Newsletter Four

Thank you for being part of the Small World Books newsletter. In this issue, read about picture books from before the era of Little Golden Books to the future with the first picture books on iPhone, Mique Moriuchi’s amazing new blog, Bolivian children’s books, a recipe and the tradition of German Christmas bread, or just enter our competition!

AN AWARD, NEW YORK FAMILY DAY, EVENTS & BOOK DATES FOR UK AND US

Just when you concentrate on other things, book news starts to happen! We celebrated this year’s Storylines Children’s Book Festival in Auckland by being part of the KiwiWrite4Kids stand. While there, Gecko Press told us that a New York family reading partnership of libraries and schools bought 4,000 copies of My Village to give away as part of their family day - brilliant. If you're in the area stop by on November 14. Also had news that Frances Lincoln, a children’s and art publisher with a special interest in books with cultural diversity, will be publishing My Village: Rhymes from Around the World in February 2010 in the UK and October 2010 in the US – thanks to Julia Marshall.

My Village also won a White Raven 2009 award – The White Raven label is “given to books that deserve worldwide attention because of their universal themes and/or their exceptional and often innovative artistic and literary style and design”. Only two other New Zealand books made it into the top 250 – Joy Cowley’s Chicken Feathers and Kate de Goldi’s The 10PM Question. It’s amazing to be considered with those two authors.

We also started doing some events in schools, and a bookshop reading. They were so much fun, thanks to all the delightful children who read poems in their own language, and to the wonderful Maria from Next Page Please for setting it all up. www.nextpageplease.co.nz

GOLDEN ERA FOR PICTURE BOOKS

With a house full of picture books, it’s hard to believe that a relatively short time ago illustrated children's books were found mostly in libraries. That is, until Golden Books were created. Before that, picture books were expensive and not widely available, according to Leonard Marcus, a children's books historian who has written a book on the subject and curated an art exhibition of 60 Golden Book illustrations now at Omaha's Joslyn Art Museum. The "clever marketing" of Little Golden Books by Western Publishing and Simon & Schuster was intended to make them widely available and inexpensive, Marcus said. "Simon & Schuster was young and market savvy," he said. "They were committed to democratizing publishing." The plan was to print them in large numbers, bring down the price and market them in grocery stores, train stations, department stores and Main Street's five-and-dime stores. Doctor Dan even included ‘six real Band-Aid adhesive bandages!’

PICTURE BOOKS FOR iPHONES

Like Golden Books were, WingedChariot in the UK are also “young and market savvy”. The brilliant international children’s book publisher has once again raised the bar by introducing picture books for the iPhone and iPod touch. What a great idea for travelling with kids, no need to lug around heavy and large picture books, why not just take your iPhone (if you’re lucky enough to have one). With sound, animation and touch now available on mobile devices it's a great time to make the most of a new electronic canvas. The combination of beautiful colour screens and built-in iPhone power will give everyone new ways to discover and enjoy these stories. For just 59p per downloaded book, this just might do what Golden Books did and enable a new generation to have thousands of picture books at their fingertips for minimal cost. It also gives independent publishers a chance to compete with the major publishers as there's relatively little cost compared to printing. WingedChariot sold over 1,000 iPhone app books in the first month. Good work! Search for 'thesuprise' or 'wingedchariot' on the Apple iTunes store and for a special preview click here.

MIQUE’S BLOG

“When I work on picture books, my floor space gradually disappears, and I have to hop over works to make my escape. I usually work on all the spreads at the same time, so I like to be able to see everything in one go. This helps me make decisions about colours and compositions.” Have a look at Mique’s fascinating blog and see how she made a picture book house come to life for a special art installation. So talented!! Also the illustrator of My Village ☺

BAKING FROM BOOKS

German Christmas Bread or Stollen has been made for 500 years - usually between the end of September and the end of December. Stollen is a marzipan-filled fruit bread, served hot or cold, and there are several varieties of Stollen, including one that looks like a big filled crêpe. It is actually a cake, studded with candied fruit that has been soaked in rum, filled with almond cream and folded over to contain the filling. This particular shape symbolizes the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. There is also a record of Stollen in Dresden in 1400, but it was not until a century later that the tradition became widespread. "Christ's Christmas breads" were sold at the market in Striezel, the oldest German Christmas market. Here's a version by artisan breadmaker Paul Wilderbeek.

BOLIVIAN CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Kids' Books Bolivia is a series of bilingual children's books written by undergraduate students on the SIT Study Abroad Program in Bolivia. This reciprocity project contributes to the production of affordable books celebrating Bolivian reality and serves to raise international awareness about Bolivia's rich cultures and pressing social issues. They use all proceeds to subsidize low-cost books and book donations to Bolivian children, schools, libraries, community organizations and literacy programs. Sounds great!

ENTER OUR COMPETITION

Send us your favourite international children’s rhyme and you could win a copy of The Lonely Tree by Nicholas Halliday, plus a branded bookmark! “Utterly, completely and splendidly charming. Originally illustrated and delightfully told,” Stephen Fry. This beautiful children's story has been universally praised for its simplicity and power. Thanks to Twitter for connecting us with Nicholas for this giveaway! It’s great to see the little blue bird making the world seem smaller. Keep in touch with us at www.twitter.com/smallworldbooks

DID YOU KNOW?

Picasso could draw before he could walk and his first word was the Spanish word for pencil. www.didyouknow.org

Seen on a café blackboard: “We all smile in the same language…”

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Feel free to forward this newsletter to like-minded people. Don’t forget to send in
rhymes, traditions or recipes. Have a great festive season. Thanks!

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