On Tuesday, November 15th, The Vancouver Children’s Literature Roundtable and the Museum of Anthropology present An Evening with Acclaimed Canadian Authors Joy Kogawa and Maggie DeVries.

Joy Kogawa (Naomi’s Tree) and Maggie DeVries (Hunger Journeys and Chance and the Butterfly) will discuss the ways in which contemporary children’s literature can address the effects of social conflict in the world, and at the same time inspire hope and a desire to bring about positive change. This event, presented in conjunction with MOA’s exhibition ひろしま hiroshima, takes place from 7 – 9pm and is free with museum admission. For more information click here.

I’ve been away from posting on the blog recently because of a temporary move … to Japan!  And now, having settled in a bit, I’m ready and roaring to go (appropriate for a PaperTiger blogger!) from my new location here in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo prefecture.   I’ll be in Japan for four months and hope to immerse myself in the wonderful world of childrens’ literature as it is experienced here by readers.  Japan has some great childrens’ book writers and illustrators and I’m eager to explore that world with my children as they attend the local elementary and junior high schools here.  With Japan being so much in the news, I feel in the unique position of being a reporter-of-sorts, in particular, of any activities related to children and the recent disaster in northern Japan.  Days after arriving, I heard about a childrens’ book donation program through Unicef; childrens’ books were being collected to be sent to children in the earthquake and tsunami-hit zones.  The program, running for only a short time, was very successful.   I was heartened and encouraged to see how the Japanese responded so swiftly to a request for books, knowing full well the transformative powers of story on the lives of children.   Even as the basic supplies were being sent out to the victims and survivors, here also was considered necessary, supplies for the hearts and minds of the most vulnerable.  Kodomo no tame ni — for the sake of the children — is a Japanese phrase I first encountered in Joy Kogawa’s novel Obasan.  How apt this phrase is for these times of trial and hardship for northern Japan!

Toronto To Japan is a Toronto-based collective of Canadian artists, musicians, writers, activists and business leaders organizing events to raise relief funds for victims of the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. On April 21st, they will be presenting Hope Blossoms, a night of entertainment inspired by the grand tradition of the Japanese variety show. Not only a fundraiser, this is a show of solidarity for the people of Japan.  Among those participating are renowned authors Joy Kogawa, Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje. For more information, click here.

For those of you who are avid knitters and love stories, here’s an event for you.   A local knitting group in Vancouver — the Yarn Bombers — are raising awareness for the Joy Kogawa Historic House by knitting cherry blossoms to cover the cherry tree in the yard of the house.   For more information, check out their post on the event.  PaperTigers has also covered Joy’s childrens’ books on the newly revamped PaperTiger’s main website, as well as having an interview with her.

The new issue of PaperTigers, focusing on “Music in Children’s Literature,” is now live!

Music is central to the human experience and has been bound up with poetry and storytelling since time immemorial. We have brought together an international array of writers and artists whose lives and work have been touched by music; and whose work, in turn, reaches out across geographical boundaries to touch their audience.

As the final words of the opera Naomi’s Road say, “We’ll always carry with us these three things. Gift of music. Gift of words. Gift of love.”

We hope that you’ll find inspiration for all three of these gifts among our website’s new features, which include interviews with Joy Kogawa and Matt Ottley; gallery features of Lulu Delacre and Satoshi Kitamura’s work; essays by Jorge Luján and Michelle Lord, and more. Through September, we’ll continue to explore, here on the blog, the ways in which music features in children’s and young adult literature, so read the new features and let us know what you think by leaving a comment on this or any of our upcoming music-related posts!