Fallen Star Stories

Big, big congratulations go out to this years' Newbery and Caldecott Award winners! First, for the Newbery Medal 2014! This goes to the one and only Kate DiCamillo for the outstanding book : Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures . Illustrated by K.G. Campbell, this award winner offers us the story of Flora, a young comic enthusiast and self-avowed cynic who saves a squirrel from a vacuum cleaner. The squirrel acquires super-powers from his trauma, and Flora learns the value of being a little less cynical. The John Newbery Medal is given annually for the "most outstanding contribution to children's literature". The Caldecott Medal 2014 has gone to Brian Floca for his amazing picture book, Locomotive . This book follows the adventures of a family and crew as they travel across America on it's new transcontinental railroad in 1869. The Randolph Caldecott Medal is given annually for the "most distinguished American picture book for children...

The Branford Boase Award longlist for 2014 has been announced. For those of you who aren't familiar with this award, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author and editor of an outstanding debut novel in children's fiction. Past winners have included such brilliant books a s How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (2005), A Swift Pure Cry (2007) by Siobhan Dowd,  Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge (2006...oh, how I love this book!) and last year's winner, the curious and wonderful A Boy, A Bear and a Boat by Dave Shelton. This years' longlist is comprised of an outstanding array of debut novels. Here's the complete list: • Sorrowline by Niel Bushnell, edited by Charlie Sheppard (Andersen Press) • The Child’s Elephant by Rachel Campbell-Johnston edited by Bella Pearson and Natalie Doherty (David Fickling Books) • Frost Hollow Hall by Emma Carroll, edited by Rebecca Lee (Faber) • Winter Damage by Natasha Carthew, edited by Rebec...

From the We Love Books Tour facebook page comes this exciting news! "We ‘♥’ Books is the biggest tour of its kind ever to take place in Ireland. Over the course of five days, an intrepid team of twelve authors will strike-out across the country to share their love of books and enthuse school audiences with a passion for reading. Produced by Tom Donegan and funded by the Arts Council, the tour will visit five regional venues, each hosting a unique line-up of best-s elling and award-winning Irish writers, comic artists and illustrators. These events will see participating authors celebrate their favourite books and explore how their own work has been influenced by these titles. There will also be the chance to take a closer look at what it takes to be a writer, the future of books and what it means to be a young reader in the digital age. Plus, there will be plenty of opportunity for those attending to ask their own questions and even learn how to draw like the pro...

Mystery Writers of American have just announced the nominees for the 2014 Edgar Allen Poe Awards. As per usual, this includes an an impressive list of mysteries for juvenile fiction and young adult fiction. In those categories the nominees are: BEST JUVENILE Strike Three, You're Dead by Josh Berk (Random House Children's Books – Alfred A. Knopf BFYR) Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking by Erin Dionne (Penguin Young Readers Group – Dial) P.K. Pinkerton and the Petrified Man by Caroline Lawrence (Penguin Young Readers Group – Putnam Juvenile) Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud (Disney Publishing Worldwide – Disney-Hyperion) One Came Home by Amy Timberlake (Random House Children's Books – Alfred A. Knopf BFYR) BEST YOUNG ADULT All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry (Penguin Young Readers Group – Viking Juvenile) Far Far Away by Tom McNeal (Random House Children's Books – Alfred A. Knopf BFYR) Criminal by Terra E...

More exciting news in the wqorld of children's literature.... IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Ireland has announced they are hosting International Children's Book Day 2014 on 2nd April! And here is the fabulous poster by the one and only Niamh Sharkey celebrating this (by the way... I WANT ONE!!! ): Keep checking back here... on on the IBBY website and/or IBBY Ireland facebook page for continuing information on the events that will be happening all over Ireland and the world! In the meantime, follow the link below for an important and heartfelt message from Siobhán Parkinson, author, editor (Little Island), translator, former Laureate na n'Óg and the strongest children's literature advocate I have had the pleasure of knowing. http://www.ibby.org/index.php?id=1354 http://www.ibby.org/index.php?id=home

I'm playing as small bit of catch-up here. The Powers by Kevin Stevens/illustrated by Sheena Dempsey has been named as Dublin's UNESCO Citywide Read 2014. What this means is, that as UNESCO's Dublin City of Literature, from January through March children all over the city will be reading The Powers and will have the opportunity to meet the author and illustrator in their local library. Published by the positively wondrous Little Island press, this is hugely exciting for everyone concerned. Little Island will be sending out storytellers to Dublin area schools to ring in the enthusiasm for this mad, zany and brilliant book. Illustrator Sheena Dempsey will hold leading workshops....Really makes me wish I was in Dublin! Have you checked out The Powers , yet? Just because you're not in Dublin doesn't mean you should be left out of the fun. http://www.readthepowers.com/ http://www.littleisland.ie/ Oh, and if you're wondering what the Dublin City of Literature...

And congratulations also go to Chris Riddell! His latest children's novel; Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse has just won the Costa Children's Award 2013. While the short list also included some very steep competition in: The Hanged Man Rises, by Sarah Naughton; A lex, the Dog and the Unopenable Door, by Ross Montgomery and Rose Under Fire , by Elizabeth Wei, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse emerged as the winner tonight.Well done!!!!! https://www.costa.co.uk/costa-book-awards/costa-book-awards/

Congratulations go to Kate DiCamillo! The author of such wonderful books as 'Because of Winn-Dixie' , 'The Tale of Despereaux' , 'The Tiger Rising' , The Magicians Elephant' and her latest.. .'Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures '... will be named National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (for the United States) on January 10th at a ceremony at the Library of Congress. DiCamillo will be the fourth children's ambassador named, following Walter Dean Myers, who served as such since 2012. The others so honoured were Katherine Paterson (2010-2012) and Jon Scieszka (2008-2010). This prestigious position is the equivalent of the Children's Laureate.The award is presented bi-annually to an author or illustrator who is a U.S. citizen and has made a substantial contribution to children's literature. I can't think of a better author to be so honoured. DiCamillo's books are exceptional and speak with strong clear ...

Believe it or not, it's time to submit nominations for Ireland's next Laureate na nÓg (CHildren's Laureate.) The next Laureate will be the third in line, following in the footsteps of Siobhan Parkinson and the incumbent, Niamh Sharkey. "Sarah Bannan, the Arts Council’s Head of Literature, says, ‘Laureate na nÓg is Ireland’s highest honour for a writer or illustrator of children’s books and was established by the Arts Council in order to celebrate the extraordinary talents of our writers and illustrators. Through this appointment and the Arts Council’s wider strategy for children’s literature, we are working to broaden and enrich young people’s imaginative worlds and to highlight the importance of Irish children’s literature, writers and illustrators in our society.’" And as we prepare to select our third Laureate nanÓg, people of all ages, all over Ireland have the opportunity for the first time to help decide which Irish author or illustrator will be t...

Before time runs away with me all together, I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a very Happy New Year. It's a moment of quiet right now, but before long so many things will start happening in the world of children's literature that it will be difficult to make you aware of all of them. I will do my best to keep you informed. I will be making a few changes here. First of all, I will not be reviewing ebooks. This is nothing more than a personal decision on my part. Simply put, while I love literature of all kinds, and as long as children are reading, I don't really think it matters what the format is (well, it does, but it doesn't). However, I prefer actual, physical books and think they have much more to offer. I will also bring back the 'Young Readers Recommend' page. I still believe that, for all the passion, energy and education we adults have about children's books, if you want to know about a good book for children, ask a child. To close this Ne...