CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL 2008

FÉILE LEABHAR NA bPÁISTÍ 2008

1st - 31st October 2008

The Children’s Book Festival 2008 has over 1,500 events expected to take place nationwide to celebrate children’s books and encourage reading amongst children and teenagers. Now in its eighteenth year, the Festival has established itself as a major focus for the children’s books community in Ireland, and is by far the largest cultural event of its kind in the country.

This year’s Festival has been extended to cover the whole of October. There will be some very spooky goings on in libraries, schools, bookshops and art-centres as Halloween draws near and the Festival draws to a close!

Libraries, schools, bookshops, community centres and arts centres will be hosting the widest range of book-related activities the Festival has ever seen, all designed to spread the message that reading is fun and stimulating, accessible and inclusive.

New initiatives for 2008 will include the participation of Cumann Scríbhneoirí Óga is Úra na Gaeilge in writing projects with children from their local area, a touring exhibition of artwork from Amnesty International’s forthcoming title We Are All Born Free to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, partnership events between CBI and the Octocon Science Fiction Convention and a cross-border tour of children’s authors and illustrators from Poland.

The vast majority of events are free, though pre-booking is recommended.

For more information call 01 872 7475; email: tom@childrensbooksireland.ie or visit www.childrensbooksireland.ie

Research shows that reading makes you smarter!  The earlier a child starts reading, the greater their vocabulary and the better their cognitive skills. Teachers, you can motivate your pupils to rediscover the joy of reading while raising much-needed money for people with Multiple Sclerosis.

How?

Through the MS READaTHON – a motivational reading programme run in schools all over Ireland.

When?

You can start signing up your pupils in September and reading begins on 17th October.

Why?

Every teacher and child receives their own information pack and those that return their sponsorship receive a thank you gift and a certificate of appreciation.  There are great prizes on offer and schools can keep 10% of funds raised.

How to sign up?

The MS READaTHON team will send a sign-up pack to every school in Ireland in September or you can log onto www.msreadathon.ie or call 1850 650 950 (call save)

Laura Woods and Aidan Power at the recent awards ceremony

Cecelia Ahern and pupils from St Mary’s in Donnybrook launch the 2007 MS READaTHON

2008 Design-A-Book-Cover Competition

Calling all budding artists! Children’s Books Ireland has teamed up with The O’Brien Press to create a fantastic new competition to celebrate the 2008 Children’s Book Festival. One lucky winner will have the opportunity to work with The O’Brien Press in producing a finished design that will grace a special edition re-release in 2009 of Linda Moller’s The Great Pig Escape. Five runners-up will each receive a selection of fantastic titles from The O’Brien Press.

Here’s what you have to do:

• Track down the original version of The Great Pig Escape (ISBN 978-0-86278-667-0) in your local library or bookshop and read it carefully. If you can’t get your hands on a copy, you can find out more about the book on the CBI website.
• Download an entry form from the CBI website. Fill out your details and use the space provided to lay out your design idea.
• Send your completed entry form in to: CBF Cover Competition, PO Box 11426, An Post, Rutland Place, Dublin 1

All entrants must be aged 15 years or under. Only one entry per person. Closing date for entries Weds 5th Nov 2008.

For more information and full terms and conditions visit www.childrensbooksireland.ie

MUNSTER BOOK FESTIVAL EVENTS

TIPPERARY

Tipperary libraries will be running a variety of local events such as story time, competitions, and quizzes throughout the festival, as well as the following appearances in October. For further details, call Emer O’Brien on 0504 21555 or email: eobrien@tipperarylibraries.ie

Micheal Smith, author of Iceman: The Antarctic Adventures of Tom Crean, will be visiting Tipperary libraries on the following days in October:

Mon 13th– Carrick on Suir (morning) – Clonmel (afternoon & evening )

Tues 14th – Clonmel (morning)  - Cashel (afternoon)

Weds 15th – Tipperary (morning) – Thurles (afternoon & evening)

Thurs 16th – Thurles (morning) – Templemore (afternoon)

Fri 17th – Roscrea (morning) – Nenagh (afternoon)

Author, Cathy Cassidy,  http://www.cathycassidy.com/

will be at Carrick on Suir library on Mon 6th and at Nenagh library on Tues 7th October – please call 0504 21555 to confirm times and dates before you travel.

Toby Kinsella – musical Stories http://www.musicalstories.com/en/index.htm

will be visiting libraries on Mon 20th – Carrick on Suir (morning) and Cashel (afternoon); and on Tues 21st October at Templemore (morning) and Roscrea (afternoon).

Niall De Burca – storyteller http://www.storyteller.ie/

will be visiting Clonmel library on Weds 1st October and Thurles on Fri 3rd October.

Micheal Moylan – Irish History Live http://www.irishhistorylive.com/ - will be appearing at various Tipperary libraries – please call 0504 21555 to confirm exact place and dates.

WATERFORD 

Waterford City Council Library Service has the following provisional dates in October scheduled for this year’s festival, with more events including Magic of India, Professors Madd and Jelly Bean Julie to be confirmed. Call 051 849975 or email library@waterfordcity.ie

Friday 3rd

Michael Carroll – 10am and 11.30am Central Library; and 1.30pm Ardkeen Library

Tuesday 7th

Michael Smith - 10am, 11.30am and 2pm Central Library

Wednesday 8th

Michael Smith – 11.30am Ardkeen Library 

Friday 10th

Animal Magic - 10am, 11.30am and 1.30pm Central Library

Thursday 16th

Fairytale Theatre – 10am, 11.15am, 12.15pm and 1.30 pm Central Library 

Monday 20th

Maeve Friel - 10am and 11.30am Central Library; 1.30pm Ardkeen Library

Tuesday 21st

Liam Farrell (Seanachai na bPastai) – 10am, 11.15am, 12.15pm and 1.30pm Central Library 

Weds 22nd

Keith A Charters - 10am and 11.30am at Central Library; and 1.30pm Ardkeen Library

Thurs 23rd

Ranald MacDonald Storyteller - 10am, 11.30am and 1:30pm Ardkeen Library

Storyteller, Keith Charters, will visit Tramore and Portlaw libraries during school time on Monday 21st October, and at Lismore and Dungarvan libraries on Tuesday 22nd October.

The Annual 5th and 6th Class Table Quiz will take place in Tramore library during October.

For more information, call Tracy Dunne on 051 381479, or email:  tmceneaney@waterfordcoco.ie

CORK

This year’s festival programme in Cork County libraries is full of child-focused events and activities that will open up the world of children’s writing to young people in a special and meaningful way.  There will be lots of published authors and illustrators at libraries discussing their work with young readers, and an extensive workshop programme with a literary focus. This year’s festival will be Cork County’s busiest to date, with over 160 events and some of Ireland’s best-known children’s writers, as well as national and international performers.

Visiting Irish authors will include Ré Ó’Laighléis, John W Sexton, Vincent McDonnell, Rosemary Canavan and Tony Curtis; while new names to the programme from the UK will include Cathy Cassidy, Tony Ross, Derek Landy, Keith Charters and Jon Berkeley.

The Cork County Library and Arts Service support a positive approach to cultural integration. and would like to welcome Thomas Feibel from Germany and Polish storyteller Kasia Lech.

Performances, storytellers and puppetry will be courtesy of the ever popular Pat Speight, Eddie Lenihan and Amy Kerwin; and workshops with something for everyone, from bookmaking and illustration, to weaving, printing and hat making with the National Print Museum. 

Cork City libraries will be running a series of Creative Empowerment Workshops for children and teenagers with autism and special needs this autumn. The October Book Festival will include seven Creative Empowerment Workshops facilitated by Ann Burns (Labyrinth Creative Health). The workshops will promote positive thinking, better communication through non verbal and creative means and encourage self confidence in a non therapeutic setting. As the theme of this year’s festival is Exploration, the workshops will focus on the creative exploration of their favourite book by each participant as they work in a library environment.

Each participant will choose a book or a passage within a book and will read a line or two that will conjure a vivid scene inspiring them to create an image. An array of materials will be at their fingertips, so they may create a two or three dimensional piece which will be displayed in Cork City Libraries’ seven locations city wide.

For group bookings and further information please contact Breda Hassett or Patricia Looney on 021 4924913 or email: breda_hassett@corkcity.ie or patricia_looney@corkcity.ie

Explore and Discover at Cork City Libraries with a huge array of Children’s Book Festival events throughout October and beyond. All events are free; some need to be pre-booked as places are limited, while you can just turn up on the day for other events. Call 021 4924913 to make an enquiry and check times, or visit www.corkcitylibrary.ie for more information.

Thurs 2nd October

10am, 11.15am, 1pm Ages 6–9 Writing Workshop with Liam Farrell - booking essential

Fri 3rd October

9.45am, 11.15am, 12.30pm Ages 6-9 Author visit: Liam Farrell

11.00a.m .All Ages Short Tales for Small Tots

3.30pm Ages 7-12 Yu-gi-oh

Sat 4th October

10am, 11am, 11.30am, 2.30pm All ages Inter branch colouring competition - all welcome

10.30am Ages 8-12 Pirates

11am Junior Chess Club

2.00pm Ages 13-18 War hammers

2.30pm Comic Club Competition All welcome

Mon 6th October

10.15am, 12 noon Ages 7- 11 Author Visit: Don Conroy

Tues 7th October

10am, 11.45am, 1.30p.m.Ages 7-11 Author Visit: Don Conroy

4.00pm Ages 8-12 Chess

Weds 8th October

10.15am, 12.00 noon, 2.30pm Author visit: John Sexton

3.00pm Junior Chess Club

3.30pm Ages 6 to 14 Chess

Thurs 9th October

10.00am, 11.30am Ages 8-10 Author visit: John Sexton

10.15am, 11.45am Ages 7-9 Author Visit: Babette Cole

Fri 10th October

11.00am All Ages - Short Tales for Small Tots

10am, 11.45am, 1.30pm Ages 7-9 Author visit: Babette Cole - booking essential

3.30pm Ages 7-12 Yu-gi-oh

Sat 11th October

10.15am 2pm Ages 7- 9 Author Visit: Babette Cole - booking Essential

10.30am Ages 7-12 Pirates

10am, 11am, 11.30am, 2pm, 2.30pm all ages Inter branch colouring Competition All welcome

11am Junior Chess Club

2.00p.m Ages 13-18 - War hammers

Tues 14th October

4.00pm Ages 8-12 - Chess

Weds 15th October

10am, 11.30am, and 1pm Ages 7 -10 Fun with Music & Songs by Gordon Warner: booking Essential

3.00pm Junior Chess Club

3.30pm Ages 6 to 14 Chess

Fri 17th October

10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm Ages 7-10 - Fun with Music & Songs by Gordon Warner: booking Essential

Sat 18th October

10am, 11am, 11.30am, 2pm, 2.30pm Inter branch colouring Competition -all welcome

11.00am Junior Chess Club

2.30pm Art & Craft Club All welcome

3.00pm all ages Puppet show with Seán Ó Laoghaire All welcome

Mon 20th October

11.00am, 1.30pm Ages 14-17 Author Visit: Thomas Feibel in association with the Goethe Institute

Tues 21st October

10.15am, 11.45am Ages 8-11 Author visit: Michael Smith- booking essential

3.00pm Ages 8-10 Print Museum workshop - booking essential

Weds 22nd October

10.00am, 11.45am Ages 8-11 Author visit: Michael Smith

3.00pm Junior Chess Club

3.30pm Ages 6 to 14 Chess

Thurs 23rd October

10.15am, 1.30pm Ages 8-11 Author visit: Michael Smith

Tues 28th October

11.30am, 3.00pm All Ages Puppet Show with Seán O’Laoghaire

11.30am Ages 8-10 Print Museum workshop - booking essential

Weds 29th October

11.30am, 3pm Ages 8-10 - Print Museum Bookmaking workshop: booking essential

11.30am Puppet show with Sean O Laoghaire All welcome

3.30pm. Ages 6 to 14 - Chess

Thurs 30th October

All day - Big Book Picture Quiz

11.30am, 3pm all ages - Puppet Show with Seán O’ Laoighaire All welcome

11.30am Ages 8-11 - Gulliver and his times with Michael Moylan

Fri 31st October

11.30am, 3.00pm Ages 8-10 - Printing workshop Booking Essential

3.00pm Halloween Fancy Dress

Sat 1st November

Super Saturday!  Events on the hour every hour! Starting 10am…

2.00pm, 2.30pm all ages Colouring competition - all welcome

KERRY

Children’s Book Festival events in Kerry will take place from Saturday 4th to Friday 31st October. Visit www.kerrylibrary.ie for further details and for booking information.

Sat 4th October 

Launch of Children’s Book Festival

• Animal Road show 11a.m – 2pm and Magic Show at 11.30am Tralee Library
• Make a Book Workshop facilitated by Samhlaíocht Chiarraí, 10am Castleisland Library, and 11.45am Killarney Library.
•  

Mon 6th October

• Make a Book Workshop by Samhlaíocht Chiarraí 11am Leabharlann an Daingean

Tues 7th October

• Grace Wells, author 10.30 am and 11.45am Cahersiveen Library

Tues 7th October

• Animal Roadshow,10am and 11am Castleisland Library
• Make a Book Workshop by Samhlaíocht Chiarraí 11am Kenmare Library
• Ruth Summer, Art workshop 10.30am and 11.45am Killarney Library

Weds 8th October

• Make a Book Workshop by Samhlaíocht Chiarraí 10am Listowel library and 11.45am Ballybunion library.
• Grace Wells, author, 10.30am and 11.45am Killorglin Library

Thurs 9th October

• Chris Reina, Magic Show, 11am Cahersiveen Library
• Killarney National Park Education Centre: Animal Display and information talk, 10am and 11.15am Castleisland Library

• Michael Smith, Author, 10.00am and 11.15am Killarney Library
• Ruth Summer, Art workshop 11.00am and 12.15pm Tralee Library
• Tommy Frank O’ Connor, Author, 11am Kenmare Library

Fri 10th October

• Chris Reina, Magic Show, 11am Ballybunion Library
• Make a Book Workshop by Samhlaíocht Chiarraí,10am Cahersiveen Library
• Peter Mullarkey, Traditional Music, 10.30am and 11.45am Listowel Library
• Michael Smith, Author, 10.00am and 11.15am Tralee Library
• Make a Book Workshop by Samhlaíocht Chiarraí, 11.45am Killorglin Library.

Sat 11th October

• Michael Smith, Author, 11am Leabharlann an Daingean
• Ruth Summer, Art workshop, 11.00am and 12.15pm Killorglin Library
• Make a Book Workshop by Samhlaíocht Chiarraí,11am Tralee Library

Tues 14th October

• Martina Reid, Storytime, 11am Ballybunion Library.
• Ken Bourke, Author, 10.00am and 11.15am Cahersiveen Library
• Killarney National Park Education Centre: What’s the Birdie - 10.00am and 11.15am Leabharlann an Daingean
• Tommy Frank O’ Connor, Author - 11am Castleisland Library
• Killarney National Park Education Centre: Animal display & information talk, 10am and 11.15am Tralee and Killarney libraries.
• Animal Roadshow 10am and 11am Killarney Library

Weds 15th October

• Animal Roadshow, 10.30am and 11.30am Kenmare Library
• Killarney National Park Education Centre: What’s the Birdie - 10am and 11.15am Killorglin Library
• Ken Bourke, Author -10am and 11.15am Killarney Library

Thurs 16th October

• Killarney National Park Education Centre: Animal Display & information talk -10am and 11.15am Ballybunion Library
• Tommy Frank O’ Connor, Author - 11am Tralee library
• National Print Museum Workshop 10am and 12 noon Cahersiveen Library
• Killarney National Park Education Centre: What’s the Birdie - 10am and 12 noon Listowel Library

Fri 17th October

• Peter Mullarkey, Traditional Music, 10.30am and 11.45am Castleisland Library
• National Print Museum Workshop, 10am and 12 noon Killorglin Library

Sat 18th October

• Donal O’ Bric, Illustrate a Story 11am Leabharlann an Daingean

Tues 21st October

• Martina Reid, Storytime - 11am Ballybunion Library
• Killarney National Park Education Centre: What’s the Birdie -10am and 11.15am Cahersiveen Library
• Tommy Frank O’ Connor, Author 11am Listowel Library

Weds 22nd October

• Oisin McGann, Author, 10.30am and 11.45 am Tralee Library

Thurs 23rd October

• Oisin McGann, Author, 10.30am and 11.45am Kenmare Library
• Marie Louise Fitzpatrick, Author, 10.30am and 11.45am Listowel Library

Fri 24th October

• Marie Louise Fitzpatrick, Author, 10.30am and 11.45am Ballybunion Library
• Oisin McGann, Author, 10.30am and 11.45am Castleisland Library
• Peter Mullarkey, Traditional Music, 10.30am and 11.45am Kenmare Library

Tues 28th October

• Martina Reid, Storytime 11am Ballybunion Library