CBCA conference program announced
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced the program for this year’s national conference, to be held in Canberra from 16 to 18 May.
This year’s conference, entitled Discovering National Treasures, will include a session on publishing children’s books, featuring publishers from Little Hare, Omnibus, Penguin, Wombat Books and Allen & Unwin; a session on picture book partnerships, featuring a variety of author-illustrator teams; and a series of concurrent sessions on topics including the School Magazine, the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), verse novels and author Nan Chauncy.
Other highlights of the conference program include a retrospective exhibition of picture book illustrator Bob Graham’s artwork; a breakfast with authors and illustrators at the Canberra Yacht Club; a dinner at the Australian War Memorial featuring a presentation of Morris Gleitzman’s forthcoming book Loyal Creatures (Viking); the announcement of the 2014 Text Prize; a trade display; book launches; and a visit to Jackie French’s property. The conference bookshop will be run by Paperchain Bookstore Manuka.
Key speakers at the conference are Australian Children’s Laureate Jackie French, who will speak at the conference dinner, and authors Bronwyn Bancroft and Nadia Wheatley. Other guests include Margaret Wild, Anthony Hill, Andy Griffiths, Barry Jonsberg, Robert Ingpen, Michael Gerard Bauer, Terry Denton, Freya Blackwood, Libby Gleeson, Steven Herrick, Glenda Millard, Stephen Michael King, Julie Vivas, Dianne Wolfer, Sandra Kendell and Margaret Bromley.
CBCA board member Margaret Hamilton told Books+Publishing the CBCA is encouraging new authors and illustrators to attend this year’s conference. ‘This conference wants to highlight authors and illustrators who have achieved major successes in their careers, but also new voices, emerging authors and illustrators, especially from far afield,’ said Hamilton.
Hamilton also explained the conference’s title, Discovering National Treasures. ‘Canberra is our national capital. It contains iconic buildings which house many of our national treasures. The CBCA believes that Australia enjoys an extremely rich and diverse children’s literature culture, which is also a national treasure,’ said Hamilton.
To see the full conference program, click here.
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Category: Local news
