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In just a couple of days we commemorate the legacy of the brave soldiers and the tragic events of World War 1 that occurred one hundred years ago. A beautiful selection of ANZAC books for children have been reviewed by Dimity here, but here’s a few more that certainly captured my heart with their touching […]

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January 26th marks the date in which Australians reflect upon our cultural history and celebrate the accomplishments since the first fleet landed on Sydney’s shores in 1788. Here are a select few picture books aimed at providing children with some background knowledge of our beautiful land, flora, fauna and multicultural diversity. There is plenty of […]

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Naturally, my greatest reason for inviting an illustrator to be interviewed on Miss Marple’s Musings is because I admire her/his art, but often it is also because I am a little nosy (what writer isn’t?) and I want to find … Continue reading →

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4 Stars Drummer Boy of John John Mark Greenwood Frané Lessac Lee and Low Books Pages: 32         Ages: 4+ Jacket:  Carnival is coming and the villagers of John John, Trinidad, are getting ready to jump up and celebrate with music dancing, and a     parade. Best of all, the Roti King has promised free rotis—tasty friend [...]

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The Lee & Low office is closed today because of the storm, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by Sandy and the rain, wind, and flooding that she brought with her.

Drummer Boy of John John illustrator Frané Lessac has shared instructions on how to make masks for Halloween and Carnival, but they work just as well as a Hurricane craft for those still cooped up and looking for something to do, as most things can be found around the house or replaced easily with household items.

Enjoy, and stay safe and dry!

Materials:
Crayons or colored pencils
Scissors
12” elastic cord
glue
colorful bits and bobs (beads, feathers, glitter)

Directions:
1. Print off the mask or follow the simple outline and draw your own:

2. Cut almond shapes out for the eyes. You can ask an adult to help.
3. Poke 2 tiny holes on either side of the mask ½” from the sides.
4. Tie a knot on one end of the elastic and thread though. Then thread through the other side and knot.
5. Color the mask with bright crayons or pencils. (For inspiration, look at the Carnival masks in The Drummer Boy of John John)
6. Glue on the colorful bits and bobs.
7. Let dry.
8. Jump up and paaaarrrttiee !!!

Filed under: Activities, Art, Curriculum Corner Tagged: art, diy, Drummer Boy of John John, frané lessac

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Back from the delights and inspirations of Bologna. The books, the events, the meetings, the socialising, the food... where to begin?

Yes, Bologna was good this year, skedaddling away to Italy was a tonic to my work and outlook, a week of frenetic activity in a city and Book Fair that never ceases to inspire and encourage. Publishers seemed quietly optimistic compared to the gloom of last year, I sensed a real tone of confidence in the air from all around. For me Bologna was good before it even began, over these last weeks the approaching Fair was a deadline to focus my energies, hone my stories and produce some new book dummies.

This was my third visit to Bologna (the last time was in 2008), now as then SCBWI ran a biennial Conference/Symposium and had a Stand throughout the book fair. As one of SCBWI's volunteer "Team Bologna" the pace was hectic from the moment I arrived in the city.

First up was the SCBWI Conference on Monday. SCBWI Chairman Steve Mooser started proceedings with Why We're Here, a summing up of the Society, it's aims and goals, unfortunately co-chair Lin Oliver was recovering from illness and unable to make the trip from the US.

 My good friend Leonard Marcus gave the first talk, Who Takes the Prize? a fascinating discourse on English language children's book awards, including the Newbery, Caldecott, Smarties, Greenaway, NBA and regional prizes. Leonard, apart from being an incredibly gifted writer and critic, has a marvellous ability to draw the audience towards him, his warm softly spoken voice makes you feel you're sharing an intimate conversation rather than sitting several feet away in a hall full of people.

In Taking the Mystery out of Movie Deals, Fiona Kenshole of US based production company LAIKA explained the processes involved in developing books for film adaptations, focusing especially on her own work on the animated stop-motion film of Neil Gaiman's Coraline. Seeing the amount of work involved in the production process was simply breathtaking, I'd assumed there had been a lot of computer graphics involved in the film - apparently virtually none, it was all stop-motion modelling on enormous sets.

Thereafter the attendees were split into events for writers and illustrators. I'd met writer Ellen Hopkins some years ago in Los Angeles and was disappointed to miss her workshop. However the illustrator's workshop Books without Borders was excellent. Frané Lessac is a widely travelled American illustrator now living in Australia. Working in a naive style perfectly suited to folktales. She explained how her many books h

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Author: Mark Greenwood (on JOMB)
Illustrator: Frané Lessac (on JOMB)
Published: 2008 Candlewick Press (on JOMB)
ISBN: 0763639133

Chapters.ca Amazon.com

Deceptively simple looking folk art illustrations, uncluttered narration and sparse, intimate utterings deliver some of the dark, disturbing details of war in this eye-opening, true tale of courage, carnage and camaraderie.

More war and peace on JOMB:

• A Poppy is To Remember
• Gleam and Glow
• Janusz Korczak’s Children
• What We Remember
• Lugalbanda: The Boy Who Got Caught Up In A War

HOTLINE VOICES: Bobby (a grade two teacher in Phoenix, AZ) describes a difference of opinion between he and his fiancée (a grade one teacher) and asks the question, what is the best way to read books to a group of children?

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