Award winning Australian children’s author Chris Cheng is a passionate literacy advocate and besides writing full-time and being Co-Regional Advisor for SCBWI Australia/New Zealand, he has an extensive schedule of  speaking engagements at schools and literacy festivals. Chris recently returned from the Philippines and shares with us his experiences at the First Manila International Literary Festival:

Last month the National Book Development Board of the Philippines held the First Manila International Literary Festival and I was thrilled to be the only Australian (and one of five international speakers, including Vikas Swarup author of the book Q&A on which the movie Slumdog Millionaire was based) at the festival. The three day festival was titled LOL, Lit Out Loud. There were also many Filipino speakers that included some wonderful poets, columnists and authors.

The Filipinos have a glorious love of poetry and throughout the festival there were breakout panels expressing and discussing the love of poetry – there were also wonderful recitations of poetry on the opening day (many in the Filipino language so even though I couldn’t understand what was being said listing to the sounds being spoken for me was a joy) which begs me to request that we should have more opportunities at festivals and events and in our daily lives for ‘hearing’ poetry being recited.

I was engaged to speak on children’s literature in Australia and abroad, to talk about the changing children’s market and also to talk about my own writing experience and the writing of identity. As I have written a number of very popular children’s titles on the Chinese diaspora; New Gold Mountain, the Melting Pot, and Seams of Gold,  this was right up my alley. Talking about identity was extremely powerful for in the Philippines many of the available titles are imported. A very, very small publishing industry exists – they are establishing an identity but it is small.

There were session on graphic novels, travel writing, experimental literature, story telling workshops, gender writing – even a cooking demonstration with book launch – and the food by Mita Kapur (the books is the F Word – we discussed that title and how it would work in Australia!!!)

I was also thrilled to be able to send a short time on Saturday morning talking to the staff at the all girls school – the Immaculate Conception Academy at Greenhills in Manila. My one hour talk on writing and teaching became a two hour talk when they asked for demonstration of how teachers can use everyday objects all around them to be the stimulus for writing! We ‘wrote’ (talked actually) great stories on wall fans and baby elephants!

It was just a delight to the first Australian to speak this festival. As a well-established Australian children’s author I feel it is vital for the established nations with a rich literary heritage to support developing nations who desire one. In Australia we love reading our stories – stories that cast a light on life in the bush, in the suburbs and in the city; stories that feature our native wildlife and our own human characters with their particular follies and foibles; that describe our bushfires or floods, or simply our way of life. Readers in other national also deserve to be able to read their stories as well.

More information about the festival can be found here on my blog.

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) and the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) presented the first ever National Children’s Book Awards last July 24 at the Mandarin Oriental in Makati City, Philippines.

Of the 131 children’s books nominated, the board of judges chose 6 books as this year’s winners. Of these 6 books, 3 were published by Adarna House. The 1st National Children’s Book Awards are special for many reasons including, as Adarna House states on their blog,:

We are so happy with the NCBA, which gives the awards on an even playing field — without ranking and categories — along with written citations that highlight each book’s strength and charm.

To learn more about the 1st National Children’s Book Awards and the 27th National Children’s Book Day celebrations check out Zarah Gagatiga’s blog School Librarian in Action as well as Tarie Sabido’s blog Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind. Tarie was one of the judges for the awards and if you click here she shares the judges’ comments on the 6 winning books.

Thanks to Zarah Gagatiga, Chair of the Philippines Board on Books for Young People (PBBY), for sending me details on this year’s  27th National Children’s Book Day (NCBD) in the Philippines to be held on 20th July.

This year’s theme is “A Book Reader is a Winner” and PBBY will be commencing their celebrations at the Museo Pambata in Manila for the handing out of their annual awards. This year’s Salanga (Writers’ Prize) goes to Raymond G. Falgui for his poetry collection Green Leaf and Other Poems (the first time the award has been awarded for poetry); and the Alcala (Illustrators’ Prize) has been awarded to Aldy Aguirre for his “dreamy and whimsical illustrations” of Falgui’s poems in the same book.

Filipino author Candy Gourlay will be delivering the day’s keynote address, fresh from the successful publication of her Young Adult novel, Tall Story, in the UK. The day will also be marked by the opening of a Retrospective of Albert Gamos, an award-winning Filipino illustrator who died last year. An esteemed honorary member of Ang Illustrador Ng Kabataan (InK), he was well-known for his classical and intricate style of illustrating for children.

As part of the NCBD celebrations PBBY and the National Book Development Board (NBDB) will announce the Best Reads of 2008 and 2009.

Schools, learning communities, libraries and families are all encouraged to get involved. For ideas on what type of activities could be organized, check out Zarah’s Top Ten Suggestions.

And even if you are not in the Philippines, why not join in the celebrations by reading a Filipino children’s book or YA novel? The summer edition of the National Geographic Kids magazine has picked Candy Gourlay’s Tall Story as one of its Brilliant Summer Books. You can get plenty of ideas from our recent issue of PaperTigers focusing on the Philippines; and more Filipino book suggestions can always be found on Zarah’s and Tarie Sabido’s blogs.

As Zarah says “The NCBD celebration is not exclusive to PBBY. Bring it to your schools and families. After all, we are all here to celebrate reading, books and the Filipino young reader.”

A shout out on behalf of Zarah Gagatiga, President of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY):

Please help the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) and the National Book Development Board (NBDB) in propagating the good news on the 1st National Children’s Book Awards. Deadline for nominations is  April 15, 2010.
General rules and guidelines can be found here and the nomination form here.

The creation of the National Children’s Book Award will name not just one top book or the usual tiered roster of winners, but a “Best Reads List” of a maximum of 10 titles year after year. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony in July.  For more information on this award and how it came to be read this article by Neni Sta. Romana Cruz

ETA: The  announcement will coincide with the National Children’s Book Day week. We will announce the Salanga (Writer) and Alcala (Illustrator) Winners on July 20. On July 24, we’ll have the Best Reads to celebrate.

Filipino editor, English teacher and Cybil judge Tarie Sabido is a great source on what is happening with respect to literature in the Philippines. She contributed to to our recent PaperTigers Focus on the Philippines issue with  her interviews with authors Carla Pacis, Dorina Lazo Gilmore and Edna Cabcabin Moran. Tarie’s blog Into the Wardrobe is always a great read. She has now launched another blog Asia in the the Heart, World on the Mind which is a “children’s and young adult blog about books set in Asia and books with Asian characters (regardless of where they are published and whether or not their authors and illustrators are Asian), and Asian authors and illustrators (no matter where they are in the world).”

Our current issue of PaperTigers focuses on the Philippines and recently,while searching for literature events taking place there, I came across this news on OMF Literature’s website:

Sandosenang Sapatos (A Dozen Pairs of Shoes), a Palanca award-winning story that has reaped numerous accolades here and abroad and has touched the hearts of many, is now a musical staged by the Valenzuela City Center for Performing Arts (VCCPA) in cooperation with the Valenzuela City Government and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

New Online Cheap Shoes Sale New Best Running Shoes Sale Reef Sandals Sale Sandals Resorts Sale Shoes Sandals Sale New Sneakers Shoes Sale

Written by Luis Gatmaitan, M.D., Sandosenang Sapatos tells the story of Karina and Susie. They are the daughters of the town’s best shoemaker, but only Karina gets to wear the beautiful shoes their father makes. Susie can never wear shoes because she was born without feet—will her father, her family love her less? Susie is surprised by the discovery of her father’s incomparable love for her.  Sandosenang Sapatos celebrates the love and acceptance of a family in the face of adversity.

Artistic director Roeder Camañag says, “This is a story of hope grounded in reality. It’s something that will help fight the cynicism we see around us nowadays. It’s not a fairy tale; it’s fresh and relevant.”

Author Luis Gatmaitan is happy with the results. “It is a great honor for an author like me to see the story I’ve created come to life on stage, from the pages of a book to a musical.”

Click here to see photos from the play.

Luis  Gatmaitan, M.D. has authored and published more than 30 storybooks for children tackling relevant issues such as disability, senility, bereavement, coping with cancer, childhood diseases, and children’s rights in his stories. Inducted into the Palanca Hall of Fame in 2005, he has also been a recipient of the Catholic Mass Media Awards and the PBBY-Salanga Writers Prize.  In addition he  has chaired PBBY and KUTING. In 2005 IBBY named Sandosenang Sapatos an Outstanding Book for Young People with Disabilities.

Last week I volunteered to drive students in my son’s class to a local theatre to see Cinderellas. This wasn’t the regular run-of-the mill Cinderella play though, so instead of just dropping the kids off, I purchased a ticket for the show. Put on by ABC Let’s Act, this production presented the story of Cinderella as told in four different traditions: Walt Disney’s, the Chinese, the First Nations and the Korean versions. Did you know that there are over 300 versions of the story of Cinderella throughout the world?

The young cast did a wonderful job of telling the story of four Cinderellas from four different cultures and proved that Cinderella can indeed have brown eyes and black hair! It truly was a multicultural experience with aspects of traditional Chinese theatre, a Korean fan dance, Tae Kwon Do martial arts and the singing of a sacred First Nations song that has been passed down from generation to generation. Director Mandy Tulloch says she wanted to ensure that each version of Cinderella was shown in a manner that was true to its respective culture:

Advisors were consulted to make sure the play was as culturally responsible as possible. In the segment from China, we utilize the traditional method in Chinese theatre where the audience is asked for permission for the performance to take place. We also have the property men as well. For the First Nations piece, we were granted permission by the local elders for the performance to take place. They also blessed the show and worked with us on the music and mask making. In the Korean segment, which was written specifically for this show, you will see an authentic Korean Fan Dance performed by kids as well as award winning Tae Kwon Do artists.

Multicultural versions of Cinderella abound in children’s and young adult books too. To get a sense of what’s out there, check out our blog posts Globe-trotting Cinderella and Bound by Donna Jo Napoli and Books at Bedtime: Fairy Tales (2); and read this review of Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella, which forms part of our current focus on the Philippines…

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People has released the schedule for their 26th Annual National Children’s Book Day celebrations. Events will take place throughout the week of July 20-25 with the awarding of the prestigious PBBY Salanga (Writer) and Alcala (Illustrator) Prizes taking place on July 21st.

2009 Salanga Prize winners:
* Raymund Garlitos, Ang Higante sa Loob ng Aming Bahay (The Giant Inside Our House) (grand prize);
* Perry Mangilaya, Di Ko Man Kamukha sina Inay at Itay (honorable mention);
* Victoria Bravo, Lola-Lola (honorable mention).

Raymund Garlitos’ story, Ang Higante sa Loob ng Aming Bahay revolves around a young child’s feelings and reactions to his OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) father’s homecoming. Garlitos is a teacher of English as a Second Language, as well as a freelance journalist, and has three children’s books to his name. One of these, Chenelyn! Chenelyn!, won an honorable mention in the same contest, back in 1997.

2009 Alcala Prize winners:

* Ferdinand Guevara (grand prize),
* Jomar G. Rivera (honorable mention),
* Maurice Oliver B. Risulmi (honorable mention),
* Christian Oliver Ang Cruz (honorable mention).

Ferdinand Guevara is awarded the 2009 Alcala Prize for his digital-3D interpretation of Ang Higante Sa Loob ng Aming Bahay (see photo, right). Currently working as a 3D animator Guevarra gave a contemporary edge to his illustrations by rendering them in 3D. With his use of applications such as Maya and Zbrush, he merged the digital world with the printed word.

Ferdinand Guevara is no newcomer to the PBBY-Alcala Prize nor indeed to children’s book illustration. In 1996, he won the award for his illustrations for Ang Itim na Kuting, by Natasha Vizcarra. He also illustrated Ang Makapangyarihang Kyutiks ni Mama by Rene Villanueva in 2002.

Check out incoming PBBY chairman Zarah Gagatiga’s blog to read about the National Children’s Day celebrations. You can also read about PBBY’s recent luncheon for South African storyteller Gcina Mhlope-Becker.

School librarian, teacher and incoming PBBY chairman Zarah Gagatiga has passed along the following information on two exciting events taking place in July in the Philippines:

The 2nd National Conference on Children’s Literature – July 16 & 17

The Pilandokan (National Research Society for Children’s Literature) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts will be sponsoring the Second National Conference on Children’s Literature with the theme “Panitikang Pambata sa Edukasyon” (Children’s Literature in Education) on July 16-17 at the University of the Philippines – Diliman.

This national conference will feature paper presentations and workshops by scholars, creative writers, artists, and children’s right advocates. Topics include the Filipino concept of child and childhood; the state of children’s literature in the Philippines; book piracy; literacy programs for urban poor children and the deaf; and the formation of Filipino childhood identity. The Keynote Speaker will be the Pilandokan Founding President Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu.

For further information, please contact Dr. Eugene Y. Evasco and/or Prof. Will P. Ortiz (pagongatmatsing (at) yahoo(dot)com).

26th National Children’s Book Day – 3rd week of July

For the first time ever, the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) will hold the celebration of NCBD (National Children’s Book Day) outside Manila in Marikina City. This year’s themes focus on leadership and readership with the slogan Readers Make Good Leaders!

The whole month of July promises to be a fun-filled month of reading, writing and interactive activities for children and literacy advocates. The Salanga and Alcala Prizes will be awarded during the opening ceremonies on July 21, 2009 at the Marikina Convention Center.

You can read about the preparations in Zarah’s post here and I’ll post more information on the Children’s Book Day festivities in the coming weeks.

Earlier this year while searching the web for children’s literature events, I came across Zarah Gagatiga’s blog School Librarian in Action. Zarah lives in the Philippines so I immediately emailed her and asked her if there were any children’s literature events happening there that we could share with our PaperTigers readers. She quickly emailed back with a resounding YES! – the Philippines’ 25th National Children’s Book Day would be celebrated July 15. Zarah then put me in touch with Ani Almario, Secretary-General for the Philippines Board on Books for Young People, who was pleased to send me the details for the upcoming celebration:

The annual ceremonies celebrating National Children’s Book Day, in commemoration of the publication of Jose Rizal’s Monkey and the Turtle, shall once again happen at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on July 15th. The ceremonies include the announcement of new books coming out in 2008, courtesy of the country’s leading children’s book publishers; the awarding of this year’s Salanga (Writer) and Alcala (Illustrator) prizes; and the induction of new PBBY members.

From July 15 -22 an exhibit entitled the 25 Best-Loved Children’s Book Characters Exhibit will be held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. After surveying hundreds of Filipino children, this is an exhibit of life-size sculptures of the 25 best-loved children’s book characters. The sculptures are done by members Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan.

During July, 25 schools will be visited by their favorite children’s book authors. The visits are a joint project between PBBY and the members of Kuwentista ng mga Tsikiting (Kuting), a group of Filipino children’s book authors.

Museo Pambata, the Philippines premier children’s museum, will be celebrating the silver anniversary of National Children’s Book Day throughout July with the following activities: Pop Stories Exhibit, an opinion corner for child visitors; a book donation corner; and a special day when people can dress up at their favorite children’s book characters!

Thanks to Zarah and Ani for providing this information so that we could share it with you. When I first contacted Zarah she posted this on her blog:

This goes to show how blogs and the Internet can help people from different places bridge gaps and get information. The world is indeed becoming smaller, but all the more richer it’s been. Barriers are broken down; new meaning and world views are constructed.

How true! If you know of an event happening in your country, we would love to share it with our readers. Please leave a comment or send me an email.