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National Year of Reading~ Australia

Américas Book Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award Presentation~ Washington, D.C., USA

Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF)~ ongoing until Sep 2, Beijing, China

The Word on the Street National Book and Magazine Festival: Celebrating Reading. Advocating Literacy ~ (September dates vary by location), Canada

Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award 2013~ submissions accepted until Dec 31, 2012, United Kingdom

2012 South Asia Book Award~ submissions accepted until Dec 31, 2012

SingTel Asian Picture Book Award 2013~ submissions accepted until Dec 31, 1012, Singapore

Exhibits of Winning Entries from the 2012 Growing Up Asian in America Contest~ ongoing until Feb 2013, USA

Skipping Stones Youth Honor Awards Celebrating Multicultural Awareness, International Understanding and Nature Appreciation~ submissions accepted until June 25, 2013, USA

Singapore International Storytelling Festival (SISF)~ Sep 1 – 5, Singapore

Delhi Book Fair~ Sep 1 – 9, Delhi, India

Ghummakkad Narain – the Traveling Literature Festival~ Sep 1 – 30, New Delhi, India

¡Cuéntame un cuento! : Latino Cultural Inclusion in Juvenile Collections Webinar~ Sep 4

Nairn Book & Arts Festival~ Sep 4 – 9, Nairn, United Kingdom

International Children’s and Youth Literature Festival~ Sep 4 – 16, Berlin, Germany

Brisbane Writers Festival~ Sep 5 – 9, Brisbane, Australia

Moscow International Book Fair~ Sep 5 – 10, Moscow, Russia

International Literacy Day~ Sep 8

UNESCO Literary Prize Awards Presentation~ Sep 8, Paris, France

Book Blogger Appreciation Week~ Sep 10 – 14

Fairytale Town’s Giving Voice to Children’s Literature: Parent  Workshop~ Sept 12, Sacramento, CA, USA

The Manila International Book Fair: Words Without Borders~ Sep 12 – 16, Manila, Philippines

Ethics and Children’s Literature Symposium~ Sep 13 – 16, Greencastle IN, USA

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre Presents: The Art of the Picture Book Exhibition~ Sep 14 – Oct 14, Montreal, QC, Canada

Flor y Canto Children’s Poetry Festival~ Sep 15, San Francisco, CA, USA

Hispanic Heritage Month~ Sep 15 – Oct 15, USA

Telling Tales: A Family Festival of Stories~ Sep 16, Rockton, ON, Canada

BANNED! [The Title of This Event Has Been Censored]- a lively panel discussion of literature and censorship with authors, educators, and librarians~ Sep 16, Minneapolis, MN, USA

5th Conference on South African Children’s and Youth Literature~ Sep 18 – 20, Potchefstroom, South Africa

Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC)~ Sep 19 – 23, Kansas City, MO, USA

Chapter & Verse, a book club for adults discussing children’s lit~ Sep 20, USA

The Carle Honors 2012 Annual Gala and Art Auction~ Sep 20, New York, NY, USA

International Day of Peace~ Sep 21

Thin Air – Winnipeg International Writers Festival~ Sep 21 – 29, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

International Day of Peace~ Sep 21

4th Annual Elizabeth York Children’s Literature Festival~ Sep 22 Anderson, IN, USA

National Book Festival~ Sep 24 – 25, Washington, D.C., USA

Appeldore Book Festival Family Day~ Sep 26, Appledore, United Kingdom

Reading Association of Ireland Annual Conference: From Literacy Research to Classroom Practice: Insights and Inspiration~ Sep 27 – 29, Dublin, Ireland

National Young Writers Festival~ Sept 27 – 30, Australia

The Boston Globe–Horn (Children’s) Book Awards Ceremony~ Sep 28, Boston, MA, USA

6th Annual KidlitCon~ Sep 28 – 29, New York, NY, USA

Bath Festival of Children’s Literature~Sep 28 – Oct 7, Bath, United Kingdom

Wigtown Book Festival~ Sep 28 – Oct 7, Wigtown, United Kingdom

The Children’s Bookshow: Stories From Around The World~ Sep 28 – Nov 8, United Kingdom

Horn Book at Simmons One-Day Colloquium: Look Out!~ Sep 29, Boston, MA, USA

ScholarShare Children’s Book Festival~ Sep 29 – 30, Sacramento, Ca, USA

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Freedom to Read~ Sep 30 – Oct 6, USA

Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre Exhibits and Programs~ Fremantle, Australia

Dromkeen National Centre for Picture Book Art Exhibits~ Riddells Creek, Australia

Books Illustrated Events and Exhibitions~ Middle Park, Australia

International Youth Library Exhibits~ Munich, Germany

Tulika Book Events~ India

International Library of Children’s Literature Events~ Tokyo, Japan

Newcastle University Programme of Talks on Children’s Books for 2011-2012~ Newcastle, United Kingdom

Seven Stories (the National Home of Children’s Books in Britain) Events~ Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Discover Children’s Story Centre~ London, United Kingdom

Arne Nixon Center’s Children’s Literature Book Clubs for Adults Events~ USA

Events Sponsored by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress~ USA

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art~ Amherst, MA, USA

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature Exhibits~ Abilene, TX, USA

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Events

The 2012 International Latino Book Awards were once again held in New York City during BookExpo America. Read about all the finalists and winners here.

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Skipping Stones Youth Honor Award Winners Announced

Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre Exhibits and Programs~ Fremantle, Australia

Dromkeen National Centre for Picture Book Art Exhibits~ Riddells Creek, Australia

Books Illustrated Events and Exhibitions~ Middle Park, Australia

Screenings for Library of the Early Mind: a documentary film exploring childrens literature~ Canada and USA

International Youth Library Exhibits~ Munich, Germany

Seven Stories (the National Home of Children’s Books in Britain) Events~ Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Discover Children’s Story Centre~ London, United Kingdom

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature Exhibits~ Abilene, TX, USA

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Events

1st Biennial IBBY Africa Conference~ ongoing until Sep 2, Polokwane, South Africa

IBBY Germany Presents Kein Kinderspiel! [No child's play!]: A Workshop for Translators~ ongoing until Sep 2, Hamburg, Germany

Western Australia Spring Poetry Festival and National Poetry Week~ ongoing until Sep 4, Australia

Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF)~ ongoing until Sep 4, Beijing, China

Delhi Book Fair~ ongoing until Sep 4, Delhi, India

Museum of Childhood Exhibit: Author and Illustrator Judith Kerr~ ongoing until Sep 4, London, United Kingdom

Nairn Book & Arts Festival~ ongoing until Sep 4, Nairn, United Kingdom

Children’s Books Link the World – Hans Christian Andersen Award 2010 & IBBY Honour List 2010~ ongoing until Sep 11, Tokyo, Japan

Meet Your Friends From Japan! An Exhibit at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art~ ongoing until Sep 20 Amherst, MA, USA

Submissions Accepted for Lee and Low Books New Voices Award~ ongoing until Sep 30, USA

Mirror, an Exhibition by Children’s Author and Artist Jeannie Baker~ ongoing until Oct 11, Ipswich City, Australia

2012 Scholastic Asian Book Award~ entries accepted until Oct 17, Singapore

Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children~ ongoing until Oct 30, London, United Kingdom

E-Mote Digital Storytelling Competition: When We Put Aside Our Differences~ entries accepted until Oct 31, Singapore

The Art Institute of Chicago Presents: Artful Alphabets: Five Picture Book Artists~ ongoing until Nov 6, Chicago, IL, USA

2012 PBBY-Salanga Prize~ entries accepted until Nov 11, Philippines

2012 South Asia Book Award~ entries accepted until Dec 31

Budding Writers Project~ entries accepted until Jan 6, 2012, Singapore

Exhibits of Winning Entries from the 2011 Growing Up Asian in America Contest~ ongoing until Feb 2012, USA

Singapore International Storytelling Festival (SISF)~ Sep 1 – 5, Singapore

heARTlines: Children’s Literature and Book Illustration Festival ~ Sep 2 – Oct 9, Mundaring, Australia

Asian Congress of Storytellers~ Sep 3 – 4, Singapore

Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature~ Sep 3 – 14, Woodlands, Australia

Kathalaya Storytelling Course~ Sep 5 – 10, Bangalore, India

SCBWI Tokyo Illustrators Exhibition~ Sep 6 – 11, Tokyo, Japan

Brisbane Writers Festival~ Sep 7 – 11, Brisbane, Australia

International Children’s and Youth Literature Festival~ Sep 7 – 17, Berlin, Germany

Moscow International Book Fair~ Sep 7 – 12, Moscow, Russia

International Literacy Day~ Sep 8

UNESCO Literary Prize Awards Presentation~ Sep 8, Paris, France

The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats Exhibition~ Sep 9 – Jan 29, 2012, New York, NY, USA

CYA Later, Alligator – Children’s and Young Adult Writers And Illustrators Conference~ Sep 10, Brisbane, Australia

Book Blogger Appreciation Week~ Sep 12 – 16

The Manila International Book Fair: Words Without Borders~ Sep 14 – 18, Manila, Philippines

Chapter & Verse Meeting (a Book Club for Adults Discussing Children’s Lit)~ Sep 15, USA

REFORMA National Conference~ Sep 15 – 18, Denver, CO, USA

Eden Mills Writers’ Festival~ Sep 15 – 18, Eden Mills, ON, Canada

Hispanic Heritage Month~ Sep 15 – Oct 15, USA

Children’s Literature Scholar and Author, Leonard Marcus Gives Talk on “The Art of Leonard Weisgard” at Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature~ Sep 16, Fresno, CA, USA

5th Annual Kidlitosphere Conference~ Sep 16 – 17, Seattle, WA, USA

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre Presents: Get Published! Seminar~ Sep 17, Toronto, ON, Canada

2nd SCBWI Children’s Book Seminar~ Sep 17, Bacolod, Philippines

57th St. Children’s Book Fair~ Sep 18, Chicago, IL, USA

Telling Tales: A Family Festival of Stories~ Sep 18, Rockton, ON, Canada

Thin Air – Winnipeg International Writers Festival~ Sep 18 – 24, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

International Day of Peace~ Sep 21

SCBWI Children’s Book Seminar~ Sep 21, Maasin, Philippines

The Carle Honors 2011 Annual Gala and Art Auction~ Sep 22, New York, NY, USA

First Story Festival~ Sep 22 – 23, Banbury, United Kingdom

Northwoods Children’s Book Conference~ Sep 22 – 23, Hayward, WI, USA

Göteborg Book Fair~ Sep 22 – 25, Göteborg, Sweden

The Pictorial Worlds of Shaun Tan~ Sep 22 – 25, Göteborg, Sweden

23rd Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava~ Sep 22 – Oct 26, Bratislava, Slovakia

Wigtown Book Festival~ Sep 23 – Oct 2, Wigtown, United Kingdom

Bath Festival of Children’s Literature~ Sep 23 – Oct 2, Bath, United Kingdom

The Children’s Bookshow: Stories From Around The World~ Sep 23 – Dec 7, United Kingdom

3rd Annual Elizabeth York Children’s Literature Festival~ Sep 24, Anderson, IN, USA

Fairytale Town’s 11th Annual Children’s Book Festival~ Sep 24 – 25, Sacramento, CA, USA

National Book Festival~ Sep 24 – 25, Washington, D.C., USA

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read~ Sep 24 – Oct 1, USA

Appledore Book Festival (featuring Michael Rosen)~ Sep 24 – Oct 2, Appledore, United Kingdom

The Word on the Street National Book and Magazine Festival: Celebrating Reading. Advocating Literacy ~ Sep 25, Canada

The Hindu Lit for Life Festival~ Sep 25, Delhi, India

Postmedia Raise-a-Reader Day~ Sep 28, Canada

Reading Association of Ireland Annual Conference: Creating Multiple Pathways To Powerful Literacy In Challenging Times ~ Sep 29 – Oct 1, Dublin, Ireland

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2011 Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award Winner Announces~ Newcastle, United Kingdom

Book Launch and Signings: The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami~ USA

Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre Exhibits and Programs~ Fremantle, Australia

Dromkeen National Centre for Picture Book Art Exhibits~ Riddells Creek, Australia

Screenings for Library of the Early Mind: a documentary film exploring childrens literature~ Canada and USA

International Youth Library Exhibits~ Munich, Germany

Seven Stories (the National Home of Children’s Books in Britain) Events~ Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature Exhibits~ Abilene, TX, USA

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Events

Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences 2011: Coasts and Continents: Exploring Peoples and Places~ ongoing until  June 4, Fredericton, NB, Canada

The Guardian Hay Festival: A Festival for Tots, Teens and In-Betweens~ ongoing until June 5, United Kingdom

Singapore Book Fair~ ongoing until June 5, Singapore

Skipping Stones Magazine’s Youth Honor Award Program – Multicultural Awareness and Nature Appreciation~ entries accepted until June 25

Golden Kite, Golden Dreams: The SCBWI Awards Exhibit~ ongoing until June 24, Hattiesburg, MS, USA

Museum of Childhood Exhibit: Author and Illustrator Judith Kerr~ ongoing until Sep 4, London, United Kingdom

Meet Your Friends From Japan! An Exhibit at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art~ ongoing until Sep 20 Amherst, MA, USA

Mirror, an Exhibition by Children’s Author and Artist Jeannie Baker~ ongoing until Oct 11, Ipswich City, Australia

2012 South Asia Book Award~ entries accepted until Dec 31

Exhibits of Winning Entries from the 2011 Growing Up Asian in America Contest~ ongoing until Feb 2012, USA

International Symposium: Literature. Children. Time~ June 1 – 5, Lviv, Ukraine

Children’s Literature Book Club for Adults Discusses Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman~ June 2, Fresno, CA, USA

SCBWI-CCP Children’s Book Conference~ June 4, Manila, Philppines

Voices on the Coast: a Youth Literature Festival~ June 4 – 8, Sunshine Coast, Australia

The Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge Reception and Exhibition~ June 6, Toronto, ON, Canada

Little Manfred: In Conversation with Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman~ June 6, London, United Kingdom

Librarian’s Day~ June 7, Cuba

International Conference: Picture & Text~ June 8 – 10, Tallinn, Estonia

Dancing By The Light Of The Moon: The Art Of Fred Marcellino~ June 9 – Oct 29, Abilene, TX, USA

Bridlington Poetry Festival~ June 10 – 11, Skirlaugh, United Kingdom

National Black Book Festival~ June 10 – 12, Houston, TX, USA

Red House Children’s Book Award Ceremony~ June 11, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Poet/Author John Hegley’s Book Launch at Discover Children’s Story Centre~ June 11, London, United Kingdom

Mixed Roots Film and Literary Festival~ June 11 – 12, Los Angeles, CA, USA

4th Annual Children’s Literature Conference And Horace Mann Upstanders Award~June 12, Los Angeles, CA, USA

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre‘s Annual General Meeting~ June 13, Toronto, ON, Canada

Seoul International Book Fair~ June 15 – 19, Seoul, South Korea

International Day of the African Child~ June 16

Borders Book Festival~ June 16 – 19, Melrose, United Kingdom

4th World Children’s Festival~ June 17 – 19, Washington, D.C., USA

The Torquay Froth and Bubble Literary Festival~ June 18 – 19, Torquay, Australia

Next Library Conference~ June 19 – 21, Aarhus, Denmark

World Refugee Day~ June 20

Refugee Week: Different Pasts, Shared Future~ June 20 – 26, United Kingdom

CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Children’s Book Awards Winners Announced~ June 23, London, United Kingdom

Children’s Literature Association Conference: Revolt, Rebellion, Protest: Change and Insurrection in Children’s Literature~ June 23 – 25, Roanoke, VA, USA

Fifth Biennial Conference of the Society for the History of Children and Youth~ June 23 – 25, New York City, NY, USA

American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference~ June 23 – 28, New Orleans, LA, USA

ALSC Activities During the ALA Annual Conference~ June 23 – 28, New Orleans, LA, USA

YALSA Activities During the ALA Annual Conference~ June 23 – 28, New Orleans, LA, USA

Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival~ June 25, Rozelle, Australia

Adarna House Summer Workshop for Teachers: Learning from the Past~ June 25, Quezon City, Philippines

USBBY Session at the ALA Annual Conference “International Children’s Book Publishing: A Small Press Perspective”~ June 25, New Orleans, LA, USA

Sunthorn Phu Day (celebrated poet)~ June 26, Thailand

Newbery-Caldecott-Wilder Banquet~ June 26, New Orleans, LA, USA

Canadian Multiculturalism Day~ June 27, Canada

International Reading Association Workshops~ June 27 – 28, Washington, D.C. USA

(Click on event name for more information)

Get Caught Reading Month~ USA

National Share-a-Story Month~ United Kingdom

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month~ USA

Asian Heritage Month~ Canada

BOOKtopia Children’s Literature Festival~ ongoing until May 7, West Vancouver, BC, Canada

Buenos Aires Book Fair~ ongoing until May 10, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Drawing from a Story: Illustrations by Selected Caldecott Medal Winners~ ongoing until May 23, Chadds Ford, PA, USA

Once Upon a Time . . . Children’s Book Illustrators, Then and Now~ ongoing until May 27, Oakland, CA, USA

Mitali Perkins’ 2010 Fire Escape Short Fiction and Poetry Contest~ entries accepted until Jun 1, USA and Canada

Into the Wood: Antonio Frasconi’s Art for Children~ ongoing until Jun 13, Ameherst, MA, USA

Skipping Stones Magazine’s Youth Honor Award Program – Multicultural Awareness and Nature Appreciation~ entries accepted until Jun 25

The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature Exhibit: Why Grow Up? Etienne Delessert~ ongoing until Jun 26, Abilene, TX, USA

Monsters and Miracles: A Journey through Jewish Picture Books~ ongoing until  Aug 1, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Everyday Adventures Growing Up: Art from Picture Books~ ongoing until Nov 28, Chicago, IL, USA

BOOKFEST – The Vancouver Island Children’s Book Festival~ May 1, Nanaimo, BC, Canada

“Second to the Right, and Straight on Till Morning:” Navigating the Narrative Realm(s) of Children’s Texts~ May 1, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Old Passions – New Technologies: Children’s and Young Adult Literature
in a Web 2.0 World~ May 1, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Expo 2010~ May 1 – Oct 31, Shanghai, China

SCBWI Presents: Shaping a Picture Book/Shaping Character~ May 6, Paris, France

Asian Festival of Children’s Content~ May 6 – 9, Singapore

Bermuda International Literary Festival~ May 6 – 9, Hamilton
Bermuda

SCBWI Hawaii Illustrators’ Exhibit: The Art of Picture Books~ May 6 – Jun 16, Honolulu, HI, USA

One Hen Inc.’s First Anniversary Celebrations: It Takes a Village~ May 7, Wellesley, MA, USA

National Centre for Research in Children’s Literature Conference~ May 8, London, United Kingdom

Mt. San Antonio College’s Children’s Literature Day~ May 8, Walnut, CA, USA

SCBWI Presents: Children’s Books and our Phil-Chinese Heritage~ May 8, Philippines

Children’s Book Week~ May 10 – 16, USA

New Zealand Post Book Awards Festival~ May 10 – 19, New Zealand

Forest of Reading, Festival of Trees~ May 12 – 13, Toronto, ON, Canada

Auckland Writers and Readers Festival~ May 12 – 16, Auckland, New Zealand

Seoul International Book Fair~ May 12 – 16, Seoul, Korea

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Fresno! Oz the Books! A Conference~ May 14 – 16, Fresno, CA, USA

2nd Conference on Children’s Literature and Translation~ May 15, Taichung City, Taiwan

Children’s Books Ireland Conference: Nurturing the Seed: Prospects and Possibilities for Children’s Books~ May 15 – 16, Dublin, Ireland

Sydney Writers’ Festival~ May 15 – 23, Sydney, Australia

Mountain Echoes – A Literary Festival~ May 17 – 20, Thimphu, Bhutan

New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards Winners Announced ~ May 19, New Zealand

WriteAway Conference: READ, PLAY, THINK, CREATE: generating delight in learning~ May 21, London, United Kingdom

National Black Book Festival~ May 21 – 23, Houston, TX, USA

Bisto Children’s Book of the Year Awards Presentations~ May 23, Dublin, Ireland

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Week~ May 23 – Jun 1, Sweden

Library and Information Week~ May 24 – 30, Australia

The Foundation for Children’s Books New England Voices Series~ May 25, Boston, MA, USA

International Latino Book Awards~ May 25, USA

BookExpo America~ May 25 – 27, New York, NY, USA

National Simultaneous Storytime~ May 26, Australia

Book Blogger Convention~ May 28, New York City, NY, USA

World Book Fair~ May 28 – Jun 6, Singapore

World Village Festival~ May 29 – 30, Helsinki, Finland

The Guardian Hay Festival~ May 29 – Jun 6, United Kingdom

SCBWI Presents: THE BIG PICTURE: Exploring the Art and Business of Children’s Book Illustration~ May 30, Tokyo, Japan

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards is celebrating, today, at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, “40 years and 113 award-winning African American authors and illustrators of 162 books for children and youth.” Four decades of celebrating excellence in African American children’s literature—what an accomplishment! PaperTigers congratulates its current and past winners, and all those involved with the award during these 40 years.

In honor of the award’s anniversary, TeachingBooks.net is making available more than 250 audio interviews and book readings by authors and artists, as part of the Coretta Scott King Book Award Curriculum Resource Center. The free, online resource aimed at educators and families also includes lesson plans and other supplemental materials. Searches can be executed by author, illustrator, title, grade level, and curriculum area, as well as by the year or specific Coretta Scott King Book Award citation. “Students can now learn the personal story behind each book directly from the creator, including how and why it was made,” said TeachingBooks.net founder Nick Glass, as quoted in the press release.

To learn “Fun Facts” about the award, check here.

The 2009 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal Winners have been announced! Two years after her untimely death from breast cancer at the age of 47, Siobhan Dowd’s fourth and final novel, Bog Child, has been awarded the UK’s premier accolade for children’s writing: the CILIP Carnegie Medal. Edinburgh-based illustrator Catherine Rayner has won the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, the UK’s most prestigious award for children’s book illustration, for her book Harris Finds His Feet. Click here to see photos from the award ceremony. Also, be sure to check out the latest issue of PaperTigers which focuses on Children’s Book Awards.

Skipping Stones is an award-winning, nonprofit magazine for youth that encourages communication, cooperation, creativity and celebration of cultural and environmental richness. Founded in 1988 and published five times a year, Skipping Stones provides a forum for sharing ideas and experiences among youth from different countries and cultures. Art and original writings submissions in every language and from all ages are always welcomed.

Each year Skipping Stones recognizes outstanding authentic books and teaching resources with the Annual Skipping Stones Honor Awards. The honored books, published by both large and small publishers, promote cooperation and cultivate an awareness of our diverse cultures. Together, they encourage an understanding of the world’s diversity, ecological richness, respect for differing viewpoints and close relationships in human societies. Bound to provide a great reading adventure, they offer a variety of learning experiences. Reviewers aged 8 to 80, from many backgrounds and life experiences, help select the winners and their reviews are published in the Summer Skipping Stones issue.

The 2009 winners are broken down into 3 categories – Multicultural & International Awareness, Nature and Ecology Books, and Teaching and Parenting Resources; and winning titles include:

Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins,
The Storyteller’s Candle by Lucia Gonzalez, illustrated by Lulu Delacre,
Grandfather’s Story Cloth by Linda Gerdner and Sarah Langford, illustrated by Stuart Loughridge.

For a complete list of the winners, click here: I just printed it off and will be heading to my local library this afternoon to see what treasures I can find!

The NY Times has posted a slideshow of their winners of Best Illustrated Children’s Books 2008.

Every year since 1952, the Book Review has asked a panel of judges to select from among the several thousand children’s books published that year.

The judges this time around were Caroline Ward, the coordinator of youth services at the Ferguson Library in Stamford, Conn., who has served as president of the Association for Library Service to Children; Luann Toth, the managing editor of the School Library Journal’s book review; and Christopher Myers, an award-winning writer and artist who is at work on a book about America with his father, Walter Dean Myers.

As a matter of note, Stephen T. Johnson and Melissa Sweet have won the award once before, and Ed Young twice before. — The Editors

Click here to watch. The 2007 winners are here.

On Dec. 30, the Governor General of Canada announced 60 new appointments to the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honor. Established in 1967, the Order of Canada is the centrepiece of Canada’s honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. I was thrilled to hear that Canadian author and literacy advocate, David Bouchard was named as “Member of the Order of Canada for his contributions as an author of children’s books and an advocate who has championed the cause of reading and writing, and who has shared his pride as a member of the Métis community through his stories.”

A former teacher and principal, Bouchard is British Columbia’s best-selling author and single most sought-after public speaker. He has written over 25 best-selling children’s books which have won several prestigious awards, among them: the Governor General’s Award for The Song Within My Heart, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award for Voices from the Wild, the Red Cedar Award for The Great Race and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award for Illustration for The Dragon New Year. His books have also been short-listed many times for Canada’s most illustrious awards.

Each year David Bouchard travels extensively, championing the cause of literacy to students, parents and educators. During these events, Bouchard shares his perspective: “We do not need new curriculum or harder working teachers in order to get our students to read. We need parents, teachers and administrators who read. The key lies in modeling.” He outlines respective roles and responsibilities that will ensure that all children are given the gift of reading. He inspires and leaves his listeners with a concrete plan and the rejuvenation needed to face literacy issues head on.

“The greatest gift we can give our children is the gift of reading. There is no magic in giving it. There is no toy or program that will do the job for us. It takes time, commitment and most of all, fire. We cannot hope to light a fire in the hearts of others without a fire burning in our own. Light and stoke yours, then spread the flame fast and furious. Let literacy be your legacy.” says David.

On Jan. 21st David will be the keynote speaker for Literiffic Day at my son’s school, an event which I am looking forward to attending!