The Travelling Restaurant honoured with a White Ravens Award

 The second instalment of the White Ravens Festival for International Children’s and Young Adult Literature is set to run from July 15 to 20, 2012.

The Festival is made possible through the sponsorship of the Bavarian State Minister for Science, Research and Art, Dr. Wolfgang Heubisch. Over the course of six days, authors and illustrators from Germany and abroad will read from their most recent works, lead writing workshops and other interactive events, and discuss their life and works. The Festival’s focus is as much on renowned and acclaimed authors as it is on new literary discoveries, and its German and international program aims to build bridges between cultures. Bringing authors and illustrators into contact with readers both young and old is central to the purpose of the Festival.

The Festival is named for the “White Ravens” of the International Youth Library, which in specialists’ circles stand for extraordinary and innovative books for children and adolescents. The Library publishes an annual international book review catalogue titled “White Ravens”. The “White Ravens” selected for inclusion in the catalogue all inspire and provoke, set new trends, and are of the highest quality in terms of language, content, and artistry. 

Barbara Else's The Travelling Restaurant will be awarded a White Raven at the Festival

The White Ravens Festival showcases children’s and young adult literature thus conceived. The main Festival location is Blutenburg Castle in Munich, which is the seat of the International Youth Library. Invited authors will also appear at schools, libraries and other locations across Bavaria. 65 events are planned, including afternoon and evening events open to the public, school events for all grade levels, as well as numerous readings and  initiatives for audience participation and listening. Foreign-language readings are also planned. An evening series for teenagers titled “Authors tell all” is planned, and adult literature enthusiasts can attend moderated talks on topics relating to children’s literature.