Order of Canada
1/7/2018
 By Deb A.
Happy Canada Day! Just two days ago a new slew of recipients of the Order of Canada were announced. The many-tiered award was established on Canada's centennial 51 years ago to recognise "outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation." Here are the individuals who were appointed to the Order of Canada for their contributions to Canadian art and literature: Canada's first female astronaut Dr. Roberta Bondar was recognised not only for her work in space medicine research, but also for promoting environmental sustainability—in particular through photography and writing. Her fifth photo essay book will be published soon. Journalist and author Lise Bissonnette received an Order of Canada for her work as a journalist and author, as well as for her pivotal leadership role at the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. American-born sculptor-painter Eli Bornstein became a Canadian citizen in 1972. He was honoured by the Order of Canada for his groundbreaking structurist reliefs and his contributions to art theory as the founder of journal The Structurist. Hédi Bouraoui is a poet, novelist, and essayist. He received the Order of Canada for his various writings and his theories on cultural boundaries and identities. Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Exile Quarterly Barry Callaghan has been lauded as a preeminent man of letters. The poet, writer, and painter was named to the Order of Canada for promoting Canadian literature at home and abroad. Writer, artist, and art critic Gary Michael Dault has been writing about Canadian art for decades; he currently writes a weekly column for the Globe and Mail. His commitment to celebrating visual artists was a key factor in his inclusion on this year's list. Anyone who has ever read I Want My Hat Back to their child will appreciate that illustrator and author Jon Klassen was named to the Order of Canada this year for his work as an illustrator and author of children's literature. He is the artist and graphic designer responsible for the CBC's iconic 1974 logo: Burton Kramer received his honour for his extensive and influential contributions to the field of graphic design. Scott Thornley's contributions to "the advancement of our collective appreciation of art, culture, science, and education through his unique graphic and verbal designs" were recognised this year—a sure boon for his consultancy, STC. Novelist and essayist Aritha van Herk's work has shone an international spotlight on the western Canadian experience; her books, essays, and other writing have been translated into ten languages. Elizabeth Hillman Waterston is Professor Emeritus of the University of Guelph. She is a founding editor of Canadian Children's Literature, an authority on Lucy Maud Montgomery, and the author of several books. She was named to the Order of Canada for her role in developing the academic field of Canadian literature, and for her years of mentoring Canadian authors.
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Summer Festivals
24/6/2018
 Warsan Shire will headline Africa WritesImage: Amaal Said By Deb A.
Summer is festival time. Here's a sample of just some of the events for bookworms, art lovers, and photography fans taking place this season. Athens Photo Festival 2018 6 June –29 July; Athens, Greece The main exhibition at the Benaki Museum was curated from over 100 entries; there is also a Young Greek Photographers exhibit. Fotofestiwal 2018 21 June–1 July; Lodz, Poland One of Poland's first major photography events in 2001, this year's festival looks at the Anthropocene epoch with over 30 exhibitions. f/stop 23 June–1 July; Leipzig, Germany This year the biennial festival for photography will examine how photography can be used for democracy and mediation. National Arts Festival 28 June–8 July; Grahamstown, South Africa Visitors get free entry to exhibitions by "hundreds of visual artists working in almost every conceivable medium," including I am because you are: A search for Ubuntu with permission to dream and Sister Sister, an all-female exhibition. Africa Writes 29 June–1 July; London, England Somali-British poet Warsan Shire will headline the U.K.'s biggest annual African literary festival, which features book launches, workshops, masterclasses, panels, and roundtables with authors from a dozen countries. Read by the Sea 2–7 July; River John, Canada A festival that brings some of Canada's best authors and poets to a small town in Nova Scotia; WordPlay, a children's event, will include Paulette Bourgeois (Franklin the Turtle). Rencontres d'Arles 2 July–23 September; Arles, France "Cross space and time with a breathtaking, celestial journey across the ages"—who could resist an invitation like that? Antiparos International Photo Festival 7–16 July; Antiparos, Greece With a maximum of just 15 photographers, this mostly open-air event may be the smallest international photography festival in the world. Upfest—The Urban Paint Festival 28–30 July; Bristol, England Europe's largest, free street art and graffiti festival, with artists from around the world painting 60,000 square feet of surfaces. Also includes an affordable art sale. Edinburgh Fringe Festival 3–27 August; Edinburgh, Scotland It bills itself as "the world's greatest platform for creative freedom," as well as "the single biggest celebration of arts and culture on the planet," neither of which is an empty boast. Featuring spoken word performances, art exhibits, plays, dance, cabaret, and more, it is perhaps best-known for comedy. Kilkenny Arts Festival 9–19 August; Kilkenny, Ireland Enjoy the music, theatre, dance, and art, but don't let it distract you from attending a poetry workshop with poet-in-residence Eavan Boland. Writivism Festival 17–19 August; Kampala, Uganda In its sixth year, Uganda's leading literary festival will be looking to build on its foundations and set the tone for the next five years. Queensland Poetry Festival 36–26 August; Queensland, Australia Poet-in-residence Yona Harvey will offer workshops, talks, and more; the winner of the Emerging Older Poets Mentorship will read, and a poet will be selected to represent Queensland in the Australia Poetry Slam. Deb A. The judges of the Branford Boase Award (BBA) for outstanding first novel for young people have noted an emerging trend in writing for readers aged seven and up: Instead of setting off for adventures in Narnia or where the wild things are, protagonists are staying home. A significant amount of children's literature now takes place in an emotionally complex domestic setting. Julia Eccleshare, the award's co-founder and chairperson of the judging panel, points out in The Bookseller that increasingly, main characters are facing challenges such as death, depression, and divorce, which are "impossible for a child to resolve as the issues are insurmountable." Protagonists are trying to untangle internal family drama, not embarking on quests to catch thieves or right wrongs. Although they might not fit the traditional understanding of adventure, these tales still offer excitement, as tension stems from internal monsters like mental health problems rather than the more literal wild-eyed furry giants with sharp teeth and claws. In more and more children's novels, Ms. Eccleshare explains, the action is in interaction, which invites readers to develop their sense of compassion and empathy. She pinpoints the rise of more claustrophobic settings as coinciding with mobile phones and restrictions on children's freedom to roam without parental supervision. It is clear that at least the BBA judges still fancy some fresh air: Children will find a fair amount of outdoor adventure in the shortlisted titles below. The winner of the Branford Boase Award, worth £1,000, will be announced On July 4th.
ICYMI
11/3/2018
By Deb A.
Here's a roundup of just a few examples of beauty in the world this week. Yinka Shonibare's Wind Sculpture has arrived in Central Park. 'They want to read books that engage with their everyday experiences, featuring characters who look like them." Denene Millner wrote in the New York Times about finding books for black children that celebrate daily life rather than extraordinary 'firsts.' Hot on the heels of his own attempt to show that things just keep getting better, Steven Pinker recommended books to make you an optimist in The Guardian. March 8th was International Women's Day, and the CBC celebrated with a list of 30 incredible women to inspire you with art... ...while Bloomberg highlighted female photographers around the world. A book of lost poetry by Lou Reed is set to be published. Canada's new Heritage Minute is for everyone who grew up with Anne of Green Gables. Dolly's Imagination Library
4/3/2018
By Deb A.
Twenty-two years ago, Dolly Parton launched the Imagination Library to encourage America's preschoolers and their families to develop a love for books. The programme began by sending 1,700 free books to children in Ms. Parton's home county in Tennessee, and since then has expanded to provide monthly reads to one million families across America, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Each year, a panel of early childhood literacy experts reviews hundreds of books to select the most appropriate titles, which differ from country to country. This past week, the initiative celebrated an awe-inspiring milestone when it shipped out its 100 millionth book. It marked the occasion by dedicating the book--Dolly Parton's own Coat of Many Colors--to the world's largest library, the Library of Congress. Here are a sample of some of the books the programme has sent out. We highly recommend you play Jolene on repeat in the background while you take a look. |
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