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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 [...]
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.
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) [...]
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.
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 [...]
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!
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.
Philip Reeve | World Book Day#
Philip Reeve talks World Book Day in the Telegraph/
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.
the Guardian Kids Book Club
Here it is folks - the Guardian Kids Book Club. I’m off to play with it now!
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. [...]
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
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 [...]
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!!
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.
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??
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.
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.
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.
Artichoke Hearts | Sita Brahmachari#
Mary Hoffman reviews this years winner of the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize - Sita Brahmachari’s Artichoke Hearts.
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!
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!
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 [...]
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 [...]
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.
Katharine Birbalsingh#
Andrew Anthony talks to Katharine Birbalsingh.
Irish Examiner | World Book Day#
The Irish Examiner carried a great piece on World Book Day and reading with a special needs son.
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 [...]
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!
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!)
PW reviews#
Check out a heap of PW reviews - including the very excellent Divergent!
Enid Blyton Blog
You’re reading the Seven Stories Enid Blyton blog right? Read as the folks there search through Blyton’s original typescripts.
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!
Lost Book Sales#
About to buy a book but decided against it? Tell the world.
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!
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!