Children's Book Awards 2009 winners announced

The winners of the Children's Book Awards for 2009 have been anounced. They are:

Older Readers Book of the Year
Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

Honour - Into White Silence by Anthony Eaton
Honour - A Rose for the Anzac Boys by Jackie French






Younger Readers Book of the Year
Perry Angel’s Suitcase by Glenda Millard, Illus: King, Stephen Michael

Honour - The Wish Pony by Catherine Bateson
Honour - Then by Morris Gleitzman



Early Childhood Book of the Year
How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham

Honour - Leaf by Stephen Michael King
Honour - Tom Tom by Rosemary Sullivan, Illus: Dee Huxley







Picture Book of the Year
Collecting Colour by Kylie Dunstan

Honour - Home and Away by Matt Ottley, Text: John Marsden
Honour - The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson




Eve Pownall Book of the Year
Alive in the Death Zone by Lincoln Hall

Honour - The Word Spy by Ursula Duborsarky, Illus: Tohby Riddle
Honour - Simpson and his Donkey by Mark Greenwood, Illus: Lessac, Frané




Congratulations to the winners and honours.

Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Festival

Don't forget it's the Knox Festival this weekend. Ferntree Gully Library is preparing for an influx of visitors for their fantastic program. The library will be open from 10am - 4pm Saturday and Sunday during the festival. Everyone's welcome, you can also check out the library since it's had a refurbishment.

Saturday 28th February
Artrageous are running continuous ‘make and do sessions’
12noon - ‘Magic Guy’ Terry McSweeney
2pm - Author John Marsden

Sunday 1st March
Artrageous are running continuous ‘make and do sessions’
12noon - Puppeteer Claire Everton
2pm - Author Bob Graham

Where: Ferntree Gully Library, 1010 Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully.
Cost: Entry to the festival is $6 Family, $2 Adult, $1.50 child/concession. All money will go to the bushfire appeal. No further cost for any library activities.
Parking: Parking is available for a gold coin donation at St. Josephs College, Brenock Park Drive, Ferntree Gully - right across the road from the main festival entrance. Alternatively you can leave your car at home and use public transport (Connex train timetables, BusVic - Metlink bus timetables). A free festival bus will shuttle every 20 minutes between the Ferntree Gully railway station (bus stop opposite railway station on Station Street) and the Burwood Highway entrance to the festival site. The bus will operate between 11am and 4pm both days.

Cheers, Maryanne

Knox Festival Sat. 28th February - Sun. 1st March

It's only a couple of weeks until the Knox Festival and Ferntree Gully Library will be taking part in the festivities with the following events.

PLEASE NOTE: Updated times

Saturday 28th February
The ever popular Artrageous will be running continuous ‘make and do sessions’ on both days.

12noon - ‘Magic Guy’ Terry McSweeney
Terry has performed at Crown Casino, the Comedy Festival and has even appeared on Neighbours as …. a magician.

2pm - Author John Marsden
John has been acclaimed for his Tomorrow series and the Ellie Chronicles. He has sold over 3 million books worldwide. In 2006 John was presented with the Lloyd O’Neil Award for service to the Australian book industry. This is a not to be missed opportunity to hear an internationally recognised young peoples’ author. There will a sales and signing session following the talk.

Sunday 1st March
The ever popular Artrageous will be running continuous ‘make and do sessions’ on both days.

12noon - Puppeteer Claire Everton
Claire Everton will delight the audience with her fairytale puppets. She is a very experienced performer whose outstanding singing and theatrical talents will make this performance something to remember.

2pm - Author Bob Graham
Lovers of picture books, both big and small, will want to see Bob Graham. Bob is one Australia’s most respected illustrators and authors. Bob is a past winner of the UK’s prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal and three times winner of the Australian Children’s Book of the Year Award.

Thanks to the generosity of a local manufacturer, the youth of Knox have been invited to decorate two hundred pairs of sneakers. The finished products will be on display at the library during the Festival.

Come and join us for a great weekend.

Where: Ferntree Gully Library, 1010 Burwood Highway, Ferntree Gully.
Cost: Entry to the festival is $6 Family, $2 Adult, $1.50 child/concession. All money will go to the bushfire appeal. No further cost for any library activities.
Parking: Parking is available for a gold coin donation at St. Josephs College, Brenock Park Drive, Ferntree Gully - right across the road from the main festival entrance. Alternatively you can leave your car at home and use public transport (Connex train timetables, BusVic - Metlink bus timetables). A free festival bus will shuttle every 20 minutes between the Ferntree Gully railway station (bus stop opposite railway station on Station Street) and the Burwood Highway entrance to the festival site. The bus will operate between 11am and 4pm both days.

Cheers, Maryanne

The Eastern Regional Library Show - 11th June 2008

Library staff members Lesley Conway and Pia Butcher run a radio show each Wednesday 12:05pm-12:45pm on Eastern FM 98.1 called The Eastern Regional Library Show. Tune in next Wednesday for a great show.

On Wednesday's show

Today was a farewell to Jill McCallum, regional Youth Services Manager, who has been a cheerful and effective advocate for services to, and literature for, young people in our region. Jill looks about 21 still, but is retiring to spend a well-earnt time reading and eating chocolate.

Jill has been a regular visitor to the radio program, particularly for discussion of the winners of Children's Book of the Year awards, with Pia Butcher.

She has been happy to talk about her particular favourites amongst the tens of thousands of books she has seen over the years, and today brought along her all time favourite, Maurice Sendak's Where the wild things are. This classic picture book is now being filmed, and we are looking forward to seeing how the delightful, whimsical pictures of Sendak translate to the screen. I brought along one of my favourite children's authors, who has a lot in common with Sendak. Bob Graham is an Australian author who has the same knack as Sendak of giving the child's perspective of the world, but also layering his story and pictures so that there is much to be discover in them for older readers.

Jill also talked today about a book which is at the other end of the spectrum of picture books. The arrival by Shaun Tan is directed at older readers, and is beautifully illustrated story without words, describing the experience of someone coming to an alien culture. There are moments of isolation, of loneliness and puzzlement, but also hope and friendliness. Tan has produced several books in this style, all quite intriguing.

Music today was Handel's The arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

---- Lesley