The Places You Will Go

Warped!

By DAPHNE LEE

From Tots to Teens 29th May 2011

I WANTED to review Warp Speed (Scholastic Press, 311 pages, ISBN: 978-0545122764) by Lisa Yee for three reasons: Firstly, the main character, Marley Sandelski, is a Star Trek fan (as am I); secondly, I thought my son would enjoy reading the book too as he is a Trekker as well; and finally, because it is set in Rancho Rosetta, the same town in which Yee’s books Millicent Min, Girl Genius, Standford Wong Flunks Big-Time and So Totally Emily Ebers are set (I love those books). In fact, Marley first appears in Standford Wong and Yee decided to give him his own book when, during a school visit, a reader asked her about the character.

Off to the Asian Festival of Children's Content

In about an hour I'll be boarding a plane for Singapore where I'll be attending The Asian Festival of Children's Content (26th-28th May)

I'll be going for the official opening tomorrow morning, but when I arrive in Singapore later this afternoon, I'll be taking a taxi straight to the festival venue (the beautiful Arts House, Singapore's old parliament house) to attend a panel discussion on ways of building a nation of readers.

Among the panelists are Tarie Sabido, from the Philippines, and Corrine Robson, from the States. Both are passionate literacy advocates and dedicated promoters of reading and children's literature.

I met Tarie at last Year's AFCC and have got to know Corrine quite well online.

I'm so looking forward to seeing them both later and over the next few days.

R.I.P: Margaret Lim, 23rd June 1947 – 8th May 2011

23 June 1947 - 8 May 2011

On May 8, 2011, Margaret Lim has passed away peacefully in the arms of her loving husband and children. She had lost the fight against cancer and ended her journey on earth, leaving behind lovely memories in our hearts.

Margaret’s work of passion will live on at this blog and, soon, some of her unpublished work will be posted, as well.

We would like to share the following dedication by Margaret’s sister Aileen:

“Maggie passed away on Sunday, 8 May 2011, in Germany.  It is a very significant day that is so representative of her life.  God could not have granted her a better gift as it was Mother’s Day, and as a creative writer, she would have appreciated the symbol very much.  She also only left towards the end of the day, a mother to the last.

Looking back, I realise that she had that special touch of a mother in the way she played her roles in life: as a friend or as a family member – aunt, cousin, niece, sister, wife, and of course mother.  

She was always generous, considerate and well-intentioned.  She was full of mirth, amidst her seriousness.  She never spoke ill of anyone.  When an appropriate occasion arose, she always spoke proudly of her immediate family – Wolfhart, SuJen, Einhard, Ken.

I  am certain that where she is now, she is shining among the angels, and is so very happy.  And why not?  In her relatively short life, she has done a lot, achieved a lot, and in no small way as a children’s writer.  In this world of children, she was always in touch with God.  

Although she and I were supposed to make several small journeys together, and she was supposed to travel to see her relatives and friends, she has gone on a greater Journey, after fulfilling her life’s purpose.  

If we celebrate the fulfilled life of this wonderful soul, and be happy with her, our hearts will be healed.  And we will remember her in our thoughts as if she has not left us.

Like her paternal grandmother and father who went before, whom she deeply loved, and to whom she dedicated two of her books, she was full of a Mother’s Love.”

- Aileen Lim

via margaretlim.wordpress.com

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BBC News - 'Lost' Enid Blyton book unearthed

Entertainment & Arts

22 February 2011  

'Lost' Enid Blyton book unearthed

By Ian Youngs Arts reporter, BBC News

• The Mr Tumpy mystery - what is the book like, and why was it never published?

An unpublished and previously unknown Enid Blyton novel is believed to have turned up in an archive of the late children's author's work.

Mr Tumpy's Caravan is a 180-page fantasy story about a magical caravan.

It was in a collection of manuscripts that was auctioned by the family of Blyton's eldest daughter in September.

"I think it's unique," said Tony Summerfield, head of the Enid Blyton Society. "I don't know of any full-length unpublished Blyton work."

The collection was bought by the Seven Stories children's book centre in Newcastle.

Blyton, who died in 1968, remains a children's favourite and a publishing phenomenon thanks to such characters as the Famous Five, the Secret Seven and Noddy.

An estimated 500 million copies of her books have been sold around the world, with updated and reprinted versions of her most popular stories still selling eight million copies a year.

American Library Association announces youth media award winners | American Libraries Magazine

via americanlibrariesmagazine.org

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Mon, 01/10/2011 - 11:45

SAN DIEGO - The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, video and audiobooks for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting in San Diego.

R.I.P: Babe creator Dick King-Smith dies aged 88 | Books | guardian.co.uk

Children's author Dick King-Smith, whose much-loved tale The Sheep-Pig was adapted into the hit film Babe, has died at the age of 88, at home in his sleep.

After fighting in Italy with the Grenadier Guards in the second world war, King-Smith was a farmer for 20 years before turning to teaching and came to writing late in life. His first book, The Fox Busters, was published in 1978 when he was in his 50s. He went on to write more than 100 books, most of which drew on his knowledge of farms and animals because "I like them, I've always kept a lot of pets, and because it's fun putting words in their mouths". King-Smith called this genre of speaking-animal stories "farmyard fantasy" and often wrote about pigs, his favourite animals. One of his early popular books, Saddlebottom, featured a porcine hero, much scorned for the unusual white saddle-shaped patch on his bottom, who runs away on adventures with a cat.

Debut writer wins Costa award - Herald Scotland | News | Home News

Debut writer wins Costa award

Phil Miller, Arts Correspondent

 5 Jan 2011

 

Jason Wallace, 41, a web designer, has won the Costa Children’s Book Award for Out Of Shadows, set in newly-independent Zimbabwe under Robert  Mugabe.

By winning the category, he receives a cheque for £5000, but also a chance to win the overall Costa Book of the Year prize, worth £30,000, which will be announced on January 25.

The judges declared Wallace’s book to be an “extraordinary debut novel” and “unanimous winner”, saying: “This compelling portrayal of a nation in crisis gripped us from start to finish and has stayed with us since.”

The 10 best illustrated children’s books | Culture | The Observer

View the other books here.

via guardian.co.uk

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Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama – review | World news | The Observer

'Have I told you that you are a healer?': the Sitting Bull spread from Barack Obama's picture book, Of Thee I Sing, illustrated by Loren Long.

When I was asked to review this book, I must admit to a slight feeling of dread. I'm a great admirer of Barack Obama, both for what he has achieved and what he's trying to achieve. But part of me was thinking: Oh, no, not another "celebrity" children's book, another example of a famous person thinking it's easy to write a kid's book – and even easier to write the text of a picture book.I needn't have worried.

Although the poetic language is perhaps trying a little too hard and the text is sometimes too heavy with message, it's a worthwhile book that stands up in its own right.

Louise Rennison has last laugh by winning Roald Dahl funny prize | Books | guardian.co.uk

Luck of the Irishy ... Louise Rennison has won the Roald Dahl funny prize for children aged seven to 14 for her book Withering Tights. Photograph: Linda Nylind

Louise Rennison's tale of a gawky teenager called Tallulah has taken this year's Roald Dahl funny prize. The Queen of Teen author beat Mr Stink by TV star David Walliams and Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl's own celebrated illustrator, to the title.

The prize was set up two years ago by the author Michael Rosen as part of his children's laureateship, and seeks to celebrate the books that make children laugh. As well as the seven-to-14 prize, it also recognises books in a six-and-under category, this year won by Louise Yates with the picturebook Dog Loves Books, about a dog who loves books so much he opens a bookshop. Yates, who said that she was inspired to become an illustrator by Quentin Blake, also beat her hero, who was in the running in the younger category with Angelica Sprocket's Pockets.