Video

Library Week | 7 - 13 March

Have you seen the brilliant Library Week trailer?? CLICK IT! Hello - it looks like this is your first time here - you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed or click here to find out more about me. Thanks for visiting!

Image

Bisto Book of the Year Awards | predictions

The Bisto Book of the Year shortlist, and the winners, is the best kept secret in Ireland – but all will revealed on Monday! Ahead of hearing the shortlist I’m slipping on my fortune-telling garb and rubbing the crystal ball – i.e. guessing – to predict who will win what. I’m torn with various favourites [...]

Image

The Cut of Love | Helena Close

Holly English from Castletroy College has a great review of Helena Close’s The Cut of Love. I’m a bit of a Helena fan - I’ve been raving about her latest, The Clever One, for over a year. You’re going to love it! Click on and have a read.

Image

Bisto Book of the Year Awards | Sarah Webb

With the Bisto Book of the Year shortlist being announced on Monday - Sarah Webb revealed her predictions for who she things will be listed, and who will win! Overall Winner –The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers The best book of the year – a stunning achievement. Eilis Dillon Award (for first book) [...]

Video

Star Wars | retold

It’s Star Wars… retold by a 3 year old.

Video

I dance like Jon Cryer

I’m jumping on the Two and Half Men blogging band wagon. Sorta. Some Otis Redding for your Friday delight.

Image

World Book Day Quick Reads

Schools all across the country will have received €1/£1 Book Tokens - redeemable in bookshops for the face value - or for one of the WBD Quick Reads - including Brianóg Brady Dawson’s Danny’s Smelly Toothbrush and Fiacla Mhamó, Imagination Station (winners of the WBD Short Story Competition), a Jiggy McCue story, something terrifying from [...]

Image

World Book Day

It’s World Book Day today - with hundreds of events across Ireland - the UK, Europe and, yup, you guessed it… THE WORLD! Click here for a list of events happening near you!

Image

Digi-tale | World Book Day

The folks behind World Book Day have launched digi-tale.co - a site full of reviews, prizes, books and more.

Link

Philip Reeve | World Book Day

Philip Reeve talks World Book Day in the Telegraph/

Link

How kids read

A report from Dundee University indicates that children reading throughout primary and secondary education move away from difficult books from the age of 10 onwards.

Image

the Guardian Kids Book Club

Here it is folks - the Guardian Kids Book Club. I’m off to play with it now!

Article

World Book Day | call to aid booksellers

World Book Day, an initiative of The Booksellers Association, the folks behind the World Book Day, are calling on the incoming government ‘to move swiftly to keep Ireland open for business.’ A press release issued this morning publishes the associations ‘Five Point Plan’ which it believes is necessary to support the struggling retail sector.  1. [...]

Read More
Image

DFC to make a return!

Rumour has it that the excellent DFC is to ride again! The comic - that led to the DFC Library series, published last year - is to make a return. No idea in what format just yet - but there should be news next week. ht/ Emma Vieceli

Image

Blue Peter Awards | Winners

The Blue Peter Award Winners have been announced - and from the brilliant shortlists (there really were some great books listed) there are three worthy winners - namely: The Raven Mysteries: Lunatics and Luck by Marcus SedgwickDo Igloos Have Loos? by Mitchell Symonsand Dead Man’s Cove (A Laura Marlin Mystery) by Lauren St John Check [...]

Image

Red House Children’s Book Award | Shortlist

The Red House Children’s Book Award – the only national book award voted for entirely by children - have announced their shortlist. Go see the full list!!

Image

World Book Day | TV3

Authors Joe O’Brien, Clare Dowling and Maria Dickenson, Head of Book Purchasing at Easons, were on d’Telly to celebrate World Book Day. Have a watch.

Link

Indies Choice Book Awards | E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards

Check out the shortlists for both the Indies Choice Book Awards and the E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards - votoing is only open to booksellers - but no harm in looking, right??

Image

Nook Kids | iPad app

Slash Gear reviews the new Barnes & Noble NOOK Kids App - a free app with access to more than 12,000 children’s chapter books – each of them with the ability to look up words, take notes, zoom, change text appearance, and more.

Image

Children’s Book Club | the guardian

The previously mentioned Guardian children’s online book club are looking for anyone interested in getting involved - find out more here.

Image

Future Ads | tomorrows world today

Maximidia have produced a set of 50′s ‘future ad’ posters with the help of Moma Propaganda. Brilliant! Click to see/download the full set.

Link

Artichoke Hearts | Sita Brahmachari

Mary Hoffman reviews this years winner of the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize - Sita Brahmachari’s Artichoke Hearts.

Image

Emily Gravett

The Guardian carried a gallery from Emily Gravett’s books - a great introduction to anyone who doesn’t know her work! Click to see!

Video

The Lost Thing | OSCAR WINNER!

The animated adaptation of Shaun Tan’s The Lost Thing won an Oscar last night - beating back The Gruffalo! ROAR!

Image

The Guardian | online children’s book club

The Guardian is to launch a children’s online book club - the second large outlet to up their interest in kids books this month. (See the NYT last week) Claire Armitstead talks to the Scarrow brothers, Meg Rossoff, Michael Rosen and Louisa Young about the importance of reading and children’s books - and where technology [...]

Link

And By the Way: A Butterfly Novel | Denise Deegan

Sarah Webb reviews Denise Deegan’s And By the Way: A Butterfly Novel - The dialogue is sharp (if a little too authentically littered with Joseph O’Connor “likes”), the writing tense, and emotion ripples through every page.Deegan nails Alex’s caustic teen voice, and leaves the reader rooting for her heroine throughout. Think 90210 with a sprinkling [...]

Link

Old stories for young readers

Who doesn’t look forward to reading Imogen Russell Williams’ posts on The Guardian Book Blog - this time it’s on Old stories for young readers… from Kevin Crossley Holland to Rosemary Sutcliff.

Link

Katharine Birbalsingh

Andrew Anthony talks to Katharine Birbalsingh.

Link

Irish Examiner | World Book Day

The Irish Examiner carried a great piece on World Book Day and reading with a special needs son.

Image

Bologna Ragazzi Award

This years BolognaRagnazzi Award has been awarded to Jean-Philippe Mogenet and Jean-François Martin’s adaptation of Aesop’s Fables. “Countless illustrators have returned down the ages to the ancient magic of the fairytale. Here it seems that Felix Valloton in his halcyon years has returned to instil a new pace into a time-honoured tale, without, however, diminishing [...]

Image

PW | Spring 2011 Children’s Announcements

It’s a must read for everyone - it’s the Publisher’s Weekly Spring 2011 Children’s Announcements issue. Everything for Spring and a sneak peek at what is coming for the rest of the year!

Video

Visit Nomanisan Island

Come visit Nomanisan Island - an Incredible resort.

Image

SCWBI Award Winners!

Check out the full list of winners of the 2011 Golden Kite Awards & Sid Fleischman Humor Awards. Especially - Milo (released over here as Milo and the Restart Button - hits the shelves in the next few weeks and it is excellent!)

Link

PW reviews

Check out a heap of PW reviews - including the very excellent Divergent!

Image

Enid Blyton Blog

You’re reading the Seven Stories Enid Blyton blog right? Read as the folks there search through Blyton’s original typescripts.

Link

Ally Glynn’s Schuster preview

Check out Ally’s sneak peek into what’s coming from S&S this year - including the very excellent Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson’s Hellhole!

Link

Lost Book Sales

About to buy a book but decided against it? Tell the world.

Video

Friday Video | Saddle Sores

Image

Royal Mail Awards 2010 | Winners

The Scottish Book Trust has announced the winners of the Royal Mail Awards - Bookbug Readers (0-7 years) What the Ladybird Heard - Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Lydia Monks Younger Readers (8-11) Invisible Fiends: Mr Mumbles - Barry Hutchison Older Readers (12-16) Grass by Cathy MacPhail Click for more!

Image

NYT Picture Book Reviews

The New York Times has announced plans to feature an online-only review of a new picture book each week - that will supplement the papers already regular coverage of picture books. Excellent!