ACHUKAblog
From Publishers Weekly’s reviews of children’s and young adult books published in 2019, the selected top 50 books of the year include picture books and graphic novels, fiction and nonfiction…
Follow this link for the click-throughs
https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/children/2019/#book/book-1
Spot any UK titles?
Bristol-based independent picture book publisher Book Island, founded by Greet Pauwelijn, has recently launched a storefront-style website, where customers will not only be able to buy books direct but also purchase high-quality giclée prints of illustrations from a selection of their picture books. The site was designed by London design agency Built With Understanding.
screenshot
From Book Island’s mission statement: “We publish picture books for the brilliant, resilient children of today, growing up in an increasingly multicultural and multilingual world. We select titles from around the world and translate them into English, building bridges between cultures, while we also create our own titles.”
The 75th issue of TEEN TITLES, the glossy YA reviews magazine produced by the Publications Team at the City of Edinburgh Council (it takes a Scottish city council to do such things) uses a cover image from Proud, a compilation by Juno Dawson and published by Stripes.
The special features alongside the reader reviews include a Q&A with Tanya Landman (about her novel One Shot), Dan Smith (about his novel She Wolf), Bethany Rutter (about her novel No Big Deal) and Natalia Gomes (about her novel We Are Not Okay).
Additions the the Author Factfile bank: Gabriel Dylan, Tom Mitchell, Lydia Ruffles, Amy Brashear, Samira Ahmed, Martin Howard, Lara Flecker, Rebecca Stevens.
Subscription enquiries to learning.publications@ea.edin.sch.uk
Argentina
Maria Teresa Andruetto, Author Web page
CEDILIJ, Organisation
Jorge Luján, Author
María Wernicke, Author/Illustrator Web page
Australia
Randa Abdel-Fattah, Author Web page
Jeannie Baker, Illustrator Web page
Bronwyn Bancroft, Illustrator Web page
Ursula Dubosarsky, Author Web page
Susanne Gervay, Author Web page
Morris Gleitzman, Author Web page
Indigenous Literary Foundation, Organisation Web page
Robert Ingpen, Illustrator Web page
Margo Lanagan, Author Web page
Magabala Books, Organisation Web page
Melina Marchetta, Author Web page
The Literature Centre, Organisation Web page
Austria
Renate Welsh-Rabady, Author
Linda Wolfsgruber, Illustrator Web page
Lisbeth Zwerger, Illustrator
Azerbaijan
Solmaz Amanova, Author
Aynur Mammadova, Illustrator
Sevinj Nurugizi, Author Web page
Belarus
Piatro Vasiuchenka, Author
Belgium
Anne Brouillard, Author/Illustrator
Carll Cneut, Illustrator
Ingrid Godon, Illustrator Web page
Anne Herbauts, Author/Illustrator Web page
Thomas Lavachery, Author
Prix Bernard Versele, Organisation
Klaas Verplancke, Author/Illustrator Web page
Bolivia
Biblioteca Thurucapitas, Organisation
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mirsad Bećirbašić, Author
Šimo Ešić, Author
Brazil
Roger Mello, Author/Illustrator Web page
Bulgaria
Maya Dalgacheva, Author
Julia Spiridonova, Author
Cameroon
Christian Epanya, Author/Illustrator Web page
Canada
Deborah Ellis, Author Web page
Marie-Francine Hébert, Author Web page
Jon Klassen, Author/Illustrator Web page
Uma Krishnaswami, Author Web page
Canada/Iran
Nahid Kazemi, Illustrator Web page
Chile
Fundación Había Una Vez, Organisation Web page
China
Gao Hongbo, Author
Xiong Liang, Author/Illustrator
Zhang Zhilu, Author
Colombia
Ivar Da Coll, Author/Illustrator
Proyecto Gulliver, Organisation Web page
Democratic Republic of Congo/United Kingdom
Dominique Mwankumi, Author/Illustrator Webb page
Croatia
Dubravka Kolanović, Illustrator Web page
Cyprus
Tsangaris Hambis, Illustrator
Czech Republic
Petr Nikl, Author/Illustrator
Květa Pacovská, Illustrator
Denmark
Kim Fupz Aakeson, Author
Biblo.dk, Organisation Web page
Lilian Brøgger, Illustrator Web page
Louis Jensen, Author Web page
Dorte Karrebaek, Illustrator
Ecuador
Edna Iturralde, Author Web page
Egypt
Yacoub El-Sharouni, Author/Oral storyteller/Promoter of reading
Estonia
Ulla Saar, Illustrator Web page
Leelo Tungal, Author
Urmas Viik, Illustrator
Faroe Islands
Rakel Helmsdal, Author/Illustrator/Oral storyteller/Promoter of Reading Webb page
Finland
Linda Bondestam, Illustrator Web page
Marika Maijala, Author/Illustrator Web page
Timo Parvela, Author Web page
Irmelin Sandman Lilius, Author/Illustrator
Maria Turtschaninoff, Author Web page
France
A.C.C.E.S., Organisation Web page
L’Agence Quand les Livres Relient, Organisation Web page
Benjamin Chaud, Author/Illustrator Web page
Olivier Douzou, Author/Illustrator Web page
Timothée de Fombelle, Author Web page
Bernard Friot, Author Web page
Jean-Claude Mourlevat, Author Web page
Marie-Aude Murail, Author
Geneviéve Patte, Promoter of reading Web page
François Place, Author/Illustrator Web page
François Roca, Illustrator
Georgia
Giorgi Chachanidze, Illustrator
Bondo Matsaberidze, Author Web page
Tea Topuria, Author Web page
Mariam Tsiklauri, Author
Germany
Jutta Bauer, Illustrator Web page
Nadia Budde, Author/Illustrator Web page
Nikolaus Heidelbach, Illustrator
Internationale Jugendbibliothek, Organisation Web page
Janosch, Author/Illustrator
Labor Ateliergemeinschaft, Organisation Web page
Stiftung Lesen/German Reading Foundation, Organisation Web page
Greece
ECHO Refugee Library, Organisation Web page
Vagelis Iliopoulos, Author/Promoter of reading
Antonis Papatheodoulou, Author Web page
Loty Petrovits-Andrutsopoulou, Author Web page
Greenland
Naja Rosing-Asvid, Author/Illustrator Web page
Lene Therkildsen, Promoter of reading Web page
Hungary
Istvan Csukas, Author
Tibor Zalán, Author
Iceland
Sigrún Eldjárn, Author/Illustrator
India
A & A Book Trust, Organisation Web page
Pratham Books, Organisation Web page
Iran
Children’s Book Council, Organisation Web page
Farhad Hassanzadeh, Author
Mehdi Hejvani, Promoter of Reading
Jamshid Khanian, Author Web page
Mobile Library of Iran, Organisation
Houshang Moradi Kermani, Author
Read with Me, Organisation Web page
Farshid Shafiei, Illustrator
Mohammad Reza Shams, Author
Aliasghar Seidabadi, Promoter of reading Web page
Ireland
PJ Lynch, Illustrator Web page
Sheena Wilkinson, Author Web page
Israel
Rutu Modan, Author/Illustrator
Italy
Beatrice Alemagna, Author/Illustrator Web page
Chiara Carminati, Author
Lampedusa Library, Organisation
Sarolta Szulyovszky, Illustrator Web page
Japan
Kyoko Matsuoka, Promoter of reading Webpage
Seizo Tashima, Illustrator
Jordan
Taghrid al-Najjar, Author Web page
Republic of Korea
Heena Baek, Illustrator
Korean Children’s Book Association, Organisation
Lee Juyoung, Promoter of reading
Uk-Bae Lee, Illustrator
Latvia
Gundega Muzikante, Illustrator Web page
Gita Treice, Illustrator Web page
Lebanon/Belgium
Fatima Sharafeddine, Author Web page
Lithuania
Kestutis Kasparavicius, Author/Illustrator Web page
Netherlands
De Schrijverscentrale, Organisation Web page
Joke van Leeuwen, Author/Illustrator Web page
Gideon Samson, Author Web page
Toon Tellegen, Author
Thé Tjong-Khing, Illustrator Web page
Marit Törnqvist, Author/Illustrator Web page
Edward van de Vendel, Author
Sylvia Weve, Illustrator Web page
Nicaragua
German Nicaraguan Library and the Bibliobús Bertold Brecht, Organisation Web page
Norway
Lene Ask, Illustrator Web page
Rune Belsvik, Author Web page
Gro Dahle, Author Web page
Harald Rosenløw Eeg, Author Web page
Stian Hole, Author/Illustrator
Marit Kaldhol, Author Web page
Leser Søker Bok, Organisation Web page
Gry Moursund, Author/Illustrator
Svein Nyhus, Author/Illustrator Web page
Maria Parr, Author Web page
Øyvind Torseter, Illustrator Web page
Palestine
Sonia Nimr, Author
Philippines
Virgilio Senadren Almario, Author
Kristiyano-Islam Peace Library, Organisation Web page
Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, Promoter of reading
Poland
All of Poland Reads to Kids, Organisation Web page
Iwona Chmielewska, Illustrator Web page
Paweł Pawlak, Illustrator
Małgorzata Karolina Piekarska, Author Web page
Marcin Szczygielski, Author
Józef Wilkoń, Illustrator Web page
Portugal
Bernardo P. Carvalho, Illustrator Web page
António Jorge Gonçalves, Illustrator Web page
Maria Teresa Maia Gonzales, Author
Catarina Sobral, Illustrator Web page
Romania
Florin Bican, Author/Oral storyteller/Promoter of reading
Andrea Kürti, Illustrator Web page
Vasile Olac, Illustrator
Russian Federation
Anastasia Arkhipova, Illustrator Web page
Ilga Ponornitskaya (Eugeniya Basova), Author
Nina Dashevskaya, Author
Russian State Children´s Library, Organisation
Alexander Traugot, Illustrator
Mikhail Yasnov, Author
Serbia
Jasminka Petrović, Author
Ljubivoje Ršumović, Author
Slovenia
Slavko Pregl, Author
Anja Štefan, Author
South Africa
Biblionef, Organisation Web page
Niki Daly, Author/Illustrator Web page
Gcina Mhlope, Author/Oral storyteller/Promoter of reading Web page
South Africa/South Africa
Beverley Naidoo, Author
Spain
Elena Odriozola, Illustrator Web page
Jordi Sierra i Fabra, Author Web page
Sudan
Salah Elmur, Illustrator Web page
Sweden
Eva Eriksson, Illustrator Web page
Gunna Grähs, Illustrator
Joanna Hellgren, Illustrator Web page
Olof Landström, Illustrator
Pija Lindenbaum, Author/Illustrator Web page
Eva Lindström, Author/Illustrator Web page
Frida Nilsson, Author Web page
Klara Persson, Author/Illustrator Web page
Anna-Clara Tidholm, Illustrator Web page
Cecilia Torudd, Author/Illustrator
Jakob Wegelius, Author/Illustrator Web page
Ilon Wikland, Illustrator
Monica Zak, Author/Oral storyteller/Promoter of reading Web page
Switzerland
Albertine, Illustrator Web page
Franz Hohler, Author Web page
Taiwan
Jimmy Liao, Author/Illustrator Web page
Turkey
Aytül Akal, Author Web page
Ayla Çınaroğlu, Author/Illustrator Web page
Mustafa Delioğlu, Illustrator
Huban Korman, Illustrator Web page
Ukraine
Kateryna Shtanko, Illustrator
Lesia Voronyna, Author
United Kingdom
Allan Ahlberg, Author Web page
David Almond, Author Web page
Quentin Blake, Illustrator Web page
Theresa Breslin, Author Web page
Aidan Chambers, Author Web page
Aidan & Nancy Chambers, Promoters of reading Web page
Michael Foreman, Author/Illustrator Web page
Emily Gravett, Author/Illustrator Web page
Daniel Hahn, Promoter of reading Web page
Frances Hardinge, Author Web page
Shirley Hughes, Author/Illustrator Web page
Elizabeth Laird, Author Web page
Margaret Meek Spencer, Promoter of reading
Patrick Ness, Author Web page
Luke Pearson, Author/Illustrator Web page
Jan Pienkowski, Illustrator Web page
Katherine Rundell, Author Web page
Marcus Sedgwick, Author Web page
John Shelley, Illustrator Web page
David Wood, Author Web page
United States
Laurie Halse Anderson, Author Web page
Eric Carle, Author/Illustrator Web page
Kate DiCamillo, Author Web page
Margarita Engle, Author Web page
Maira Kalman, Author/Illustrator Web page
Stephen Krashen, Promoter of reading Web page
Christopher Myers, Author/Illustrator Web page
Jerry Pinkney, Illustrator Web page
Javaka Steptoe, Illustrator Web page
Tim Tingle, Oral storyteller Web page
Jack Zipes, Author/Promoter of reading
Zambia
Lubuto Library Partners, Organisation Web page
Page 50 of yesterday’s Observer Review was instructive.
On the top half was a roundup of Young Adult ‘books of the month’, mentioning seven books with throwaway soundbites such as “a masterclass in world-building”, “a bold arresting first book”, “utterly page-turning and relatable”, “another coming-of age triumph”, “an unashamedly frothy romp”, with the remaining copy being, out of necessity, almost purely descriptive and summarising. So there you have it, the seven books get their mentions, all warmly and equally recommended.
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-observer-the-new-review-1705/20191020/282583084784106
And on the lower half of the page there is a full orthodox ‘review’ of – as in a critical discussion of – a single title, The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman.
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-observer-the-new-review-1705/20191020/282591674718698
The contrast is made all the more stark by the excellence of Alex Preston’s review (a meditation on parallels Preston detects in Pullman’s fiction with Peter Frankopan’s non-fiction The Silk Roads). Not only does the review make you want to read the novel under scrutiny (I haven’t yet), it also makes you think, Ah, I must look out for this man’s opinions on other books. I like the way he reads and thinks about what he has read. And because he has more space he doesn’t have to summarise his very positive feelings for the book in just three or four words. He is able to say “Pullman’s best novel so far is both diagnosis and cure, a work of extraordinary depth and humanity. That Pullman is our best children’s author is clear; The Secret Commonwealth establishes him as one of our greatest writers, full stop.”
You know in an instant that if Preston was reviewing another Young Adult book he would give you his honest critical view, weighted against his opinion that Pullman is the best.
This is not to say that the reviewer of the roundup piece could not also have written just as interestingly about any one of her selected novels. I am saying, as I have said before, that it is not space, and the limitedness of that space, alone that renders the reviewing of children’s books in the mainstream press ineffective. It is the scatterbrained use of the space when it is given, and the impulse to mention as many books as possible in an unfaltering register of praise. It is dangerous because it renders the authors of children’s and young adult books, and those who publish them, unused to receiving negative reviews. Bad books are published. The best authors are not always on top form. If a review (even a short mention) is worth reading at all it should be capable of conveying such judgements, and not read like soundbites from a publisher’s catalogue.
All the more lamentable then that Saturday’s Guardian Review seems to have gradually shelved its weekly individual review of a children’s book in favour of a monthly roundup.
The judges for the Costa Children’s Book Award will be:
Danny van Emden, children’s buyer and deputy manager at West End Lane Books in West Hampstead; Charlotte Eyre, The Bookseller;
Bali Rai, writer
Merky Books, Stormzy’s PenguinRandomHouse imprint, will be publishing Malorie Blackman’s autobiography in 2022.
Stormzy has referred to the Noughts and Crosses series as his “favourite books of all time”, which “showed me just how amazing storytelling could be”.
The Merky imprint publishes just two or three books a year. Titles to date include Stormzy’s Rise Up, Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi’s Taking Up Space, and the forthcoming verse novel by Derek Owusu, That Reminds Me.
The announcement was made via video link on Twitter:
🗣️ SO excited to announce / let you know that we’ll be publishing the autobiography of a true national hero… the one and only @malorieblackman OBE 🎉 pic.twitter.com/YnaA47ScXD
— #Merky Books (@MerkyBooks) October 16, 2019
The death of, Richard Jackson, a significant children’s books editor and champion of Young Adult themes has been announced:
Richard Jackson, an editor who published books by Judy Blume, Paula Fox, Virginia Hamilton and other award-winning authors that broadened the scope of children’s literature, then late in life became a children’s author himself, died on Oct. 2 in Towson, Md. He was 84.
…His work as an editor beginning in the 1960s that changed the landscape of literature for young people. At a time when many people still thought of Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries as the height of sophistication for young readers, he published authors who wrote about bullying, race, sexuality, adolescent angst of all kinds.
He often found himself defending the books he published against complaints from librarians, school boards and parents who deemed them too strong.
Of publishing Judy Blume, Jackson said, “I felt her voice was so extraordinarily pure, I just couldn’t worry that we were going to raise hackles… There’s always someone to be offended. But it was never to raise hackles that we published her. It was the voice, and the absence of adult regret, instruction or nostalgia in those novels. She turns them over to the kids, over to the characters.”
More >>> https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/13/books/richard-jackson-dead.html
Updated full-length obit. >>> https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/13/books/richard-jackson-dead.html?smid=tw-nytobits&smtyp=cur
Sara Keating leads her Irish Times piece with a review of In The Key Of Code by Aimee Lucido.
In The Key of Code (Walker Books, £6.99, 10+) takes a totally original approach to the verse novel, using the language of music and computer code to carry the story. Emmy is the daughter of struggling musicians who have moved to California hoping for a big break. Unable to make instruments sing the way her parents can, Emmy feels like an outsider in her family, and her status as the new girl only heightens her alienation. At her new school, she is the “only one in a room full of duets trios symphonies singing a solo”…. … In the Key of Code is thoroughly original in both concept and execution, and it manages to sneak in an empowering history of women’s involvement in computers too.
See what other books are reviewed in the piece here >>> https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/children-s-books-in-the-key-of-code-breaks-new-ground-1.4037729
Chicken House has revealed a three-book deal with debut author Holly Rivers.
The first book in the middle-grade mystery series will be called Demelza and the Spectre Detectors and will be published next February (2020).
The series was acquired from Kate Shaw at the Shaw Agency, who describes the first book as a “gothic, gripping and gorgeous story”.
According to The Bookseller, Demelza and the Spectre Detectors will be leading Chicken House’s publishing programme in its 20th anniversary year, and will be a lead title at Frankfurt Book Fair next week.