October is Children's Book Festival Time!

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Yes, October is Children's Book Festival time all over Ireland. Those good people at CBI have planned an even bigger and better programme of events all over the country! And this year's events will have a real international flavour added to our own homegrown talent, with authors Tony DiTerlizzi (Spiderwick Chronicles and the latest Search for Wondla), Frank Cottrell Boyce (Millions, The Unforgotten Coat and the upcoming Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again), Andy Briggs (the new Tarzan series) and William Hussey (the Witchfinder series) bringing their experiences to events countrywide! So, Children's Books Ireland (and me!) invite and encourage you to join in and start now... whatever your taste, EAT BOOKS!
The Children's Book Festival catalogue will be available from bookshops and libraries shortly, with the list of events and loads of reviews and recommendations (including a few from yours truly)!

http://www.childrensbooksireland.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=328&Itemid=191

Another thing I should mention in regards to the Children's Book Festival is very important, so rather than get it wrong, I'm just going to quote from the CBI site....
"During this year’s festival, CBI will be asking children, parents, teachers, bookseller and librarians to nominate an Irish author or illustrator who they think deserves the title of Ireland’s second Laureate na nÓg. After two years as Laureate, May 2012 will see Siobhán Parkinson hand the title over to her successor. The unique honour will be awarded to an established and dynamic children’s writer or illustrator with an internationally recognized body of work for children."
While we'll all be sad to see Siobhan go, we'll also be equally excited to see who gets to step up and take the reins. I don't envy them. Siobhan Parkinson is a very hard act to follow! Never the less, it's time to put your thinking caps on.
 Details are available from: http://www.childrenslaureate.ie/

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