Books Illustrated E-News

New Year Greetings!

As many others over the holiday break, we relished the opportunity to dip into the pile of books we’d not been able to get to. One we’d like to share in particular is A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader edited by Maria Popova & Claudia Bedrick (published by Enchanted Lion Books) Available for purchase.
We feel this book is a great inspiration for the start of a New Year by celebrating the value of reading to our lives, and we wish you all a great year fill ed with inspirational stories!

In these pages, some of today’s most wonderful culture-makers—writers, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and philosophers—reflect on the joys of reading, how books broaden and deepen human experience, and the ways in which the written word has formed their own character.
Among the diverse contributions are letters from Jane Goodall, Neil Gaiman, Jerome Bruner, Shonda Rhimes, Ursula K. Le Guin, Yo-Yo Ma, Judy Blume, Lena Dunham, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jacqueline Woodson, and Lena Dunham, a ninety-eight-year-old Holocaust survivor.

On the page facing each letter, an illustration by a celebrated illustrator or graphic artist presents that artist's visual response. Some of the illustrators, cartoonists, and graphic designers are Marianne Dubuc, Oliver Jeffers, Maira Kalman, Mo Willems, Isabelle Arsenault, Chris Ware, Liniers, Tomi Ungerer, Art Spiegelman and our own Shaun Tan and Elise Hurst.

Shaun Tan's painting below illustrates a poem by Tom de Blasis is on p. 237

Elise Hurst's artwork on page 224, is in response to a letter by Dawn Landes.

This expansive collection of love letters to books, libraries, and reading, from a wonderfully eclectic array of thinkers and creators took over 8 years to compile. Because this project was born of a deep concern for the future of books and a love of literature as a pillar of democratic society, 100% of proceeds from the book go to the New York public library system, 'in gratitude for their noble work in stewarding literature and democratizing access to the written record of human experience'
To find out more about this book go toMaria Popova's Brain Pickings - https://www.brainpickings.org/2018/11/20/a-velocity-of-being-letters-to-a-young-reader/

Limited edition print by Shaun Tan for sale in support of IBBY

On reading A Velocity of Being and seeing Shaun Tan's image on page 237, we couldn't help see a similarity with Reading Furnace, the painting he created specially for IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) as a fundraiser. IBBY is an international organisation with sections in more than seventy countries. IBBY works to maintain the highest standards of writing and illustrating for children and young people, and also to ensure access and equity in bringing books to the neediest children.

This image is available from Books Illustrated as a limited edition giclee print. 100% of the sale price of $150 goes directly to support of the work of the Australian chapter of IBBY.

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Catch us at The Melbourne Book Market !

This year we will be with the Melbourne Book Market regularly at two venues -
Abbotsford Convent on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of every month
and at The Queen Victoria Market on Sundays

Our Market days in January are
• Abbotstsford Convent 10am to 5pm - Saturday January 19.
• Queen Victoria Market - 10am to 4pm - Sunday January 20 & 27

Ann James will be our featured author/illustrator at these markets in January.

We'll advise you of our guest illustrators & authors at these events via our
montly Enews and you can also check on the venues websites for updates.

The Treehouse phenomenon continues ...

Jason Steger reported on the best selling authors (across genres and ages) for 2018 in The Age on January 8:

Australian readers stuck to their favourites last year, with Scott Pape and Andy Griffiths finishing in the top spots in the annual bestseller lists for the second year running according to data from Nielsen BookScan.

We are delighted to promote and support the creative phenomenon of the Treehouse series of books created for children by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton.
• A new stage production based on the 91-Storey Treehouse book, written by Richard Tulloch and performed by CDP Production company, is currently touring the country.
• One of our touring exhibitions The Many Story Treehouse Exhibition has been shown at many venues around Australia and is available for hire this year.
• We promote and sell a range of original illustrations & prints by Terry Denton, from a range of his titles and including all the Treehouse cover illustrations.

Illustration inspiration

Look out for our next Behind the Studio Door coming next week.
It features Patricia Mullins renowned author and illustrator (now also esteemed winemaker and rocking-horse museum owner) who lives and works in a beautiful part of country Victoria ... a feast for all the senses ... very well worth a visit!

Other News & Events ... and Opportunities

Opportunity for Australian creative talents!

The Creative Expo Taiwan, organised by Taiwan Design Center (TDC), will be held in Taipei on 24 - 28 April 2019. TDC is seeking Australian creative talents for the “Talent 100” project. TDC will conduct a selection process to feature 100 young talents under 35 years of age with creative/innovative flair locally and internationally in the fields of characters, illustrations, comics and digital multimedia creation.

TDC will offer the following benefits to the selected talent(s):
1. One standard booth, occupying 4.5sqr. m. in total
2. 6 nights of accommodation at a designated hotel in Taipei

This is the fourth year in a row that our Austrade office collaborates with TDC to support Australian creative talents visiting Taiwan to build market presence and explore partnerships.
Previous Australian exhibitors included two game developers: Hacknet, League of Geeks, and three illustrators: Marc Martin, Huang Lin and Carol Tong.

Any interested Australian talents could express interest by registering:
https://creativexpo.tw/en/news_page.php?category=1&id=4489

The Australian Children's Laureate Summit
with current laureate Morris Gleitzman and previous laureates Leigh Hobbs,
Jackie French, Boori Monty Pryor and Alison Lester

Don't miss the chance to be part of this special initiative to advance the
national focus on the importance of story and reading in children's lives
and in influencing the future of our country.

Registrations open at 9am
Finishes at 5-6pm with networking drinks
On Thursday 28 February 2019 at 9:00am
LOCATION
Sibyl Centre, The Women's College, University of Sydney
15 Carillon Avenue, Newtown, NSW 2042

  Details of program here
  Booking here

CBCA 2019 Conference – And Now They’re Laughing
Canberra, 31st May – 2nd June 2019
Early Bird Registrations for this Conference close February 28
Members save over $160!
Click here to enjoy Early Bird registration deals.

CALL FOR ENTRIES - THE 2019 TEXT PRIZE!
Opens on 7^th January, 2019 and closes on Friday 8 February, 2019.
Entry fee $25.00 - Prize Publishing Contract with A$10,000 advance.
Winner will be announced in May 2019. Click here for more info on how to enter!“

For Australian Society of Authors members
Literary Speed Dating Bookings Open
A room full of publishers and agents and three minutes to pitch your work.
Bookings for the ASA's ever-popular Literary Speed Dating are open for Melbourne,15 June 2019 and Sydney ,12 July 2019.
Book your place here (members only).

Writing for Children and young Adults course with Martine Murray
and special guest Sally Rippin - 27 February - 5 June 2019

Allen & Unwin - Melbourne, Albert Street East Melbourne.
A three-month course for people who wish to write for children and young adults
There are only ten places available on this course.
Book soon to avoid disappointment.

Congratulations to the creators and publishers recognised in these Awards

John Marsden was announced as the winner of the 2018 Dromkeen Medal at the State Library of Victoria in December, 2018.
John Marsden is one of Australia’s most respected authors and advocates for children’s literature. In a writing career spanning 27 years and more than 40 books, John has influenced and inspired generations of children with his ground-breaking, best-selling books.

The Dromkeen Medal, initiated in 1982, is bestowed annually to an Australian resident for outstanding achievement in the creation of Australian children's and young adult literature.

THE 2019 INDIE BOOK AWARDS SHORTLIST just Announced
Celebrating the best Australian writing
In the Children's section: All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell & Allison Colpoys (Illus) (Scribe Publications); Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee (Allen & Unwin); Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan (Allen & Unwin) and Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Hachette Australia)

Announced and presented on January 17, the 2019 legends
Mem Fox AM, Morris Gleitzman, Leigh Hobbs, Alison Lester and Shaun Tan
Each has their portrait featured on new postage stamps which forms part of the
2019 Australian Legends of Children’s Literature stamp issue.

Australia Post Executive General Manager Community & Consumer,
Nicole Sheffield, said these outstanding individuals have been recognised
for their part in shaping the social and cultural life of Australia.
Read more and download stamp images here.

Morris Gleitzman

Mem Fox

Leigh Hobbs

Alison Lester

Shaun Tan

January with the Australian Children's Laureate

From Morris Gleitzman ...

Happy New Year, laureate friends, supporters, toilers, observers, encouragers and enablers. Hope you had a good break.

I used mine to look back over my first laureate year, which left me feeling grateful it's a two-year gig. Last year I was able to cover a lot of territory and share a lot of ideas, thanks to everyone above, but there's heaps more to do and I'm very glad I've got another twelve months to spread the word even more widely ... read more .

Visit the Laureate website for reading suggestions and ideas.