Anniversaries - Hans Christian Andersen's 205th Birthday - International Children's

Hans Christian Andersen was born in the town of Odense, Denmark, on Tuesday, April 2, 1805. "Hans" and "Christian" are traditional Danish names.

Andersen's father considered himself related to nobility. According to scholars at the Hans Christian Andersen Center, his paternal grandmother had told his father that their family had in the past belonged to a higher social class, but investigations prove these stories unfounded. The family apparently was affiliated with Danish royalty, but through employment or trade. Today, speculation persists that Andersen may have been an illegitimate son of the royal family. Whatever the reason, King Frederick VI took a personal interest in him as a youth and paid for a part of his education. According to writer Rolf Dorset, Andersen's ancestry remains indeterminate. 1816. Hans Christian was forced to support himself. He worked as a weaver's apprentice and later, for a tailor. At 14, he moved to Copenhagen to seek employment as an actor. Having an excellent soprano voice, he was accepted into the Royal Danish Theatre, but his voice soon changed. A colleague at the theatre told him that he considered Andersen a poet. Taking the suggestion seriously, he began to focus on writing.

Andersen had a half-sister, Karen Marie, with whom he managed to speak on only a few occasions before her death.

Jonas Collin, who, following a chance encounter with Andersen, immediately felt a great affection for him, sent him to a grammar school in Slagelse, covering all his expenses. Andersen had already published his first story, The Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave in 1822. Though not a keen student, he also attended school at Elsinore, until 1827.

He later said his years in school were the darkest and bitterest of his life. At one school, he lived at his schoolmaster's home. There he was abused in order "to improve his character", he was told. He felt alienated from his classmates, being older than most of them. Considered unattractive, he suffered also from dyslexia. He later said the faculty had discouraged him from writing in general.

In 1829, Andersen enjoyed considerable success with a short story titled "A Journey on Foot from Holmen's Canal to the East Point of Amager". He also published a comedy and a collection of poems that season. Though he made little progress writing and publishing immediately thereafter, in 1833 he received a small traveling grant from the King, enabling him to set out on the first of his many journeys through Europe. At Jura, near Le Locle, Switzerland, he wrote the story, "Agnete and the Merman." He spent an evening in the Italian seaside village of Sestri Levante the same year, inspiring the name, The Bay of Fables. (See Voyagefever.com — an annual festival celebrates it). In October, 1834, he arrived in Rome. Andersen's first novel, The Improvisatore, was published at the beginning of 1835, becoming an instant success. During these traveling years, Hans Christian Andersen lived in an apartment at number 20, Nyhavn, Copenhagen. There, a memorial plaque was unveiled on May 8, 1835, a gift by Peter Schannong.

It was during 1835 that Andersen published the first installment of his immortal Fairy Tales (Danish: Eventyr). More stories, completing the first volume, were published in 1836 and 1837. The quality of these stories was not immediately recognized, and they sold poorly. At the same time, Andersen enjoyed more success with two novels: O.T. (1836) and Only a Fiddler. His Specialty book that is still known today was the Ugly Duckling (1837).

After a visit to Sweden in 1837, Andersen became inspired by Scandinavism and committed himself to writing a poem to convey his feeling of relatedness between the Swedes, the Danes and the Norwegians. It was in July 1839 during a visit to the island of Funen that Andersen first wrote the text of his poem Jeg er en Skandinav (I am a Scandinavian). Andersen designed the poem to capture "the beauty of the Nordic spirit, the way the three sister nations have gradually grown together" as part of a Scandinavian national anthem. Composer Otto Lindblad set the poem to music and the composition was published in January 1840. Its popularity peaked in 1845, after which it was seldom sung.

In 1851, he published to wide acclaim In Sweden, a volume of travel sketches. A keen traveler, Andersen published several other longtravelogues: Shadow Pictures of a Journey to the Harz, Swiss Saxony, etc. etc. in the Summer of 1831 (A Poet's Bazaar (560), In Spain , and A Visit to Portugal in 1866 (The latter describes his visit with his Portuguese friends Jorge and Jose O'Neill, who were his fellows in the mid 1820s while living in Copenhagen.) In his travelogues, Andersen took heed of some of the contemporary conventions about travel writing; but always developed the genre to suit his own purposes. Each of his travelogues combines documentary and descriptive accounts of the sights he saw with more philosophical excurses on topics such as being an author, immortality, and the nature of fiction in the literary travel report. Some of the travelogues, such as In Sweden, even contain fairy-tales.

In the 1840s Andersen's attention returned to the stage, however with no great success at all. His true genius was however proved in the miscellany the Picture-Book without Pictures (1840). The fame of his Fairy Taleshad grown steadily; a second series began in 1838 and a third in 1845. Andersen was now celebrated throughout Europe, although his native Denmark still showed some resistance to his pretensions. Between 1845 and 1864, H. C. Andersen lived in 67, Nyhavn, Copenhagen, where a memorial plaque is placed.

In June 1847, Andersen paid his first visit to England and enjoyed a triumphal social success during the summer. The Countess of Blessington invited him to her parties where intellectual and famous people could meet, and it was at one party that he met Charles Dickens for the first time. They shook hands and walked to the veranda which was of much joy to Andersen. He wrote in his diary "We had come to the veranda, I was so happy to see and speak to England's now living writer, whom I love the most."

Ten years later, Andersen visited England, primarily to visit Dickens. He stayed at Dickens' home for five weeks, oblivious to Dickens' increasingly blatant hints for him to leave. Dickens' daughter said of Andersen, "He was a bony bore, and stayed on and on." Shortly after Andersen left, Dickens published David Copperfield, featuring the obsequious Uriah Heep, who is said to have been modeled on Andersen. Andersen himself greatly enjoyed the visit, and never understood why Dickens stopped answering his letters.

Andersen often fell in love with unattainable. The most famous of these was the opera soprano Jenny Lind. One of his stories, "The Nightingale", was a written expression of his passion for Lind, and became the inspiration for her nickname, the "Swedish Nightingale". Andersen was often shy around women and had extreme difficulty in proposing to Lind. When Lind was boarding a train to take her to an opera concert, Andersen gave Lind a letter of proposal. Her feelings towards him were not the same; she saw him as a brother, writing to him in 1844 "farewell... God bless and protect my brother is the sincere wish of his affectionate sister, Jenny." A girl named Riborg Voigt was the unrequited love of Andersen's youth. A small pouch containing a long letter from Riborg was found on Andersen's chest when he died. At one point he wrote in his diary: "Almighty God, thee only have I; thou steerest my fate, I must give myself up to thee! Give me a livelihood! Give me a bride! My blood wants love, as my heart does!" Other disappointments in love included Sophie Ørsted, the daughter of the physicist Hans Christian Ørsted, and Louise Collin, the youngest daughter of his benefactor Jonas Collin.

In the spring of 1872, Andersen fell out of bed and was severely hurt. He never fully recovered, but he lived until August 4, 1875, dying of insidious causes in a house called Rolighed (literally: calmness), near Copenhagen, the home of his close friends Moritz Melchior, a banker, and his wife. Shortly before his death, he had consulted a composer about the music for his funeral, saying: "Most of the people who will walk after me will be children, so make the beat keep time with little steps." His body was interred in the Assistens Kirkegård in the Nørrebro area of Copenhagen.

At the time of his death, he was an internationally renowned and treasured artist. He received a stipend from the Danish Government as a "national treasure". Before his death, steps were already underway to erect the large statue in his honor, which was completed and is prominently placed at the town hall square in Copenhagen.

In the English-speaking world, stories such as "Thumbelina", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes", and "The Princess and the Pea" remain popular and are widely read. "The emperor's new clothes" and "ugly duckling" have both passed into the English language as well-known expressions.

In the Copenhagen harbor there is a statue of The Little Mermaid, placed in honor of Hans Christian Andersen. April 2, Andersen's birthday, is celebrated as International Children's Book Day.

The year 2005 was the bicentenary of Andersen's birth and his life and work was celebrated around the world. In Denmark, particularly, the nation's most famous son has been feted like no other literary figure.

In the United States, statues of Hans Christian Andersen may be found in Central Park, New York, and in Solvang, California. The Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections Division holds a unique collection of Andersen materials bequeathed by the Danish-American actor Jean Hersholt. Of particular note is an original scrapbook Andersen prepared for the young Jonas Drewsen.

A $12.5-million theme park based on Andersen's tales and life opened in Shanghai at the end of 2006. Multi-media games as well as all kinds of cultural contests related to the fairy tales are available to visitors. He was chosen as the star of the park because he is a "nice, hardworking person who was not afraid of poverty", Shanghai Gujin Investment general manager Zhai Shiqiang was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

On April 2, 2010, to honor Andersen's 205th birthday, Google's multi-colored logo on its homepage was replaced by a series of Google Doodles that present scenes from his children's story "Thumbelina".

You can read the books I have reviewed about Hans Christian Andersen on here on the TTLG website. Don't forget that today is International Children's Book Day. 

Children's Books can be useful for adults too

I recently heard from someone at Accredited Online Colleges.Org about an article that they posted on their website that they thought I would be interested in, which I was. The article is about ten children's books that they think every business student should read. I certainly think that there is a lot that adults can learn from children's literature and I am delighted to find out that college students are being encouraged to explore the world of children's literature. Here is the article.

10 Children’s Books Every Business Student Should Read

As if business school isn’t busy enough for you, here is a recommendation for ten books you should definitely add to your reading list. The good news is that they are relatively short, and therefore easy to read. The better news is that if you look beyond the fact that these books are marketed as children’s books, they each contain important lessons that any business student would do well to remember as she makes her way through the fast-paced, power-driven world of business. Tales of perseverance, creativity, resourcefulness, and even a few cautionary tales are included in this list of children’s books every business student should read.

1. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. The Lorax tells the tale of the greedy and short-sighted Once-ler who chops down all his resources in an effort to grow his business. Not only does he despoil the environment, but he also puts himself out of business. This book by the beloved Dr. Seuss is a must-read for any business student as it stresses the importance of balance and vision in growing a business as well as a reminder that natural resources must be dealt with respectfully.
2. The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper. This classic children’s book tells of a train hauling toys and other goodies to a village at the other side of a mountain, but it has broken down. The train tries to get help from larger engines, who just pass him by. Finally, a smaller engine takes up the cause, but discovers he may have taken on more than he can handle. Through determination and perseverance, the little engine makes it up the mountain and delivers the train to the village. Any business student can see the simple, yet powerful message imparted in this book–determination and the power of positive thinking can overcome any obstacle.
3. Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. In Caps for Sale, a cap salesman travels through town showcasing his wares stacked upon his head. After a long day with no sales, and therefore, no food, he sits down to rest against a tree. When he awakens, he discovers his caps are gone and have been taken by a tree full of monkeys, each wearing one of his caps. The salesman must figure out how to get his product back and does so almost by accident. This book demonstrates some of the realities of business (that times can be slow and may affect your ability to earn a livelihood), but also shows creative marketing and that a smart business person must rely on ingenuity to protect his resources.
4. Charlotte’s Web by EB White. Most consider this classic tale to be about Wilbur, the pig rescued by a young girl from her father’s ax. A closer look shows that the true protagonist and heroine of the story is the title character, Charlotte. Charlotte is a spider who saves Wilber’s life a second time when she comes up with the idea of spelling out Wilber’s magnificent qualities in her web. Each time she advertises something special about Wilber, his fame grows. Any business student studying marketing will quickly recognize a successful advertising campaign. Charlotte kept her resourceful solution creative by changing the words she used each time. This book provides a glimpse into clever marketing and the benefits of loyalty to the customer.
5. Beyond the Traditional Lemonade Stand by Randi Lynn Millward. This book provides detailed information on how children can get any small business up and running. With insight into accounting and finance as well as creative ways to make money, this book will give business students an opportunity to think about entrepreneurship in a different way. Whether you ran a lemonade stand as a kid or not, read this book to revisit the idea of young entrepreneurship.
6. The Story of the Three Little Pigs. Just about everyone has heard the story of the three little pigs and their attempts at building a wolf-proof house. However, the extended version of this popular fairy tale describes the third little pig as a shrewd thinker always one step ahead of the competition. After the failure of the first two pigs, the third pig builds his brick house, to the chagrin of the wolf. The wolf then sets out to trick the pig out of his house in an effort to eat him. The pig, however, always stays one step ahead of the wolf, which ensures his survival. Just like the pig and the wolf, a smart business person needs to know how to stay ahead of the competition in order to keep her business alive.
7. Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall. Ox-Cart Man tells the story of a family in 18th century New England who grow and make what they can throughout the year, then the father takes their goods into town to trade for those items they cannot provide for themselves. The book illustrates the success and growth of the family business, as well as the idea that a business must work as a part of the community. Business students would do well to remember the ideas present in this book, including the circle of life and growth of a business and the interdependence of complementary industries.
8. Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss. Students should read this story about Horton, an elephant who stands up for a world of people he discovers in a speck of dust on a clover, as a reminder that all people deserve respect. Horton tries his best to tell others in the jungle about this race of tiny people, but the others in the jungle are not willing to accept his wild story. Horton’s loyalty to the people in the speck of dust and his perseverance to have their existence recognized are qualities any business person should remember. In a field that defines success by the amount of money accumulated, the people can easily be forgotten. This book is a good reminder of the people behind the money and their intrinsic value. Standing up for the little people and not being afraid to appear different to the masses are important lessons for all to remember.
9. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The Giving Tree sparks heated debate among many as it demonstrates both the desire to give all that one has to a loved one and the human tendency to take what is available. The tree in the title watches a young boy grow up, and he moves from swinging on her branches and climbing her trunk to selling her apples, taking all her branches, and cutting down her trunk. While it appears that the tree is willingly giving of herself to help the boy in his life, the boy takes without returning anything to the tree. Eventually, the tree has only a trunk upon which the boy (now an old man) can sit and rest. Like the message in The Lorax, The Giving Tree also serves a reminder that taking resources without giving something in return will eventually result in the demise of the source. On a more human level, it also demonstrates that relationships are best nurtured with a cooperative strategy than a selfish one–both lessons important for those going into business.
10. The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton. This non-fiction picture book tells the story of brothers, Bob and Joe Switzer. As children, Bob wanted to become a doctor and Joe loved putting on magic acts for people. Working together, the brothers stumbled upon a way to create fluorescent paint that glowed in the dark. This simple, yet engaging tale shows how creativity, ingenuity, and chasing one’s dreams can pave the way to big accomplishments. Any business student that dreams of entrepreneurship will enjoy the inspiration in this true story.

You can view the article online and comment on it here on the Accredited Online Colleges.Org website here. 

Barefoot Books Hosts Story Times With Free Podcast

Barefoot Books Hosts Story Times With Free Podcast

Join Us at www.barefootbooks.com/podcast to Explore Timeless Tales

Today, Barefoot Books, the award-winning independent children’s book publisher, launched The Barefoot Books Podcast at www.barefootbooks.com/podcast, offering families, teachers, and librarians free story times from its collection of books. The weekly podcast features a diverse selection of award-winning children's stories and songs by Barefoot authors and performers. Playfully narrated by celebrated actors, with songs by well-known children’s musicians, the podcasts provide a way for adults and children to listen to stories during family time, before naps, in the classroom, on trips, and whenever a good story is needed.

The Barefoot Books Podcast kicks off with the legendary springtime tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, narrated by Richard Hope and available starting today. Upcoming podcasts will become available each Wednesday and include:

·  The Real Princess, A Mathemagical Tale: Practice your math skills while enjoying this quirky take on "The Princess and the Pea.” Read by actress Juliet Stevenson.

·  The Prince's Bedtime: Meet a young prince who refuses to go to sleep! The entire kingdom comes out to lend a hand in this rhyming bedtime adventure. Narrated by actor Jim Broadbent.

·  The Animal Boogie: Can you boogie? Down in the Indian jungle, the children and animals are learning to leap, stomp, shake and flap while meeting different jungle creatures. Sung by Fred Penner, this podcast will be available in both audio and video formats.

“We are excited to provide a new opportunity for families, teachers, and librarians to share favorite Barefoot Books stories with children through the podcasts,” said Barefoot Books Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, Tessa Strickland. “The podcasts offer an easy and fun way for people to enjoy some of the most popular stories on the Barefoot program, while stimulating their curiosity and opening their minds to the world.”

How to Tune In

All that is needed to tune in to The Barefoot Books Podcast is a computer with Internet access and a speaker, or an MP3 or MP4 player. The podcasts are available on iTunes and at www.barefootbooks.com/podcast. Families can choose from new or archived selections, as well as subscribe through iTunes to be sure to catch each week’s episode. Reviews will be available on the Barefoot Books Facebook Fan page.

About Barefoot Books

Barefoot Books is an independent publisher, with offices in Cambridge, USA and Bath, UK, that specializes in carefully crafted books, gifts and digital content that help children on their journey to becoming happy, engaged members of the global community. Since 1992, Barefoot Books has published more than 400 titles that use timeless stories and captivating illustrations to tap into the wisdom of many cultures, while never forgetting that childhood is a time for fun. Barefoot Books are available online, through booksellers, and its community of Ambassadors. For more information, visit www.barefootbooks.com.  

Anniversaries - A busy day in history

March 31st has an interesting collection of anniversaries. On March 31st in 1732 composer Franz Joseph Haydn was born. I remember going to visit his birthplace when I was ten years old and then hearing some of his music performed in Vienna. It was a wonderful opportunity to get a sense of what Haydn's world was like. To this day I still love his music, in particular the The Farewell Symphony. I have reviewed a wonderful book about this piece of music here on Through the Looking Glass Book Review. You can hear part of the symphony below as performed in 2009 by the Youth Artists Symphony.




The next anniversary of note is the birthday of Cesar Chavez, the labor leader who changed the lives of countless farm workers in America. You can see the books I have reviewed about Chavez here.

Last but by no means least, on this day in 1889 the Eiffel Tower was completed. I have reviewed an excellent book about this much loved piece of architecture here on the Through the Looking Glass Website. This wonderful has come to epitomize France and many people cannot think of France or Paris without thinking almost immediately of the Eiffel Tower.

Happy Passover

Happy Passover and best wishes from Through the Looking Glass Book Review

You can view the books I have reviewed about Passover on the Through the Looking Glass Passover feature page.

A review for Women's History Month - Fannie Farmer cooks up a storm

I read the book reviewed below many years ago, and yet I still remember it with great fondness. Reading the book reminded me that women have brought about change in many ways. Some have done so in big ways that made them front page news, like Amelia Earhart example. Then there are those women who have brought about change in big but quiet ways, like Fannie Farmer. I grew up with a Fannie Farmer cookbook and made my first very flat cake (I forgot to put in something vital) using one of her recipes. I know that when my daughter is ready is strike out on her own, I will give her (among other things) a set of basic tools in a tool box, a sewing kit, some wonderful fabrics for making cushions and curtains, a set of Jane Austen novels, and a Fannie Farmer cookbook.

Fannie in the Kitchen

Deborah Hopkinson

Pictures by Nancy Carpenter

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2001, 0-689-81965-X

   Marcia is most annoyed. Her mother has told her that they are getting a new cook, someone who will be “mother’s helper.” Why should they need such a person when Marcia herself is her mother’s helper? Marcia sincerely hopes, therefore, that the new cook, Fannie Farmer, is going to be terrible. No such luck though. Fannie is an excellent cook, and she is soon teaching Marci some of her kitchen wisdom. It must be noted however that Marci does not always succeed in her culinary exploits and there are some food disasters which Fannie has to help her sort out.

   Not surprisingly Marcia finds herself getting very fond of Fannie, and since her mother is so busy with the new baby, the little girl spends a lot of time in the kitchen, watching and learning. Marcia wishes very much that she knew all of the wonderful cooking secrets that lie in Fannie’s head. When she tells Fannie this, the red-headed cooking wonder comes up with the idea of writing down all the things she knows in a book; the secrets, the tips, the recipes.

   Soon word gets around about the book that Fannie has created, and everyone wants to use it, not just Marcia. It would seem that Fannie Farmer has something very special to offer the world.

   Deborah Hopkinson has created a delicious story about a woman who changed the way thousands of women cook. Fannie made it possible for just about anyone to learn how to cook by developing the first real recipes with exact measurements of ingredients. Her book is still widely used today by cooks of all ages.

   At the back of the book the author gives us a more detailed biography of Fannie and she includes one of Fannie’s famous recipes.

   With great creativity the illustrator combines eighteenth century engravings and her own pen and ink and watercolor illustrations to create one of a kind artwork that gives the reader a sense of the times and that is visually intriguing and unique.

An Anniversary - Harry Houdini's Birthday

On this day in 1874 a very singular person came into the world. His name was Erik Weiss, but when he was a young man he took on a different name, a name that he felt would better suit his career as a performer; he called himself Harry Houdini.

Houdini began his career as a magician, but he soon focused his energies on developing exciting escape acts. He broke out of handcuffs, jumped off bridges with chains wrapped around him, and he was even able to escape from a milk can full of water. No one knew how he did these amazing feats, and he was soon famous all around the world.

I have reviewed a selection of books about Houdini, which you can view here on the TLLG website. I particularly liked The Houdini Box by Brian Selznick. In this title, Selznick beautifully combines fact and fiction to give readers a story that is both fascinating and thought provoking.

For young readers who like a good mystery there are the Houdini and Nate Mysteries. In these titles, a young boy - with Harry Houdini's help - solves some thrilling and often dangerous mysteries.

Hans Christian Andersen Award winners and IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award winners are announced

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Names

David Almond and Jutta Bauer 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award Winners

Bologna, Italy...The Hans Christian Andersen Award Jury of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), has announced thatDavid Almond, from the United Kingdom is the winner of the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Author Award and that Jutta Bauer, from Germany is the winner of the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator Award. The announcement was made at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair, and the Andersen medals and diplomas will be presented to the winners on Saturday, 11 September 2010 at the international IBBY congress in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books. In awarding the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Medal for writing to David Almond, the jury has recognized the unique voice of a creator of magic realism for children. Almond captures his young readers' imagination and motivates them to read, think and be critical.  His use of language is sophisticated and reaches across the ages. 

The 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration recognizes Jutta Bauer as a powerful narrator who blends real life with legend through her pictures.  The jury admired her philosophical approach, originality, creativity as well as her ability to communicate with young readers.

David Almond was selected from 28 authors for the award. The four finalists were: Ahmad Reza Ahmadi from Iran, Bartolomeu Campos de Queiros from Brazil, Lennart Hellsing from Sweden and Louis Jensen from Denmark.

Jutta Bauer was selected from 27 illustrators nominated. The four finalists were Carll Cneut from Belgium, Etienne Delessert from Switzerland, Svjetlan Junakovic from Croatia and Roger Mello from Brazil. The full list of candidates can be read at www.ibby.org.

The ten members of the 2010 Jury, led by Jury President Zohreh Ghaeni from Iran, met in Basel, Switzerland on 13 and 14 March 2010.  The Jury of children's literature experts comprised Ernest Bond (USA), Karen Coeman (Mexico), Nadia El Kholy (Egypt), Maria Jesus Gil (Spain), Jan Hansson (Sweden), Annemie Leysen (Belgium), Darja Mazi-Leskovar (Slovenia), Alicia Salvi (Argentina), Helene Schar (Switzerland) and Regina Zilberman (Brazil). Elda Nogueira from Brazil representing IBBY and Liz Page as Jury Secretary attended the meeting ex officio.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is considered the most prestigious in international children's literature, is given biennially by IBBY to a living author and illustrator whose complete works are judged to have made lasting contributions to children's literature. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is the Patron of the Andersen Awards.  The Author's Award has been given since 1956 and the Illustrator's Award since 1966. Nami Island Inc. is the sponsor of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards. Information, including a history of the awards is available at www.ibby.org.

Winners of IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award Announced

2010 Marks Twentieth Anniversary

March 23, Bologna, Italy...The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) today announced the winners of the 2010 IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Awards. This is the 20^th Anniversary of the award given by IBBY and the Asahi Shimbun newspaper company for international projects run by groups or institutions judged to be making a lasting contribution to reading for young people. The Award is given every other year to two organizations. The 2010 winners are The Osu Children's Library Fund, Ghana, http://www.osuchildrenslibraryfun d.ca, and Convenio de Cooperacion al Plan de Lectura, Medellin, Colombia, http://bit.ly/9kSlvg.

Each will receive $10,000 US, which will be presented at the 32^nd IBBY Congress in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, at a special event on September 10th. The Osu Children's Library Fund (OCLF) consists of two teams one in Canada and the other in Africa--that share the mission of bringing books and literacy skills to African children and adults. OCLF works at the grassroots level, seeking support and participation of elders and members of the host community.

Convenio de Cooperacion al Plan de Lectura is a non-profit organization that encourages reading and literary creation by means of awareness, training and research programs, including workshops, storytelling and sessions with authors and illustrators. 

Other nominees were:

• Alola Literacy & Reading Programme, Dili, Timor-Leste
• Indigenous Children's Literature Writers' Meeting, Brazil
• Visible Readings for Invisible Children, Medell~n, Colombia
• Room to Read, USA
• Kamishibai - To build a culture of peace in the world, Japan
• Justita Arenas Reading Room, Mexico City, Mexico
• Mama, Tata & ...Myself Campaign, Nowa Iwiczna, Poland
• Roma People, invited to the library, Metlika, Slovenia
• White Elephant / Domrei Sor, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Akili Trust, Kenya

Members of the 2010 jury are Jury President Hannelore Daubert (Germany), Anastasia Arkhipova (Russia), Nikki Gamble (Great Britain), Jehan Helou (Palestine), Ahmad Redza Khairuddin (Malaysia) and James Tumusiime (Uganda).

The International Board on Books for Young People, www.ibby.org, is a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world committed to bringing books and children together.

A review for Youth Art Month

March is Youth Art Month, and in honor of this I am reviewing a number of titles about art, artists, and art history. Today I have a review of a book that quite frankly blew me away. This is one of those picture books that will resonate with adults as well as children. I recently started drawing with pen and ink and am now adding color to my pictures, so I found this book particularly pertinent to my art journey.

I am an artist

Pat Lowery Collins

Illustrated by Robin Brickman

Picture Book

Ages 6 and up

Lerner, 1992, 978-1-56294-729-3

    Some people think that an artist is simply someone who can paint, or draw, or sculpt; that an artist is someone who creates. This is true of course, but an artist is also someone who sees the little things that many of us miss. An artist sees the big picture when the rest of us are too busy to notice what is going on around us. An artist is someone who can imagine and think outside the box.

   In this gorgeous and thought provoking book the author’s simple lyrical words and the illustrator’s beautiful illustrations combine to show readers of all ages that being an artist is about observing, exploring, using your imagination, and letting yourself enjoy each moment to the fullest. In a world where so much emphasis is placed on finishing a project, this book embraces the whole art making experience, highlighting the fact that being an artist is not just about the doing, but it is also about experiencing the doing.

Please consider purchasing this book through this blog to help support our work. You can do this by using the Amazon box to the left of this post.

Free digital children's books from Barefoot Books

Bestselling Children’s Book Makes Digital Debut

Free Animated Video of The Animal Boogie Available at www.barefootbooks.com

Starting today, children and families can sing along with creatures of the Indian jungle in a free animated video of The Animal Boogie.  One of Barefoot Books’ bestselling books, with more than a million copies sold, The Animal Boogie introduces children to the creatures of the Indian jungle with an adaptation of a popular playground song. The book has garnered many awards and has received praise for the inclusive way in which it speaks to children with disabilities.

The Animal Boogie, illustrated by Debbie Harter, whose endearing pictures also appear in the popular Barefoot Books Bear series, was first published by Barefoot Books in 2000. It has become a classroom favorite, used by teachers across the world to bring early learning to life through music and movement. The book has been a particular hit in south-east Asia, where it is widely used to teach children English. 

“We are excited to give children the chance to watch the characters in The Animal Boogiebrought to life in a new way. Everyone who hears the song can’t help but get up and dance; with the video, we’d like to get even more families on their feet,” said Barefoot Books Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, Tessa Strickland.

The Animal Boogie is the second in a series of digital videos created by Barefoot Books. The first, Driving My Tractor, (http://www.barefootbooks.com/driving_my_tractor_video), sung by award-winning children’s performer Steve Songs, was launched in Autumn 2009 to wide acclaim. More popular Barefoot Books stories will be available in digital video format in the coming months.