Featured authors – Page 17 – Bookmonitor

Ifeoma Onyefulu in Washington USA

Ifeoma is a well known writer of children’s books, using her photographs and text bringing family and community life in Africa into the western world.

At the end of June in 2010 Ifeoma is visiting Washington DC.

On 26th June she will be performing at the Washington Convention Center a play reading of one of her best loved books, Welcome Dede, a beautifully illustrated book of the naming of Dede by all the community.

af art On 27th June she will delivering one of her exciting, interactive workshops at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Arts.

(Image from Playtime at National Museum of African Arts).

A great accolade for a great writer and illustrator.

Ifeoma’s books and gallery are available to view and to buy and there is also a US version of her website, where US visitors to the site can purchase Ifeoma’s books from Amazon.com

This is part of Ifeoma’s programme about portraying Africa as a place full of colour, life and vibrancy and bringing this to America. Breaking down barriers, making bridges, encouraging communication and interest.

There are organisations that are already active in this endeavour, the Africa- America Institute , which has a programme to help in education and training and the site America .gov which promotes partnership for peace and prosperity.

At Dolphin Booksellers we are delighted to support Ifeoma in her visit to Washington and will update you on this blog just as soon as the photos arrive.

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Winner of Diverse Voices Book Award

On the very top floor in the attic of Seven Stories, a group of people gathered to listen with excitement to the announcement of the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Book Award. Set within a roof space of sturdy beams, interlocked together from the industrial past of this amazing building beside the canal, the atmosphere was wonderfully friendly with an electric buzz waiting to find out which book and which author had won.

‘ And the winner is….

Tom Avery for Too Much Trouble

A story of two brothers, Emmanuel and Prince. Emmanuel tells his story as he looks back on how events led to him holding a gun to a man’s head. The boys are forced to live on hand outs as their drug dealer uncle says they are too much trouble. They make an art of being unnoticed. But when they are forced to look after themselves they end up in a life of crime from which Emmanuel can see no way out.

ss team Short listed for the prize were, Remi Oyedele for Goal Dreams, Sue Stern for Rafi Brown and the Candy Floss Kid and Karon Alderman for Story Thief.

The judges were made up of a panel including the team at Seven Stories and they said that they had some excellent entries in this second year of the award.

The award was announced by John Nichol, Managing Director at Frances Lincoln and Janetta Otter Barry, said that she is looking forward to working with Tom on the future publishing of the book.

Our team from Dolphin Booksellers were delighted to be at the event and look forward to the publication of Too Much Trouble.

Dolphin Booksellers for information and children’s books, always on line.

The Frances Lincoln
Diverse Voices
Children’s Book Award 2010

The winner of the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award for 2010 will be announced on Tuesday 8th June 2010 at Seven Stories in Newcastle upon Tyne .

Frances Lincoln Ltd, the award winning publisher, and Seven Stories, the Centre for Children’s Books, set up the award in memory of Frances Lincoln(1945- 2001).
It encourages and promotes diversity in children’s fiction.

From role models to different cultures and groups, it values the need for all children to be able to find themselves in a book and to widen horizons and aspirations.

Last year, 2009, Cristy Burne was the successful winner of the award for Takeshita Demons , a great start and an amazingly brilliant adventure story.

“ The demons are all real: Western cultures have vampires and werewolves and witches, Japanese people have kappa and oni and tengu. “ Says Cristy, who has now had the story published by Frances Lincoln in an amazingly colourful and vibrant book.

We were pleased to be invited to the Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award, watch this space to find out the winner for 2010.

Dolphin Booksellers bringing you the best in children’s books and information. Add this blog to your RSS feeds.

Frog Finds a Friend

May give-away from Bookstart!

Last chance to enter the competition to receive a free picture book from Bookstart.

This month you can win a wonderful picture book from Max Velthuijs , either Frog finds a Friend or Frog is Frog.

Great books to have and to share with your children. There is a whole series of Frog books and the illustrations are terrific, simple and appealing in the same way as the Maisy series.

The Frog titles have been translated into over 50 different languages and there stories and simplicity have the same appeal the world over.

‘Frog is worried about his health: His heart is beating too fast. His friend Hare says that he must be in love – but who is he in love with?‘

From Frog in Love 1989

The Bookstart website has a huge range of information and details about future events. The front page is just a delight, watch the bear and his friends come out of the sandcastle armed with books.

The Booktrust Children’s Books site has even more information about the whole range of children’s books.

But try the May competition, there may just be chance over the holiday weekend and you may be lucky.

Street Heroes by Joe Layburn

jl2 This is a book with real energy.

The story is about a real big issue…. set in the streets of East London where different communities live and work together. But for one boy, whose father is deeply involved with a fascist group, life is hard. His friends are what really matters to him and yet he can’t seem to change his father’s attitude.

He hears a voice from his friend, Fatima, in his head, helping him, like a voice of reason when life gets tough, and tough it certainly gets. Especially when the street is filled with an intimidating march led by his father to drive non whites from their homes.

Fatima and her friends make a stand to stop the march.
Where will Georgie be? Whose side will he be on?

‘For a second I could hear cries of anger and confusion from some of the Fascists close by him. They were soon drowned out by an enormous cheer from behind me…….. But soon, like a receding tide, they all began trudging back the way they had come.’

Joe Layburn at his best, and with a flair for excellent story writing and dialogue that all children will relate to.

Street Heroes is a new publication from Frances Lincoln. This book deserves to be read by children and adults alike.

Joe had joined us at one of our City Stories events called Leyton Stories – a great success.

Federation of Children’s Book Groups Conference

Bradfield College

A whole weekend of children’s books at Bradfield College, Berkshire – a splendid setting and the warmest days so far.

A great success for the FCBG Annual Conference 2010 .

Cake at Conference

We were there for the Saturday speakers.

Hadn’t realised that there would be so much cake.

Definitely a bonus!

A Gothic Imagination started the day with Sarah Singleton, author of The Poison Garden and Century . She carried us through the attics of neurosis and cellars of repression, describing gothic style as somewhat claustrophobic, with decay and a feeling of being trapped in the past.

John Burningham(author of Mr Gumpy and many many more books), gave some amazing reflections on his work and career as an illustrator and author, somehow even finding a flair for trains in Japan.

Truth Lies and Violence was a lively seminar with Graham Marks (I Spy – The Constantinople Caper) and Marcus Sedgwick (Revolver). They even managed to travel to get the real feel of the settings for their books and in Marcus’ case tried out a gun to see what it would feel like.

Books at Bedtime, in the middle of the afternoon, wasn’t at all soporific! Wendy Cooling , David Melling and Clara Vulliamy were inspirational in their illustrations and composition of picture books. Hugless Douglas and The Bear with Sticky Paws are two of their titles.

And even time to relax too!

Time to look at new books coming on the scene, chance to meet up with friends.

We enjoyed the opportunity to sit back and listen to the creativity of writing and illustrating.

Just wait until the children start getting stuck into those books.

Dolphin Booksellers for books and information on-line.

Twilighters

The Twilight effect has taken children’s books into another world, not just literally either. The saga and series of books are written by Stephenie Meyer – Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, published by Atom Books of the Little, Brown Book Group have sold in epic proportions.

The films Twilight and New Moon are also available on DVD and they make chilling viewing.

But one of the real successes of the book is how a love story and other stories are interwoven in the framework of vampires and evil, a world Bella stumbles into. Once there, it seems like there is no escape…..

You may not find the books in the children’s section any longer. That’s mainly because so many ‘grown ups’ are now reading them. But what teenager would want to walk in to a children’s section with Thomas the Tank Engine and The Gruffalo.This series is a stunnning new approach and brings you to a supernatural world, mixed with romance and a large portion of suspense.

Available from Amazon.co.uk through our web links above. Hover your mouse over the ‘little book’ icon to see the details of the title.

The books are available at great price today. So why not start at the beginning with Twilight and start reading. I guess you will not be able to put them down.

Dolphin Booksellers always on line – bringing you information and great books.

The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris

The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris

Whilst listening to the radio, I heard that snow leopards are perfectly adapted to the snow and bitterly cold weather we are having in the UK. It made me stop and think, then refind my copy of The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris, published by Frances Lincoln.

The beauty and spirituality of these animals is captured wonderfully. The story is truly magical.

“From the beginning of time the Snow Leopard has sung the stars to life, the sun to rise and the moon to wax and wane. She weaves a song to keep her hidden valley safe from the world of men and as she sings, a child down in the valley beneath, dreams her song.”

The illustrations are amazingly evocative with the dreaming and sleeping child snuggled close to the leopard. The shades of cobalt blue matched boldly against the white and grey fur.

If you are looking for a book to use for creativity and imagination, go for this one over the winter spell. The writing and illustrations will give endless scope.

And just open the pages, read, gaze and dream…………

For a more scientific approach, facts about the snow leopard can be found on the BBC nature web site with further links. There are some great videos of snow leopards, these solitary cats need about 2000 acres of snow covered lands in which to roam.

Or visit Jackie’s website and find out more about her work, she has a large range of prints for sale too.
Buy The Snow Leopard, by Jackie Morris before you leave?

Papa Panov’s Special Day – Books for Christmas

Papa Panov was an old shoemaker, who lived in a Russian village.

It was Christmas Eve and he was expecting a special visitor the next day. He found the very best pair of tiny leather shoes that he had ever made.

‘ That’s what I shall give him.’ He said.

The next day, Christmas Day, he made a really warm fire, put some coffee on the stove and waited. He had several visitors that day, the old road sweeper, a young mother with a baby. He asked them into the warm and gave them coffee. He gave the best pair of shoes that he had ever made to the baby.

But still the special person didn’t come.

As it got dark, he sat in his chair. Two large tears welled up in his eyes.

“Dearie, dearie” he said. It seemed as if someone was in the room. A voice said, ” I was cold and you made me warm, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. Didn’t you see me Papa Panov?”

Papa Panov is a beautiful, old french story, retold by Leo Tolstoy . It captures the heart of Christmas without too much tinsel.

Papa Panov’s Special Day has been adapted by Mig Holder and illustrated by Julie Dowling.

cdpp There’s also a CD which features Papa Panov as a story.

This story is one of several Christmas stories that will be on Dolphin Bookblog this Christmas.

Dolphinboooksellers.co.uk for children’s books and information on line.

Continue reading Papa Panov’s Special Day – Books for Christmas

Quick Reads

Quick Reads are a really good way to find your way into books. In fact they are an excellent read in their own right and they have been a huge success.In the last four years they have distributed over 1 million copies and introduced thousands of new readers to books.

2010 is their fifth anniversary and they have some exciting titles lined up already including Doctor Who and the Code of the Krillitanes by Justin Richards. Traitors of the Tower is written by Alison Weir. She is a great author who specialises in historical novels, based very closely to facts and research. For a larger novel try also Innocent Traitor or The Lady Elizabeth.

The back lists for Quick Reads are still available and definitely worth checking out. They are all written by best selling authors and include some celebrities too. The Quick Read website has lots of information and a chance to write a review about the books.

At Dolphin Booksellers we would be really interested in bringing some books and authors for an event for your organisation. Our City Stories website has more information too.