Read Alert

If you were lucky enough to see the Spare Parts adaptation of Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, you will know what an exceptional artist Shaun is. Shaun Tan’s new book, Tales From Outer Suburbia is out in June and we’re delighted to welcome back this outstanding illustrator.

Shaun Tan will be in conversation with Melbourne poet and essayist Chris Wallace-Crabbe on Wednesday 11 June at 7pm. Admission is by gold coin donation and bookings are essential.

Bookings on 8664 7555 or learning@slv.vic.gov.au

Shaun Tan in conversation with Chris Wallace-Crabbe
Village Roadshow Theatrette
State Library of Victoria
Entry 3 La Trobe Street
7 to 9pm

Melbourne-based publishers Text have just announced an unpublished manuscript prize for a young adult novel. The prize naturally includes publication and (here’s the nice part) an advance against royalties of $10000. On one hand, it’s canny marketing, but on the other, a real opportunity to attract the best and open up discussions with a range of YA writers.

The competition is open to all living writers, whether they have been published before or not and entrants must be permanent residents of Australia or New Zealand.

For all the details, visit their website.

We caught up with the Text team during the CBCA conference. Text are putting together an impressive roster of titles with strong appeal to able older readers, focussed on quality titles and quality writing. I’m sure this competition will turn up another. Now if you will excuse me, I have some writing to do.

This week the Centre for Youth Literature is running full tilt with a series of events including:

The Arrival, adapted by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. The schools’ running at the Arts Centre are fully sold out. Tonight we have a special evening session for Booktalkers subscribers and CYL supporters. Kicks of at 6.30pm. Tickets are available on 8664 7555.

Yesterday Shaun Tan, the creator of The Arrival, spoke to nearly 400 young people. They came from near and far to see what Shaun describes as the ice beneath the iceberg. It was, frankly, a masterclass in making art.

Tomorrow we’re thrilled to present four great writers - JC Burke, Maureen McCarthy, Julia Lawrinson and Sue Lawson - in It’s Different for Girls. It’s the first time we have run such a girl-focussed event. Sue Lawson will launch her new book Finding Darcy. Julia Lawrinson will talk about The Push, her new novel set in bohemian Sydney.

Then there’s a thing called the CBC conference on over the weekend, and we’re catching up with a few million people to share information and ideas. That will also include the launch of Morris Gleitzman’s Then, the sequel to Once. Looking forward to that!

And now Julia Gillard is about to launch the MS Readathon here at the State Library. Gotta go. Girl power indeed!

*The holdiay was great by the way, thanks for asking.

CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, phew, have announced the shortlist for the 2008 Carnegie Medal.

Kevin Crossley-Holland, Gatty’s Tale

Linzi Glass, Ruby Red

Tanya Landman, Apache

Elizabeth Laird, Crusade

Philip Reeve, Here Lies Arthur

Meg Rosoff, What I Was

Jenny Valentine, Finding Violet Park

The list is an exciting mix of historical and contemporary fiction. At least two of the novels are set in the Crusades. (One more and it will look like a trend.)

I have just received a copy of Linzi Glass’s Ruby Red. Her first novel, When the Gypsies Came is powerfully atmospheric novel of a childhood in Africa. The new one also exploits the author’s African upbringing, this time via the Soweto riots of 1976, a turning point in the anti-apartheid campaign.

Also, keep your eye on the judges’ shadowing site. Julie Musslewhite, one of the Carnegie judges, will be sharing her thoughts on the books over the mext few weeks.

Do you have your ticket for Spare Parts Puppet Theatre’s adaptation of Shaun Tan’s The Arrival?

No? Then you’d better book now.

When Thursday May 1
Venue Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre
Time 6.30 – 8 pm
Cost $30
Bookings learning@slv.vic.gov.au 8664 7555

Don’t miss this opportunity to see this amazing production. All other sessions have been booked out.

Joe Hill wrote a book called Heart-Shaped Box, and sent it to an agent. The agent bought it. A publisher bought it. A Hollywood producer bought it. It won some kind of fancy crime award. Only then did Joe Hill admit that he is Steven King’s son.

Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List, David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s second book together, is also going to be a movie. MAYBE starring Hayden Panettiere from Heroes.

In other movie-casting news, Thomas Sangster has been cast as Tintin. Some of you will know Thomas as “That Kid with the Big Eyes who Played the Drums in Love Actually“. The more discerning among you will know him as “the Kid with the Watch in that Awesome Doctor Who Two-Parter”.

Margaret Atwood reminisces about Anne of Green Gables.

Neil Gaiman

May 5, 1pm

Village Roadshow Theatrette
Entry 3, State Library of Victoria
La Trobe Street, Melbourne

free (or gold coin donation)

Bookings at learning@slv.vic.gov.au or 8664 7555

Book of the Year: Older Readers

French, Jackie Pharaoh: the boy who conquered the Nile

Hartnett, Sonya The Ghost’s Child

Heffernan, John Marty’s Shadow

McDonald, Meme Love like Water

Metzenthen, David Black Water

Norrington, Leonie Leaving Barrumbi

Book of the Year: Younger Readers

Clark, Sherryl Sixth Grade Style Queen (not!)

French, Jackie The Shaggy Gully Times

Hirsch, Odo Amelia Dee and the Peacock Lamp

Metzenthen, David Winning the World Cup

Rodda, Emily The Key to Rondo

Wilkinson, Carole Dragon Moon

the full list can be found at http://cbca.org.au

Oh, Heather Mills is NOT writing a children’s book. Say it ain’t so!

In much more pleasing news, you can read an extract from Philip Pullman’s new book here (it has Lee Scoresby and Hester!).

Fans of The Little Prince may be interested to hear this story from a German fighter pilot.

Jezebel has a Friday Fine Lines feature, where they revisit the childrens’ and YA books they read as teens. I enjoyed going all fangirly over Tamora Pierce’s Alanna books again. What book isn’t improved with a bit of crossdressing?

Sonya Hartnett has won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. This is the major award for a major writer. Thoroughly well deserved. Hartnett’s books include Sleeping Dogs, Thursday’s Child and Of a Boy.

The jury praised Hartnett as “one of the major forces for renewal in modern young adult fiction. With psychological depth and a concealed yet palpable anger, she depicts the circumstances of young people without avoiding the darker sides of life.”

(Pic: Fairfax)

Hartnett will receive the award from Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria at a May 28 in Stockholm.

This is due recognition to a great writer. Previous winners of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award include Philip Pullman and Maurice Sendak.

Sonya Hartnett’s latest book is The Ghost’s Child.