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CAPE TOWN BOOK FAIR

Visit the official website at www.capetownbookfair.com for full details – and put your name on their mailing list for future details. Note that The Friday morning is for “trade” only. The public are welcome from 2 pm on the 15^th, and from 9 am on Saturday and Sunday.

FRANSCHOEK LITERARY FESTIVAL 2012

The preliminary Book Week for Young Readers will see authors visiting schools in the area, as a warm-up to the Festival itself during May 11, 12 and 13. Full details of all events, speakers, etc at www.flf.co.za If you haven’t booked your seats yet then do so fast!

HOOKED ON BOOKS

My second book this year, Hooked on Books, is now available from Metz Press. It is full of practical suggestions (and recommended books) for parents and their children from babies to teenagers. An Afrikaans version, Dol oor Boeke, has been prepared with the assistance of Lona Gericke – and an e-version. (A first time for Metz Press) Copies can be ordered online via www.metzpress.co.za or from Blue Weaver at 021 7014477.

Those of you who subscribe to Bookbird, the quarterly magazine of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) will be as pleased as I was to receive two copies at once: that of January 2012 together with the special issue on the 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Nominees. Credit card holders can subscribe via: www.press.jhu.edu/journals

AWARDS

The Eleanor Farjeon Award is little known in South Africa (though I was nominated for it once!) and it brings recognition to those who promote children’s literature. The 2011 winner is The Federation of Children’s Book Groups in UK – to which Bookchat was once affiliated, long years ago! The Federation has brought books and children together for over 40 years.

The Red House Children’s Book Award 2012 winners are:

• for Younger Children:
  Chris Wormell for Scruffy Bear and the six white mice (Red Fox/Random House)

• for Young Readers:
  Liz Pichon for The Brilliant World of Tom Gates (Scholastic)

• for Older Readers and the OVERALL WINNER:
  Patrick Ness for A Monster Calls, illustrated by Jim Kay (Walker Books)

[Sadly, none of these has been received for review in Bookchat.]

CONGRATULATIONS

To the organisers of World Book Night who, on April 23, plan to give away one million books to one million people in USA, UK, Ireland and Germany. The idea is supported by such authors as Margaret Attwood, Dave Eggar and JK Rowling. All with the aim of bringing more people and books together.

To Carousel magazine, “The Guide to Children’s Books” in UK, on reaching its 50^th issue – which includes a double page of children’s books about the Olympics (which start in London on 27 July).

To Meet Shakespeare! by Jay Heale (Maskew Miller Longman) which is now in its 11^th impression, having sold nearly 14,000 copies.

To The Hunger Games (based on Suzanne Collins’ book) which is breaking records for cinema attendance. The first book of this trilogy is reviewed in Notable Overseas Books.