Books Illustrated E-News

For the last two years we've enjoyed having our showroom at 74 Mills St, Albert Park. However, this month we are on the move to South Melbourne, not too far away ... more news on that later.

Unfortunately, some of our regular visitors to Mills St have been less than helpful in our move, but our thanks to many who have - in particular Anne Ryan and then, unexpectedly, the 4 - Storey Box Strongman!

In the meantime it's business as usual via our website and you can catch us next at the Melbourne Book Market at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne on Saturday July 14. Check out the interesting events at the Convent and plan a visit!
We'll be featuring a range of Indigenous picture books to celebrate NAIDOC Week which runs from July 8 to 15 - more details in the July Events & Awards section of this ENews.

A new book, important to share, is Nganga: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Words and Phrases by Sue Lawson and Aunty Fay Muir and publsihed by Walker Books. Available for sale here.

Nganga (ng gar na) means to see and understand. Aunty, Uncle, sorry business, deadly, women’s business, marngrook, dreamtime, Elders, songlines are words that have become part of our everyday vocabulary, but we may not know their true meaning or where the words come from. In Nganga, Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson have brought together these words, their meanings and their history. Readers can engage with the rich and unique culture of Aboriginal Australians through this authoritative and concise collection.
'When I read through Nganga I feel proud. It explains Aboriginal language and culture in plain English. It will assist people from all walks of life and of all ages to understand the rich cultural history of the oldest continuous culture in the world.' Uncle Jim Berg, Gunditjmara Elder and original founder of the Koorie Heritage Trust.
With strong links to the national curriculum, this is an essential book for schools.

Buy Now

New Prints & Books

This month we are also celebrating the launch of the next book in the Treehouse series
with the release of a magnificent limited edition print of the cover image from
The 104-Storey Treehouse.

Each print is personally signed and numbered by Terry Denton.

Edition: 100, Print size: 590(w) x 420(h), Sale price: $285
These are now available for sale here

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And for the football season, a new hardback picture book has been released,
Tiger's Roar.
Reported by Bookseller & Publisher it was last week’s highest new entry, climbing to sixth spot in this week’s overall bestsellers.The book is a celebration of self-belief, perseverance and teamwork by 2017 Premiership player Alex Rance teamed with brilliantly matched children`s book illustrator, Shane McGowan
available now $19.99.

Books Illustrated touring exhibitions

Currently being hosted at venues around Australia -

The Many Story Treehouse Exhibition
Tamworth Regional Gallery in NSW - July 27 to September 9
This exhibition celebrates Terry Denton's input into,
and illustrations for, the phenomenal Treehouse series.
Details of exhibition including hire fee here.

Hello! from Australia: Indigenous Australian Children’s Books and illustration
A print exhibition
Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre
Melbourne, Victoria.
July 1 to August 6.
20 picture book illustration prints including two large illustrations on canvas, one from Steve goes to Carnival by Joshua Button and Robyn Wells and the other by Lisa Kennedy Welcome to Country, give an overview of contemporary publishing of Indigenous books in Australia, including information on two of Australia's leading Indigenous publishers, Magabala Books and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
Details of exhibition including hire fee here

Illustration Inspiration

For those seeking inspiration to realise their picture book idea ...
The ASA (Australian Society of Authors) presents in Melbourne
A Masterclass: Creating Picture Books
Presenters: Erica Wagner and Craig Smith
Date: Saturday August 25

Open to writers and illustrators with active picture book concepts or projects
they wish to workshop at the course.

Maximum 12 participants

Further information and booking here

And for those seeking inspiration from one of the world's formost children's book illustrators ...QUENTIN BLAKE!

Christie's in London presents
Quentin Blake: A Retrospective & Auction
This will be the biggest ever sale of Blake’s work, and the only sale to feature a large number of illustrations spanning the breadth of his 40-year career. Over 170 pieces from Blake’s personal collection will be on sale and the proceeds will be generously donated to House of Illustration, Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity and Survival International.

Further details here

Other July events and awards

104-Storey Treehouse BOOK LAUNCH!!
Tuesday July 10 at 4:30pm
Melbourne Town Hall, 90-130 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Readings Bookshop are delighted to invite everyone along to another
utterly madcap book launch with Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.

The 104-Storey Treehouse is the brand-new, brilliantly wacky treehouse adventure.
Please book here.

More launches will be around Australia in July including -
Victoria:
• The Capital Theatre in Bendigo on Wednesday July 11
• The Lighthouse Theatre in Warrnambool on Saturday July 28
Nationally:
• Bald Hills in Old
• Bull Creek in WA
And even to three venues in NZ!

This is the theme of NAIDOC Week, 2018. Organised by the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, this week is a celebration of the contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have made – and continue to make – to our communities, our families and to the world.
There are activities in Melbourne and all around Australia - more information here

The Copyright Agency's Reading Australia project continually provides great resources aimed at promoting Australian creators - in recent years with a particular focus on Indigenous creators and books.
In 2017, they partnered with Australia's foremost Indigenous publisher, Magabala Books, to fuller promote Indigenous writers & illustrators publishing 15 resources aimed at primary students to encourage teachers to choose books by some of our most talented Indigenous writers and illustrators for their classroom. In 2018 they have continued this partnership through commissioning a further eight resources for Magabala titles, this time aimed at secondary teachers. These resources will be published throughout the year. Also now launched is an Indigenous themed colouring competition for Primary School students. More can be found here.

Further great resources of Indigenous stories can be found at Story Box Library, who recently have been successful in receiving funding from the Australia Council for their project Story Box Library presents Indigenous Storytime. This project will result in 20 more Indigenous picture books being added to the Story Box Library by mid 2019.

Some brilliant Indigenous stories in the Story Box Library include Shake a Leg, read and written by the master storyteller Boori Monty Pryor, and illustrated by Jan Ormerod.

UK CILIP (The Library & Information Association Awards) announced

• The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, established in 1955, is awarded annually for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people. Canadian illustrator Sydney Smith has won this year's honour for Town is By the Sea, a picture book about a boy growing up in a coal-mining town in the 1950s.

• The Amnesty CILIP Honour, established in 2016, is a special commendation jointly awarded by CILIP and Amnesty to one book from each Medal shortlist, which best illuminates our human rights. UK illustrator, Levi Penfold, now livng in Queensland in Australia, won this year's award for The Song from Somewhere Else, written by AF Harrold and published by Bloomsbury.

July with the Australian Children's Laureate

Visit the Laureate website
Read Morris Gleitzman's introduction to this theme as well as lots of genuinely smart reading suggestions and ideas.

You'll also find more details of the Laureate's program including his participation
in two Festivals of Ideas in July, one in Adelaide & another in Perth ...
Well worth getting to, judging by panel sessions topics like this one below:

Stories remain fundamental to how we develop as a society. Stories shape how we learn, how we educate and connect with others. This panel considers how storytelling has evolved over the centuries, along with new ways to connect with people. Has the expanse of technology diluted the art of storytelling or has it rather expanded the audience for stories of importance?