Congratulations Bruce Whatley!

From the 2014 Bologna Book Fair

Bruce Whatley proudly standing in the Bologna Illustration Exhibition 2014 with his award 

and illustrations. Congratulations Bruce!

Coming up! Books Illustrated at Bologna Children's Book Fair: 24th - 27th March

It is that time of year again for the Bologna Children's Book Fair! 

We want to congratulate all of the illustrators and authors whose books have been chosen for this year's 'Hello! from Australia' Exhibition and Display. We'd love you to share the Bologna Rights Catalogue with your networks and via social media to promote and celebrate the high quality of work being produced by Australian creators.

Click on the image below to view the 2014 catalogue on ISSUU where it can be shared and downloaded. ISSUU is a fantastic publications website used all over the world. The 2013 Bologna Rights Catalogue on the APA and ISSUU websites have been viewed over 3000 times! In the lead up to the fair we will be promoting the creators and their work via Books Illustrated's Facebook and Twitter - so stay tuned. Give us your feedback on #HellofromAustralia. 

We'd also like to congratulate Bruce Whatley whose illustrations have been accepted for the 2014 Bologna Illustrators' Exhibition and Illustrators Annual. Bruce said … 'looking at the list of artists exhibited this year, I realised it's a tough one - mainly European of course, but lots of Japanese and Korean too’.

These sample illustrations are from a book called 'Ruben’ which Bruce has written and illustrated, and Bruce has been creating over the past three years. It will be published late 2015 - early 2016 by Scholastic Australia.


Please come and see us if you're at the Bologna Children's Book Fair Hall 26, Stand B80 or follow our travels via Facebook and Twitter.

Ann James & Ann Haddon

A good afternoon at the Fed Square Book Market with Ben Wood - thanks Ben!

He demonstrated his watercolour skill and bemused many an onlooker by painting a pink
Koala! Check out his latest picture book The Bush Book Club, written by Margaret Wild ...

and keep an eye on our website for the announcement of a range of delightful small prints from this book.

Ben Wood at Fed Square in Melbourne - Saturday March 8 - 12noon to 3pm

Watch Ben as he draws his characters and brings them to life with watercolour! Take the opportunity to have a chat and have a book personally signed.

(Character sketches from The Bush Book Club by Ben Wood, Scholastic)

A Wild and Wood Picture Book Collaboration!
Books Illustrated is delighted to promote this March new release picture book The Bush Book Club, written by acclaimed picture book author Margaret Wild and illustrated by multi-talented Ben Wood, published by Scholastic Australia.

All the animals belong to the Bush Book Club and love to read. All except Bilby. He can't stay still long enough to read a book, not when there are somersaults and cartwheels and handstands to do. What would it take for Bilby to slow down and look into a book?
This is a picture book that everyone will want to share!

Ben has been illustrating for 10 years and has developed a wide range of illustration styles and skills using traditional and digital tools. Other books illustrated by him include Louie the Pirate Chef; Give me a home among the Gum Trees; The Wattle Tree and Red Caps Christmas.


Join us and meet Ben Wood at our stand at Fed Square Book Market on Saturday March 8!
 Ben's signed books and limited edition prints are available for sale at www.booksillustrated.com.au

Books Illustrated celebrate International Book Giving Day & Library Lovers' Day at the Lu Rees Archives...

Over the last few days we have been working at the Lu Rees Archives  preparing the final details for our Bob Graham exhibition:

 'A Bird in the Hand' 

Bob Graham: A Retrospective 

Canberra Museum and Gallery May 17 - Sept 5.

There will be a special preview viewing with Bob at the opening night of the CBCA Conference: Discovering National Treasures, Friday 16th May.

As it's International Book Giving Day we thought we'd share a few behind the scenes insights into the making of the exhibition...

Ann James selecting pieces from the archives of 'How to Heal A Broken Wing'

Nicky working on the spreadsheet of exhibition items...

Here are some sketches and photos of Buffy who went to live the UK with Bob & Carolyn and became the star of his own picture book - these & the beautiful dummy are some of the many treasures from the Lu Rees archives which feature in 'A Bird in the Hand' being curated now in Canberra to open at CMAG in mid May.

Buffy, who went to live the UK with Bob & Carolyn and became the star of his own picture book.

A beautiful dummy of 'Buffy: An Adventure Story'

Buffy!

 

Sketches of Buffy by Bob

The Lu Rees Archives is a comprehensive collection of books and other resources about authors, illustrators, publishers and their creative works. The collection includes over 25,000 books, with some 3000 of these in overseas translations in 53 languages, over 420 research files, and significant collections of authors', illustrators' and publishers' papers, manuscripts and artwork. The resources are publicly available, and visitors are welcome during opening hours.

The mission of the Archives is to enhance the appreciation of Australian children's literature by collecting, preserving and making available wide-ranging resources through programs, events and exhibitions. Lu Rees, the founding President of the ACT Branch of The Children's Book Council of Australia proposed in 1974 that there should be a collection of research files about Australian children's authors and illustrators together with a collection of their books. In 1980 this collection was deposited at the University of Canberra Library so it could be publicly available. The Archives is an incorporated body in the ACT, with a Board which includes the Management Sub-committee and the Foundation Sub-committee.

http://www.canberra.edu.au/lurees

Sue de Gennaro - our Guest artist at Fed Square, Saturday February 8

Fed Square Book Market
Sue de Gennaro - our Guest artist at Fed Square, Saturday February 8
Many may know of Sue's popular picture book The Pros & Cons of being a Frog which was shortlisted in last year's CBCA Book of the Year Awards. Meet Sue between 2pm and 4pm, as she demonstrates her quirky illustration style and have some books personally signed.

We will be featuring her most recent picture book – Max & George, written by Cori Brooke and published by Penguin Books. She'll also have work to show on the latest picture book she has illustrated Hairy nosed wombat finds a new Home which is written by Australian Children's Laureate, Jackie French, and due for publication, May 14th this year . Here's a sneak preview of one of the internal illustrations ...

Christmas Events at Fed Square and Books Illustrated Showroom!

Open Days at the Books Illustrated Showroom
Sunday December 8
Visit to see a range of unique gifts for Christmas and get expert advice in choosing that special book for that special child. Showroom open from 12noon to 5pm.
Visitors on these days will be entered into a draw to WIN a signed Bird and Bear book & limited edition print by Ann James (see image above).

Books Illustrated at Fed Square Book Market - Wishing you all a Beary Merry Season!
Saturday December 21

Illustrator Ann James will be demonstrating and happy to personally sign books.
Great Christmas gifts including Australian Christmas books at sale prices