Ireland's Online Resource for Parents & Teachers
www.childrensbooksireland.ie | From Beano to Boyne, with Manky Monsters, Mad Granddads |
Marking its twentieth consecutive year, this October’s Children’s Books Festival is encouraging young people across Ireland to Make Friends With Reading, with hundreds of exciting book-themed events and activities taking place nationwide.
The fun kicks off on Friday 1st October, with 50+ authors and illustrators due to visit libraries, schools and arts centres throughout the land over the course of the month. Other activities include storytelling sessions, printmaking workshops, quizzes and competitions to name but a few – ensuring there will be countless opportunities to strike-up new friendships with books of all styles and genres!
In a festival first, Ireland's inaugural Laureate na nÓg, Siobhán Parkinson, will take part in an exclusive web-cast event, which will see her joined by this year’s Bisto Book of the Year Award winner Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick. The discussion will take place in front of a live audience in the newly refurbished Tallaght Library, whilst being simultaneously broadcast live to young readers in schools and libraries around the country.
This year’s programme will see a particularly strong focus on illustration and comic books, with artists Bruce Ingman (Boing!, When Martha’s Away, The Pencil), Niamh Sharkey (I'm a Happy Hugglewug, The Ravenous Beast), Sarah McIntyre (Vern and Lettuce, Morris the Mankiest Monster) and Gary Northfield (Derek the Sheep, The Beano), sharing their skills in a special series of creative workshops.
Best-selling author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, John Boyne, will be making a welcome return to the children’s books scene with readings from his highly anticipated new novel, Noah Barleywater Runs Away. Young comedy fans are also in for a treat, with UK authors Steve Cole (Astrosaurs, Cows-in-Action) and Keith Charters (creator of the ‘Lee’ series) set to introduce Irish audiences to their hilarious books.
Teen audiences will be well catered for when Sarah Webb (creator of the ‘Amy Green’ series), Judi Curtin (creator of the ‘Alice’ series) and Sophia Bennett (Threads) hit the road for their “Wildest Dreams” tour of Limerick, Cork and Dublin. Horror and Fantasy will also be high on the menu, with US author Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver, Linger), multi-award-winner Sophie McKenzie (The Medusa Project) and international best-seller Michael Scott (creator of the ‘Nicholas Flamel’ series) due to make special appearances.
Also on tour in October will be festival favourites such as Mary Arrigan (Esty’s Gold), David Donohue (Alien Timebomb), Malachy Doyle (Granny Sarah and the Last Red Kite), Michael Smith (Tom Crean – An Unsung Hero), Annie West (Moxie the Underdog), Oísin McGann (Mad Granddad, The Wisdom of Dead Men), Jane Mitchell (Chalkline), Roisin Meaney (See if I Care) and Celine Kiernan (creator of the Moorehawke Trilogy).
These will be joined by a raft of newly published talents, including Kieran Mark Crowley (Colm & the Lazarus Key), Bob Burke (The Third Pig Detective Agency), Garrett Carr (The Badness of Ballydog), Jean Flitcroft (The Cryptid Files: Loch Ness), Deirdre Sullivan (Prim Improper) and Renate Ahrens (Over the Wall).
The festival is administered by Children’s Books Ireland (CBI), who this year have responded to the severe budget cut-backs affecting many local authorities by introducing a special support package for libraries. This significant new initiative reaffirms CBI’s commitment to maintaining the festival as a truly national celebration, through directly funding events in every library authority in the country.
Tom Donegan, CBI Programme Officer says, "We're delighted to be showcasing such a strong contingent of Irish authors and illustrators in this October’s programme, including both new names and familiar faces. In such a challenging year, it is also incredibly positive that we are able to maintain the festival as a truly national event. It really is testimony to the creativity, talent and enthusiasm to be found around Irish children's literature at the moment, from the artists and publishers who produce the books, to the teachers and librarians who do so much important work on the ground."
2010 will again see the return of the incredibly successful O’Brien Press Cover Design Competition, which gives budding designers the opportunity to have their artwork featured on the cover of a professionally published book. The title due for a ‘face-lift’ this time is the fittingly seasonal October Moon by Michael Scott, an Irish werewolf story first published in 1992.
Aspiring writers will also have the chance to enter a word-play competition inspired by the festival poster, designed by acclaimed illustrator Kevin Waldron (Mr Peek at the Zoo, Tiny Little Fly). Further details can be found on the CBI website www.childrensbooksireland.ie
With all this and much more in store for this October, it should be easier than ever to Make Friends With Reading with the help of the 2010 Children’s Books Festival!
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The 2010 Children’s Books Festival is made possible by the generous support of The Arts Council, Foras na Gaeilge and the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency.
To find out more see www.childrensbooksireland.ie or contact:
Tom Donegan, CBI Programme Officer Tel: +353 1 872 74 75 E-mail: tom@childrensbooksireland.ie
