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In Grandma’s footsteps: how reading links generations [Irish Times}

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This is a splendid piece:
Laureate na nÓg Sarah Crossan, PJ Lynch, Eoin Colfer, Niamh Sharkey and Siobhán Parkinson on family reading

Warmly recommended, and not just for Eoin Colfer’s humorous description of his 1970s childhood:

I grew up in a dark time, dear reader. A time when there were only two TV channels and an inordinate amount of the programmes on these channels seemed to feature cows being sold or elderly men pounding their knees with spoons. We had heard rumours of the existence of a video game, but that was in America and needed a supercomputer the size of a slurry tank to play it. And if you wanted to enjoy modern music you were forced to drop a metal needle with pinpoint accuracy onto a revolving and fragile plastic disk. Honestly it was easier for Indiana Jones to steal the golden idol than it was for me to listen to Pink Floyd.

Read the whole piece:

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/in-grandma-s-footsteps-how-reading-links-generations-1.3650415

Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell on the joy of reading at Christmas

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“My vicar father had a wonderful speaking voice, and I can still remember so clearly how he would read to the five of us at bedtime [Riddell is the middle child]. In my memories of childhood, stories are among the most evocative things – the stories we were first told, that we listened to, tell each other, and then went on to acquire this skill of reading. We had a whole set of the canon of children’s books, so bedtime would be when we heard things like Black Beauty and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.”

In his turn, he read to his three children, now all in their twenties, and his calm outward demeanour doesn’t disguise quite how passionate he feels about urging all parents – and grandparents – to do the same. “No one should under-estimate the power of a bedtime story,” he insists. “It’s almost as illuminating for parents reading as it is for the children listening.”

via Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell on the joy of reading at Christmas.

How About: Willy’s Stories by Anthony Browne

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Screen Shot 2014-12-06 at 15.57.53

Published to celebrate 30 years of Willy The Wimp.
The book is straightforward in format. Words on the left, pictures on the right, each one in full-page full-colour glory.
As we move through the book, Willy passes through a set of doors to a fresh adventure, based on ten classic children’s tales and stories, so that not only is this book a celebration of Browne’s own creativity, but a general celebration of story and imagination.
Simply wonderful.
via Willy’s Stories.

AL Kennedy: I get my inspiration from children’s books

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AL Kennedy has revealed that she likes to read a children’s book before starting work on her novels:

“Reading children’s stories is a very pure, direct incarnation of story so it’s very inspiring. I will read a children’s story before I start a novel just to remember that’s what it’s about.”

via AL Kennedy: I get my inspiration from children’s books | Herald Scotland.

Michael Morpurgo: Bring back story time in every school – Telegraph

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Michael Morpurgo, the former children’s laureate, has called on the government to reinstate “story time” in all schools, saying children must have time in the day for contemplation without being tested.
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Saying too many pupils are introduced to books merely as a tool to learn spelling and punctuation, he said: “You cannot force this medicine down their throats and say ‘you have to learn this because you’re going to be tested on it’.”

“It’s really, really important for children to have these moments in the school day for contemplation,” he said. “There must be no questions afterwards, no comprehension exercises and no testing.

“I would like to see it in every school in the country, Mr Gove.”

via Michael Morpurgo: Bring back story time in every school – Telegraph.

Irish Children’s Prize | A.M.Heath

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AMHeath

As announced on Julia Churchill’s Twitter feed last night, the literary agency A M Heath, is launching a new prize, the Irish Children’s Prize. The following details are straight from Julia Churchill’s post on the A M Heath blog:

This year A. M. Heath are launching their Irish Children’s Prize.  We are looking for a new standout voice in children’s fiction.
The Irish Children’s Prize will be judged by Julia Churchill, children’s book agent at A. M. Heath, and David Maybury of Brown Bag Films, Penguin Children’s Books and Inis Magazine editor.
Says Julia Churchill: David and I love all sorts of writing for children. The winner could be a 200 word picture book, a sophisticated YA novel, a 9-12 stand-alone, or a young chapter series. I’m looking for a strong voice, a character to love, and a concept that feels fresh. If you’re writing for children, we’d love to see your work.
I represent some brilliant Irish talent already, including Sarah Crossan, author of Carnegie shortlisted THE WEIGHT OF WATER and winner of the Eilís Dillon award, and with this prize I’m looking to help break out an Irish writing star of the future.
Says David Maybury: There’s so much happening in Ireland’s creative industries with our international best-selling authors and illustrators, award-winning animators and growing games industry. I’m looking for an idea that could lead to anything, and anywhere. Characters with a story that tickle the hairs on the back of your neck and a strong genuine voice that will capture readers of any age.
Submission guidelines:
The A. M. Heath Irish Children’s Prize is open to un-agented writers living in the Republic of Ireland and writing children’s or young adult fiction in English.
To get a good sense of the voice, concept and where the character is headed, we’d like to see the first 5,000 words PLUS a short description of the book (a few lines) AND a one page outline that shows the spine of the story. Please send this as a Word doc attachment to  irishprize@amheath.com
If you’re submitting a picture book (or shorter fiction that comes in under 5,000 words), then please send the complete text.
Entrants will receive an acknowledgement on receipt of script, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Submissions open on June 6th and will close on October 17th.
The shortlist will be announced on October 25th, and the winner will be announced on October 31st at the CBI Children’s Book Festival in Dublin.
The winner will be awarded a prize of €1,000. Three runners up will receive a bundle of children’s books written by Irish writers.
A. M. Heath is running the prize in order to support new Irish writing talent, and to find a debut star. We will offer representation if we find an author, or authors, whose writing we love.
via Irish Children’s Prize | A.M.Heath.