Fall is my favourite time of year! The leaves are changing into beautiful colours and there is a freshness in the air. It all makes me want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea, and work through the never-ending to-read list.
Councillor-Ontario Rebecca Gold representing IBBY Canada at Toronto’s The Word on the Street. Photo courtesy of Camilia Kahrizi.
On a crisp fall day in late September, I had the pleasure of volunteering at the IBBY Canada booth during Toronto’s The Word on the Street. It was a great opportunity to introduce fellow book lovers to the organization, talk about upcoming initiatives, and do a bit of fundraising. Throughout the day, members of the executive council had the chance to talk with passersby about what IBBY Canada means to us. A lot of us spoke about the organization’s international perspective. As the only Canadian organization eligible to nominate authors and illustrators for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, IBBY Canada plays an important role in putting Canadian talent on the world stage. We often talk about children’s books acting as bridges, and nominations for such a prestigious international award is a perfect example of how we build such bridges.
At one point, a young woman asked me what do we mean, exactly, when we talk about “bridging cultures.” It got me thinking about another aspect of our international scope: not only do we bring Canada to the world, but we also bring international causes to Canadians, such as through our current fundraising initiative for Syria. In that aspect, the organization itself, rather than the books we recognize and promote, is building cross-national bridges.
Our newsletter banner by Martha Newbigging beautifully illustrates this concept of books acting as bridges for young children. Martha is the recipient of this year’s Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program, and we honoured her at a launch event on October 1, 2013, at the Northern District Branch of the Toronto Public Library. As well as reporting on the event, this issue also includes a feature on Joanne Fitzgerald to commemorate the artist behind the program.
Is your fall filled with literary events and never-ending reading lists? Let us know in the comments section below!
Levée de fonds avec des cartes de vœux Cleaver au festival Word on the Street. Photo avec la permission de Camilia Kahrizi.
L’automne est ma saison préférée! Les feuilles virent vers des couleurs resplendissantes et il y a une fraîcheur dans l’air. Tout cela me donne envie de me blottir confortablement avec un bon livre et une tasse de thé et de m’attaquer à ma liste de lecture qui ne prend jamais fin.
Un jour frais vers la fin de septembre, j’ai qu le plaisir de faire du bénévolat au kiosque d’IBBY Canada lors du festival Word on the Street à Toronto. Cela me donnait l’occasion d’introduire d’autres amateurs de livres à notre organisme, de parler au sujet de nos projets, et de lever un peu de fonds. Le long du jour, des membres du comité de direction avaient l’occasion de parler avec des passants de l’importance d’IBBY Canada pour chacun de nous. Une bonne partie ont parlé de la perspective internationale de l’organisme. Comme le seul organisme canadien ayant droit à nominer des auteurs et des illustrateurs pour le Prix Hans Christian Andersen, IBBY Canada joue un rôle très important en mettant sur la scène globale du talent canadien. Nous parlons souvent de comment les livres jeunesse jouent le rôle de ponts, et les nominations pour un prix tellement prestigieux est un exemple parfait de comment nous bâtissons de tels ponts.
À un certain point, une jeune femme m’a demandé ce que nous voulons dire quand nous parlons de « bâtir des ponts » entre les cultures. Cela m’a entraîné à penser à un autre aspect de notre étendue globale : non seulement nous apportons le Canada au reste du monde, nous apportons également des causes internationales au Canadiens et aux Canadiennes, par example, par le biais de notre projet de levée de fonds pour la Syrie. Comme ça, c’est l’organisme lui-même, au lieu des livres que nous célébrons et que nous promouvons, qui bâtit des ponts entre les nations.
La manchette de notre bulletin, conçue par Martha Newbigging, illustre bien ce concept des livres qui jouent le rôle de ponts pour les jeunes enfants. Martha a été élue pour le programme Illustratrice en résidence Joanne Fitzgerald cette année, et nous l’avons célébrée à un évènement de lancement le 1re octobre 2013 à la succursale Northern District de la bibliothèque publique de Toronto. En plus d’un reportage sur cette évènement, ce numéro inclut également un article sur Joanne Fitzgerald pour commémorer l’artiste derrière ce programme.
Est-ce que votre automne se remplit d’évènements littéraires et de listes de lecture? Veuillez nous en faire partie dans la section de commentaires ci-dessous!
Autumn is a busy season in the world of books. With international award announcements, ceremonies, and new publications, one can feel the bustle and excitement that comes with all of these celebrations. At IBBY Canada we feel the same excitement. I invite you to visit our website where you can read about the prizes, projects, and initiatives that IBBY international and IBBY Canada support.
Specifically, I would like to draw your attention to the call for aid for Syrian children in Lebanon. The international community is watching this area, but IBBY international has launched a special appeal to provide relief to children who are forced to live through another disaster in a region where everyday life is often a struggle. For more information on the Children in Crisis Fund, or to make a donation, please visit our website.
On a happier note, you will be delighted to explore the new website for the National Reading Campaign. The launch of their new website took place on October 15, 2013. On the new site you will find interviews, book reviews, and news from the literary world in general. Without a doubt, you’ll want to add this site to your favourites.
Of course, we hope that you had a chance to visit the Northern District Branch (Yonge and Eglinton) of the Toronto Public Library in October to meet Martha Newbigging, the inaugural recipient of the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program. And naturally, the entire literary community was anticipating the announcement of the winners of the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award at the end of October.
It’s a full agenda for an autumn full of colours and publishing of good quality children’s books. Let’s celebrate!
L’automne est une saison très occupée dans le monde du livre. Prix internationaux, cérémonies, nouvelles publications : on peut sentir l’agitation et l’excitation que provoquent toutes ces célébrations. Pour IBBY Canada, la même effervescence nous habite. Je vous invite à visiter notre site web où vous pourrez lire tout ce qui a trait aux prix, aux projets, et supports que IBBY international et IBBY Canada appuient.
Spécifiquement, j’aimerais attirer votre attention sur l’appel d’aide pour les enfants syriens au Liban. La communauté internationale a les yeux rivés sur cette région, mais IBBY international a lancé un appel particulier pour apporter un soulagement aux enfants forcés de vivre un autre désastre dans une région où la vie normale de tous les jours s’avère à elle seule un combat. Pour acheminer vos dons au fond Children’s in Crisis, visitez notre site web.
Sur une note un peu plus joyeuse, vous serez ravis d’explorer le nouveau site de la Campagne Nationale de Lecture. Le lancement du site a eu lieu depuis quelques jours, et vous y trouverez de nouvelles entrevues, des critiques de livres, et des nouvelles du monde littéraire en général. Un site à ajouter à vos favoris, sans contredit.
Nous espérons que vous avez eu la chance de visiter la succursale Northern District (Yonge et Eglinton) de la Bibliothèque Publique de Toronto en octobre et d’y rencontrer Martha Newbigging, la première récipiendaire du Programme Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrateur en résidence. Et pour finir le mois d’octobre en beauté, toute la communauté littéraire attendait impatiemment le dévoilement des lauréats du Prix TD de la littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse.
Un agenda bien rempli pour un automne aussi débordant de couleurs que de publications de première qualité en littérature jeunesse. Célébrons tous ensemble!
Book lovers visit the IBBY Canada booth at Halifax’s The Word on the Street on September 22, 2013. Photo courtesy of Jane Baskwill.
The Word on the Street, which took place on September 22 on the Halifax waterfront, was busy as always. The IBBY Canada booth had its share of activity throughout the day. Special thanks to author Kristin Bieber Domm who helped at the booth. We had lots of inquiries about the work IBBY does and lots of interest in the international awards from the overseas visitors. It was a good opportunity to remind former members (librarians and teachers) who said they had let their membership lapse that they should really join again. Hopefully this will result in them doing so!
There was particular interest in the Children in Crisis Fund. This seemed to strike a chord with all who stopped by the booth. We had a container for spare change in response to the information we provided concerning the Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Despite the strong winds that threatened to blow down our display, it was a very good day!
IBBY Canada is now accepting proposals for the 2013 Frances E. Russell Grant. The $1,000 grant is intended to support IBBY Canada’s mission “to initiate and encourage research in young people’s literature in all its forms” and is given in support of research for a publishable work (a book or a paper) on Canadian children’s literature.
The deadline for proposals, which may be submitted in English or in French, is November 15, 2013.
The grant supports scholarly work only; works of fiction are not eligible. The types of works that are eligible for the 2013 Frances E. Russell Grant include:
1. Studies of individual authors and their work, especially if considered in their socio-historical context.
2. Comparative studies of two or more authors, which illuminate their stylistic differences, or consider their social and historical approaches.
3. Subject/Genre overviews, for example, children’s fantasy or historical fiction.
4. Biographical studies of Canadian children’s authors or illustrators.
5. Studies of Canadian children’s illustrators and their work.
6. Related subjects including contemporary theoretical approaches to the study of Canadian children’s literature.
The following materials are required: a proposal, a curriculum vitae, a synopsis of methods and stages by which the applicant will pursue the research, and a summary of what the funds are to be used for. The competition is open to Canadian citizens or landed immigrants. Please send proposals as email attachments to: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant Chair, at russell@ibby-canada.org.
Proposals can also be sent by mail to:
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View Blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant Chair
A jury, appointed by IBBY Canada, will select the successful applicant by January 15, 2014.
About the Frances E. Russell Grant
The Frances E. Russell Grant was established by the late Marjorie Russell in memory of her sister, a long-time supporter of IBBY Canada. Past recipients include Beverley Brenna, Paulette Rothbauer, Vivian Howard, Gail Edwards and Judith Saltman, Michelle Mulder, André Gagnon, Ronald Jobe, Carole Carpenter, Linda Granfield, and Françoise Lepage. For more information about the Frances E. Russell Grant, please visit the IBBY Canada website at www.ibby-canada.org or write to info@ibby-canada.org.
Appel de candidature pour la bourse Frances E. Russell
IBBY Canada accepte maintenant les soumissions pour la bourse Frances E. Russell 2013. La prix de 1000 $ est destiné à soutenir la mission d’IBBY Canada laquelle consiste à « susciter et encourager la recherche en littérature jeunesse sous toutes ses formes » et est remis pour un travail de recherche publiable (un livre ou un article) portant sur la littérature canadienne pour la jeunesse.
La date d’échéance pour la remise des soumissions qui peuvent être présentées en anglais ou en français, est le 15 novembre 2013.
La subvention s’adresse à des travaux d’expert seulement, les œuvres de fiction ne sont pas admissibles. Les types de travaux qui sont admissibles à la bourse Frances E. Russell 2013 comprennent:
1. Étude sur un auteur et son oeuvre, particulièrement dans son contexte socio-historique.
2. Étude comparative d’au moins deux auteurs, mettant en lumière leurs différences stylistiques, ou leurs approches sociales et historiques.
3. Aperçu d’un sujet / genre par exemple, la fantasy ou la fiction historique.
4. Des études biographiques d’auteurs ou d’illustrateurs canadiens de livres pour la jeunesse.
5. Étude sur les illustrateurs canadiens et leur oeuvre.
6. Sujets connexes, y compris les approches théoriques contemporaines d’études sur la littérature canadienne pour la jeunesse.
Les documents suivants sont exigés: une proposition, un curriculum vitae, un résumé des méthodes et des étapes par lesquelles la requérante poursuivra la recherche, et un résumé de l’utilisation des fonds. Le concours est ouvert aux citoyens canadiens ou immigrants reçus. Faites parvenir vos propositions en pièces jointes à: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant président, à russell@ibby-canada.org.
Les propositions peuvent aussi être envoyées par courrier à:
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant présidente
Un jury, nommé par IBBY Canada, sélectionnera le candidat retenu d’ici le 15 janvier 2014.
La Bourse Frances E. Russell
La bourse Frances E. Russell a été établi par feu Marjorie Russell en mémoire de sa sœur Frances qui a longtemps appuyé IBBY Canada. Au cours des années précédentes, la bourse a été remis à Beverley Brenna, Paulette Rothbauer, Vivian Howard, Gail Edwards et Judith Saltman, Michelle Mulder, André Gagnon, Ronald Jobe, Carole Carpenter, Linda Granfield, et Françoise Lepage. Pour plus de renseignements sur IBBY et sur le prix Frances E. Russell, veuillez visiter le site Web d’IBBY Canada au www.ibby-canada.org ou écrivez à info@ibby-canada.org.
Patsy Aldana and Marie-Louise Gay Receive the 2012 Claude Aubry Award
Patsy Aldana was awarded the 2012 Claude Aubry Award at a ceremony in Toronto on October 1, 2013. Photo courtesy of Camilia Kahrizi.
On Tuesday, October 1, as IBBY Canada was launching the first Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program at the Northern District Branch of the Toronto Public Library, an equally memorable honour was being delivered. Patsy Aldana received the 2012 Claude Aubry Award for her service within the field of children’s literature. Aldana shares the award with Montreal-based author/illustrator Marie-Louise Gay, creator of the critically acclaimed Stella books. Gay was presented with the Claude Aubry Award by Josiane Polidori, past president of IBBY Canada and Claude Aubry juror, at the Prix TD ceremony in Montreal on October 29.
Among the distinguished guests at the Toronto event were previous Aubry Award winners: Michael Solomon (2000), Catherine Mitchell (2004), and Peter Carver (2006). Brenda Halliday acknowledged their presence in the audience prior to introducing Patsy.
As past president of IBBY Canada and Aubry Award chair Brenda Halliday stated, Patsy Aldana needs no introduction. Yet this was an occasion to celebrate her many accomplishments and to publically honour her for her contribution not only to Canadian children’s literature, but also for her international work.
Patsy Aldana was one of the early upstarts in the 1970s who believed that Canadian children deserved their own national literature. She founded Groundwood Books, one of Canada’s preeminent publishers, in 1978. From her place as publisher and editor, she nurtured many of Canada’s best-known and beloved authors and illustrators, as well as many distinguished translators, editors, and designers. Groundwood, under her guidance, produced books of utmost quality and critical acclaim.
As National Reading Campaign co-founder with Rick Wilkes, Patsy has worked tirelessly to create an environment for reading. She has fought against censorship and been recognized for her efforts with the Freedom to Read Award from the Writers’ Union of Canada.
And, of course, Patsy is an unwavering supporter of IBBY and its international projects. She was IBBY president for four years (2006–2010), helping to expand IBBY’s international reach. She is currently president of the IBBY Foundation. Her international work continues and grows with the launch of a new international imprint in China.
Patsy accepted the Aubry Award with both grace and a challenge to the audience: We all need to do more to bring reading and books to children of the world.
Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program Launches at Toronto Public Library
Martha Newbigging displays samples from her comics workshop at the launch of the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program in Toronto on October 1, 2013. Photo courtesy of Camilia Kahrizi.
A reception on October 1, 2013, marked the official launch of IBBY Canada’s inaugural Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program, signalling the culmination of more than a year of planning and organizing for IBBY—and the beginning of a very busy month of October ahead for illustrator Martha Newbigging. The launch reception was held in the art gallery space of the Toronto Public Library’s Northern District Branch, where Martha had hung a selection of her original work and her books just hours before.
More than 50 guests were there to celebrate the launch of the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program, including Joanne’s husband Robert Young, daughter Laura Young, and mother Marina Fitzgerald. Joanne’s family provided IBBY with multi-year funding for the program. From the podium, Robert Young talked about how much Joanne loved working on children’s books and meeting her young readers during her visits to schools and libraries, and how fitting it was to honour her memory through this program.
Joanne Fitzgerald’s husband Robert Young spoke about his late wife’s love of children’s literature at the launch of the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program in Toronto on October 1, 2013. Photo courtesy of Camilia Kahrizi.
This year’s recipient, Martha Newbigging, spoke eagerly about her busy month ahead, with comics workshops for school classes every Tuesday and Wednesday, portfolio evaluations with art students and artists every Thursday, and a range of events for the public on Saturdays and evenings. As her final Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence event, Martha invited teens from a local youth centre to a Halloween-themed comic jam on October 31—the kids will follow a trail of candies in the library to the workshop!
An exhibit of Martha Newbigging’s work, including original sketches and published books, was featured at the launch of the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program. The display ran for the month of October at the Northern District Branch of the Toronto Public Library. Photo courtesy of Camilia Kahrizi.
Everyone who spoke at the launch reception profusely thanked the Toronto Public Library. From the early days of exploring and planning all the aspects of this new program with marketing and facilities staff, to the actual residency program with branch staff handling over 20 events and more than 250 kids all in one month, the Toronto Public Library has been such an enthusiastic and effective partner for the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program.
What a great start to what we expect will become a key annual event in the children’s book community!
About the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program
IBBY Canada’s Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program offers children’s book illustrators a unique residency in a public library. During the month-long residency, a jury-selected illustrator presents workshops and demonstrations, and meets with individual artists and art students. The Toronto Public Library will host the residencies in 2013 and 2014. The Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program is a joint project of IBBY Canada, Toronto Public Library, and the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, with financial support from Joanne’s family.
Joanne Fitzgerald (1956-2011). Photo courtesy of Robert Young.
Gentle, humorous, enchanting, appealing, charming, distinctive, detailed, intricate, bright, warm, colourful, pastel, watercolour. These are just a few of the ways in which reviewers attempted to capture the richness of Joanne Fitzgerald’s illustrations. Fitzgerald illustrated 13 books (board books, picture books, and collections of nursery rhymes and folktales) published in 26 different editions, including translations into French and Spanish. She was particularly adept at creating a gentle, colourful world for very young children—books for parents to share with babies and toddlers. Not surprisingly, three of her original picture books—Emily’s House, This Is Me and Where I Am, and Yum! Yum!!—were reissued in board book format. One of my favourites is This Is Me and Where I Am, a circular book that leads from the big world to the warmth of a small child’s bedroom, then moves back out to the world again.
In looking back through Joanne Fitzgerald’s work, I was struck by how her illustrations varied with each book: loose, action-packed illustrations in Circus Play; intricate bordered artwork for The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button; stylized drawings for The Blue Hippopotamus, set in ancient Egypt. As Fitzgerald explained, “I like to think I learn something with each book.” She continued, “Often, I do impose my own tastes on the characters, but usually I have a strong sense about the sorts of things they might wear and do from the content of the story. I add details—and sometimes cannot resist adding some details from my family’s own life, just for fun.” (The Storymakers: Illustrating Children’s Books; 72 Artists and Illustrators Talk about Their Work. Compiled by The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Toronto: Pembroke, 1999)
Doctor Kiss Says Yes written by Teddy Jam, illustrated by Joanne Fitzgerald (Groundwood Books, 1991; reissued 2012). All royalties from the sales of this book will be donated to the Joanne Fitzgerald Fund at IBBY Canada to support the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program. Image courtesy of Groundwood Books.
Fitzgerald was invited by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre to create the image for the 1994 Book Week poster. Since 1994 was the International Year of the Family, the theme for Book Week was Families … Read Together. In Joanne’s cutaway view of a house, under a protective gabled roof, three generations of a family (and friends) share the joy of reading. Grandma is reading to children in bed, mom is in the bath with a book and a toddler, dad is sharing a book with yet more children on a comfy couch, and on the front porch two girls trade jokes from their joke books. With her customary humour, Fitzgerald has tucked in a boy, perched on the porch railing in the bottom corner, deep in a book all by himself.
Born in Montreal, Fitzgerald loved to doodle and draw as a child. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, she went on to serve as illustrator-on-staff at the Royal Ontario Museum and to illustrate many well-loved Canadian children’s books for a variety of publishers. In 1991, Fitzgerald won the Governor General’s Literary Award (English-Illustration) for her illustrations in Teddy Jam’s Doctor Kiss Says Yes. Ten Small Tales, a collection by Celia Barker Lottridge illustrated by Fitzgerald, was awarded the Municipal Chapter of Toronto IODE Book Award in 1993. Another collaboration with Lottridge, The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button, won a Mr. Christie’s Book Award (in the category English, 7 years and younger) in 2001.
Joanne Fitzgerald died too young, of cancer, in 2011, but leaves a lasting legacy. One of her favourite books, Doctor Kiss Says Yes, was re-released by Groundwood Books in a new edition in 2012. All royalties from the sales of this book will be donated to the Joanne Fitzgerald Fund at IBBY Canada to support the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program. The program is a fitting tribute to an illustrator who advised young creators: “My biggest tip would be to draw, draw, and draw some more—whether it’s making comic strips, drawing from your imagination or from what you see around you, drawing with your computer, or with a pencil and paper.” (Storymakers: Illustrating Children’s Books)
The Blue Hippopotamus. By Phoebe Gilman. Toronto: North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada, 2007, 2013. Circus Play. By Anne Laurel Carter. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2002. Doctor Kiss Says Yes. By Teddy Jam. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1991, 2012. Emily’s House. By Niko Scharer. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1990, 1992, 2010. Este soy yo y lo que me rodea. By Joanne Fitzgerald. Translated by Luis Garay. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008. L’hippopotame bleu. By Phoebe Gilman. French text by Hélène Rioux. Toronto: Éditions Scholastic, 2007. In the Woods. By Susan Green. Toronto: Gage Educational, 1987. Jacob’s Best Sisters. By Teddy Jam. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1996. The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button: A Hungarian Folktale. Retold by Celia Barker Lottridge. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2001. La maison d’Émilie. By Niko Scharer. Adapted from the English by Marie-Andrée Clermont. Richmond Hill, ON: Scholastic Canada, 1991. Pardon Me, Mom. By Gail Chislett. Toronto: Annick Press, 1986. Plain Noodles. By Betty Waterton. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1989, 1990. Ten Small Tales. By Celia Barker Lottridge. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1993, 2005, 2007. This Is Me and Where I Am. By Joanne Fitzgerald. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2004, 2006, 2008. When You Get a Baby. By Sharon Jennings. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2002. Yum! Yum!! Delicious Nursery Rhymes. By Joanne Fitzgerald. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008, 2009.
World’s Richest Children’s Literature Award Reveals Nominees
Illustration by Isol, winner of the 2013 ALMA. Creative Commons.
The list of nominees for the 2014 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) were announced on October 10, 2013, at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The world’s richest prize in children’s literature, the ALMA is granted annually to one or several laureates from across the field of children’s literature, including authors, illustrators, oral storytellers, and reading promoters.
Congratulations to the Canadian nominees, authors Jean Little and Sarah Ellis. A complete list of nominees can be found on the ALMA website.
The 2014 list of nominees included 238 candidates from 68 countries—up 15% from last year. The winner(s) will be announced on March 25, 2014, and the presentation ceremony will be held on June 2, 2014, at the Stockholm Concert Hall.
Young Syrian refugees at a the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, August 2013. Photo courtesy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Creative Commons.
As the international crisis in Syria worsens, the number of refugees leaving their homes and entering neighbouring countries is rising drastically. It is estimated that nearly half a million Syrian children will become refugees by the end of the year. These children are showing classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, haunted by what they have witnessed on the frontlines of war.
IBBY was founded in the wake of the Second World War on the belief that books are a necessity for children in countries recovering from war or natural disasters. Along with shelter, food, and medicine, stories can help in a child’s recovery in showing them that they are not alone in their experiences. The IBBY Children in Crisis Fund is a program that provides immediate support in the form of therapeutic use of books and storytelling and by providing replacement collections.
IBBY Lebanon is working in partnership with the Nasma Learning and Resource Centre, a registered organization that has worked with young Syrian refugees in helping them adapt to their new environment. The proposed project is based on research conducted by the Lebanese American University and the American University in Beirut. They found that books, theatre, and other methods helped in the recovery of Lebanese children who had lived through the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) and the 2006 Lebanon War with Israel. The results of the research were successful and rewarding.
Please help IBBY Lebanon in raising funds for their relief efforts for Syrian children. All donations are welcome. You can donate online by credit card or bank transfer to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund. Important: please do not include “Syria” in your bank transfer, as it may raise a red flag. Instead, indicate that the funds are for the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund.
You can also mail a cheque, payable to IBBY Canada, to:
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View Blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Children in Crisis Fund
Alors que la crise internationale en Syrie devient de plus en plus pire, le nombre de réfugiés qui fuient de chez eux et entre dans des pays voisins augmente rapidement. On estime que presqu’une demi-million d’enfants syriens deviendront des réfugiés avant la fin de l’année. Ces enfants, tourmentés de ce qu’ils ont témoigné pendant la guerre, démontrent des indices classiques de stress post-traumatique.
L’IBBY a été fondé à la suite de la Deuxième Guerre Mondiale, axé sur l’idée que les livres sont nécessaires pour les enfants affectés par la guerre ou par les désastres naturels. En plus du refuge, de la nourriture, et de la médicine, les histoires peuvent aider dans le rétablissement d’un enfant en lui montrant qu’il n’est pas seul dans ses expériences. Le Fonds IBBY pour les enfants en crise est un programme qui fournit de l’appui immédiat sous forme de l’usage thérapeutique des livres et des histoires et en remplaçant des collections.
IBBY Liban travaille en partenariat avec le Centre d’apprentissage et des ressources Nasma, un organisme agréé qui œuvre parmi des jeunes réfugiés syriens en leur aidant à s’adapter à leur nouveau environnement. Le projet prévu est basé sur des recherches conduites par l’Université américaine libanaise et l’Université américain à Beyrouth. Ils ont trouvé que les livres, le théâtre, et d’autres méthodes ont aidé dans le rétablissement des enfants libanais qui ont vécu pendant la Guerre civile libanaise (1975–1990) et la Guerre libanaise contre l’Israël en 2006. Les résultats de ces recherches apportaient du succès et des satisfactions.
S’il vous plaît, veuillez aider IBBY Liban à lever des fonds pour leurs efforts parmi les enfants syriens. Tous les dons seront les bienvenues. Vous pouvez faire un don en ligne par carte de crédit ou par transfert bancaire vers le Fonds IBBY pour les enfants en crise. Veuillez ne pas inscrire « Syrie » dans votre transfert bancaire, car cela pourrait attirer trop d’attention; par contre, veuillez indiquer que les fonds sont destinés au Fonds IBBY pour les enfants en crise.
Vous pouvez aussi envoyer un chèque au nom de IBBY Canada, à :
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View Blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Children in Crisis Fund
The Setting Up Community Libraries for Children Conference was held on October 5, 2013, in Lahore, Pakistan. The national conference was organised by Alif Laila Book Bus Society with the support of Sharjah-IBBY Fund for Children in Crisis and attended by non-profit organizations from across the country.
In addition to providing a forum for discussion on how to involve communities in setting up libraries at the local level, the conference also marked the launch of a project to initiate a network of community libraries across Pakistan. “This initiative is aimed to take further the concept of a library from personal space to a communal space and to share and celebrate together,” says Syeda Basarat Kazim, president of Alif Laila Book Bus Society.
As well, IBBY Pakistan will be working with USAID on the Pakistan Reading Project, which will establish 300 community libraries and operate six mobile libraries over the next five years.
Bookbird’s new editor, Dr. Björn Sundmark, will begin his term in 2015
IBBY’s quarterly refereed journal, Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature, will receive a new editor in 2015. Dr. Björn Sundmark is an associate professor of English at Sweden’s Malmö University and has also spent some time in Canada, teaching children’s literature at the University of British Columbia. I reached out to ask him about his experience with IBBY Sweden and to pick his brain on Swedish and Canadian kid lit.
Q: You’ve been a member of IBBY Sweden for several years. How did you get involved with the organization?
A: Through personal contacts, initially. I was inspired to join by people I had met at various children’s literature conferences and at the Children’s Book Institute in Stockholm. When I was asked to a write a piece on Selma Lagerlöf a couple of years ago for Bookbird, I became more involved. Another decisive moment was when I covered the IBBY Congress in Copenhagen for the Swedish daily, Sydsvenska Dagbladet.
Q: How is contemporary children’s literature in Sweden different from that being written and published in Canada? How is it the same?
A: I should know, I have lived in both countries (one year postdoc in Vancouver) and have written about Canadian as well as Swedish children’s literature, but it is still a toughie. Both Sweden and Canada are Western, liberal, and multicultural nations. The standard of living and quality of life are high in both countries. We also share the predicament of being situated next to larger nations (in terms of population and economy). In both cases there is a justified pride in our identity, in what we have achieved, how we organize our societies. Moreover, both Sweden and Canada are northern states with great natural resources (timber, water, ores), but also a challenging environment to deal with (especially historically). So these similarities ought to yield somewhat similar literatures for children. Yet there are differences. I think Canadian children’s literature is richer in its representations of diversity. One explanation for this is that the immigration/diversity theme in Canadian children’s literature is of course something that is as old as Canada itself, whereas in Sweden it is a fairly late phenomenon.
Finally, and as a curiosity, I must mention that there are no hockey picture books in Sweden! I did some work on representations of hockey in children’s literature a few years ago and was struck by the difference between Canada and Sweden in that respect. No wonder that Canada keeps winning gold medals if we have nothing equivalent to The Hockey Sweater in Swedish children’s literature!
Q: The books by Sweden’s “national grandmother,” Astrid Lindgren, still resonate with young readers around the world. What is it about her writing that crosses borders and stands the test of time?
A: First of all, Lindgren has her own unique storytelling voice, an intimate oral quality that will come across even in silent reading and even in translation. Second, her view of the child and childhood—fully liberated, anarchic yet capable—was before her time. In many parts of the world she is still before her time, which will make her vision seem modern for a long time yet.
Q: What were some of your favourite books to read as a child? What are some of your favourites to re-read as an adult?
A: As a child I was a precocious, voracious omnivore. But if I am to single out a few, Tove Jansson’s Moomin books are constant companions. I am currently working on an article about Jansson’s Moomin comic strip and it is joy to re-read that stuff. But it was Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings that made me go into literary studies so that I could at least spend my professional life in Middle Earth and Fairyland.
Q: Your three-year term as Bookbird editor will begin in 2015. What is your vision for the publication in the years ahead?
A: This is what I said in my application for the job: “My vision for Bookbird begins with what it is: a rare bird combining the academic with the journalistic, a creature both international and regional, a publication for the expert as well as for the interested layman. Most publications in the field are either oriented towards academia or publishing, professionals or ‘book lovers.’ Bookbird caters to both ends of the spectrum. I would like to keep it that way.”
Thank you, Dr. Sundmark, for taking the time to chat with us! We wish you all the best in your new position.
For more information about Bookbird, including how to subscribe, please visit the IBBY website.
Another Frankfurt Book Fair, another chance to meet international friends and IBBY publishers from around the world. IBBY has a great presence here. As well as Liz Page of the Secretariat in Basel, I met members from Japan, Turkey, Slovenia, Germany, and the UK, just to name a few. For those reading this who have attended past IBBY Congresses, you know the pleasure in meeting friends who share a common bond from IBBY’s work. What better place than Frankfurt, where the world meets to talk books, to bring needed attention to the Children in Crisis Fund’s appeal for Syrian Children in Lebanon.
The announcement of this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature to Alice Munro was a highlight for all Canadians, with much raising of glasses to this national treasure. Our adult fiction publishers were not alone in their delight of the good feeling to our body of literature. Interest in our children’s publishing remains high. Five IBBY members were exhibiting on the Canada stand: Annick Press, Groundwood Books, Kids Can Press, Owlkids with Bayard Press, and me, as rights agent for Pajama Press and Coteau Books, were promoting and selling books to the world with gusto.
With full schedules none of us were able to get away from the business of books to attend the IBBY hosted panel discussion on the grassroot activities that members undertake to promote a reading culture and encourage a lifelong love of reading. I’m confident an account of the session will be posted later on the IBBY website. IBBY Canada was an early supporter of the National Reading Campaign with activities promoting reading here at home. If you’re not already signed up, please do so now and help our combined cause.
– Catherine Mitchell, Past President of IBBY Canada back to top
You’re Invited! IBBY Congress 2014
We are pleased to invite you to the 34th IBBY Congress in Mexico City from September 10—13, 2014. The theme for the biennial conference is “May everyone really mean everyone: Reading as an inclusive experience.”
Nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter au 34me Congrès IBBY à Mexico du 10 au 13 septembre 2014. Le thème de ce congrès biennal est « Que tout le monde veule dire vraiment tout le monde : la lecture comme expérience inclusive ».
Vous prévoyez assister au Congrès IBBY à Mexico l’année prochaine? Veuillez nous en faire partie! Il nous ferait plaisir d’apprendre plus au sujet de votre expérience.
Richard Wagaemese’s Indian Horse (Douglas & McIntyre, 2012), winner of this year’s Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature.
CODE — Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse (Douglas & McIntyre, 2012) has won the first prize in the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature. This literary award helps to ensure that First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth have access to culturally relevant, engaging books through a unique distribution program. Visit the CODE website for the full list of finalists and for more information about the award and this year’s winners.
Fall 2013, Vol. 33, No. 3
ISSN 1704-6033
Contents
Letter from the Editor / Mot de l’éditrice
President’s Report / Rapport de la présidente
Regional Report: East
Call for Proposals: Frances E. Russell Grant / Appel de candidature pour la bourse Frances E. Russell
Patsy Aldana and Marie-Louise Gay Receive the 2012 Claude Aubry Award
Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program Launches at Toronto Public Library
Remembering Joanne Fitzgerald
World’s Richest Children’s Literature Award Reveals Nominees
IBBY Appeal for Syrian Children in Lebanon / Appel IBBY pour les enfants syriens au Liban
International News from IBBY Pakistan
New Bookbird Editor: Dr. Björn Sundmark
IBBY Canada Joins the World at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2013
You’re Invited! IBBY Congress 2014 / Vous êtes invité(e)s! Congrès IBBY 2014
News from Our Partners
Letter from the Editor
Fall is my favourite time of year! The leaves are changing into beautiful colours and there is a freshness in the air. It all makes me want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea, and work through the never-ending to-read list.
On a crisp fall day in late September, I had the pleasure of volunteering at the IBBY Canada booth during Toronto’s The Word on the Street. It was a great opportunity to introduce fellow book lovers to the organization, talk about upcoming initiatives, and do a bit of fundraising. Throughout the day, members of the executive council had the chance to talk with passersby about what IBBY Canada means to us. A lot of us spoke about the organization’s international perspective. As the only Canadian organization eligible to nominate authors and illustrators for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, IBBY Canada plays an important role in putting Canadian talent on the world stage. We often talk about children’s books acting as bridges, and nominations for such a prestigious international award is a perfect example of how we build such bridges.
At one point, a young woman asked me what do we mean, exactly, when we talk about “bridging cultures.” It got me thinking about another aspect of our international scope: not only do we bring Canada to the world, but we also bring international causes to Canadians, such as through our current fundraising initiative for Syria. In that aspect, the organization itself, rather than the books we recognize and promote, is building cross-national bridges.
Our newsletter banner by Martha Newbigging beautifully illustrates this concept of books acting as bridges for young children. Martha is the recipient of this year’s Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program, and we honoured her at a launch event on October 1, 2013, at the Northern District Branch of the Toronto Public Library. As well as reporting on the event, this issue also includes a feature on Joanne Fitzgerald to commemorate the artist behind the program.
Is your fall filled with literary events and never-ending reading lists? Let us know in the comments section below!
– Katie Scott, Newsletter Editor
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Mot de l’éditrice
L’automne est ma saison préférée! Les feuilles virent vers des couleurs resplendissantes et il y a une fraîcheur dans l’air. Tout cela me donne envie de me blottir confortablement avec un bon livre et une tasse de thé et de m’attaquer à ma liste de lecture qui ne prend jamais fin.
Un jour frais vers la fin de septembre, j’ai qu le plaisir de faire du bénévolat au kiosque d’IBBY Canada lors du festival Word on the Street à Toronto. Cela me donnait l’occasion d’introduire d’autres amateurs de livres à notre organisme, de parler au sujet de nos projets, et de lever un peu de fonds. Le long du jour, des membres du comité de direction avaient l’occasion de parler avec des passants de l’importance d’IBBY Canada pour chacun de nous. Une bonne partie ont parlé de la perspective internationale de l’organisme. Comme le seul organisme canadien ayant droit à nominer des auteurs et des illustrateurs pour le Prix Hans Christian Andersen, IBBY Canada joue un rôle très important en mettant sur la scène globale du talent canadien. Nous parlons souvent de comment les livres jeunesse jouent le rôle de ponts, et les nominations pour un prix tellement prestigieux est un exemple parfait de comment nous bâtissons de tels ponts.
À un certain point, une jeune femme m’a demandé ce que nous voulons dire quand nous parlons de « bâtir des ponts » entre les cultures. Cela m’a entraîné à penser à un autre aspect de notre étendue globale : non seulement nous apportons le Canada au reste du monde, nous apportons également des causes internationales au Canadiens et aux Canadiennes, par example, par le biais de notre projet de levée de fonds pour la Syrie. Comme ça, c’est l’organisme lui-même, au lieu des livres que nous célébrons et que nous promouvons, qui bâtit des ponts entre les nations.
La manchette de notre bulletin, conçue par Martha Newbigging, illustre bien ce concept des livres qui jouent le rôle de ponts pour les jeunes enfants. Martha a été élue pour le programme Illustratrice en résidence Joanne Fitzgerald cette année, et nous l’avons célébrée à un évènement de lancement le 1re octobre 2013 à la succursale Northern District de la bibliothèque publique de Toronto. En plus d’un reportage sur cette évènement, ce numéro inclut également un article sur Joanne Fitzgerald pour commémorer l’artiste derrière ce programme.
Est-ce que votre automne se remplit d’évènements littéraires et de listes de lecture? Veuillez nous en faire partie dans la section de commentaires ci-dessous!
– Katie Scott, Éditrice de l’infolettre
Traduction : Todd Kyle
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President’s Report
Autumn is a busy season in the world of books. With international award announcements, ceremonies, and new publications, one can feel the bustle and excitement that comes with all of these celebrations. At IBBY Canada we feel the same excitement. I invite you to visit our website where you can read about the prizes, projects, and initiatives that IBBY international and IBBY Canada support.
Specifically, I would like to draw your attention to the call for aid for Syrian children in Lebanon. The international community is watching this area, but IBBY international has launched a special appeal to provide relief to children who are forced to live through another disaster in a region where everyday life is often a struggle. For more information on the Children in Crisis Fund, or to make a donation, please visit our website.
On a happier note, you will be delighted to explore the new website for the National Reading Campaign. The launch of their new website took place on October 15, 2013. On the new site you will find interviews, book reviews, and news from the literary world in general. Without a doubt, you’ll want to add this site to your favourites.
Of course, we hope that you had a chance to visit the Northern District Branch (Yonge and Eglinton) of the Toronto Public Library in October to meet Martha Newbigging, the inaugural recipient of the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program. And naturally, the entire literary community was anticipating the announcement of the winners of the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award at the end of October.
It’s a full agenda for an autumn full of colours and publishing of good quality children’s books. Let’s celebrate!
– Susane Duchesne, President
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Rapport de la présidente
L’automne est une saison très occupée dans le monde du livre. Prix internationaux, cérémonies, nouvelles publications : on peut sentir l’agitation et l’excitation que provoquent toutes ces célébrations. Pour IBBY Canada, la même effervescence nous habite. Je vous invite à visiter notre site web où vous pourrez lire tout ce qui a trait aux prix, aux projets, et supports que IBBY international et IBBY Canada appuient.
Spécifiquement, j’aimerais attirer votre attention sur l’appel d’aide pour les enfants syriens au Liban. La communauté internationale a les yeux rivés sur cette région, mais IBBY international a lancé un appel particulier pour apporter un soulagement aux enfants forcés de vivre un autre désastre dans une région où la vie normale de tous les jours s’avère à elle seule un combat. Pour acheminer vos dons au fond Children’s in Crisis, visitez notre site web.
Sur une note un peu plus joyeuse, vous serez ravis d’explorer le nouveau site de la Campagne Nationale de Lecture. Le lancement du site a eu lieu depuis quelques jours, et vous y trouverez de nouvelles entrevues, des critiques de livres, et des nouvelles du monde littéraire en général. Un site à ajouter à vos favoris, sans contredit.
Nous espérons que vous avez eu la chance de visiter la succursale Northern District (Yonge et Eglinton) de la Bibliothèque Publique de Toronto en octobre et d’y rencontrer Martha Newbigging, la première récipiendaire du Programme Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrateur en résidence. Et pour finir le mois d’octobre en beauté, toute la communauté littéraire attendait impatiemment le dévoilement des lauréats du Prix TD de la littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse.
Un agenda bien rempli pour un automne aussi débordant de couleurs que de publications de première qualité en littérature jeunesse. Célébrons tous ensemble!
– Susane Duchesne, Présidente
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Regional Report: East
The Word on the Street, which took place on September 22 on the Halifax waterfront, was busy as always. The IBBY Canada booth had its share of activity throughout the day. Special thanks to author Kristin Bieber Domm who helped at the booth. We had lots of inquiries about the work IBBY does and lots of interest in the international awards from the overseas visitors. It was a good opportunity to remind former members (librarians and teachers) who said they had let their membership lapse that they should really join again. Hopefully this will result in them doing so!
There was particular interest in the Children in Crisis Fund. This seemed to strike a chord with all who stopped by the booth. We had a container for spare change in response to the information we provided concerning the Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Despite the strong winds that threatened to blow down our display, it was a very good day!
– Jane Baskwill, Councillor-East
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Call for Proposals: Frances E. Russell Grant
IBBY Canada is now accepting proposals for the 2013 Frances E. Russell Grant. The $1,000 grant is intended to support IBBY Canada’s mission “to initiate and encourage research in young people’s literature in all its forms” and is given in support of research for a publishable work (a book or a paper) on Canadian children’s literature.
The deadline for proposals, which may be submitted in English or in French, is November 15, 2013.
The grant supports scholarly work only; works of fiction are not eligible. The types of works that are eligible for the 2013 Frances E. Russell Grant include:
1. Studies of individual authors and their work, especially if considered in their socio-historical context.
2. Comparative studies of two or more authors, which illuminate their stylistic differences, or consider their social and historical approaches.
3. Subject/Genre overviews, for example, children’s fantasy or historical fiction.
4. Biographical studies of Canadian children’s authors or illustrators.
5. Studies of Canadian children’s illustrators and their work.
6. Related subjects including contemporary theoretical approaches to the study of Canadian children’s literature.
The following materials are required: a proposal, a curriculum vitae, a synopsis of methods and stages by which the applicant will pursue the research, and a summary of what the funds are to be used for. The competition is open to Canadian citizens or landed immigrants. Please send proposals as email attachments to: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant Chair, at russell@ibby-canada.org.
Proposals can also be sent by mail to:
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View Blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant Chair
A jury, appointed by IBBY Canada, will select the successful applicant by January 15, 2014.
About the Frances E. Russell Grant
The Frances E. Russell Grant was established by the late Marjorie Russell in memory of her sister, a long-time supporter of IBBY Canada. Past recipients include Beverley Brenna, Paulette Rothbauer, Vivian Howard, Gail Edwards and Judith Saltman, Michelle Mulder, André Gagnon, Ronald Jobe, Carole Carpenter, Linda Granfield, and Françoise Lepage. For more information about the Frances E. Russell Grant, please visit the IBBY Canada website at www.ibby-canada.org or write to info@ibby-canada.org.
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Appel de candidature pour la bourse Frances E. Russell
IBBY Canada accepte maintenant les soumissions pour la bourse Frances E. Russell 2013. La prix de 1000 $ est destiné à soutenir la mission d’IBBY Canada laquelle consiste à « susciter et encourager la recherche en littérature jeunesse sous toutes ses formes » et est remis pour un travail de recherche publiable (un livre ou un article) portant sur la littérature canadienne pour la jeunesse.
La date d’échéance pour la remise des soumissions qui peuvent être présentées en anglais ou en français, est le 15 novembre 2013.
La subvention s’adresse à des travaux d’expert seulement, les œuvres de fiction ne sont pas admissibles. Les types de travaux qui sont admissibles à la bourse Frances E. Russell 2013 comprennent:
1. Étude sur un auteur et son oeuvre, particulièrement dans son contexte socio-historique.
2. Étude comparative d’au moins deux auteurs, mettant en lumière leurs différences stylistiques, ou leurs approches sociales et historiques.
3. Aperçu d’un sujet / genre par exemple, la fantasy ou la fiction historique.
4. Des études biographiques d’auteurs ou d’illustrateurs canadiens de livres pour la jeunesse.
5. Étude sur les illustrateurs canadiens et leur oeuvre.
6. Sujets connexes, y compris les approches théoriques contemporaines d’études sur la littérature canadienne pour la jeunesse.
Les documents suivants sont exigés: une proposition, un curriculum vitae, un résumé des méthodes et des étapes par lesquelles la requérante poursuivra la recherche, et un résumé de l’utilisation des fonds. Le concours est ouvert aux citoyens canadiens ou immigrants reçus. Faites parvenir vos propositions en pièces jointes à: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant président, à russell@ibby-canada.org.
Les propositions peuvent aussi être envoyées par courrier à:
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Deirdre Baker, Frances E. Russell Grant présidente
Un jury, nommé par IBBY Canada, sélectionnera le candidat retenu d’ici le 15 janvier 2014.
La Bourse Frances E. Russell
La bourse Frances E. Russell a été établi par feu Marjorie Russell en mémoire de sa sœur Frances qui a longtemps appuyé IBBY Canada. Au cours des années précédentes, la bourse a été remis à Beverley Brenna, Paulette Rothbauer, Vivian Howard, Gail Edwards et Judith Saltman, Michelle Mulder, André Gagnon, Ronald Jobe, Carole Carpenter, Linda Granfield, et Françoise Lepage. Pour plus de renseignements sur IBBY et sur le prix Frances E. Russell, veuillez visiter le site Web d’IBBY Canada au www.ibby-canada.org ou écrivez à info@ibby-canada.org.
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Patsy Aldana and Marie-Louise Gay Receive the 2012 Claude Aubry Award
On Tuesday, October 1, as IBBY Canada was launching the first Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program at the Northern District Branch of the Toronto Public Library, an equally memorable honour was being delivered. Patsy Aldana received the 2012 Claude Aubry Award for her service within the field of children’s literature. Aldana shares the award with Montreal-based author/illustrator Marie-Louise Gay, creator of the critically acclaimed Stella books. Gay was presented with the Claude Aubry Award by Josiane Polidori, past president of IBBY Canada and Claude Aubry juror, at the Prix TD ceremony in Montreal on October 29.
Among the distinguished guests at the Toronto event were previous Aubry Award winners: Michael Solomon (2000), Catherine Mitchell (2004), and Peter Carver (2006). Brenda Halliday acknowledged their presence in the audience prior to introducing Patsy.
As past president of IBBY Canada and Aubry Award chair Brenda Halliday stated, Patsy Aldana needs no introduction. Yet this was an occasion to celebrate her many accomplishments and to publically honour her for her contribution not only to Canadian children’s literature, but also for her international work.
Patsy Aldana was one of the early upstarts in the 1970s who believed that Canadian children deserved their own national literature. She founded Groundwood Books, one of Canada’s preeminent publishers, in 1978. From her place as publisher and editor, she nurtured many of Canada’s best-known and beloved authors and illustrators, as well as many distinguished translators, editors, and designers. Groundwood, under her guidance, produced books of utmost quality and critical acclaim.
As National Reading Campaign co-founder with Rick Wilkes, Patsy has worked tirelessly to create an environment for reading. She has fought against censorship and been recognized for her efforts with the Freedom to Read Award from the Writers’ Union of Canada.
And, of course, Patsy is an unwavering supporter of IBBY and its international projects. She was IBBY president for four years (2006–2010), helping to expand IBBY’s international reach. She is currently president of the IBBY Foundation. Her international work continues and grows with the launch of a new international imprint in China.
Patsy accepted the Aubry Award with both grace and a challenge to the audience: We all need to do more to bring reading and books to children of the world.
– Theo Heras, Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award Chair and Hans Christian Anderson Award Co-Chair
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Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program Launches at Toronto Public Library
A reception on October 1, 2013, marked the official launch of IBBY Canada’s inaugural Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program, signalling the culmination of more than a year of planning and organizing for IBBY—and the beginning of a very busy month of October ahead for illustrator Martha Newbigging. The launch reception was held in the art gallery space of the Toronto Public Library’s Northern District Branch, where Martha had hung a selection of her original work and her books just hours before.
More than 50 guests were there to celebrate the launch of the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program, including Joanne’s husband Robert Young, daughter Laura Young, and mother Marina Fitzgerald. Joanne’s family provided IBBY with multi-year funding for the program. From the podium, Robert Young talked about how much Joanne loved working on children’s books and meeting her young readers during her visits to schools and libraries, and how fitting it was to honour her memory through this program.
This year’s recipient, Martha Newbigging, spoke eagerly about her busy month ahead, with comics workshops for school classes every Tuesday and Wednesday, portfolio evaluations with art students and artists every Thursday, and a range of events for the public on Saturdays and evenings. As her final Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence event, Martha invited teens from a local youth centre to a Halloween-themed comic jam on October 31—the kids will follow a trail of candies in the library to the workshop!
Everyone who spoke at the launch reception profusely thanked the Toronto Public Library. From the early days of exploring and planning all the aspects of this new program with marketing and facilities staff, to the actual residency program with branch staff handling over 20 events and more than 250 kids all in one month, the Toronto Public Library has been such an enthusiastic and effective partner for the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program.
What a great start to what we expect will become a key annual event in the children’s book community!
About the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program
IBBY Canada’s Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program offers children’s book illustrators a unique residency in a public library. During the month-long residency, a jury-selected illustrator presents workshops and demonstrations, and meets with individual artists and art students. The Toronto Public Library will host the residencies in 2013 and 2014. The Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program is a joint project of IBBY Canada, Toronto Public Library, and the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, with financial support from Joanne’s family.
– Helena Aalto, Promotions Officer
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Remembering Joanne Fitzgerald
Gentle, humorous, enchanting, appealing, charming, distinctive, detailed, intricate, bright, warm, colourful, pastel, watercolour. These are just a few of the ways in which reviewers attempted to capture the richness of Joanne Fitzgerald’s illustrations. Fitzgerald illustrated 13 books (board books, picture books, and collections of nursery rhymes and folktales) published in 26 different editions, including translations into French and Spanish. She was particularly adept at creating a gentle, colourful world for very young children—books for parents to share with babies and toddlers. Not surprisingly, three of her original picture books—Emily’s House, This Is Me and Where I Am, and Yum! Yum!!—were reissued in board book format. One of my favourites is This Is Me and Where I Am, a circular book that leads from the big world to the warmth of a small child’s bedroom, then moves back out to the world again.
In looking back through Joanne Fitzgerald’s work, I was struck by how her illustrations varied with each book: loose, action-packed illustrations in Circus Play; intricate bordered artwork for The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button; stylized drawings for The Blue Hippopotamus, set in ancient Egypt. As Fitzgerald explained, “I like to think I learn something with each book.” She continued, “Often, I do impose my own tastes on the characters, but usually I have a strong sense about the sorts of things they might wear and do from the content of the story. I add details—and sometimes cannot resist adding some details from my family’s own life, just for fun.” (The Storymakers: Illustrating Children’s Books; 72 Artists and Illustrators Talk about Their Work. Compiled by The Canadian Children’s Book Centre. Toronto: Pembroke, 1999)
Fitzgerald was invited by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre to create the image for the 1994 Book Week poster. Since 1994 was the International Year of the Family, the theme for Book Week was Families … Read Together. In Joanne’s cutaway view of a house, under a protective gabled roof, three generations of a family (and friends) share the joy of reading. Grandma is reading to children in bed, mom is in the bath with a book and a toddler, dad is sharing a book with yet more children on a comfy couch, and on the front porch two girls trade jokes from their joke books. With her customary humour, Fitzgerald has tucked in a boy, perched on the porch railing in the bottom corner, deep in a book all by himself.
Born in Montreal, Fitzgerald loved to doodle and draw as a child. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, she went on to serve as illustrator-on-staff at the Royal Ontario Museum and to illustrate many well-loved Canadian children’s books for a variety of publishers. In 1991, Fitzgerald won the Governor General’s Literary Award (English-Illustration) for her illustrations in Teddy Jam’s Doctor Kiss Says Yes. Ten Small Tales, a collection by Celia Barker Lottridge illustrated by Fitzgerald, was awarded the Municipal Chapter of Toronto IODE Book Award in 1993. Another collaboration with Lottridge, The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button, won a Mr. Christie’s Book Award (in the category English, 7 years and younger) in 2001.
Joanne Fitzgerald died too young, of cancer, in 2011, but leaves a lasting legacy. One of her favourite books, Doctor Kiss Says Yes, was re-released by Groundwood Books in a new edition in 2012. All royalties from the sales of this book will be donated to the Joanne Fitzgerald Fund at IBBY Canada to support the Joanne Fitzgerald Illustrator in Residence Program. The program is a fitting tribute to an illustrator who advised young creators: “My biggest tip would be to draw, draw, and draw some more—whether it’s making comic strips, drawing from your imagination or from what you see around you, drawing with your computer, or with a pencil and paper.” (Storymakers: Illustrating Children’s Books)
– Brenda Halliday, Past President of IBBY Canada
Joanne Fitzgerald: Bibliography
The Blue Hippopotamus. By Phoebe Gilman. Toronto: North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada, 2007, 2013.
Circus Play. By Anne Laurel Carter. Victoria: Orca Book Publishers, 2002.
Doctor Kiss Says Yes. By Teddy Jam. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1991, 2012.
Emily’s House. By Niko Scharer. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1990, 1992, 2010.
Este soy yo y lo que me rodea. By Joanne Fitzgerald. Translated by Luis Garay. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008.
L’hippopotame bleu. By Phoebe Gilman. French text by Hélène Rioux. Toronto: Éditions Scholastic, 2007.
In the Woods. By Susan Green. Toronto: Gage Educational, 1987.
Jacob’s Best Sisters. By Teddy Jam. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1996.
The Little Rooster and the Diamond Button: A Hungarian Folktale. Retold by Celia Barker Lottridge. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2001.
La maison d’Émilie. By Niko Scharer. Adapted from the English by Marie-Andrée Clermont. Richmond Hill, ON: Scholastic Canada, 1991.
Pardon Me, Mom. By Gail Chislett. Toronto: Annick Press, 1986.
Plain Noodles. By Betty Waterton. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1989, 1990.
Ten Small Tales. By Celia Barker Lottridge. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 1993, 2005, 2007.
This Is Me and Where I Am. By Joanne Fitzgerald. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2004, 2006, 2008.
When You Get a Baby. By Sharon Jennings. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2002.
Yum! Yum!! Delicious Nursery Rhymes. By Joanne Fitzgerald. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008, 2009.
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World’s Richest Children’s Literature Award Reveals Nominees
The list of nominees for the 2014 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) were announced on October 10, 2013, at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The world’s richest prize in children’s literature, the ALMA is granted annually to one or several laureates from across the field of children’s literature, including authors, illustrators, oral storytellers, and reading promoters.
Congratulations to the Canadian nominees, authors Jean Little and Sarah Ellis. A complete list of nominees can be found on the ALMA website.
The 2014 list of nominees included 238 candidates from 68 countries—up 15% from last year. The winner(s) will be announced on March 25, 2014, and the presentation ceremony will be held on June 2, 2014, at the Stockholm Concert Hall.
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IBBY Appeal for Syrian Children in Lebanon
As the international crisis in Syria worsens, the number of refugees leaving their homes and entering neighbouring countries is rising drastically. It is estimated that nearly half a million Syrian children will become refugees by the end of the year. These children are showing classic signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, haunted by what they have witnessed on the frontlines of war.
IBBY was founded in the wake of the Second World War on the belief that books are a necessity for children in countries recovering from war or natural disasters. Along with shelter, food, and medicine, stories can help in a child’s recovery in showing them that they are not alone in their experiences. The IBBY Children in Crisis Fund is a program that provides immediate support in the form of therapeutic use of books and storytelling and by providing replacement collections.
IBBY Lebanon is working in partnership with the Nasma Learning and Resource Centre, a registered organization that has worked with young Syrian refugees in helping them adapt to their new environment. The proposed project is based on research conducted by the Lebanese American University and the American University in Beirut. They found that books, theatre, and other methods helped in the recovery of Lebanese children who had lived through the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) and the 2006 Lebanon War with Israel. The results of the research were successful and rewarding.
Please help IBBY Lebanon in raising funds for their relief efforts for Syrian children. All donations are welcome. You can donate online by credit card or bank transfer to the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund. Important: please do not include “Syria” in your bank transfer, as it may raise a red flag. Instead, indicate that the funds are for the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund.
You can also mail a cheque, payable to IBBY Canada, to:
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View Blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Children in Crisis Fund
Thank you for your support.
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Appel IBBY pour les enfants syriens au Liban
Alors que la crise internationale en Syrie devient de plus en plus pire, le nombre de réfugiés qui fuient de chez eux et entre dans des pays voisins augmente rapidement. On estime que presqu’une demi-million d’enfants syriens deviendront des réfugiés avant la fin de l’année. Ces enfants, tourmentés de ce qu’ils ont témoigné pendant la guerre, démontrent des indices classiques de stress post-traumatique.
L’IBBY a été fondé à la suite de la Deuxième Guerre Mondiale, axé sur l’idée que les livres sont nécessaires pour les enfants affectés par la guerre ou par les désastres naturels. En plus du refuge, de la nourriture, et de la médicine, les histoires peuvent aider dans le rétablissement d’un enfant en lui montrant qu’il n’est pas seul dans ses expériences. Le Fonds IBBY pour les enfants en crise est un programme qui fournit de l’appui immédiat sous forme de l’usage thérapeutique des livres et des histoires et en remplaçant des collections.
IBBY Liban travaille en partenariat avec le Centre d’apprentissage et des ressources Nasma, un organisme agréé qui œuvre parmi des jeunes réfugiés syriens en leur aidant à s’adapter à leur nouveau environnement. Le projet prévu est basé sur des recherches conduites par l’Université américaine libanaise et l’Université américain à Beyrouth. Ils ont trouvé que les livres, le théâtre, et d’autres méthodes ont aidé dans le rétablissement des enfants libanais qui ont vécu pendant la Guerre civile libanaise (1975–1990) et la Guerre libanaise contre l’Israël en 2006. Les résultats de ces recherches apportaient du succès et des satisfactions.
S’il vous plaît, veuillez aider IBBY Liban à lever des fonds pour leurs efforts parmi les enfants syriens. Tous les dons seront les bienvenues. Vous pouvez faire un don en ligne par carte de crédit ou par transfert bancaire vers le Fonds IBBY pour les enfants en crise. Veuillez ne pas inscrire « Syrie » dans votre transfert bancaire, car cela pourrait attirer trop d’attention; par contre, veuillez indiquer que les fonds sont destinés au Fonds IBBY pour les enfants en crise.
Vous pouvez aussi envoyer un chèque au nom de IBBY Canada, à :
IBBY Canada
c/o The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Suite 217, 40 Orchard View Blvd.
Toronto, ON M4R 1B9
Attention: Children in Crisis Fund
Merci de votre appui!
Traduction : Todd Kyle
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International News from IBBY Pakistan
The Setting Up Community Libraries for Children Conference was held on October 5, 2013, in Lahore, Pakistan. The national conference was organised by Alif Laila Book Bus Society with the support of Sharjah-IBBY Fund for Children in Crisis and attended by non-profit organizations from across the country.
In addition to providing a forum for discussion on how to involve communities in setting up libraries at the local level, the conference also marked the launch of a project to initiate a network of community libraries across Pakistan. “This initiative is aimed to take further the concept of a library from personal space to a communal space and to share and celebrate together,” says Syeda Basarat Kazim, president of Alif Laila Book Bus Society.
As well, IBBY Pakistan will be working with USAID on the Pakistan Reading Project, which will establish 300 community libraries and operate six mobile libraries over the next five years.
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New Bookbird Editor: Dr. Björn Sundmark
IBBY’s quarterly refereed journal, Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature, will receive a new editor in 2015. Dr. Björn Sundmark is an associate professor of English at Sweden’s Malmö University and has also spent some time in Canada, teaching children’s literature at the University of British Columbia. I reached out to ask him about his experience with IBBY Sweden and to pick his brain on Swedish and Canadian kid lit.
Q: You’ve been a member of IBBY Sweden for several years. How did you get involved with the organization?
A: Through personal contacts, initially. I was inspired to join by people I had met at various children’s literature conferences and at the Children’s Book Institute in Stockholm. When I was asked to a write a piece on Selma Lagerlöf a couple of years ago for Bookbird, I became more involved. Another decisive moment was when I covered the IBBY Congress in Copenhagen for the Swedish daily, Sydsvenska Dagbladet.
Q: How is contemporary children’s literature in Sweden different from that being written and published in Canada? How is it the same?
A: I should know, I have lived in both countries (one year postdoc in Vancouver) and have written about Canadian as well as Swedish children’s literature, but it is still a toughie. Both Sweden and Canada are Western, liberal, and multicultural nations. The standard of living and quality of life are high in both countries. We also share the predicament of being situated next to larger nations (in terms of population and economy). In both cases there is a justified pride in our identity, in what we have achieved, how we organize our societies. Moreover, both Sweden and Canada are northern states with great natural resources (timber, water, ores), but also a challenging environment to deal with (especially historically). So these similarities ought to yield somewhat similar literatures for children. Yet there are differences. I think Canadian children’s literature is richer in its representations of diversity. One explanation for this is that the immigration/diversity theme in Canadian children’s literature is of course something that is as old as Canada itself, whereas in Sweden it is a fairly late phenomenon.
Finally, and as a curiosity, I must mention that there are no hockey picture books in Sweden! I did some work on representations of hockey in children’s literature a few years ago and was struck by the difference between Canada and Sweden in that respect. No wonder that Canada keeps winning gold medals if we have nothing equivalent to The Hockey Sweater in Swedish children’s literature!
Q: The books by Sweden’s “national grandmother,” Astrid Lindgren, still resonate with young readers around the world. What is it about her writing that crosses borders and stands the test of time?
A: First of all, Lindgren has her own unique storytelling voice, an intimate oral quality that will come across even in silent reading and even in translation. Second, her view of the child and childhood—fully liberated, anarchic yet capable—was before her time. In many parts of the world she is still before her time, which will make her vision seem modern for a long time yet.
Q: What were some of your favourite books to read as a child? What are some of your favourites to re-read as an adult?
A: As a child I was a precocious, voracious omnivore. But if I am to single out a few, Tove Jansson’s Moomin books are constant companions. I am currently working on an article about Jansson’s Moomin comic strip and it is joy to re-read that stuff. But it was Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings that made me go into literary studies so that I could at least spend my professional life in Middle Earth and Fairyland.
Q: Your three-year term as Bookbird editor will begin in 2015. What is your vision for the publication in the years ahead?
A: This is what I said in my application for the job: “My vision for Bookbird begins with what it is: a rare bird combining the academic with the journalistic, a creature both international and regional, a publication for the expert as well as for the interested layman. Most publications in the field are either oriented towards academia or publishing, professionals or ‘book lovers.’ Bookbird caters to both ends of the spectrum. I would like to keep it that way.”
Thank you, Dr. Sundmark, for taking the time to chat with us! We wish you all the best in your new position.
For more information about Bookbird, including how to subscribe, please visit the IBBY website.
– Katie Scott, Newsletter Editor
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IBBY Canada Joins the World at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2013
Another Frankfurt Book Fair, another chance to meet international friends and IBBY publishers from around the world. IBBY has a great presence here. As well as Liz Page of the Secretariat in Basel, I met members from Japan, Turkey, Slovenia, Germany, and the UK, just to name a few. For those reading this who have attended past IBBY Congresses, you know the pleasure in meeting friends who share a common bond from IBBY’s work. What better place than Frankfurt, where the world meets to talk books, to bring needed attention to the Children in Crisis Fund’s appeal for Syrian Children in Lebanon.
The announcement of this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature to Alice Munro was a highlight for all Canadians, with much raising of glasses to this national treasure. Our adult fiction publishers were not alone in their delight of the good feeling to our body of literature. Interest in our children’s publishing remains high. Five IBBY members were exhibiting on the Canada stand: Annick Press, Groundwood Books, Kids Can Press, Owlkids with Bayard Press, and me, as rights agent for Pajama Press and Coteau Books, were promoting and selling books to the world with gusto.
With full schedules none of us were able to get away from the business of books to attend the IBBY hosted panel discussion on the grassroot activities that members undertake to promote a reading culture and encourage a lifelong love of reading. I’m confident an account of the session will be posted later on the IBBY website. IBBY Canada was an early supporter of the National Reading Campaign with activities promoting reading here at home. If you’re not already signed up, please do so now and help our combined cause.
– Catherine Mitchell, Past President of IBBY Canada
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You’re Invited! IBBY Congress 2014
We are pleased to invite you to the 34th IBBY Congress in Mexico City from September 10—13, 2014. The theme for the biennial conference is “May everyone really mean everyone: Reading as an inclusive experience.”
More information on the conference’s speakers can be found on the Congress 2014 website.
Planning on attending the IBBY Congress next year in Mexico City? Please let us know! We would love to hear about your experience.
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Vous êtes invité(e)s! Congrès IBBY 2014
Nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter au 34me Congrès IBBY à Mexico du 10 au 13 septembre 2014. Le thème de ce congrès biennal est « Que tout le monde veule dire vraiment tout le monde : la lecture comme expérience inclusive ».
De plus amples renseignements se trouvent sur le site Web du Congrès 2014.
Vous prévoyez assister au Congrès IBBY à Mexico l’année prochaine? Veuillez nous en faire partie! Il nous ferait plaisir d’apprendre plus au sujet de votre expérience.
Traduction : Todd Kyle
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News from Our Partners
CODE — Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse (Douglas & McIntyre, 2012) has won the first prize in the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature. This literary award helps to ensure that First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth have access to culturally relevant, engaging books through a unique distribution program. Visit the CODE website for the full list of finalists and for more information about the award and this year’s winners.
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IBBY Canada Newsletter
Editor: Katie Scott
Copy editor: Meghan Howe
Proofreader: Magdalen Lau
Formatter: Camilia Kahrizi
Banner design: Martha Newbigging
French translation: Susane Duchesne, Todd Kyle
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