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Fiona Moodie’s Noko and the Kool Kats (Tafelberg) has been announced as the winner of the 5th Exclusive Books IBBY SA award -  for the best picture book of the past two years (2013 and 2014).   In the words of the jury, “It’s a witty and engaging tale, seamlessly accompanied by illustrations that are deceptively simple, their spontaneity underpinned by a keen eye and fine sensibility. The

  The Katrine Harries Award for Children’s Book Illustrations: 2008-2014                                             The award winners are: Joan Rankin for Just Sisi (Human & Rousseau) for the period 2008 – 2009; Maja Sereda for Haasmoles (LAPA) for the period 2010 – 2011; and Johan Strauss for In die Land van Pamperlang (Human & Rousseau) for the period 2012 – 2013. The Katrine Harries

On 9-10 May 2013, we had a fantastic workshop facilitated by Joan Rankin. We each received a file containing a number of exercises. On day 1 we drew with pencil. We shared and discussed the work. And worked some more! Joan inspired us with her "Hat story".       To be continued ....    

Joan Rankin and Wendy Hartmann win MER award Media24 Books Literary and Jan Rabie Rapport Awards (formerly known as the Via Afrika Literary Awards) were announced at an award ceremony on Friday 10 June 2011. These esteemed prizes are awarded annually for works published in the previous year and aim to acknowledge and applaud excellence in local literature. Eighteen judges from various spheres

The Katrine Harries Award, originally the only and most prestigious award in South Africa for children's book illustrations, but which had been dormant for the past nine years, will soon be awarded again.

Protea Boekhuis has kindly agreed to sponsor the Award on a continuous basis.The award that was made for the first time in the early 1960's by the SA Library Association and later the South African Institute for Library and Information Science (SAILIS) has been awarded to South Africa' s most well-known illustrators: Katrine Harries personally received the award twice before it was named after her. Thereafter illustrators such as Niki Daly, Joan Rankin, Alida Bothma, Cora Coetzee, Jeremy Grimsdell, amongst others, have received it, with Jude Daly finally receiving it in 1997 for Gift of the Sun.

With the disbandment of SAILIS, the Children's Literature Research Unit at Unisa was tasked to find new homes for the awards. The English Academy agreed to take over the Percy Fitzpatrick Award and Protea Boekhuis agreed to sponsor the CP Hoogenhout Award. It has, however, been a struggle to get a sponsor for the Katrine Harries Award. With the exception of two years when the magazine, Baba en Kleuter, sponsored the award (Jude Daly won again for The Stone) the award has not been made since Daly won it for books published during 1997-1998.

CLRU is however, now delighted to announce that after a laborious search for possible sponsors the Katrine Harries Award will again be awarded from this year. As was traditionally the case, the Award will be a 9-carat gold medal.The Award will be made biennially for children's book illustrations by a South African illustrator. It will include books by South African illustrators resident in South Africa or abroad, irrespective of the place of publication. The first new Katrine Harries Award will be made early in 2008 and will cover books published during 2006-2007. Because the Award was not made for so many years and outstanding books were published during those years, the CLRU is currently trying to find sponsors so that awards can also be made for the books published during those years. It is hoped that five medals will be awarded at a gala-function in the beginning of 2008.

SCBWI had a stand at the Cape Town Book Fair where members of SCBWI displayed examples of their work.

LeAnne Hardy from Jo'burg was one writer who took advantage of the opportunity to display her books. Other authors included Wendy Hartman and Reviva Schermbrucker.

Illustrators also displayed their books as well as examples of their work. Gauteng illustrators whose work was on display included Joan Rankin and Yvette de Beer. Other illustrators who displayed their work included Marjorie van Heerden and Paddy Bouma.

The stand was very busy throughout the fair. Many people went through portfolios and looked at the books published by SCBWI members. They took down names of writers and illustrators whose work they could commission. A popular attraction were the beautiful posters for sale. These were done by renowned artists such as Piet Grobler and were snapped up by eager teachers and librarians.

The SCBWI stand was next to the IBBY stand which displayed some wonderful examples of South African books. A large number of exciting children's events were also organised.

All in all, children's books were prominent at the Cape Town Book Fair.

FIVE different A2-size posters with illustrations by Joan Rankin, Marjorie van Heerden, Samantha van Riet, Piet Grobler and Paddy Bouma will be for sale at the SCBWI Stand at the Cape Town Book Fair 2007 @ R30.00 each. Avoid disappointment and pre-order one or more posters by e-mailing [email protected].

Click on the picture below to view the posters.