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I am delighted to announce the launch of my new venture, Blue Elephant Storyshaping, an editing, mentoring and coaching service for children's book authors and illustrators. I will also be offering editorial support and creative brainstorming services to publishers and agents, as well as running workshops. Please check out my website at www.blueelephantstoryshaping.com and help spread the word!

Exhibition by Illustrators and Writers of Children’s BooksUniversity of PretoriaOpening Function: 3 November 2009 15:00Venue: Edoardo Villa Gallery (Old Merensky Building 19)Daily visiting hours: 4-10 November 2009 10:00 - 16:00Alliance FrancaiseOpening Function: 12 November 2009 19:15 for 19:30Venue: 19 Rivier St (cnr de Kock) SunnysideDaily visiting hours: 13-27 November 2009 08:30

Lots of things are happening, and I haven’t updated this site in a while. So . . .

First, THUNDER-BOOMER! has garnered three starred reviews so far. (Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Horn Book Magazine) YAY! The reviewers are blown away by Carol Thompson’s amazing art-and so am I. (Pun intended.)

Second, A FAMILY FOR OLD MILL FARM (Clarion, 2007) was chosen to represent my native state of Kentucky at the National Book Festival in Washington, D. C. this fall. Each state picks one title to represent it at the festival, and I am so pleased that a book of mine will have that honor. Yay, Kentucky!

Third, I’ve been busy working on edits for THOMAS AND THE DRAGON QUEEN, which will be out next summer. (Knopf) Here is an early peek at the cover done by artist Lee Wildish . . . don’t ya just love it? I am always so awestruck by the talent of the wonderful illustrators working in children’s books today. 

Finally, thinking about illustrators, etc. I do have news that David Catrow will be illustrating an upcoming book of mine for Clarion (HMH). I don’t have a pub date yet. The tentative title is: DOZENS OF COUSINS: A  Beastie Holler Reunion.  You can tell by the subtitle that there will be lots of mayhem present–just like there always was when my siblings and I got together with my cousins at our family reunions in Kentucky. YAY! (again) for the sheer pleasure of it, and for the joy of getting to work with some of the  best illustrators in the business. Could there ever be a better job?

Here are some of my favorite books illustrated by David Catrow.

I hope all of your news will be happy news! Enjoy the summer, a good time to spend curled up with a favorite book, or two, or three . . .

Ciao!

Shutta

Dates: Beginning Wednesday 27 May and continuing with three more workshops on dates to be agreed on by participantsTime: 10:00 -12:30Where: Houghton, JohannesburgCost: For Non-members R500 per personCost: For SCBWI members R250 per personDescription: The course will comprise of four hands-on sessions:1) Background and brainstorming session2) Writing and illustrating stories3) Discussion and

To join a Beginner Illustrators' Critique Group based in the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg, send an email to [email protected]

Maskew Miller Longman has announced its annual competition. They are inviting writers to submit unpublished and original children's stories and illustrations.R7500 will be awarded to the story winner in each language and to the illustration winner. There will also be a runners-up prize of R3500.Click on the title above to get more details.

Writers and illustrators are required by MasterSkill, an American publisher. Click on the title above to read more.

For coverage of the SCBWI Retreat, click on the title above. It'll take you to brief reports on:From story board to published book: How to find your own way in the world of publishing - a talk by international literary agent Susanne Koppe. Blank page to under a child's pillow: the creative process - a talk by Editorial Director, Picture/Gift Books, Macmillan Children's Books, UK, Suzanne

Have you ever wondered what you should be charging for illustrating? SAFREA (Southern African Freelancers' Association) suggests some minimum rates. These can be accessed at: http://www.safrea.co.za/. For the rates suggested in 2007/2008, click on the Title above.

Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Retreat
See the full programme and costs at

http://sa-writers-illustrators.blogspot.com


SCBWI SA
Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Retreat

Goudini spa
May 5-9, 2008

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.

UPDATE: 3rd Conference on South African Children's Literature -
17 - 20 September 2007, North West University, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, South Africa

Conference theme: Writing (on) South African Children’s Literature

The full conference programme is now available and included below.

REGISTRATION:
The details for registration can be found on the conference website at the following addresses:
* General information:
http://www.puk.ac.za/fakulteite/lettere/klw/kinderlitkonf07/registrasie_e.html

* Registration form:
http://www.puk.ac.za/opencms/export/PUK/html/fakulteite/lettere/klw/kinderlitkonf07/registrationformEng.doc

* Enquiries about registration: Teresa Smit - [email protected]

PROGRAMME:
Monday 17 September
All papers and workshops in languages other than English will be interpreted into English 10:00 - A - Opening and welcome
10:15 - 11:00
A -Keynote: Maria Nikolajeva - Stereotypes of Dystopia: The Denials of Kow-Ten (Jenny Robson) in an International Context 11:00 - Tea 11:30 - 13:00 A - Workshop: - Skryf ‘n storie [Write a story] - Hans du Plessis and Franci Greyling 13:00 - Lunch 14:00 A - Ian Marley - Confessions of a want to be children’s book illustrator
B - Mickias Musiyiwa - Children’s Literature as Resistance to and Engagement with Globalization
14:35
A - Franci Greyling - Die avontuur van skryf en boekmaak [The adventure of writing and bookmaking] B - Ingrid Wagener - Jenny Robson’s portrayal of a South African society in transition 15:10 A - Keynote: Elwyn Jenkins - Sources for research in South African English children’s literature 16:00 - Tea 17:00 CACHET THEATRE As die skoen jou pas - ’n toneelstuk geskryf deur Anneretha Combrink en opgevoer onder spelleiding van Jana van Staden en Elonie de Klerk (Karos & Kambro Jeugontwikkelingsprojek Promosa) [If the shoe fits - a play written by Anneretha Combrink and produced by Jana van Staden and Elonie de Klerk (Karos & Kambro Youth Development Programme Promosa)] 19:00 - Supper

Tuesday 18 September
08:30 - A - Announcements 08:40 A - Lissa Paul - Women of influence 09:30 A - John Mckenzie and Cecilia du Toit - Paper 1 “Naked in the open air...the waves... invited her": Eco-criticism and the picture book B - Anneretha Combrink, Madeleen Combrink en Jana van Staden - As die skoen jou pas: Die oordra van lewensvaardighede aan adolessente deur middel van gemeenskapsteater [If the shoe fits: Conveying life skills to adolescents through community theatre]
10:05
A - John Mckenzie and Cecilia du Toit - Paper 2 - Essentialising South Africa: National identity and the perspective of the Other B - Audrey Hitchcock - I.Q. vs. E.Q. - The importance of developing Emotional Quotient through the use of books 10:40 - Tea 11:00 A - Susan Meyer - Die natuur as didaktiese avontuurruimte in Afrikaanse jeugromans [Nature as didactic space of adventure in Afrikaans youth novels] B - Elaine Ridge - Translating children’s literature: Opportunities and challenges
11:35
A - Molly Brown - Between a rock and a hard place: hidden stories and The Hidden Star B - Idette Noomé - “Kobie rules!”: The dynamics of the schoolgirl ethic in Stella Blakemore’s Maasdorp series 12:10 A - Jeremy Fogg and Basil Mills - Telling Our Story On NELM's Outreach Camps B - Elma de Kock - Karnaval van die kunste: 'n multi-dissiplinêre benadering tot die aanbieding van kinderliteratuur [Carnival of the arts: a multi-disciplinary approach towards the mediation of children’s literature]
12:45 - Lunch
14:00
A - Margaret Labuschagne - A number paints a thousand words? A quantitative approach to a publishing history of South African children’s literature in English B - Crystal Warren - Reading AIDS : HIV / AIDS in South African children's books
14:35
A - Maritha Snyman - Wie is hulle regtig? Die winste van ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering by die bepaling van die leesbehoeftes en -voorkeure van kinders [Who are they really? The dividends of a qualitative research approach in determining the reading needs and preferences of children] B - Claudia Mitchell and Jean Stuart - Digital Hope: Digital Storytelling in the Age of AIDS 15:10 - Tea
15:45 - 17:15
A - Workshop: Elwyn Jenkins - Developing, writing and publishing academic articles on children’s literature 19:00 - Supper Book Launch: Formule Drie, Twee, Een! / Formula Three, Two, One! - Franci Greyling (author) and Vian Oelofsen (illustrator)


Wednesday 19 September
08:30 - A - Announcements 08:40 A - Keynote: Olga Sema -South African children’s literature and the advancement of multilingualism 09:30 A - Workshop: Cecilia du Toit - The English classroom and South African children’s literature 09:30 B - Betsie van der Westhuizen - “Aag, Mia ... Jy vertel so baie stories dat niemand jou meer glo nie”: van sien tot lewensiening met Mia se Ma (Marita van der Vyver en Piet Grobler) [“Mia... You make up too many stories. No one believes you any more”: from seeing to view of life with Mia’s Mom (Marita van der Vyver and Piet Grobler)] 10:00 B - Mariska Scheepers - Skryf as vorm van narratiewe terapie in die briefroman Van jou jas (Marita van der Vyver) [Writing as form of narrative therapy in the youth novel Van jou Jas [From your Jas] (Marita van der Vyver)] 10:30 B - Retha Fritz - Die teksinterne literêre korrektief in drie Afrikaanse jeugverhale [The textual literary corrective in three Afrikaans youth novels] 11:00 - Tea 11:30
A - Workshop: Dolly Dlavane and Rakgomo Pheto -- Ditlhangwa tsa bana mo phaposiborutelong [African languages and children’s literature in
the classroom]
11:30
B - Kristel Roets - 'n Vergelyking tussen Roepman (2004), deur Jan van Tonder en Winterijs (2001), deur Peter van Gestel [A Comparison between Roepman (2004), by Jan van Tonder and Winterijs (2001), by Peter van Gestel]
12:05 - 12:40
B - Elbie Adendorff - Tendense in die resepsiedokumente oor Daar's vis in die punch - Jackie Nagtegaal [Trends in reader response documents about Daar's vis in die punch - Jackie Nagtegaal] 13:00 - Lunch 14:00 A - Workshop: Estelle Kruger - Die gebruik van tradisionele literatuur om kreatiewe skryf in Afrikaans te fasiliteer [Using traditional literature to facilitate creative writing in Afrikaans] 14:00 B - Renè Schoombee - School Libraries Work! - the role of school libraries in promoting children’s literature and information literacy 14:35-15:10 B - Dudu Jankie - Adolescent literature and the promotion of the principle of Botho / Ubuntu in secondary schools 15:30 - Tea 16:00 A - Betsie van der Westhuizen, Teresa Smit en Elsabé de Klerk - Visuele wêrelde en betekenisontdekking: Die film in die Suid-Afrikaanse skoolkurrikulum [Making meaning of visual worlds: The film in the South African school curriculum] 16:00 B - Diana Garver - Using Children's Literature to Enhance Comprehension

16:35-17:10
B - Sandra Crosser - Using Literature to Teach Emergent Readers 19:00 - CONFERENCE DINNER

Thursday 20 September
08:30 - Announcements 08:40 A - Keynote: Osa Osayimwense - The expanding universe of African children’s literature: the why, the how and the what of publishing in Africa about African children’s literature 09:30 A - Snoeks Desmond - From the Berg to the Karoo - families are reading!
B - Christine du Toit - 'n Integrasie van taal, letterkunde en kultuur binne Kurrikulum 2005 vir Afrikaans addisionele taal [The integration of language, literature and culture in Curriculum 2005 for Afrikaans as additional language]
10:05
A - Carol Bloch and Xolisa Guzula - Stories Across Africa: work in progress B - Leone Tiemensma - Am I a Zulu? The value and role of multicultural children’s literature in building bridges of cultural understanding 10:40 - Tea 11:00 A - Workshop: Maria Nikolajeva - Mission Impossible? Writing a Scholarly Book on Children’s Literature 12:30 A - Conclusions: Possibilities of research and work ahead; possibilities for collaboration 13:00 - Lunch

WEBSITE:
Read more:
* 3rd Conference on South African Children's Literature:
http://www.puk.ac.za/fakulteite/lettere/klw/kinderlitkonf07/kinderlitkonf07_e.html


Bala go le gontsi:
* Khonferense ya boraro ya ditlhangwa tsa bana ba Aforika Borwa:
http://www.puk.ac.za/opencms/export/PUK/html/fakulteite/lettere/klw/kinderlitkonf07/oproepreferate_t.html


Verdere inligting:
* 3de Konferensie oor Suid Afrikaanse Kinder en Jeugliteratuur:

http://www.puk.ac.za/fakulteite/lettere/klw/kinderlitkonf07/kinderlitkonf07.html


ENQUIRIES:
Enquiries about any aspect of the conference programme can be addressed
to:
Betsie van der Westhuizen
Subject Group Afrikaans and Dutch
School of Languages
Faculty of Arts
North West University
Potchefstroom Campus
Private Bag 6001
Potchefstroom
2520
South Africa
Tel.: +27 18 2991491 (international) or 018 2991491 (South Africa)
Fax: +27 18 2991562 (international) or: 018 2991562 (South Africa) E mail: [email protected]

OR:

Franci Greyling
Subject Group Creative Writing
School of Languages
Faculty of Arts
North West University
Potchefstroom Campus
Private Bag X6001
Potchefstroom
2520
South Africa
Tel.: +27 18 2991781 (international) or 018 2991781 (South Africa)
Fax: +27 18 2991562 (international) or 018 2991562 (South Africa) E mail: [email protected]

OR:

Dolly Dlavane
School of Teacher Education (Human oriented School Subjects) African Languages Faculty of Education Sciences North West University Potchefstroom Campus Private Bag X6001 Potchefstroom 2520 South Africa
Tel.: +27 18 2991817 (international) or 018 2991817 (South Africa)
Fax: +27 18 2994238 (international) or 018 2994238 (South Africa) E mail: [email protected]

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.