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Ah, Bologna!

Aline and I have much to tell about our fantastic trip to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair at the beginning of this month. There really is no better event to take the pulse of the children’s book publishing world: and what a world that is!

We’ve met so many interesting people and enjoyed putting faces to names of organisations and publishers; we’ve attended inspiring presentations; and have been dazzled by the quality and endlessly varied styles of the illustrations we’ve come across, both in the books we have browsed through and as part of the fair’s special exhibits. The overall impression was of immense industry – people in deep discussion, buying and selling rights; looking through artists’ portfolios; rushing between presentations – what a buzz!

Over the next few weeks, Aline and I will be posting on a variety of topics. In the meantime, here are some of the highlights for us, in no particular order:

Looking at the proofs for Ed Young’s new book, Wabi Sabi (written by Mark Reibstein);
Meeting librarians from all over the world at a session organised by the IFLA (International Federation of Libraries Associations and Institutions) – so lively that we were asked to be quiet…! – and hearing IBBY President and Canadian Groundwood Books publisher, Patricia Aldana’s presentation entitled “Books as Mirrors”;
Attending the launch of the International Youth Library’s White Ravens 2008 catalog;
Listening to poets Michael Rosen (UK Children’s Laureate) and Jorge Lujan’s contributions to a panel titled “Poetry Break: Poetry in Children’s Books”;
Attending the award-presentation of the Bologna Raggazzi “New Horizons” Award to Chennai-based Tara Publishing, for the hand-made book The Nightlife of Trees, and watching how the book came into being;
Hearing illustrators Robert Ingpen and Paul O. Zelinsky talk about their contributions to the book Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children About Their Art (the proceeds of which go to the Eric Carl Museum of Picture Book Art.)…

Well, I could just keep going – and I will. And so will Aline: so keep coming back as the full picture unfolds…

After writing six adult novels, Tim Winton, named a Living Treasure by the Australian National Trust, wrote his first book for children, Jesse, in 1988. Winton has since been shortlisted twice for the Mann Booker Prize for his adult fiction. But other children’s books also followed, including three silly-wise coming-of-age books (1990-1997), about 13-year-old Lockie Leonard that were recently made into an Australian television series. The first in the series, Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo (1990), won the Western Australia Premier’s Award for Children’s Fiction. It was adapted for theater and had a successful national tour. Here’s an article about Tim Winton and his home town of Albany, in Western Australia, where the series is set and was filmed. (Winton is known for his lovingly depicted Western Australia settings and characters.) In addition to the two books mentioned, Winton’s other books for children are The Bugalugs Bum Thief, 1991 (yes, this thief steals human bums!); Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster, 1993; Lockie Leonard, Legend, 1997; and The Deep, 1998 (illustrated by Karen Louise).

At PaperTigers, Chris Cheng recently took a larger look at Australia’s environment through children’s books, including Winton’s Lockie Leonard, Scumbuster.