Books Illustrated E-News

New Years greetings!

We trust that the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Red Rooster, soon to start on January 28, will bring you good fortune and that other special celebrations you might participate in during the year, will be bring you happiness.

Books Illustrated Showroom
This Bird & Bear decal was recently installed on the front window of our showroom at 74 Mills Street in Albert Park, Victoria. So we, Bird, Bear and Dot and Patrick our resident dogs, welcome you to visit. We are open by appointment, as some days we need to be out with exhibitions. So, although we are working at the showroom much of the time, it's best to check if you are making a special visit. We look forward to seeing many of you during 2017!

- Federation Square Book Market - Saturday January 21 - 11am - 5pm

Ann James will be guest illustrator demonstrating at our stand between 12noon and 5pm. She's working on a new picture book and her drawing will be projected live on the big screen so you'll have a sneek preview of A Very Quacky Christmas (by Frances Watts) a year early!

Books & prints by Ann James will be available and books can be personally signed.

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Books Illustrated touring exhibitions

Exhibition: Meaningful Metaphors – Shaun Tan
Dates: 07/01/17 - 14/03/17
Venue: Waverley Library Galleries, Bondi Junction, NSW

This is an exhibition of limited edition prints of illustrations chosen from Shaun Tan’s best-known picture books including The Arrival, The Red Tree, The Lost Thing and The Singing Bones. It celebrates his unique approach to storytelling through this selection of brilliant images, as varied and fascinating as their narratives.
An essay by Shaun Tan

Original illustrations from the phenomenal Treehouse series

Books Illustrated is exclusively offering the original drawings by Terry Denton for The 26-Story Treehouse for sale. The line drawings have been handcoloured by Terry for publication in The 26-Storey Treehouse Trivia Quiz Card Game, published by Macmillan.
You can see the illustrations available on our website or drop into the showroom and look at them 'in the flesh'! Copies of each title in the series, signed by Terry are also available
Size: 150mm(w) x 250mm(t)
Price: $350 each, unframed

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Illustration Inspiration
Often books are the best gifts and hopefully we take time in the summer holidays to have a solid read!.
Here's a book that landed under our Christmas tree that we've found quite inspiring - It flew in all the way from Illustration House in London where there is currently an exhibition of Ardizzone's work. Just look at these endpapers!.

Edward Ardizzone Artist and Illustrator, by Alan Powers, published by Lund Humphries (printed in Slovenia!!), 2016.

Other January events, awards and news

Launch for Words and Windows exhibition
Saturday January 21, 2pm to 4pm
Eltham Library Community Gallery

To be launched by Leigh Hobbs current Australian Children's Laureate.
The exhibition of illustrations, in a range of mediums, from books written by Victorian author Corinne Fenton, including Little Dog and the Christmas Wish illustrated by Robin Cowcher, published by Walker Books continues till February 13.

Meet Rachel Tonkin and see her retrospective exhibition: In Fine Focus
Sunday January 29, from 12 noon
Dromkeen Homestead, Riddells Creek, Vic

The Victorian branch of the Children's Book Council of Australia has organised this special event for members and the general public to meet artist Rachel Tonkin and view the In Fine Focus retrospective exhibition of her extraordinary career as an artist, author and illustrator. Gates to the homestead will be open at 12noon.

Bring a picnic lunch and wander in the gardens to collect your leaf litter in the bags provided.

At 2.30 pm Dromkeen director Bernadette Joiner will talk about the new program and events at Dromkeen. Ann Haddon & Ann James, curators of In Fine Focus, will introduce the exhibition and a presentation will be made by the CBCA to acknowledge Rachel Tonkin's contribution to Australian Children's Literature . Rachel will be pleased to meet guests and sign books.
RSVP to Dromkeen bernadette@dromkeen.com.au

More information on the Fine Focus exhibiton can be found in the most recent edition of Magpies Magazine.

2017 Indie Awards Shortlist announced !

The Indie Book Awards are national awards by the independent Booksellers of Australia.The awards aim celebrate to the enormous depth and range of literary talent in this nation and is based on books voted by the independent booksellers as the best selling titles during the previous year. The winners will be announced on March 20th, 2017.
Congratulations to the creators of these shorlisted children's books -The 78 Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths  & Terry Denton, Macmillan; Pig the Winner by Aaron Blabey , Scholastic Australia; Wormwood Mire by Judith Rossell, ABC Books and Circle by Jeannie Baker, Walker Books.

Vale Babette Cole

Babette Cole, well loved Children's book author and illustrator from the UK, has died.
Babette created over 70 childrens' books including the best-seller Doctor Dog (adapted as a successful childrens' cartoon series), The Smelly Book, Mummy laid an Egg (which sold 2,500,000 in 72 different languages) and Princess Smarty Pants (it's 30th birthday being celebrated on August 5, 2016).
So many of us - generations in fact - have been seriously affected by the hilarious stories and outrageous characters in her provoking picture books.
Babette was a wonderfully colourfull character! We had the privilage of meeting her on several occasions both in Australia when she was on tour, and then overseas at the Children's Book Fair in Bologna, Italy.

This spontaneous tribute was emailed to us by an ex teacher-Librarian, long time children's literature enthusiast and friend of Books Illustrated...
'It's very shocking that Babette Cole has died and there won't be any more funny books about delicate subjects. Could it be that she sat on Patrick's floral armchair when I met her at Books Illustrated at GasworksPark? I remember that she looked like an English Rose with her hair up in a knot and feet not touching the floor. Dr Dog is my favourite and a boon for medical reference...'

Thank you Joan Amiet

Among others, here is an insightful tribute by Julia Ecccleshare from the Guardian, UK.

Photos from Bologna Children's Book Fair :
Top: Babette & Alison Lester talking horses
Bottom: Babette & Isobelle Carmody - embrace in red and black