Write For A Better World

28 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents Tags: , , ,

World Literacy Canada has a new writing contest that you won’t want to miss. It’s a totally cool concept, and there are super prizes for the winners that include $500 and an e-reader, and of course, books.

The  idea is that you finish the story that Eric has started.  Yep, it’s that simple….

Ok ok…there is one little catch.  You have to write about a place that’s new to you; the things that are different , AND the things that are the same.

Here’s Eric’s part of the story:

I felt like I had been shot out of a cannon.  Who were these people? Where in the world was I? Before I could even get my bearings I was almost run over by. . .

You have 400 words to finish the story.

Interested?  Here’s the link to find out more.

The Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable Presents Beryl Young

15 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Parents Tags: ,

Beryl Young will present on the topic One Writer’s Life, and talk about her most recent novel for young adults, Follow the Elephant (Ronsdale, 2010), about a thirteen-year-old boy who travels to India with his grandmother in search of her childhood pen pal. “India is still my passion, and I’ve travelled to that vast country three times to visit my foster family there.”

Young has also written Wishing Star Summer (Raincoast, 2001) and Charlie: A Home Child’s Life in Canada (Key Porter, 2009).

Also on the program: Leslie Bootle and Melanie Jeffs from Orca Books will introduce Orca’s Fall 2012 titles.
The VCLR is open to the public. Members free, drop-ins $5, students $4. Meetings are held at the Nellie McClung Branch Library, 3950 Cedar Hill Road. Come early and browse Tall Tales Books’ table, and bring a friend! Doors open at 7 pm.

For more information about the Roundtable, call 250-598-3694, find us on Facebook, or visit:
www.victoriachildrensliteratureroundtable.blogspot.com.

NYT Notable Children’s Books of 2012

28 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens

The New York Times has released it’s Notable Children’s Books of 2012.  I’m in the middle of reading Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore which is on the list of Young Adult reads, and I couldn’t agree more.

It’s a great list, so check it out. I also noticed that I’m Bored written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by our own Debbie Ridpath Ohi is on their picture book list.  Congrats Debbie!

2012 Canadian Children’s Literature Awards

22 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Award News, For Educators, For Kids, For Parents Tags:

Congratulations to the winners and to the authors and illustrators of books short-listed for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s 2012 Children’s Literature Awards.  They are an amazing array of wonderful books that range from picture books for young children to gritty mysteries for teens.  Visit the Book Centre for more info. http://www.bookcentre.ca/news/ccbc_award_winners_2012 (note: follow the links to more about each of these books, and those short-listed is on the left side of the page).  These titles represent some of the best in Canadian Children’s books this year.

        

 

Bullying resource list

03 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Parents, for teens Tags: , ,

Bullying is nothing new and despite the zero tolerance attitude many schools have adopted, it isn’t about to disappear. With that in mind, and with recent high profile cases in the news, Publisher Weekly has put together a pretty solid list of books on the subject.  The titles range from picture books to  young adult fiction to parental resources books. So watch out bullies!

Come hear Pamela Porter, author of The Crazy Man

18 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in Events, For Educators, For Parents

Author Pamela Porter

Monday Oct. 22nd, 7:30 pm at the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable

Pamela is the author of four collections of poetry, two verse novels, and a novel and picture book for children. Her most recent verse novel, I’ll Be Watching (2011), was shortlisted for the 2012 Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize.

Pamela’s first verse novel, The Crazy Man, won the 2005 Governor General’s Award, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award, and other accolades.

Pamela lives in North Saanich with her family and a menagerie of rescued horses, dogs, and cats, including a formerly wild mustang.

The VCLR is open to the public. Members free, drop-ins $5, students $4. Meetings are held at the Nellie McClung Branch Library, 3950 Cedar Hill Road. Come early and browse Tall Tales Books’ table, and bring a friend! Doors open at 7 pm.

For more information about the Roundtable, call 250-598-3694, find us on Facebook, or visit:

www.victoriachildrensliteratureroundtable.blogspot.com.

Alif Laila Book Society & IBBY Pakistan support Malala Yousfzai

14 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens Tags: , , ,

Dear Readers,

Nanna Aldrich Murakami’s Photos

I’m sure you’ve all heard about young Malala Yousufzai, the young 14 year old girl who was shot by the Taliban for nothing more than wanting an education and speaking out about it.  Here’s a chance to offer more than outrage.  How about helping creating a library at her school by assisting the Alif Laila Book Bus Society (they also want to set up mini libraries like mine through out Lahore, Pakistan) and  IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People).  You can send donations through the contact below.  But, even if you can’t help finiancially, you can support Malala Yousufzai with cards, drawings and letters so that this she knows that the world is behind her.  Please help if you can.

The letter requesting support follows.

Dear Friends,

I write to share with you news from Pakistan that has saddened the hearts of all. On the 9th of October, Malala Yousufzai ,aged 14, who has been active in denouncing the closure of girls schools by the Taliban in Swat in 2009, and who continued her education despite threats, was shot in the head on her way back from school. Two of her friends, also in the bus, were injured as well.Malala epitomizes courage and allows all of us to see that single acts of bravery can, and, do become movements. We are grateful to this young campaigner for encouraging Pakistanis to stand up and be counted.Alif Laila/IBBY Pakistan is setting up a library in Malala’s school and has organized a KEEP SMILING card campaign for Malala and her two friends. We aim to make this the longest and most colourful card in the world’s history.  For this we need your active support.Please become a member of this campaign by encouraging  children to write messages and create drawings that are full of hope and will make the girls happy, and hopefully, assist in their recovery.  We also want them to know how compassionately the world has responded to their plight and how they are not alone in their struggle.Please email us your contributions by the 20th of October. Emails can be sent to:

aliflaila_lhr@yahoo.com

aliflaila1978@gmail.com

bmk_al@yahoo.com

 Thank you for your time and support. 

Basarat Kazim

President

Alif Laila Book Bus Society

IBBY Pakistan

 

Stop bullying now!

13 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Kids, For Parents, for teens Tags: ,

If you don’t think cyber bullying is a huge problem for all of us, watch fifteen year old Amanda Todd’s story.  She’s the BC teen who recently took her own life after being cyber bullied by someone who tracked her and made her life hell for three years and through two school changes.  The thing that’s so distressing about this particular young woman’s situation is that she had family and school support.

Isn’t it time that we protected our children from this kind of abuse?

Check out this great Interview with Linda Bailey

11 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Parents, interviews Tags:

Check out Marsha Skrypuch’s  “Youthful Appetite” column for a great interview with Linda Bailey, the author of the Stanley books and  Toads on Toast.  

 

Island Santa passes it’s test run with flying colors

09 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by sherylbooks in For Educators, For Parents, News Tags:

Island Santa had it’s first test run today.  Joining illustrator Sheena Lott and I at the launch of our new picture book at the beautiful historic South Park School in Victoria was Jeneece Edroff.  The grade 2-3 class was treated to Sheena’s original artwork while I read the story.  The kids were awesome, and so was Jeneece, Vancouver Island’s “Penny Girl.” Her fundraising efforts resulted in the opening of Jeneece Place. Jeneece Place is a home away from  home for families whose children need to leave their communities for medical care.

The kids loved the story and they loved hearing about how Jeneece started raising money for families when she was their age.  They also loved hearing about the idea for the story.  It was based on Karre Norgaard, and his passion for helping others. Every year he turned his boat into a floating sleigh to deliver Christmas presents to families in isolated coastal communities.  The Norgaard Foundation also helped make Jeneece Place possible.  Jeneece and Karre never met, but they are so alike in their commitment to helping others.

Check out this short video clip from CTV News.  Fast forward to see part of the launch. 4:49-6:04

Teacher Alert:

The Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island has put together a fabulous free teacher’s guide to use with Island Santa.  Download it here.

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