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Back in November, The Guardian awarded David Almond its children's fiction prize for his novel, A Song for Ella Grey, which is a retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. I haven't read that novel, but I learned about it earlier this week when colleagues in children's literature began talking about a letter Lynne Reid Banks had written to The Guardian, objecting to the book being selected for its prize. (Banks is the author of The Indian in the Cupboard and its sequels. Readers of AICL likely know that there are many problems with that book. From the idea of a white child having life/death power over a Native person and responsibility for the care of that person, to the stereotypes that are throughout the book, the list of what-is-wrong with the series is long. I've written a little about it but am, today, thinking that I ought to do a chapter-by-chapter look at it.) Subsequent to the letter Banks wrote to The Guardian, BBC's Radio 4 invited Almond and Banks to be on its Today program. I listened to, and transcribed the program, for those of you who might want to know what was said but are not able to listen to the archived segment. Yesterday, The Guardian published a handful of letters others wrote in response to Banks. Among them is one by Perry Nodelman, who wrote:
But some people not yet 12 experience lesbian desire, and/or swear or drink; and others live with older people who drink, swear, and feel no need to hide their lesbianism. I assume, then, that what Banks really objects to is fiction for young people that diverges from a supposed norm of ideally innocent (and heteronormative) childlikeness. Such fiction rarely represents anything like what most young people experience, and exists mainly to assure adults that childhood is actually more innocent and ideal than it usually is. Those who chose Almond’s more honest novel as a prizewinner should be lauded for not sharing in this sad game. Perhaps novels about younger young people might win more prizes if writers could figure out how to make them less dishonest about the lives of “people up to the age of 12”.
Early in graduate school, I read Perry's books and articles on children's literature. His thinking has been important in my thinking, precisely because of what he said in his letter above about honesty and the lives of children. As I think about what Banks said, I think she's stuck in that dishonest space Perry writes about, and in some way that I've yet to put into words, it echoes Meg Rosoff's objections to Myles Johnson's Large Fears. Here's my transcription:
Banks/Almond interview begins at the 2:45 hour mark
Moderator: David Almond is a celebrated writer for children and teenagers and he’s just won the Guardian children’s book prize, which is a big prize, for his novel, A Song for Ella Gray. Now, the novelist Lynne Reid Banks, first famous for The L-Shaped Room and then, author of many books, including The Indian in the Cupboard, for children, that sold many, many copies, went out and bought the book, as a result of that winning The Guardian children’s book prize. In fact, she bought two copies for her twelve-year old grandchildren. Then, having looked at them, she went back to the shop and handed them over because, and she said this in a letter to The Guardian itself,
“In the first five pages there is lesbian love, swearing, drinking, and enough other indications that, once again, this is not a book for children.”
Well, Lynne Reid Banks is with us, and David Almond joins us from our Newcastle studio. I suppose, David, to defend yourself, we’ll talk to you in a minute. Lynne Reid Banks, were you surprised? Were you shocked? And if so, why?
Banks: Well, I was surprised because I’d read David Almond’s really beautiful description of how this book was inspired by the Odyssey and how this had worked in schools and I’m certainly not…
Moderator: And you’re an admirer of David’s writing…
Banks: A great admirer. He wrote Skellig. He’s done some wonderful books. What I’m quarreling with is The Guardian, for giving this prize under the name of a children’s book award. If only there were a separate award for teen aged, young adult writing, then he should have won it, I’m quite sure. I haven’t read the book yet because I am so disappointed that its obviously not suitable for what I call and categorize as children, which are people up to the age of 12.
Moderator: I suppose we’re getting into a categorization argument, aren’t we, David Almond, but just explain who you were thinking of when you wrote the book, what kind of age? I know you don’t target it in that way but what kind of age do you think the readers would be?
Almond: When you write you really don’t think about the target age. You think about the characters you’re writing. You think about the drama that’s involved in the story. The drama is described, narrated, by a teenager of about 17. So I had a sense that yes, maybe the main readership would be of that kind of age.
Moderator: What they call young adults in bookshops?
Almond: Yes, young adults. But this book is being read by 12-year olds, 13-year olds, and I’m getting fantastic responses from them. They recognize something about the beautiful troubling drama of growing up.
Moderator: Give us a little extract. Could you? Just to give us a feel and then we’ll talk to Lynne Reid Banks again about her feelings. Just tell us where we are in the story and just give us a few lines.
Almond: This is right at the start, where Lynne wrote about and Claire and Ella are on a sleepover together and Claire is telling the story.
“We were in bed, the two of us together. Ella turned to me, and she was smiling. “Claire! I’m in love with Orpheus." "But he hardly even knows you bliddy exist!" She pressed her finger to my lips. "I keep on hearing his song! Its like I’ve known him forever! Oh, Ella, it's destined! I love him and he'll love me. And if you hadn’t called me that day and told me to listen," she kissed me, "none of this would have happened, would it?" I pulled me clothes on. She kissed me again. Thud went my heart. Thud.
Banks: I think David Almond is one of the best writers for young people that we have. But 17 year old adults are not children and although, of course, I didn’t expect him to say ‘thank you so much Guardian, I reject the prize’ because this book is not for children…
Moderator: Let’s not have an argument about The Guardian. Its quite interesting… What are the problems. If you go into a bookshop these days and people often comment on this, is that books are categorized by age.
Banks: No, they’re not. Are they?
Moderator: Yes, I’m afraid they are and it drives authors mad because 10-12, 8-10, 12-15…
Banks: Oh I see what you mean…
Moderator: Children’s don’t think like that, do they?
Banks: No but I think if you would append the word children to a prize as is also with the Carnegie Medal which is the highest award we give here for children’s writing, and if year after year you give it to dark, dystopian, violent, in some cases, downright cruel books, I don’t know quite where people who are writing for children, which of course David Almond has also done, where do we come in? We don’t seem to have a prize of our own anymore.
Moderator: Well, David, you’ve won the Carnegie Medal yourself, for Skellig, I think, what would you say about a parent who is listening to this who may have an 11-12-13 year old who reads a lot and is quite emotionally secure as you can be at that age, and hear this discussion and say ‘hmmm this is the rewriting of the Orpheus story by you, its pretty steamy for a 12 year old… Should I buy it or shouldn’t I?”
Almond: Well of course I’d say… (laughter)
Moderator: Asking an author to say ‘don’t buy my book' yes, tricky one but you know what I’m asking you…
Almond: Absolutely. But the Orpheus story itself is such a powerful, elemental tale. When I was a teacher I used to tell the Orpheus story to 9-10-11 year olds. They were totally gripped by it and this is just a new version of that story. And the thing about children’s books is if you go into the children’s book department you will find all kinds of wonderful, experimental, creative, energetic books. That’s where people should be looking, and not thinking about where should we categorize this book or that book. This is an amazing world. People really believe that books can change peoples lives.
Banks: And they can.
Almond: And they can.
Moderator: A lovely moment of agreement. Lynne Reid Banks. David Almond in Newcastle, thank you both very much indeed.
0 Comments on Lynne Reid Banks - In the News as of 1/1/1900
I am sure that everyone reading this is aware that Guardian Teen Books recently celebrated a week focussing on diversity in books for children.
By diversity, they mean “books by and about all kinds of people… boys, girls, all different colours, all different races and religions, all different sexualities and all different disabilities and anything else you can think of – so our books don’t leave anyone out.”
Benjamin Zephaniah whose Terror Kid is the Guardian Teen Book Club choice says:
“I love diversity. I love multiculturalism… It makes Britain´s music interesting. It makes our food interesting. It makes our literature interesting and it makes for a more interesting country … To me it’s not about black, white, Asian; it’s about literature for everybody.”
And there you have it: the criterion must be the quality of the literature. I see little value in writing or publishing books to satisfy some sort of quota to reflect the percentages of ethnic or racial populations or other minorities.
The Guardian published a list of 50 books chosen to represent all manner of cultural diversity, from the amazing Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman to Oranges in No Man´s Land by Elizabeth Laird.
Here are a few of my favourite books that are outstanding in every way and that also open windows on to different ways of seeing the world.
The Arrival, by Shaun Tan, is a wordless book about the experience of emigration/immigration, following the lonely journey of a man to a new country where everything is different and inexplicable. (He signed my copy when he spoke at a Children´s Books Ireland conference a few years ago and it is one of most treasured possessions.)
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, is a graphic novel based on her experiences during the cultural and political upheaval of the Iranian revolution after the overthrown of the Shah. This is a real eye-opener from the first pages showing tiny girls swathed in unfamiliar and unwanted veils in their school playground.
My Dad´s A Birdman, by David Almond, illustrated joyfully and colourfully by Polly Dunbar, is a terrific book about a young girl and her dad who is so overwhelmed with grief that he goes off the rails. It is suffused with love and tenderness and faith in the act of flying as Dad and daughter take part in a madcap and magical contest to sprout wings and fly across the river.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio is the story of Auggie, a boy with a shocking facial disfigurement who is starting 5th grade after years of home schooling: imagine how he is dreading it - “I won´t describe what I look like. Whatever you´re thinking, it´s probably worse.
I would like to add two more joyful books to the mix:
From Tangerine Books, a wonderful picture book, Larry and Friends, by Ecuadorian illustrator Carla Torres in collaboration with Belgian/Venezuelan writer Nat Jasper celebrating the modern melting pot that is New York.
Larry, the New York dog, holds a party for all his amazing immigrant friends among them Magpa the pig from Poland who became a tightrope artist, Laila the Iranian entomologist, Edgar the Colombian alligator street musician, Ulises, the Greek cook and a host of other talented and tolerant newcomers to the city – all apparently based on real people and how they met up.
The book project was successfully funded by kickstarter – see more about it here.
As you can see, the illustrations are divine - this is Layla, the Iranian entomologist who works at the museum.
And finally, another great classic is The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1963), possibly one of the earliest American picture books to feature a young African-American hero – although this is never mentioned in the text. It simply tells the story of a young four year old boy discovering snow in the city for the first time.
www,maevefriel.com www.maevefriel.com/blog You can also find me on Twitter @MaeveFriel
0 Comments on Diversity in Children´s Books - Maeve Friel as of 10/23/2014 4:08:00 AM
.. The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas by David Almond Oliver Jeffers, illustrator Candlewick Press 4 Stars Inside Jacket: Since all the jobs on the quayside disappeared, Stan’s Uncle Ernie has developed an extraordinary fascination with canning fish. Overnight, life at 69 Fish Quay Lane has turned barmy. But when Uncle Ernie’s madcap obsession takes …
The second in our new series of Sunday guest blogs by booksellers who work with children’s authors. These guest blogs are designed to show life behind the scenes of a crucial but neglected relationship – the one between a writer and a bookseller. These days, such relationships are more intense and more important, as increasing numbers of authors go on the road to promote children’s books – a goal shared by the booksellers who will contribute to this series.
The Bookcase is a ‘small independent bookshop with a big imagination’ situated in the village of Lowdham, eight miles north of Nottingham. The Bookcase’s proprietor is Jane Streeter (second from right), who runs the shop with a friendly team: Louise Haines, Jo Blaney, myself, Marion Turner and Kendall Turner (pictured left to right above).
Three years ago I (as one of the assistants) began a reading group at our local village school. This coincided with our 10th Annual Book Festival. So, to celebrate, I went in once a month until we had read 10 books. The 12 children read each book and then wrote a review, which formed the basis of a display at our book festival. We read all sorts – from contemporary authors to Enid Blyton and Richmal Crompton – and one poetry book. I have used a few different poetry books, but the first was Carol Ann Duffy’s The Hat, which was very timely as I’d handed it out to the children just before she was announced as the Poet Laureate! We’ve also used Gervase Phinn’s There’s an Alien in the Classroom, and others over the three years we’ve been involved in the project.
Each month I went into school so that we could have a discussion, which made the youngsters feel very grown up!
The idea became so popular that I have been approached by other schools, so this year I am working in four schools – always with Year 6 children. The group is aimed at the more able readers. (The thinking behind this is that so much is done to encourage the less able readers: those who are keen readers need some sort of outlet for their enthusiasm.)
This year, I have found a real difference in ability from one school to another. Not only is the reading ability markedly higher in one school, but the children are much more mature. This makes it harder for me to choose appropriate books, so I’m always keen to hear of the experiences of others who work with children of a similar age.
Michael Morpurgo is, of course, unfailingly popular, but I’ve also had real success with Michelle Paver’s Wolf Brother and Morris Gleitzman’s Once. In both cases, several of the children have gone on to read the sequels. We have offered a discount to reading group members who have ordered sequels.
After Christmas I will be discussing David Al
7 Comments on BOOKSELLER SUNDAYS: What greater pleasure? – Eve Griffiths at The Bookcase, Lowdham, last added: 6/11/2012
We need more people doing this sort of thing! I always feel sorry for the more able readers - all too often left to their own devices. I had a group of more able readers once - took them off to meet one of our local and very well known authors - they reminded me of this years later!
What an inspiring blog! It's so good to know that booksellers are working with schools in such a proactive way and it sounds as though both you and the children get a great deal of pleasure from it. How fascinating as well that, as an 'outsider', you can see differences in reading ability between schools.
What a brilliant idea Eve and what a great way to introduce children to authors that they may not know about I run a couple of reading clubs in a local primary school.Josh Lacey's Island of Thieves and Ali Sparkes's Frozen in Time went down well. I also did a football theme with Tom Palmer and Helena Pielichaty's books.
This is such a good idea! More strength to your elbow. I love the Bookcase and have very happy memories of my visit there some years back during the Lowdham Festival. Regards to all.
So the children are all reading the same books? Do they ever recommend the books themselves? That might be interesting, to see what they choose.
Sounds a wonderful idea and like others, I agree that more able readers deserve attention as much as the strugglers. Often, inevitably, there isn't much in their school library if they are advanced readers in Year 6.
How about Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh? Lots to discuss there. Or if they enjoyed Just William then why not read some more contemporary funny authors as a comparison - I've just posted a new ABBA blog with plenty of suggestions! I think The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson would be lots of fun and would also be full of ideas for them to discuss.
Something Cold War-ish must be in my reading water. I seem to be choosing books with a Cold War themes fairly regularly -- David Almond's The Fire-Eaters, which centers around the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cecil Castelucci's Rose Sees Red, which is set in the early 80s with the Cold War tension as a back drop to a friendship that develops between an American and a Russian immigrant, and now, The Apothecary. It's not the side effects of too much dystopian ya for dessert, I promise.
It was for dinner.
Nonetheless, if you find yourself feasting on dystopian but are looking for a little diversity in your dark, The Apothecary serves it up fresh and fun. The story centers around Janie, a teen whose writer parents are marked as Communists during the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s and thus forced to leave LA for London where they get jobs writing for the BBC. At her new school, Janie meets a boy, Benjamin, who wants to be a spy, a Russian boy whose father is, and a chemist-apothecary-physicist triangle trying to contain the effects of a nuclear bomb.
There are so many twists, James Bond-like chase scenes, an unexpected apothecarian surprises, replete with a serum that turns humans into birds and another that can make them invisible, as well as the threat of a nuclear bomb that does go off. It's all there in spades.
The biggest leap of faith I found strained in the novel were the serums. The book is so solidly set in the Cold War, that to expect a character, let alone the reader to buy into the fact that chemical compounds can do what alchemists believed they could do hundreds of years ago is tough. The author acknowledges this by having her character say that it would have been hard to believe her friend could turn into a bird if she hadn't actually seen it happen herself. Still, for me, it disrupted the fictional dream. I believed that chemstry and physics could come together to undo the destruction of a bomb, but to tie that right into the magicalness of herbs was a stretch.
Then again, I spent my teens in the Cold War era. I'm bomb scare scarred. Today's young audience will likely have far less trouble taking that leap. If the reader does, the book continues on in a fast-paced, no-holds-barred, edge-of-your-seat ride to the very end.
One other interesting note. The book is told from the perspective of the main character, Janie, albeit as an adult. I haven't run across too many POVs from this angle of late, and Meloy plays it lightly, allowing the adult only to surface at the very beginning and the end to lend the story an air of continuing mystery. It's well-balanced and a great example of how to use the adult POV to a writer's advantage.
For more great reads and winter distractions, sled on over to Barrie Summy's website. She's serving them up hot...and with marshmallows!
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Penguin has unveiled its plans for Skellig author David Almond's first novel for adults, The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean, with separate cover looks for the Viking and Puffin editions and a double-facing publicity campaign.
The story is narrated by Billy Dean, who lives in the fictional town of Blinkbonny. He finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world following the disappearance of his father, and he also comes to learn what happened on the day he was born.
Slog’s Dad by David Almond (Illustrated by Dave McKean)
Review by: Chris Singer
About the author:
David Almond is the acclaimed author of Skellig, winner of the Whitbread Children’s Award and the Carnegie Medal; Kit’s Wilderness, winner of the Smarties Award Silver Medal, Highly Commended for the Carnegie Medal, and shortlisted for the Guardian Award; and The Fire-Eaters, winner of the Whitbread Award, the Smarties Gold Award and shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. He lives in Northumberland.
About the illustrator:
Dave McKean’s distinctive illustrations have graced several children’s books including The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish and The Wolves in the Walls (New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year and shortlisted for the 2006 Kate Greenaway Medal) by Neil Gaiman. Dave also provided the unique covers for Neil Gaiman’s World Fantasy Award-winning comic series The Sandman. He lives in Kent.
About the book:
Part story, part graphic novel – a tender slice of life and death from the creators of “The Savage”. Do you believe there’s life after death? Slog does. He reckons that the scruffy bloke sitting outside the pork shop is his dad come back to visit him for one last time – just like he’d said he would, just before he died. Slog’s mate Davie isn’t convinced. But how does this man know everything Slog’s dad would know? Because Slog says it really is his dad, that’s how.
My take on the book:
Slog’s Dad is a haunting yet surprisingly beautiful story told both through thoughtful prose and touching illustrations. Through the narration of Slog’s friend, Davie, we get a glimpse into Slog’s state of mind and see how truly devastating the loss of his father has been for him. Although Davie is skeptical the scruffy bloke is Slog’s father returned, he wants to believe it is him, just as we do while reading.
This is quite a short read (about 55 pages), so I don’t want to share too much about the narrative. I’ve read and re-read this three times now. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before, and although it’s a very melancholy story, I’m fascinated with how McKean and Almond have weaved this complex tale.
The book purposely alternates between prose and illustrations, and both uniquely reveal different parts of the same story. McKean’s illustrations are stunning and put us inside Slog’s head, showing us how he’s been coping with the enormous loss of his father. Almond’s prose fills us in on the details prior to and after Slog’s dad’s passing.
This is my first experience reading Almond and McKean. I’m interested in checking out their previous work. I’m not sure if this book is meant as a kid’s book. I saw where it was recommended on Amazon for kids ages 4-8. Not that it can’t be shared with kids that age, I just don’t think they’ll understand it. I could be wrong though. My first guess would
2 Comments on Book Review: Slog’s Dad, last added: 3/20/2011
Skellig was also unusual – I liked it but . . . hmmm, it’s just not for everyone perhaps. Thanks for the review, you’ve made me curious now.
Chris Singer said, on 3/20/2011 10:40:00 AM
I hope you get a chance to read it. I’m about ready to read it again for the 4th time. It’s definitely a bit unusual, but fascinating at the same time. Again, it might not be for everyone, but there’s something very beautiful about the book.
There’s a literacy crisis in Canada. Did you know?
One statistic states that “annual school library budgets allow for less than one third of a book per child.” One third. Not in a far off country on the other side of the world but here in Canada, here at home.
According to a survey by the Canadian Teacher’s Federation in 2001, “teachers and principals spent $143 million of their own money to buy books and learning materials for their students.” The generosity of these everyday heroes is unparalleled; however, the need for them to do so shouldn’t exist.
To say I was horrified to learn these startling statistics, is an understatement. This is not acceptable. We, to put it simply, have to do better.
The mission of the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation is a simple one: “[T]o encourage a love of reading in every child and give them the chance to reach their full potential.” To date, the foundation has committed $9 million dollars for high-needs elementary schools.
To learn more, watch Writing on the Wall. And if this issue speaks to you, there are things you can do to get involved. You can donate, purchase special merchandise or sign the online petition.
We can eradicate the literacy crisis looming over our children one book, one student, one school library at a time.
0 Comments on Indigo Love of Reading Foundation as of 1/1/1900
Recently Neil Gaiman and Shaun Tan sat down at the Sydney Opera House to discuss their work. The result is a series of interviews on the opera house’s website. I once was speaking to a musician about Shaun Tan and offered the fellow his contact information when Gaiman swoops over and says that not only does he know Mr. Tan but he owns some of his original art. I came this close to yelling at him, “Doggone it, Neil! I’m trying to impress someone over here!” Thanks to @chavelaque for the link.
Kid fans are great. Particularly when they like books. Especially when they make raps about them. Here we have the talented niece of James Kennedy who posted this on her own blog recently. She’s pretty good at holding that camera, rapping, and turning the pages all at the same time.
David Almond is always worth listening to, particularly if he’s speechifying. Here you can find him receiving the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award. Very cool.
I won’t embed it, but the other day Jeanne Birdsall (author of The Penderwicks n’ such) wrote this to me and it is fantastic. Said she: “Did you know that if – on the SLJ on-line home page — you click on BLOGS, rather than on any of the actual blogs (yours, Heavy Metal, etc.), you get this? I can’t figure out which thrills me more — that the SLJ webmaster picked this video, or the spam comments that come after.
And for our off-topic video (if that wasn’t off-topic enough) we have French students lip-synching and . . . well. If this doesn’t perk up your day then your day is unperk-up-able.
But more importantly, I demand that everytime Jeanne Birdsall’s name is dropped in your blog, it is immedatly followed by the publishing date of the next Penderwick book.
Patricial MacLachlan (name dropping of my own) told me (and about 2000 others) over the summer that it was finished.
Madigan McGillicuddy said, on 10/24/2010 3:52:00 PM
The link for the SLJ test video appears to be gone. :\
That was a rather fabulous off-topic video, however. Consider my day officially perked! Thanks for sharing.
Elizabeth Bird said, on 10/24/2010 8:30:00 PM
Huh! Must’ve been removed at some point. Pity, it was fun. Anyway, I’ve removed the reference to it. And if I find out the release date for Penderwick #3, you can bet I will let y’all know immediately if not sooner.
Amazon Omnivoracious: End-o’-the-Week Kid-Lit Ro said, on 10/25/2010 1:56:00 AM
[...] Shaun Tan and Neil Gaiman. Fuse #8 found an excellent short video showing Neil Gaiman [...]
James Kennedy said, on 10/25/2010 11:54:00 AM
Thanks for putting Freya’s Lily Larouche rap, Betsy! And agreed, that off-topic video made my brain evaporate with happiness. THANK YOU.
Sarah Corcoran said, on 10/26/2010 11:57:00 AM
Hi just checked on Jeanne Birdsall website – The third Penderwick book, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, will be coming out in the summer of 2011.
I must have missed these but will check library shelves in the morning.
Sarah Corcoran said, on 10/26/2010 11:59:00 AM
Penderwick no 3 The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, 10th May 2011
Today I’m five. I was four last night going to sleep in Wardrobe but when I woke up in Bed in the dark I’m changed to five. Abracadabra. – is how Emma Donoghue’s Man Booker shortlisted novel, Room, begins. Anyone who has watched a four year old laboriously write the number 4 ¾ will know how important it is from being four and not quite there – to being the new persona you magically change to at five.
Abracadabra!
In her short story, Child’s Play, Alice Munroe has a slightly different take. Every year when you are a child you become a different person. Generally it’s in the fall, when you re-enter school, take your place in a higher grade, leave behind the muddle and lethargy of the summer vacation.
Yesterday, the last day of September, saw me waving goodbye (like so many mums in September) to my son as he started new school. I wasn’t quite the anxious mum… he’s 38 after all... but as Keren David wrote in her blog earlier in September ‘It’s a big day.’ And it was! After fourteen years in the Advertising Industry, he was off to do an MA in Creative Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University.
Abracadabra!
The first event for the Course was part of the Bath Children’s Literature Festival where David Almond was in conversation with Julia Green, the MA Course Director as well Writer in Residence for the Festival. There’s no one who loves words more than David Almond and no one with more passion and energy for doing what he believes in doing.
David was talking about his new book, My Name is Mina, which follows the life of Mina before she appeared in Skellig and is a playful exposure of his writing process. He announces:
Staring into space is a good thing to do. Words aren’t words but are visions. The book is neat and tidy but the mind is messy. There is no better place for a writer to be than the children’s book world because it’s so playful. On asked whether he plans, he shakes his head. Does a bird plan its song? On the way words fall on the page, he says he minimizes his pages to see the shape of the print on the page.
All this and much more. He doesn’t use the words – energy and passion – but this is what comes through in everything he says. Energy and passion and playfulness.
I envy my son at the start of something so exciting. If only I could write between those Gothic spires of Corsham Court and wander between the green gravestones and peacocks. Abracadabra… what a change it might be!
And abracadabra what a year my son has ahead of him!!!
1 Comments on Abracadabra - Dianne Hofmeyr, last added: 10/1/2010
Also announced at today’s press conference was the winner of The IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award. This award is presented to projects run by groups or institutions that are judged to be making a lasting contribution to reading promotion for children and young people. 12 projects were nominated for this year’s award and two winners were selected: Osu Children’s Library Fund (Ghana) and Convenio de Cooperación al Plan de Lectura (Medellín, Colombia).
Click here to read the press releases from today’s announcements.
0 Comments on 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Awards and 2010 IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award Winners Announced Today as of 3/23/2010 11:41:00 AM
Last week I was at an IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) event that celebrated the nomination of author, David Almond, and author/illustrator, Michael Foreman, for next year’s top prize in international children’s literature – the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Winners will be announced at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in March 2010 and the Awards will be presented at the IBBY World Congress in Santiago de Compostela.
It’s given biennially by IBBY to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children’s literature. David Almond and Michael Foreman, nominated by the British Section of IBBY, are amongst nominees from more than 50 other national sections. So the competition is tough! Winners are the grandads and grandes dames of the industry. The only time since it’s inception in 1956, that it’s been won by the UK was when Anthony Browne won it for Illustration in 2000 and when Aiden Chambers and Quentin Blake won Author and Illustrator titles respectively in 2002.
It was compelling to listen to both David Almond and Michael Foreman. David spoke of how the idea of Skellig grew from his Mum feeling under the ridges of his shoulder blades and telling him these were the bumps from which his angel wings grew. That’s powerful stuff… a few words from a mother to a receptive child and years later a story of such magnitude. It made me wonder if I’d sprinkled enough stardust over my own sons.
David is a true author’s author. He loves pages, full stops, comma’s, shapes of paragraphs, shapes of sentence – and has been known to reduce his pages to a size where the print is merely a grey outline for the sheer pleasure of looking at the shape and physicality of the print on the page. All this is quite childish he says. ‘But that’s why we write for children because we retain the childishness in us.’ He believes… ‘writing is about having and communicating visions. Children are quite comfortable with this.’
Michael Foreman has written and illustrated more than 50 of his own books, in addition to illu
2 Comments on And the Winner Is...? by Dianne Hofmeyr, last added: 12/16/2009
Let's hope for a British win - at least one of them!
I don't agree with Cally, by the way - all kinds of factors will lead to e-books taking over from paper books, including economic, environmental, social and the fact that children can't learn to read on a screen the size of an iPhone so they will have to start with something larger format at least. Of course, it might just lead to reduced literacy, but I'm an optimist! Paper books may reduce in numbers but won't go away.
I read Kit's Wilderness by David Almond for my YA lit class last summer. I didn't like it.
I read Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd this weekend and absolutely loved it.
But, when I was finished Bog Child on Monday morning and was thinking about it (because it is a book that stays with you) I was struck by the similarities in the stories, and how one was so much more successful than the other.
Kit's Wilderness is the story of Kit, who moves to an English mining town to help take care of his elderly grandfather. He and his friends play the game of Death, to scare themselves. His grandfather tells him the stories of the mines, of his family. He develops a relationship (not friends, but almost) with the school troublemaker. He writes a story about a pre-historic cave family that's woven in throughout the main story.
Look, Kit's Wilderness is a Printz winner and I haven't liked the other books by Almond I've read. The story was good. But... it was heavily layered and full of symbolism and parallels. I don't mind that--it usually makes a good story, but the craft of the story was just so obvious. I could see what Almond was doing as I was reading it. When the craft of a story is so blatant that I notice it as I'm reading? Then I can't enjoy the story. I don't want such things to be obvious until I put the book down and start thinking. In this, the parallels were SO OBVIOUS. The book should come with a frying pan, because it kept hitting you over the head.
Now, Bog Child is completely different.
Fergus lives in Northern Ireland, near the border with Ireland in 1981. One day he finds a body in the bog and assumes it's a victim of the increased violence since Bobby Sands died. But, the body in the bog turns out to be from the Iron Age. Fergus must navigate life in Northern Ireland with a hunger-striking brother in prison, being recruited into IRA activities, and the archaeologists trying to discover the story of the body he dreams about at night.
So the similarities are:
Mood--Kit's Wilderness gets its bleakness from the winter season and mining landscape. Bog Child's is from the political undercurrents and family tension.
Pre-historic Story--Kit writes a story about a cave family that's woven through, Fergus dreams the life of the Bog Child leading up to her death.
Parallels--Both have several parallel stories and layers.
The story Kit's writing in English class parallels what is going on in his day-to-day life in a way that's so obvious I couldn't handle the book. Bog Child is subtler--Fergus's brother is starving himself in prison, the Bog Child is living through a time of famine, and there are subtle hints that Cora might have an eating disorder, starving herself for another reason (although this is NEVER said and might be me reading more into the text, but I'm willing to write a pretty strong paper on why I think this is so.)
All in all, Kit's Wilderness left me cold, while Bog Child haunts me. I had to force myself to finish the first (hello homework!) and couldn't put the second down.
1 Comments on Voices from our pre-historic past, last added: 4/22/2009
I'm glad you reacted so strongly to Bog Child. ME TOO! It's one, I think, that not everyone will love, because it takes some amount of work, but those who do will really, really love it. It's a special one.
While trawling through my sadly neglected Google Reader (these late running Sox games are killing me!) I came across this piece from the BBC. For me, the draw is the appearance of John Simms (also known as The Master, for those of you who are not Whovians)as the dad.
I know I've said this before, but I am so leery of book to film adaptations. It seems that there is less and less of a relation
0 Comments on David Almond's Skellig headed for the silver screen as of 9/11/2008 11:11:00 AM
Airy illustrations, playful, British dialogue and sprightly dipping, gliding narrative give flight to a zany father-daughter adventure that dances delicately between tenderness, tomfoolery, hope and despair landing lightly in the comfort of allied abandon.
You can read the first three chapters of this book here.
Thanks for posting about this book. I find the illustrations so beautiful. I researched a bit about her and she does amazing work. Her website is so alive, everything moves.. very cute :o)
I also listened to the podcast about you guys last night. It was great getting to take a glimpse behind the scenes. I think what you do is inspirational. Really out of love and passion for books! How awesome is that?! Your kids must be very happy with such cool parents who keep children’s books everywhere around the house :o)
Andrea said, on 6/19/2008 12:56:00 PM
I agree, just looking at Polly Dunbar’s breezy, by turns humourous and touching illustrations makes me feel great.
I’m so glad you are inspired by JOMB. Thanks for telling us. Our girls do love JustOneMoreBook and everything it is to our family.
What a book. What a beautiful, thought-provoking book.
I will say that I didn't like the last two stories of the book, which was frustrating. All of the stories use metaphor and symbolism to varying degrees (some intentionally, some not) and I didn't care for the taste of the final two. I don't want that to discourage you from reading the book - the rest of the stories are wonderful, and perhaps you'll even enjoy them all.
It is a remarkable little book. On the surface, it contains ten stories; but there are stories within stories. It gives you this feel of depth and magnitude. Each story made me feel differently, and they all made me think. One even made me ache a little, it was so good.
This would be a great pick for a book club. There's loads of discussions in here waiting to happen. Oh - and it made me want to take up photography. Perhaps I will.
Do you think it would be kind of like "Red"? Or not..
Erin said, on 4/9/2008 8:08:00 PM
"Red" is nonfiction. This isn't. So no, I don't think they're probably at all alike.
Sookie said, on 4/9/2008 9:11:00 PM
I've always seen this in the bookstore, but never picked it up because I thought it looked too overwhelming (I mean, one book by ten authors!). But I'm glad you liked it, maybe I'll check it out. Can you tell us what you didn't like about the last two stories?
Rhinoa said, on 4/10/2008 4:43:00 AM
I read another review of this by Nymeth and am really interested in reading it. I think it has something for everyone with the mixture of different authors.
Amanda said, on 4/13/2008 5:45:00 PM
I looooved this book...except for the last two stories. I sympathize with you!
mrspilkington said, on 4/14/2008 4:42:00 PM
I just picked this one up yesterday -- I am planning a 'reading holiday' in a couple of weeks, and this near the top of my list. (Got an annotated Charlotte's Web as a gift today that's also looking very good.)
I added back all the missing hyphens in the new edition of the dictionary.
deb said, on 9/25/2007 3:42:00 PM
I gave all of my commas the day off (they have the hardest time with me) and we went to play in the park then we came home for a bbq that was skillfully prepared by the periods and quotations who said we have never had so much fun together and it should be a weekly thing
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Author: 
We need more people doing this sort of thing! I always feel sorry for the more able readers - all too often left to their own devices. I had a group of more able readers once - took them off to meet one of our local and very well known authors - they reminded me of this years later!
What a terrific idea! Who supplies the books, I wonder - the bookshop or the school?
What an inspiring blog! It's so good to know that booksellers are working with schools in such a proactive way and it sounds as though both you and the children get a great deal of pleasure from it. How fascinating as well that, as an 'outsider', you can see differences in reading ability between schools.
What a brilliant idea Eve and what a great way to introduce children to authors that they may not know about I run a couple of reading clubs in a local primary school.Josh Lacey's Island of Thieves and Ali Sparkes's Frozen in Time went down well. I also did a football theme with Tom Palmer and Helena Pielichaty's books.
The children will love A Boy called M.O.U.S.E.
What a great job you are doing!
This is such a good idea! More strength to your elbow. I love the Bookcase and have very happy memories of my visit there some years back during the Lowdham Festival. Regards to all.
So the children are all reading the same books? Do they ever recommend the books themselves? That might be interesting, to see what they choose.
Sounds a wonderful idea and like others, I agree that more able readers deserve attention as much as the strugglers. Often, inevitably, there isn't much in their school library if they are advanced readers in Year 6.
How about Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh? Lots to discuss there.
Or if they enjoyed Just William then why not read some more contemporary funny authors as a comparison - I've just posted a new ABBA blog with plenty of suggestions! I think The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara
Robinson would be lots of fun and would also be full of ideas for them to discuss.