It’s hard to believe that five years have gone by since I joined the IBBY Canada board as Newsletter Editor. In that time, we have accomplished a great deal together as an organization. It’s been a privilege working with so many people who share my passion for kidlit and for supporting and promoting Canadian creators.
In this, my final issue, we will report on our latest initiative, the Indigenous Picture Book Collection, which is making great strides. We’ve also got news on the shortlist for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, and Leigh Turina reports on her time at the Shanghai Book Fair.
Starting in March, Patti McIntosh will be stepping into the role of Newsletter Editor. Please join me in welcoming Patti to the board of directors.
I very much look forward to supporting IBBY Canada as an active member in the field and to seeing as many of you as possible at the Annual Meeting of Members on March 3.
This year is off to a busy start at IBBY Canada! Most importantly, the board is preparing for the Annual Meeting of Members (AMM) on March 3, 2018, at the Northern District Branch of Toronto Public Library (40 Orchard View Blvd., Room 224). Please join us for coffee and membership renewal at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m.
This year, we’re also planning an evening gathering at the Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave.; 6 p.m. onwards) for members to share food, drink, and laughter. Even if you can’t attend the meeting, come to catch up with old friends and meet new members. And, if you have a friend or colleague who is interested in learning more about IBBY, please bring them along. Detailed information will be included in your AMM package.
As I reflect back on all that IBBY Canada has accomplished over 2017, I am immensely impressed by and indebted to the talented and dedicated volunteers who made it all happen. Without their tireless efforts, none of our work would be possible. We owe a special thank you to board members Katie Scott (Newsletter Editor), Camilia Kahrizi (Website Editor), and Jolise Beaton (Membership Secretary) who are stepping down this spring. Their commitment to the organization, their good humour, and their thoughtful leadership are greatly appreciated, and they will be greatly missed. We wish them all the best in their endeavours and know they will remain steadfast friends of IBBY.
Although we have had numerous weather interruptions this month, I am continuing to make plans for spring and fall to continue with the pop-up displays held at Christmas craft shows in November and December across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. An expansion of this initiative will depend on finding volunteers to look after the display and answer questions. Hopefully, making the work of IBBY more visible to the general public, universities and libraries, and those in related fields will translate into more interest and increased membership.
I am also looking into static displays for locations such as libraries, where information can be displayed, and bookstores, where brochures can be left for the public.
Illustrator Cynthia Nugent stands next to the Reading Lights plaque for her book Mister Got to Go Where Are You? (Red Deer Press, 2014).
Happy New Year, everyone!
With every New Year comes a host of new events and hopefully a renewed interest in the world of children’s literature!
In Vancouver, the love of children’s books is becoming increasingly visible through the Reading Lights program. I mentioned the program in a previous newsletter, but wanted to highlight the presence of new plaques going up throughout the city in the early months of 2018, bringing the number of displays to 61. If you are in the Vancouver area at some point this year, I encourage you to check out the interactive map and have fun exploring the work of BC authors and illustrators.
In addition to this long-term project, the Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable recently hosted their annual Celebrate BC event, recognizing the work of local authors and illustrators. Jan Thornhill, author of The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk (Groundwood Books, 2016), was honoured with the 2017 Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award. More than 20 other creators joined teachers, students, and children’s literature enthusiasts for an evening of festivities.
If you know of any other events or wish to work with IBBY in the planning or promotion of an event, please be in touch!
You’re Invited: IBBY Canada Annual Meeting of Members
Another year has passed, and it’s time for the IBBY Canada Annual Meeting of Members (AMM).
DATE: Saturday, March 3, 2018. Join us for membership renewal and coffee at 9:30 a.m. The AMM begins at 10 a.m.
LOCATION: Toronto Public Library, Northern District Branch, 40 Orchard View Blvd., Room 224.
Meet the outgoing and incoming board of directors, catch up on what IBBY Canada has accomplished over the past year, vote on upcoming changes, and learn what we’re looking forward to in 2018!
We will have a special presentation from IBBY Canada members Patsy Aldana and Mariella Bertelli. Patsy will speak about the need for a Children in Crisis Bibliotherapy Program for children living in refugee shelters in Canada. Mariella will share her experience training volunteers and others working with young refugees in Italy. The presentation is in conjunction with the Children in Crisis Bibliotherapy Program that the IBBY Canada board is developing.
Please note that while all are welcome, to vote at the AMM you must be a current member in good standing. You can renew your membership at any time online. We will also be renewing memberships in person at the AMM (cash or cheque).
Please RSVP to ibbycanada@gmail.com by February 28 to let us know if you’ll be at the AMM. We hope to see you there!
Join Us for Pub Night!
Make plans to spend the evening after the AMM with your IBBY friends! Please join us on Saturday, March 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave.). Individual bills will be issued for your bar and food orders. We hope to see you there! RSVP to Theo Heras.
Eleven nominees have made the shortlist for the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Awards. The award, the highest international distinction for an author or illustrator of children’s books, recognizes lifelong achievement in the field.
The 2018 shortlist is:
Authors: Marie-Aude Murail (France)
Farhad Hassanzadeh (Iran)
Eiko Kadono (Japan)
Joy Cowley (New Zealand)
Ulf Stark (Sweden)
Illustrators: Pablo Bernasconi (Argentina)
Linda Wolfsgruber (Austria)
Xiong Liang (China)
Iwona Chmielewska (Poland)
Igor Oleynikov (Russia)
Albertine (Switzerland)
More information about the nominees can be found on IBBY’s website.
In addition to the shortlist, the jury compiled a list of 15 outstanding books from all of the nominees. Congratulations to Kenneth Oppel and Isabelle Arsenault, IBBY Canada’s nominees for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, for making the list of outstanding books! You can download the full list here.
The two winners of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards will be announced on March 26, 2018, at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
The Indigenous Picture Book Collection is underway! I’m thrilled to have Jenny Kay Dupuis join me as a co-chair for the project. Our efforts are focused on fundraising, touring, and housing of the collection. The selection committee of Allison Taylor-McBryde, Patricia Knockwood, and Joanne Schwartz are in the process of selecting the 100 picture books by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit writers and illustrators from across Canada.
We are currently looking for volunteers to write annotations for the selected titles. If you’re interested in being involved, please contact me at president@ibby-canada.org.
IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities in Shanghai, China
Poster and display cases for the IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities at the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair. Photo courtesy of Leigh Turina.
Imagine the Bologna Children’s Book Fair with children and parents running about. That’s the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF), which was held from November 17 to 19, 2017. Though smaller than the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, it is hopping with great displays, story times, concerts, authors, illustrators, and books everywhere. The Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Awards and the Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition were run simultaneously with a children’s book professionals fellowship program.
Nicole Ci, the fair’s manager, stated that “the market in China is booming. There are an estimated 370 million children under the age of 18, and the two-child policy is estimated to add at least 3 million babies annually to the population for the next five years.” We are talking about a big market of parents and teachers who want their children to read and succeed.
I was invited by CCBF to display the 2017 IBBY Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities (download the catalogue here). Our goal was to encourage publishers, authors, and illustrators to include more characters with disabilities in their books for young people.
To this end, I presented to publishers and teachers about what we are looking for in the books selected for the IBBY Collection. On the Saturday, I did another presentation geared to parents and the public, showcasing the IBBY categories with specific examples.
As for the book fair, eager children and their parents were excited by the book displays and events. You could see them pouring over their books everywhere. After my presentations, I heard from parents and teachers who wanted more books like these. And that is what I hear everywhere I go!
– Leigh Turina, Lead Librarian, IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities
IBBY’s 36th International Congress will take place in Athens, Greece, from August 30 to September 1, 2018. The conference will host a number of speakers, including Deborah Ellis, Perry Nodelman, Gregory Maguire, Michael Neugebauer, and Kathy G. Short. The theme of the Congress is “East Meets West Around Children’s Books and Fairy Tales.”
Fellow IBBY Canada members will be among the speakers, including:
Mary Beth Leatherdale, “Voices Rising: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Experiences in Diverse Canadian Literature”
Lesley Clement, “Vertiginous Journeys: Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Experiences in Canadian Children’s Picture Books”
Leigh Turina, “Do Teens with Disabilities Have to Be Superheroes?”
Mariella Bertelli (with IBBY Italia’s Deb Soria), “The Voice of Books: Practical Instructions on Using Books with Newcomer/Refugee Children and Youth”
Margriet Ruurs (poster session), “Books, Not Bombs: How to Use Books to Change the World”
If you are planning on attending the 2018 Congress, please get in touch!
CODE: Submissions are now being accepted for the Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature. The deadline is March 31, 2018. For more information, please visit the CODE website.
March 3, 2018 (TORONTO): IBBY Canada’s Annual Meeting of Members, Northern District Branch, Toronto Public Library (40 Orchard View Blvd., Room 224). Join us for membership renewal and coffee at 9:30 a.m. Meeting begins at 10 a.m.
March 3, 2018 (TORONTO): IBBY Canada pub night at the Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave.), from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
March 27–31, 2018 (HAVANA, CUBA): Reading 2018 International Congress: To read the XXI, hosted by IBBY Cuba.
August 30–September 1, 2018 (ATHENS, GREECE): IBBY’s 36th International Congress. The conference’s theme is “East Meets West Around Children’s Books and Fairy Tales.” For more information, visit the Congress website.
ISSN 1704-6033
Letter from the Editor
It’s hard to believe that five years have gone by since I joined the IBBY Canada board as Newsletter Editor. In that time, we have accomplished a great deal together as an organization. It’s been a privilege working with so many people who share my passion for kidlit and for supporting and promoting Canadian creators.
In this, my final issue, we will report on our latest initiative, the Indigenous Picture Book Collection, which is making great strides. We’ve also got news on the shortlist for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, and Leigh Turina reports on her time at the Shanghai Book Fair.
Starting in March, Patti McIntosh will be stepping into the role of Newsletter Editor. Please join me in welcoming Patti to the board of directors.
I very much look forward to supporting IBBY Canada as an active member in the field and to seeing as many of you as possible at the Annual Meeting of Members on March 3.
– Katie Scott, Newsletter Editor
back to top
President’s Report
Dear IBBY Canada members and friends,
This year is off to a busy start at IBBY Canada! Most importantly, the board is preparing for the Annual Meeting of Members (AMM) on March 3, 2018, at the Northern District Branch of Toronto Public Library (40 Orchard View Blvd., Room 224). Please join us for coffee and membership renewal at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m.
This year, we’re also planning an evening gathering at the Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave.; 6 p.m. onwards) for members to share food, drink, and laughter. Even if you can’t attend the meeting, come to catch up with old friends and meet new members. And, if you have a friend or colleague who is interested in learning more about IBBY, please bring them along. Detailed information will be included in your AMM package.
As I reflect back on all that IBBY Canada has accomplished over 2017, I am immensely impressed by and indebted to the talented and dedicated volunteers who made it all happen. Without their tireless efforts, none of our work would be possible. We owe a special thank you to board members Katie Scott (Newsletter Editor), Camilia Kahrizi (Website Editor), and Jolise Beaton (Membership Secretary) who are stepping down this spring. Their commitment to the organization, their good humour, and their thoughtful leadership are greatly appreciated, and they will be greatly missed. We wish them all the best in their endeavours and know they will remain steadfast friends of IBBY.
Hope to see you in Toronto on March 3!
Best,
– Mary Beth Leatherdale, President
back to top
Regional Report East
Although we have had numerous weather interruptions this month, I am continuing to make plans for spring and fall to continue with the pop-up displays held at Christmas craft shows in November and December across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. An expansion of this initiative will depend on finding volunteers to look after the display and answer questions. Hopefully, making the work of IBBY more visible to the general public, universities and libraries, and those in related fields will translate into more interest and increased membership.
I am also looking into static displays for locations such as libraries, where information can be displayed, and bookstores, where brochures can be left for the public.
– Jane Baskwill, Regional Councillor East
back to top
Regional Report West
Happy New Year, everyone!
With every New Year comes a host of new events and hopefully a renewed interest in the world of children’s literature!
In Vancouver, the love of children’s books is becoming increasingly visible through the Reading Lights program. I mentioned the program in a previous newsletter, but wanted to highlight the presence of new plaques going up throughout the city in the early months of 2018, bringing the number of displays to 61. If you are in the Vancouver area at some point this year, I encourage you to check out the interactive map and have fun exploring the work of BC authors and illustrators.
In addition to this long-term project, the Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable recently hosted their annual Celebrate BC event, recognizing the work of local authors and illustrators. Jan Thornhill, author of The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk (Groundwood Books, 2016), was honoured with the 2017 Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award. More than 20 other creators joined teachers, students, and children’s literature enthusiasts for an evening of festivities.
If you know of any other events or wish to work with IBBY in the planning or promotion of an event, please be in touch!
Have a wonderful February,
– Rob Bittner, Regional Councillor West
back to top
You’re Invited: IBBY Canada Annual Meeting of Members
Another year has passed, and it’s time for the IBBY Canada Annual Meeting of Members (AMM).
DATE: Saturday, March 3, 2018. Join us for membership renewal and coffee at 9:30 a.m. The AMM begins at 10 a.m.
LOCATION: Toronto Public Library, Northern District Branch, 40 Orchard View Blvd., Room 224.
Meet the outgoing and incoming board of directors, catch up on what IBBY Canada has accomplished over the past year, vote on upcoming changes, and learn what we’re looking forward to in 2018!
We will have a special presentation from IBBY Canada members Patsy Aldana and Mariella Bertelli. Patsy will speak about the need for a Children in Crisis Bibliotherapy Program for children living in refugee shelters in Canada. Mariella will share her experience training volunteers and others working with young refugees in Italy. The presentation is in conjunction with the Children in Crisis Bibliotherapy Program that the IBBY Canada board is developing.
Please note that while all are welcome, to vote at the AMM you must be a current member in good standing. You can renew your membership at any time online. We will also be renewing memberships in person at the AMM (cash or cheque).
Please RSVP to ibbycanada@gmail.com by February 28 to let us know if you’ll be at the AMM. We hope to see you there!
Join Us for Pub Night!
Make plans to spend the evening after the AMM with your IBBY friends! Please join us on Saturday, March 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave.). Individual bills will be issued for your bar and food orders. We hope to see you there! RSVP to Theo Heras.
back to top
Hans Christian Andersen Awards Shortlist
Eleven nominees have made the shortlist for the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Awards. The award, the highest international distinction for an author or illustrator of children’s books, recognizes lifelong achievement in the field.
The 2018 shortlist is:
Authors:
Marie-Aude Murail (France)
Farhad Hassanzadeh (Iran)
Eiko Kadono (Japan)
Joy Cowley (New Zealand)
Ulf Stark (Sweden)
Illustrators:
Pablo Bernasconi (Argentina)
Linda Wolfsgruber (Austria)
Xiong Liang (China)
Iwona Chmielewska (Poland)
Igor Oleynikov (Russia)
Albertine (Switzerland)
More information about the nominees can be found on IBBY’s website.
In addition to the shortlist, the jury compiled a list of 15 outstanding books from all of the nominees. Congratulations to Kenneth Oppel and Isabelle Arsenault, IBBY Canada’s nominees for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards, for making the list of outstanding books! You can download the full list here.
The two winners of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards will be announced on March 26, 2018, at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
back to top
IBBY Canada’s Indigenous Picture Book Collection
The Indigenous Picture Book Collection is underway! I’m thrilled to have Jenny Kay Dupuis join me as a co-chair for the project. Our efforts are focused on fundraising, touring, and housing of the collection. The selection committee of Allison Taylor-McBryde, Patricia Knockwood, and Joanne Schwartz are in the process of selecting the 100 picture books by First Nations, Métis, and Inuit writers and illustrators from across Canada.
We are currently looking for volunteers to write annotations for the selected titles. If you’re interested in being involved, please contact me at president@ibby-canada.org.
– Mary Beth Leatherdale, President
back to top
IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities in Shanghai, China
Imagine the Bologna Children’s Book Fair with children and parents running about. That’s the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF), which was held from November 17 to 19, 2017. Though smaller than the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, it is hopping with great displays, story times, concerts, authors, illustrators, and books everywhere. The Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Awards and the Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition were run simultaneously with a children’s book professionals fellowship program.
Nicole Ci, the fair’s manager, stated that “the market in China is booming. There are an estimated 370 million children under the age of 18, and the two-child policy is estimated to add at least 3 million babies annually to the population for the next five years.” We are talking about a big market of parents and teachers who want their children to read and succeed.
I was invited by CCBF to display the 2017 IBBY Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities (download the catalogue here). Our goal was to encourage publishers, authors, and illustrators to include more characters with disabilities in their books for young people.
To this end, I presented to publishers and teachers about what we are looking for in the books selected for the IBBY Collection. On the Saturday, I did another presentation geared to parents and the public, showcasing the IBBY categories with specific examples.
As for the book fair, eager children and their parents were excited by the book displays and events. You could see them pouring over their books everywhere. After my presentations, I heard from parents and teachers who wanted more books like these. And that is what I hear everywhere I go!
– Leigh Turina, Lead Librarian, IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities
back to top
2018 IBBY Congress in Athens, Greece
Fellow IBBY Canada members will be among the speakers, including:
If you are planning on attending the 2018 Congress, please get in touch!
back to top
News from Our Partners
CODE: Submissions are now being accepted for the Burt Award for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Young Adult Literature. The deadline is March 31, 2018. For more information, please visit the CODE website.
back to top
Upcoming Events
March 3, 2018 (TORONTO): IBBY Canada’s Annual Meeting of Members, Northern District Branch, Toronto Public Library (40 Orchard View Blvd., Room 224). Join us for membership renewal and coffee at 9:30 a.m. Meeting begins at 10 a.m.
March 3, 2018 (TORONTO): IBBY Canada pub night at the Duke of York (39 Prince Arthur Ave.), from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
March 27–31, 2018 (HAVANA, CUBA): Reading 2018 International Congress: To read the XXI, hosted by IBBY Cuba.
August 30–September 1, 2018 (ATHENS, GREECE): IBBY’s 36th International Congress. The conference’s theme is “East Meets West Around Children’s Books and Fairy Tales.” For more information, visit the Congress website.
back to top
IBBY Canada Newsletter
Editor: Katie Scott
Copy editor (English): Meghan Howe
Formatter: Camilia Kahrizi
Banner illustration: Martha Newbigging