessert of both. Hen hao chi!
~ Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2007)
~ Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes, illustrated by Sanjay Patel (Chronicle Books, 2012)
~ Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park,illustrated Ho Baek Lee (Clarion, 2005)
~ How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman, illustrated by Allan Say (Sandpiper, 1987)
~ Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet Wong, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt, 2002)
~ Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley, illustrated by Peter Thornton (Carolrhoda Books, 1992)
~ Yoko by Rosemary Wells (Hyperion, 1998)
~ Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie and Beth Lo (Lee & Low, 2012)
~ Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas by Pauline Chen (Bloomsbury, 2007)
~ Dumpling Soup by Jama K. Rattigan, illustrated by Lillian Hsu Flanders (Little, Brown, 1998)
By: Betsy Bird,
on 5/28/2012
#46 Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say (1993)
39 points
Love, love, love this book! Was so sad it didn’t make the list last time, I am moving it up on my list! Say’s illustrations are poetic and gorgeous. First time my pick won the Caldecott. - DeAnn Okamura
I love the elegance of this book – the detailed and formal illustrations, the spare and controlled text – but am sucker-punched every time by the final line. Very moving. - Emily Myhr
1993 – this beautiful book captures the dichotomy felt by dual nationals and many of my students [American school abroad]: “The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.” - Diantha McBride
As DeAnne rightly points out, Say’s Caldecott Award winner didn’t make the Top 100 Poll last time, much to my surprise. Now it has crested the Top 50, and the love is certainly there. Just last year Say earned a bit of additional attention thanks to his illustrated memoir Drawing From Memory. Could that have contributed to its appearance on the list now? Let’s just say it probably didn’t hurt.
Publishers Weekly summarized the book in this way, “A portrait of Say’s grandfather opens the book, showing him in traditional Japanese dress, “a young man when he left his home in Japan and went to see the world.” Crossing the Pacific on a steamship, he arrives in North America and explores the land by train, by riverboat and on foot. One especially arresting, light-washed painting presents Grandfather in shirtsleeves, vest and tie, holding his suit jacket under his arm as he gazes over a prairie: “The endless farm fields reminded him of the ocean he had crossed.” Grandfather discovers that “the more he traveled, the more he longed to see new places,” but he nevertheless returns home to marry his childhood sweetheart. He brings her to California, where their daughter is born, but her youth reminds him inexorably of his own, and when she is nearly grown, he takes the family back to Japan. The restlessness endures: the daughter cannot be at home in a Japanese village; he himself cannot forget California. Although war shatters Grandfather’s hopes to revisit his second land, years later Say repeats the journey: “I came to love the land my grandfather had loved, and I stayed on and on until I had a daughter of my own.” The internal struggle of his grandfather also continues within Say, who writes that he, too, misses the places of his childhood and periodically returns to them.”
According to Anita Silvey’s 100 Best Books for Children, the pictures in this book came first. The text? Second. And getting it to publication wasn’t easy. “Reproducing that art, and keeping the colors clean and pure, proved extremely difficult; the publisher rejected three attempts to print the book. Finally, Walter Lorraine, the editor; Donna McCarthy, the production manager; and Say decided on an innovative but effective production technique that helped capture the vibrancy of the colors.”
It won the Caldecott Medal in 1994, a particularly strong year if you consider the sheer number of Honors. These included Ted Lewin’s Peppe the Lamplighter, Denise Fleming’s In the Small, Small Pond, Gerald McDermott’s Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, Kevin Henkes’ Owen, and Chris Raschka&rsq
By: Aline Pereira,
on 5/23/2012
English-language Asia-set Children’s and YA Fiction ~ by Holly Thompson
Part 2 of 3 (read Part 1 here)
Some years back as we settled into our bicultural family life with young children here in Japan, although we were surrounded by books in Japanese and took full advantage of Japan’s healthy picture book and middle-grade market, we discovered that finding English-language reading material to support our bilingual children was no easy task. Because our children attended Japanese schools, English education happened in our home, and we needed a steady supply of English-language books. But libraries in Japan stock few English-language books, and bookstores here carry very few and at hefty mark-ups, so whenever friends or family visited from the U.S. they brought books to us. Returning from a trip back to the States, our luggage was always heavy with books. We book-swapped with families in Japan, we ordered from Scholastic with our English-after school group, and we pounced on book sale tables at international school fairs. At last, Amazon Japan with free and quick delivery of affordable overseas books came to the rescue.
Always on the lookout for books relating to our lives while raising our bilingual children, we soon became aware of a lack of English-language children’s books that reflect Japan. English-language picture books set in Japan were rare, and those that existed, we discovered, tended toward folktales and nonfiction. Where were the day-to-day stories that reflected the landscapes and people and value systems surrounding us? Where was Japan?
We treasured our Allen Say books, especially Kamishibai Man and Grandfather’s Journey.
We read and reread the bilingual Grandpa’s Town by Takaaki Nomura. We enjoyed folktale retellings like The Seven Gods of Luck by David Kudler and Yoshi’s Feast by Kimiko Kajikawa. and biographical works like Cool Melons—Turn to Frogs by Matthew Gollub. All excellent, but we were discouraged that such English-language titles set in Japan were few and far between.
Searching for other Asian cultures in English-language picture books yielded similar results—folktales, nonfiction and concept books, but few fictional stories set in Asia.
As the children grew older, we came to realize that even less common than English-language picture books set in Asia were English-language middle-grade and YA novels set in Japan and Asia. What we found was mostly historical fiction. Of course we read and loved Korea-set historical novels by Linda Sue Park, Japan-set novels by
0 Comments on PaperTigers’ Global Voices feature with award winning author Holly Thompson (USA/Japan)~ Part 2 as of 5/23/2012 10:49:00 AM
By: Barbara O'Connor,
on 3/19/2012
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| Allan Say vs Uma Krishnaswami |
By: Aline Pereira,
on 2/27/2012
It’s been a wondewrful few days here in Vancouver. Serendipity was fabulous – and many thanks to the Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable for hosting us and for putting together such a great program. I’ll be heading for the airport shortly, on my way back to the UK, and taking with me some wonderful memories, as well as a suitcase full of books…
Here’s a selection of the many photos I took -
Friday’s Gala Dinner:
Allen Say and Lisa Yee:
Our table, lef to right: Corinne, our lovely “Guardian Angel” for the conference Kat Thomson, Lisa’s “Guardian Angel” Rob Biittner, Lisa Yee and me behind.
Saturday – Serendipity 2012 at the Neville Scarfe Building, University of British Columbia – “The Year of the Dragon”
Paul Yee and Lisa Yee:
PaperTigers’ Paper Tiger meets Peepy Peep:
Getting our presentation set up…
Allen Say’s prsentation – here with his photograph with Sensei Noro Shinpei:
Making dragons at the lunchtime workshop with Origami Master Joseph Wu:
Then waking everybody up post lunch with some dancing from Shiamak’s Bollywood Dancers – billed to “rouse your inner dragon” – they sure did!
Saturday evening –
By: Aline Pereira,
on 2/1/2012
Black History Month~ Canada
African American History Month~ USA
National African American Read-in~ USA
National Year of Reading~ Australia
National Storytelling Week~ ongoing until Feb 4, United Kingdom
Kolkata Book Fair~ ongoing until Feb 6, Kolkata, India
Japanese Children’s Literature: A History from the International Library of Children’s Literature Collections~ ongoing until Feb 12, Tokyo, Japan
Taipei Book Fair~ Feb 1 -6, Taipei, Taiwan
28 Days Later: A Black History Celebration of Children’s and YA Lit~ Feb 1 – 29, USA
Children’s Literature Symposium: The Same Text but Different: Variants in Children’s Media~ Feb 3 – 4, Sarasota, FL, USA
2012 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour~ Feb 5 – 10
The Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children (AWIC) Presents an International Conference on Book Therapy~ Feb 9 – 11, New Delhi, India
Imagine Children’s Festival~ Feb 10 – 26, London, United Kingdom
Writer-in-Residence Launch: Meet Sarah Ellis~ Feb 11, Toronto, ON, Canada
47th ACELT Conference: Reading Ourselves, Reading the World~ Feb 11, Manila, Philippines
2011 Cybils (the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards) Winners Announced~ Feb 14
First Nations Public Library Week~ Feb 14 – 19, Province of Ontario, Canada
Chapter & Verse’s (A Book Club for Adults Discussing Children’s Lit) Discussion of ALA/ALSC Award Winners Feb 15, USA
Sun Gallery’s Twenty-third Annual Children’s Book
By: Melissa Wiley,
on 12/1/2011
December already! Impossible.
I’ve been trying to catch up my GoodReads log, but with all these graphic novels I’m reading for Cybils, it’s hard to keep it up to date. November’s list is too long to recreate here, but I’ll call out a few of my favorite reads from the month.
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword
by Barry Deutsch.I keep calling this Trollville by accident because of the (perfectly delicious) subtitle: “Yet another troll-fighting 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl.” Middle-grade graphic novel published by Amulet Books. Enchanted Beanie and me. Mirka wants to fight monsters but gets entangled with a foul-tempered talking pig instead. Her sometimes comical, often hair-raising adventures occur in the context of a full, tradition-centered home life. I love books that mingle the small, gritty challenges of daily life with grand, fantastic adventures—but maybe you already knew that about me?
Sidekicks
by Dan Santat.This is the gift to give your 8-12-year-old nephew or niece if you want the Coolest Uncle Ever award. Or Coolest Aunt. Whichever. An aging superhero announces that he is holding auditions for a new sidekick. His pets, who miss his company, decide to try out. His pets? Are a dog, a hamster, and a lizard. That’s right. The hamster is trying out for the superhero sidekick gig. It’s equal parts heartwarming and hilarious. And the art just knocked—my—socks—off.
Drawing from Memory
by Allen Say.This book is really special. It’s a memoir in words and pictures. Allen Say recounts the story of his life with poignant candor. At age twelve, he goes to Tokyo to live alone (!) in order to attend a good school. His tiny one-room apartment has everything young Allen needs: solitude and a desk he can draw at. In a move full of gumption, he ap
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By: Aline Pereira,
on 12/9/2010
Do read this lovely interview with Allen Say, which appeared in The Oregonian last week. Just the title, “Portland author and artist Allen Say’s books for children unfold in luminous dreams” tells you straightaway you’re in for a treat… Interviewer Jeff Baker shares with us his sneak preview of Say’s new book Drawing From Memory, due out next year – this promises to be something really special, a graphic novel adaptation of his autobiographical The Ink-Keepers Apprentice.
By: Betsy Bird,
on 10/17/2010
As far as I’m concerned, every good blog post should begin with fiction starring Gregory Peck. What we have here is one of the luscious finds boasted by Greg Hatcher over at the site Comic Book Resources. I’m a big fan of Hatcher because when he does round ups like this one he always takes care to mention a lot of collectible children’s literature. In this post alone you’ll see what the going price is for a good old hardcover Oz or Narnia title, as well as his discovery of Millions of Cats. I remember that when I conducted by Top 100 Picture Books Poll that Millions of Cats was the surprise Top Ten winner. Folks continually forget to give it its due.
By: Aline Pereira,
on 5/18/2010
Saturday was the deadline for nominations for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) 2011. Having barely caught our breath from this year’s announcement of Kitty Crowther as the ALMA winner for 2010, we found ourselves working right up to the mark to get our nominations submitted in time, but in they are and it’s very exciting to be able to share them with you all now, along with our 500-character nomination statements:
Author and illustrator, Allen Say, whom we also nominated last year (and if you haven’t already, do read our interview with Allen and enjoy our Gallery of his work):
Often drawing on his own background, Allen Say captivates his readers through beautifully honed prose and luminous watercolors. He embraces a striving for happiness with a blend of gentle humor and realism, and touches on many aspects of being human, such as race, migration, disability and age. Even young children can empathize with and find echoes in many of his stories. Say opens young hearts and minds both to new cultures and to their own potential; and his portrayal of the human condition provides a forum for children to recognize their own value and to dream.
Author and illustrator, Grace Lin (and don’t miss our interview with Grace, either, or her two Gallery features here and here; and do visit her blog):
Grace Lin is passionate about writing for children. Her child-centred creativity is filled with energy and imbued with core values such as family, friendship, loyalty and love. Her readers respond to the warmth of her stories, whether founded on reality or imagination, and to the charm of her illustrations, which demonstrate a commitment to unobtrusive detail. Often drawing on her Asian American heritage, and with a gift for interweaving old and contemporary elements in her work, Grace is not afraid to step away from tradition to create new, meaningful narrative for today’s children.
And Katha, a “profit-for-all”organisation based in India:
Katha is an Indian non-profit organization working in the areas of literacy and education. Since 1988, it has been successfully promoting the literacy to literature continuum in urban disadvantaged communities across India. Its multi-faceted school and community-based outreach approach, including reading campaigns, the supporting of pavement schools in slum clusters and the translation and publishing of Indian literature, among other initiatives, are playing an essential role in helping create a more literate, less divisive
0 Comments on Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award – PaperTigers’ nominations for 2011… as of 1/1/1900Add a Comment
By: Amanda,
on 12/4/2009
Each day leading up to Christmas, I'm going to feature a Children's book that I've really enjoyed and would make a great choice to share with your family for the holidays. It may be one I've loved for years or one I've just recently found, but all would be great additions to your holiday story list. Hopefully you'll find something to enjoy!
Who doesn't love Allen Say as an author? He has written some of my favorite titles that I grew up with, including Tree of Cranes. This lovely book tells of a boy's first experience with Christmas, even all the way across the world in Japan. His mother creates a Christmas tree out of paper cranes and candles and a small tree from their yard and tells the boy what Christmas is like in California.
A beautiful story and one that infuses another culture into our own. A great message of peace and love is given and even young children will enjoy Say's magnificent illustrations. This is one I will be reading year after year.
Tree of Cranes
Allen Say
32 pages
Picture Book
Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt
9780395520246
October 2009
To learn more or to purchase, click on the book cover above to link to Amazon. I am an Associate and will receive a teeny percentage of your purchase price. Thanks!
By: Aline Pereira,
on 9/17/2009
Today the organizers of The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, given annually to books and works that reflect the spirit of Astrid Lindgren, have announced the 168 candidates nominated for the 2010 award (to download the nomination list as a pdf, click here).
The list of writers, illustrators, oral storytellers and literacy-related organizations, working in various literary traditions and languages, represents more than 60 countries and is a treasure trove of talent and commitment to books and reading.
In addition to author Allen Say and author/promoter of literacy Greg Mortenson, proudly nominated by us, the list includes, among many others, New Zealander author Margaret Mahy; Australian Hazel Edwards; South African Niki Daly; Mongolian writer/poet/promoter of reading Dashdondog Jamba and Filipino illustrator Albert Gamos. And for organizations promoting reading and literacy, it lists IBBY International; Room to Read, in the U.S.; Filipino publishing house Adarna; La Fundación Riecken from Guatemala, and many more.
Considering all these strong candidates, it looks like the jury members have their work cut out for them. Their decision will be a hard one to reach—but reach it they will (and expertly so)! The winner or winners will be announced in Vimmerby, Sweden (the birthplace of Astrid Lindgren) on March 24, 2010, and the announcement will be broadcast live to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, in Italy (which next year will take place March 23-25).
By: Aline Pereira,
on 9/1/2009
(Click on event name for more information)
Skipping Stones Youth Honor Award Winners Announced
Western Australia Spring Poetry Festival and National Poetry Week~ ongoing until Sep 4, Australia
Taranaki Children’s Book Festival~ ongoing until Sep 5, Taranaki, New Zealand
Enchanted Worlds - Art of Fairy Stories & Mermaid Tales exhibition~ ongoing until Sep 5, Lancashire, United Kingdom
National Literacy and Numeracy Week~ ongoing until Sep 6, Australia
Singapore International Storytelling Festival~ ongoing until Sep 12, Singapore
2009 Bologna Illustrators Exhibition of Children’s Books~ ongoing until Sep 27, Nishinomiya City, Japan
Entries Accepted for the 2010 PBBY-Salanga Prize~ ongoing until Oct 23, Philippines
Exhibition - Drawings from the Heart: Tomie de Paola Turns 75 ~ ongoing until Nov 1, Amherst, MA, USA
Picture Perfect: Art from Caldecott Award Books, 2006-2009~ ongoing until Nov 8, 2010, Chicago, IL, USA
Their Magical Years: a National Workshop on Early Childhood Learning and Development~ Sep 3 - 5, New Delhi, India
Beijing International Book Fair~ Sep 3 - 7, Beijing, China
Munsch a Bunch of Miles for Literacy~ Sep 3 - 11, Canmore, AB, Canada
Decatur Book Festival~ Sep 4 - 6, Decatur, GA, USA
heARTlines: Children’s Literature and Book Illustration Festival ~ Sep 4 - Oct 4, Mundaring, Australia
22nd Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava~ Sep 4 - Oct 26, Bratislava, Slovakia
International Literacy Day~ Sep 8
UNESCO Literary Prize Awards Presentation~ Sep 8, Paris, France
Brisbane Writers Festival~ Sep 9 - 13, Brisbane, Australia
International Children’s and Youth Literature Festival~ Sep 9 - 13, Berlin, Germany
CYA later, Alligator - Children’s and Young Adult Writers And Illustrators Conference~ Sep 12, Brisbane, Australia
57th St. Children’s Book Fair~ Sep 13, Chicago, IL, USA
10th Annual Hog Wild About Reading: A Motorcycle Ride For Literacy~ Sep 13, Port Moody, BC, Canada
Book Blogger Appreciation Week~ Sep 14 - 18
Hispanic Heritage Month~ Sep 15 - Oct 15, USA
The Manila International Book Fair: Words Without Borders~ Sep 16 - 20, Manila, Philippines
The Art of Allen Say: A Sense of Place~ Sep 16 - Oct 28, Exeter, NH, USA
International Symposium: Beyond Borders: Art, Narrative and Culture in Picturebooks~ Sep 18 - 20, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Bath Festival of Children’s Literature~ Sep 18 - 27, Bath, United Kingdom
Tamejavi - Our Voice, Our Stories: A Path to Inclusion~ Sep 19, Fresno, CA, USA
Eden Mills Writers’ Festival~ Sep 20, Eden Mills, ON, Canada
Thin Air - Winnipeg International Writers Festival~ Sep 20 - 27, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
International Day of Peace~ Sep 21
The 4th World Summit on Arts and Culture~ Sep 22 - 25, Johannesburg, South Africa
Canwest Raise-a-Reader Day~ Sep 23, Canada
25th Annual Göteborg Book Fair~ Sep 24 - 27, Göteborg, Sweden
Darling Children’s Book Fair~ Sep 24 - 26, Darling, South Africa
Reading Association of Ireland’s Annual International Conference: Literacy in the 21st Century: Perspectives, Challenges & Transformations~ Sep 24 - 26, Dublin, Ireland
Margarita Engle ~ Finding the Poetry in History~ Sep 25, Fresno, CA, USA
Wigtown Book Festival~ Sep 25 - Oct 4, Wigtown, United Kingdom
The Children’s Bookshow: Picture Books and Poetry ~Sep 25 - Nov 25, United Kingdom
National Book Festival~ Sep 26, Washington, D.C., USA
Children’s Book Seminar - SCBWI at UP Visayas 2009~ Sep 26, Iloilo City, Philippines
Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read~ Sep 26 - Oct 3, USA
The Word on the Street National Book and Magazine Festival: Celebrating Reading. Advocating Literacy. ~ Sep 27, Canada
New Zealand Reading Association 2009 Conference~ Sep 27 - 30, Queenstown, New Zealand
By: Aline Pereira,
on 8/18/2009
Last month’s PaperTigers issue featured illustrator Allen Say. I reviewed one of his picture books Music for Alice for a previous post; this time I would like to take a look at a book of his aimed for a young adult audience, The Ink-Keeper’s Apprentice. In this autobiographical novel, a Japanese boy of thirteen, Kiyoi, decides to apprentice himself to a master cartoonist in Tokyo named Noro Shimpei. The story is set in post-war Japan when life was difficult, especially for aspiring artists. Noro Shimpei is an eccentric but generous master; he takes on not only Kiyoi but Tokida, a street-savvy boy from Osaka who has ran away from home to study with him. The two boys make an odd pair — Kiyoi from a genteel family, Tokida from a rough-and-tumble one — learning from a master who regularly moves studios and has odd teaching techniques.
The Ink-Keeper’s Apprentice is a coming-of-age story. Kiyoi struggles with his secret desire to be an artist — an occupation he knows his family will not approve of, especially his guardian grandmother who is very conscious of the family’s class and status. Kiyoi also begins to become aware of his sexuality. When he goes for the first time to a life drawing class featuring a nude model, he remarks wryly: No matter what Tokida said, staring at a grown, naked woman on a platform wasn’t natural. It was exciting. I began to think perhaps I should become a painter so I could have models in my studio. The thought made my ears hot.
It’s Kiyoi’s tone-of-voice that I particularly liked in this novel. Mature and reflective, and at the same time playfully aware of a younger, wonder-filled self, Kiyoi is a compelling narrator of his circumstances. Although Allen Say may be better known as an illustrator, I think he is a fine writer as well. The Ink-Keeper’s Apprentice is a very good read.
By: Aline Pereira,
on 7/13/2009
This year for the first time, PaperTigers was invited to submit nominations for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. We have just heard that the jury is now sifting through the nominations and that the complete list will be made public on 25 September at the Gothenburg Book Fair; it will also be on their website so we’ll let you know when it’s available.
In the meantime, here are our “Grounds for Nomination” statements for artist and author, Allen Say, and author and promoter of education in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Greg Mortenson.
Often drawing on his own background, Allen Say captivates his readers through beautifully honed prose and luminous watercolors. He embraces a striving for happiness with a blend of gentle humor and realism, and touches on many aspects of being human, such as race, migration, disability and age. Even young children can empathize with and find echoes in many of his stories. Say opens young hearts and minds both to new cultures and to their own potential; and his portrayal of the human condition provides a forum for children to recognize their own value and to dream.
Allen Say is featured in a Gallery in our current issue of PaperTigers, and offers some fascinating insight into his latest book, Erika-San. You can also read an interview with him, in which he talks about his semi-autobiographical book for young adults, The Ink-Keeper’s Apprentice, as well as some of his other picture-books. Sally recently chose his Music for Alice for a Books at Bedtime post.
Greg Mortenson is a humanitarian whose motto is “Books, not Bombs.” Since 1993 he has been committed to promoting and supporting education and literacy (with an emphasis on girls’ education) in rural, underserved regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Through his work as co-founder/Executive Director of the Central Asia Institute, as of May 2009, he has established over 78 schools, supported the training of 600+ teachers and offered scholarships to hundreds of disadvantaged students, thus providing education to over 28,000 children (including 18,000 girls) who would otherwise have no opportunities.
Greg Mortenson is also founder of the Pennies For Peace program and author of the Kiriyama Prize-winning book Three Cups of Tea, which has been translated into 29 languages. It has been adapted into a version for young adults and a beautiful picture-book, Listen to the Wind, illustrated with wonderful collages by Susan L. Roth.
Please do share with us your thoughts and comments about our two nominations - we’d love to hear from you.
By: Aline Pereira,
on 6/29/2009
I’m a big fan of Allen Say so I was happy to see him featured recently in our illustrator’s gallery. I’ve read a number of his books but one I enjoyed recently was Music for Alice. Alice is a Japanese American woman who loves to dance, but circumstances in her life prevent her from enjoying this dream to the full. Born in California, Alice grows up, goes to college and marries a man named Mark who “wasn’t much of a dancer” and moves to Seattle, Washington. Not long afterwards, the war comes, and Alice and Mark are sent to Portland, Oregon and are then removed inland to work farm fields on the eastern edge of the state. Such hardship was difficult and as Alice puts it “Even the thought of dancing didn’t cheer me very much.” The couple survive, however, and go on to buy a farm of their own on which they grow various crops until they hit upon the idea of growing flowers — gladioli — to be specific, and become the largest gladiola bulb growers in the U.S.
All throughout the book as Alice recounts her life, she reflects occasionally on her love of dancing. It is not until the end of the book and the end of her life, does she suddenly come to an epiphany. Looking on the ruins of her old farm house, she is overcome by a “wonderful feeling” that makes her suddenly ask, “Now I can dance?” And as the book concludes, “And dance I do — all that I can.”
Music for Alice is an old woman’s meditation on the past. Old age is its own frontier, and there are still things to learn and discover there. Allen Say’s superb, nuanced illustrations evoke Alice’s life with clarity and depth. I highly recommend his picture books which make wonderful reading for children and adults.
By: Kara Schaff Dean, the Yankeerat,
on 4/28/2009
I have to confess to a soft spot for Allen Say. He is the author of one of my all-time favorite picture books, the Caldecott Winning Grandfather's Journey, which is the finest writing I have ever read about the immigrant conundrum--loving two places at once. In his latest book, Say has written again about a subject which is very close to my heart--the realization that you are out-of place; that
By: Aline Pereira,
on 8/12/2008
Inspired by the PaperTigers website current focus on literacy, Janet and I have been blogging about the topic recently, and one of the points that have come up is how children nowadays might be literate in ways that we adults have yet to explore. These thoughts and resulting comments reminded me of an interview Marjorie did with artist and illustrator Allen Say
When TV first appeared in Japan, in the 1950’s, the kamishibai men started disappearing from the streets, and the medium, first referred to as “electronic kamishibai, was received with a lot of skepticism. Considered by many as the precursor of manga, kamishibai now exists in electronic format, for use on a computer (and why not, if the idea is to go where the children are?!), and its traditional format has seen a revival in schools and libraries in Japan. I’ve even heard of high-tech people using it as a presentation device, instead of –gasp!– powerpoint, praising it as a simple, engaging and very effective tool for presenting ideas.
Marjorie writes in her review of Allen Say’s exquisite book, Kamishibai Man—a book that was 32 years in gestation: “Jiichan returns home at the end of the day–a day which has been caught on film and broadcast via the very medium that brought about the demise of kamishibai…” and her words reveal one of the ideas the author alludes to in his story: “how innovation and change can appear threatening but through time and adjustment there is room for all.”
For more about Kamishibai:
http://www.janmstore.com/kamishibai.html
http://www.kamishibai.com/history.html
By: Stacey,
on 3/18/2008
Tomorrow’s Interactive Read Aloud includes Alan Say’s Book Grandfather’s Journey. Since our IRA Theme for the past two months has been immigration, I thought it would be nice to end out the unit with a book that the kids compile on their families (sort of as an unofficial independent writing project). I’m giving [...]
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By: Kelly Herold,
on 10/10/2007
This week's Everyday Etiquette question goes beyond the individual: Who are we as adults to decide what is child-friendly?
This question has enormous implications for the Cybils (the Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards). Why? Because 88 adults and 2 teens will be reading hundreds of books in the next four months in an attempt to find the best children's books that are also child-friendly.
So...who put the kid in kid-friendly? Head on over to the Cybils and tell us. Or, answer on your own blog and link back to the Cybils so we can hear what you have to say.
By: Kelly Herold,
on 10/3/2007
This week's Everyday Etiquette question concerns the holiday season and gift giving. Here's the issue: I never know what to give my children's teachers.
You think this decision would be easy for me, a child of two teachers. But, my parents always expressed gratitude for everything--from smushed brownies to extravagant gift cards.
I find this decision especially difficult once a child has moved beyond the elementary school stage. When your child has eight teachers, do give each and every one of them a gift? Teaching is hard work, and I always feel like the art or band teacher is forgotten. What can you choose that's affordable, yet meaniful?
By: Kelly Herold,
on 9/26/2007
This week in Everyday Etiquette concerns an issue I feel passionately about. But, I may be alone here. It's an issue that has turned me into a one-woman boycotting machine: music in stores, cafes and restaurants.
I find this issue particularly troubling when I'm in an urban setting. + If I'm out and about--running errands, picking up dinner and the dry cleaning, grocery shopping--there is music everywhere. Often the music is so loud, you can't focus. (Or, maybe, it's too loud for me to focus. ) I've walked out of so many stores and restaurants in the middle of shopping or eating, because the music is making me insane. I mean, how many times can you hear "You're Beautiful" without going postal?* Honestly, I don't want to live my life to somebody else's soundtrack.
So, dear readers, today's question is: Should you take the time to tell the manager why you're leaving her establishment? Or, should you take your cranky self and walk out the door?
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+With one exception. Smalltown pipes in music downtown during the holidays. Yes, it plays outside. I already heartily dislike the season (Bah humbug!), and the tinny Christmas carols push me over the edge.
*I finally figured out why I love Target so very, very much. Yes, it's clean and visually appealing. But, its most attractive feature? NO MUSIC.
It took me a while to figure this whole BOB thing out. Maybe because in some states there's a Battle of the Books between kids, featuring book trivia, that a lot of schools have done for years. I kept expecting trivia.
But now I'm hooked. Your analysis was excellent. Not to mention fun to read. I'm a little late to the party but will be checking the brackets for sure. Good work!
I've not read either of these books, but I loved your analysis of both! I especially enjoyed all your sidenotes - I think it's wonderful that you can make new genre titles for both books and art. They made total sense to me - I knew exactly what you were talking about.
Congratulations on being a judge and for your strong commentary about both books.
Well done!
Thank YOU for being so willing to be part of this!