Saturday, March 15, 2008

April 7 Program

The Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable is proud to present Best Kids Book Buys with book sales experts Ali Hewitt and Lorna MacDonald on April 7 at 7:30 at Spectrum Community School library, 957 Burnside Rd. $5.00 drop-in, $4.00/students, members free.

We Victorian’s love our booksellers. We rely on them to know our taste and to recommend the next great book for us to read. But who do booksellers love? Who keeps them in “the next great book” loop? Sales reps do according to a bookseller’s blog on Publisher’s Weekly. Lorna MacDonald & Ali Hewitt, two sales reps from Kate Walker’s Books, will give us the inside scoop on some great new titles from more than two dozen presses including publishers from Canada, the U.S., and Britain. Teachers, librarians, and parents won’t want to miss this informative evening.

Lorna MacDonald began her book career with Munro’s back in the days before it moved from its original Yates St. location. She earned her degree in Anthropology & History from the University of Manitoba and has worked for the BC Provincial Museum and for the provincial government in the Human Rights Department. After a stint with Sono Nis Press as a promotions manager, she moved to Stanton & MacDougall, which became later became Kate Walker & Co. Lorna is a favourite of Vancouver Island book sellers.

Ali Hewitt is the newest member of the Kate Walker & Co. team. She graduated from Carlton U. with an honors degree in history. Always a booklover, she began her career in the book business at Cadboro Bay Book Co. She completed the Summer Publishing Institute at Simon Fraser University, has presented “The Best in Kids Books” to Victoria Roundtable members on several occasions, and hosted a highly regarded kid’s book review blog. She is currently working out of Kate Walker’s Vancouver office.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Volunteer Opportunity

Yep, it's that time again; planning time for 2008 Canadian Children's Book Week. I was the Vancouver Island Book Week tour coordinator last year but will be traveling this fall. If you love kid's books, want to meet some great teachers,l ibrarians & children's book creators, & have some free time, this volunteer job is for you! See the job description below for more details.

Book Week Coordinator Needed for Vancouver Island

Canadian Children’s Book Week is Canada’s largest celebration of reading and Canadian children’s books in schools and libraries, organized by the Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC). The first Book Week tour was held in 1977 and since then over 300 Canadian authors, illustrators and storytellers have toured throughout the country.

We have an exciting tour planned for 2008 in honour of the 100th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery’s Canadian classic, Anne of Green Gables. The Canadian Children's Book Centre will celebrate classic Canadian children’s books during Canadian Children's Book Week. Thirty authors, illustrators and storytellers will travel across the country visiting schools, libraries, bookstores and community centres from November 15 to 22, 2008.

The CCBC is looking for a Book Week Coordinator for the BC Vancouver Island tour. In the past, Vancouver Island has hosted a variety of author and illustrators including Ron Broda, Monique Polak, Ian Wallace, Ted Staunton, Ting-xing Ye, and William Brownridge.

This is a volunteer position; however, a $250.00 honorarium and complimentary membership to the CCBC will be provided.

The Book Week Coordinator will coordinate the author/illustrator tour of Vancouver Island by:
- Contacting and selecting host schools, libraries, bookstores and community centres (based on applications that are submitted).
- Acting as a liaison for authors and illustrators; arranging tour itineraries; booking travel and accommodations within budget available; meeting and escorting authors; driving or arranging volunteers to drive authors to locations when feasible/necessary.
- Actively promoting Book Week by contacting regional and local media.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Cora Lee, the CCBC’s British Columbia Regional Officer at bc@bookcentre.ca or 604 506-2693. If you know of anyone who may be interested, please forward this information to them.