The sun shone bright and warm on Saturday, August 28, 2010 as the Toronto Public Library held its first Book Bash! Children’s Literature Festival at the North York Central Library and on the outdoor stage in Mel Lastman Square. The event featured readings by authors and storytellers such as Marthe Jocelyn, Kenneth Oppel, Mariella Bertelli, and Barbara Reid, as well as crafts, face painting, and stilt walkers.

Patricia Ocampo (President), Kate Newman (Councillor–Ontario), and Jessica Fung (Newsletter Editor) were on hand to increase awareness of IBBY Canada and its goal of promoting children’s literacy at home and abroad. There were also Cleaver cards, posters, and, of course, memberships for sale. Knowing this was an event for children, Kate brought a bucket full of candy to give a way that proved immensely popular. There will also be free candy at the IBBY Canada booth at Toronto’s Word on the Street on Sunday, September 26, 2010 to celebrate IBBY Canada’s 30th birthday, so make sure to come by and say hello!

Come join some of Canada’s best-known authors and illustrators of great kids’ books at North York Central Library and Mel Lastman Square for the Toronto Public Library’s inaugural Book Bash! Children’s Literature Festival. It will be a fun day featuring readings, storytelling, a puppet show, face painting, crafts, activities, and enjoyment for all.

Saturday, August 28, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Meet talents like Sarah Ellis, Marthe Jocelyn, Loris Lesynski, Kenneth Oppel, Shane Peacock, Barbara Reid, Eric Walters, and Paul Yee. Be sure to drop by the IBBY booth!

IBBY Canada is pleased to announce that illustrator Oleg Lipchenko is the winner of the 2009 IBBY Canada Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Picture Book Award for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (by Lewis Carroll), published by Tundra Books. The $1000 award will be presented to Oleg Lipchenko at a date and location to be announced.

IBBY Canada is pleased to announce that Vivian Howard of Dalhousie University is the recipient of the 2009 Frances Russell Grant. The $1,000 grant will be presented to Ms. Howard on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 7:00 p.m., at the New Book Bash & International Children’s Book Day Celebration, an annual event hosted by the Nova Scotia Children’s Literature Roundtable.

Ms. Howard receives the Frances Russell Grant for her proposal, “The regional geography of creativity: an investigation of regional themes in Atlantic Canadian literature for children and young adults.” She is undertaking a detailed analysis of regional themes in contemporary and historic Atlantic Canadian children’s literature and aims to create print and digital resources to enable greater use of regional Atlantic literature among readers, scholars, teachers and librarians.