Caroline Stills talks about her launch

Magic Mummy Celebration

On Saturday 23rd May, a book celebration was held at the Belgrave Library for Magic Mummy, my first book.

It was a sunny autumn day, and despite the colds and viruses doing the rounds, over 100 people attended, many of them children.

The book was launched by talented children’s author Delwyne Stephens, and MC, poet Marian Spires, made sure everything went as planned. After my thank you speech, Vicki Thornton, who is a natural with kids, read Magic Mummy to a group of well-behaved children. They then had fun drawing pictures of their own magic mummies, and describing their most magical skill.

While the children were being entertained, I had the pleasure of signing copies of Magic Mummy for my wonderful family, friends and ‘hills’ neighbours. Kristen and Karen, from black dog books, were kept busy with sales.

It was lovely to meet illustrator Christina Miesen, who did such an amazing job with the illustrations for Magic Mummy. I was lucky enough to get her to sign copies of the book for me and my daughters.

I had a fantastic afternoon, and was touched by the amount of support I received. I only wish I had remembered to pull out the camcorder, so I could relive it all later. Thank you to everyone who helped make the Magic Mummy book celebration such a magical day.

– Caroline Stills
With thanks to Jenni Ivins for the use of her photos

Vicki reading

Caroline signing

Vicki reading

Caroline

Christina

Caroline and Christina

 

Congratulations Reggie

Last night the 57th ABIA Book Design Awards were announced and we won!

One of our wonderful designers, Regine Abos, wonThe Best Designed Children’s Non-fiction Book sponsored by Tien Wah Press for her work on A Story of Natural Numbers by David Demant.

But, it doesn’t end there! Reggie was also commended for her work on Short!

Congratulations, Regine!

The Kennel is bursting with pride!

“Bit Lit”

How long does it take for one phrase to go global?

A couple of months ago our French intern, Audrey, was giving us a presentation on the ins and outs of French publishing and mentioned the term “Bit Lit” in reference to the recent rash of vampire novels that are around at the moment. She read it in a French newspaper article and we loved it!

Fast forward to this interview with Persnickety Snark that appeared on her website this morning and then was picked up by Reviewer X.

And why was it picked up? Because of that little French phrase!

Bit Lit – spread it around!

Kaitie Afrika Litchfield on BTN!

Check out this great interview with our own Kaitie Afrika Litchfield on Behind the News this morning.

Her book The Little One is available at bookstores now or at our website on www.bdb.com.au

Kevin Burgemeestre reports from Dromkeen

In blustery weather sure to keep self respecting hippos under the water, we set out bold and brave for the Dromkeen Family Day, a chance for families to experience the ambience of this elegant house & museum, see some of the stellar collection of Australian children’s book artwork, and interact with the crowd.

Many braved the chilly weather and came and joined the festivities. Bubbles flowed, children found lots to look at, including works of illo-vets Mark Wilson, myself, as well as the debut of bright newcomer Jodi Blokkeerus with her book Liquid Moon. We displayed our illustration work at market-type stalls complementing work on the gallery walls. The current show Building the Character is well worth a visit, where roughs and artwork show the growth of characters from an inkling to inked-in!

Lucy Farmer (the author of the Uncle Eddie Series) told us hair raising tales of her and her brother’s amazing African adventure, and I drew the biggest hippos I could on a small table. (The drawings were dispersed among the appreciative crowd.)

Mark Wilson launched not one, but two books and wowed the crowd by offering a limited edition run of prints with each book purchased. Through My Mother’s Eyes is the story of a boy soldier in the First World War. Imagine being 16 and in the horror cauldron of the trenches during one of the worlds bloodiest conflicts?

Thanks to Kaye Keck and the industrious Dromkeen crew for being great hosts and the Veteran Motorists who showed up in frigid conditions to allow kids to be photographed in cars from the golden age of motoring.The drivers were easy to pick with their many layers of clothing and a mischievous look in their eyes. A terrific day, and perhaps the unofficial launch of the Uncle Eddie series!

Kevin Burgemeestre

May in the Kennel

Some great new books coming out this month – starting with
The Little One: The Story of a Red-Tailed Monkey
by Kaitie Afrika Litchfield RRP $16.99  32pp  paperback
Kaitie Afrika Litchfield was just four years old when she travelled with her mother to Uganda where her mother was studying chimpanzees. At the reserve where the lived they were given an orphaned red-tailed monkey. Kaitie took over the care of this naughty little monkey. She called him The Little One. Now ten, Kaitie recounts the story of this little monkey and the bond that they shared. Filled with gorgeous photographs of Kaitie and The Little One this book will wipe the puppy off your kids wish list!

The Gorilla Book: Born to be Wild
by Dr Carla Litchfield RRP $16.99  32pp  paperback
To coincide with the International Year of the Gorilla, comes this fascinating addition to the Wild Planet series The Gorilla Book: Born to be Wild. Written by Dr Carla Litchfield – an award-winning scientist from Adelaide Zoo (and Kaitie’s mum!) – this is the amazing story of these beautiful creatures who are so like us in so many ways. Full of interesting facts and stunning photographs, readers of all ages will discover something new about gorillas (for example, did you know each gorilla has a unique nose-print that identifies them just as our thumb-prints identify us?). Sidebars, fact-boxes and clear maps make this book completely engaging.

Smart Babies: Mummy’s Little Zoo Babies
RRP $9.99  22pp board book
Smart Babies: Mummy’s Little Farm Babies
RRP $9.99  22pp  board book
Gorgeous full colour photographs teamed with a cheeky and fun text make these board books the perfect gift for babies, young children and mothers.
The super sturdy board book format makes them suitable for the littlest hands – and the littlest teeth!

Explorers: Filling in the Map of Australia
by Chris Miles  RRP $16.99  32pp  paperback
Every Australian student studies explorers and this book will be invaluable at home and in the classroom. This large format book incorporates the original journals and charts of the early European explorers and is an engaging look at the men who put their lives on the line to fill in the map of Australia. Sidebars and fact boxes make this book accessible to readers of all levels and a glossary and time line will put the whole topic in context.

Shakespeare: The Most Famous Man in London
by Tony Thompson  RRP $18.99  192pp  paperback
Tony Thompson met Will Shakespeare some years back and that meeting changed his life forever. In the latest addition to the award-winning Drum Series he puts Shakespeare into context for a modern audience. He describes what it was like to live in Shakespeare’s time, the politcial motivations that drove his plays, his personal passions. Young readers will be fascinated by the descriptions of bear baiting, mob football and the other gruesome details of Elizabethean England – bringing a whole new perspective and relevance to the plays.

The Immortal
by Michael Panckridge RRP $16.99  288pp  paperback
For Cameron, it looks like the summer holidays at Sea Cottage will be two weeks of boredom, but that quickly changes when he hears a voice calling for help.
In the tunnels beneath the sanddunes, Cameron uncovers a secret that will change his life. In the gloom he discovers a man who has been waiting for over 50 years to be rescued — a man who should have been dead long ago. Spooky and scary – perfect for fans of Garth Nix and Anthony Horowitz.

All of these books are at your local bookseller now or you can find the on our website www.bdb.com.au.

Meet Corinne Fenton!

On Sunday the 3rd of May Corinne Fenton will be at the Williamstown Literature Festival and will present twice!

The first at 11.30am-12.30pm -  ‘The Characters You Meet’
Corinne Fenton will talk about the story behind the writing of her award-winning picture book Queenie: One Elephant’s Story and the people she has met since the book was published.
She will compare that with the writing of The Dog on the Tuckerbox and how she came to write about the legend which is so close to the hearts of generations of Australians who have travelled the road between Melbourne and Sydney and stopped to visit the famous statue, five miles from Gundagai.

Then at 1.15pm-2.15pm. ‘Writers and Promotion’
It’s hard work writing a book. It’s hard work finding a publisher. But once the book is written and published, the rest is easy… isn’t it? Join Corinne, Claire Saxby and Glenda Millard as they discuss some of the myths and realities of book promotion and how to walk the line between promotion and showing off.

For full details go to http://www.willylitfest.org.au