Friday, March 18, 2011

Children’s Librarians Announced For The 2011 LIANZA Children’s Book Awards!

The judges for the highly acclaimed LIANZA Children’s Book Awards have been announced and the judges are excited about the challenge ahead of reading over 100 books covering a wide range of topics and across all children’s writing; from children’s picture books to junior and young adult fiction, non fiction and te reo Maori.

Key dates

Monday 14 February 2011 Submission details available
Friday 18 March 2011 Submission Deadline
Monday 30 May 2011 Finalists announced
Monday 8 August 2011 Awards Ceremony, Caffe L'Affare, Wellington

About the judges:

Belynda Smith recently moved to Christchurch having previously been the Co-ordinator of the Children's and Teenage Services Librarians for North Shore Libraries, based at Takapuna Library.

Belynda has previously been on the Library Week Committee and is passionate about the LIANZA Children’s Book Awards and promoting and enjoying New Zealand Children’s Literature. Belynda returns as the Panel Convenor and we are looking forward to Belynda’s energy and wonderful humour throughout the event.

Pene Walsh, currently Library Manager for Gisborne District has always maintained a strong and active interest in children’s literature. Her library delivers a literacy programme for young people including weekly preschool programmes, curriculum based lessons for all school levels and active participation with children’s authors when possible.

Pene has been a judge for the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Award (now Montana Book Awards), LIANZA Children’s Book Awards and has undertaken assessments for the Margaret King Spencer Writer’s Trust which involves assessing an open range of unpublished manuscripts that includes material written for children. Pene continues to firmly believe reading and good books are the code to unlocking any child’s hidden potential and that good people who work in libraries, bookshops and schools are often the ones who are able to share that code with children.

Lily O’Donovan comes from one of those large families where stories are told and retold, and passed down, and are only ever occasionally embellished. Growing up, her favourite part of the day was that marvelous space – never long enough – between bedtime and lights out.

At the dawn of the 21st Century, when she discovered that some people will pay you to put children and books together, she knew that she had found her perfect job. Since then she has worked in primary and secondary school libraries, National Library and now at Wellington City Libraries. As well as reading she enjoys zombie movies, earl grey tea, and running in the hills.

Alice Heather (Judging Panel Convenor for Te Kura Pounamu) has been working at the National Library in Auckland, in the role of Māori Adviser for school Services for the last ten years. Alice now works part-time at the National Library and has returned to secondary school English teaching and is the teacher with library responsibility at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hoani Waititi.

Alice is an active member of Te Rōpū Whakahau and Te Hikuroa (Māori Librarians in the Auckland Region). Alice helped to set up Uiangapatai, the te reo Māori side of Anyquestions and is currently an operator for both services.

No comments: