I was sifting through a pile of papers and came across an article published in Seattle Post dated 8 March 07 on the top trends in teen literature. The observations are definitely point on and they include the proliferation of racy chick lit, more cross-over title such as Tamar by Mal Peet, The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. Aside from this there is the cross-over of adult authors writing for teens such as Isabel Allende and the continual fascination with fantasy brought on by none other than the Harry Potter success. Books for teens are also longer than they used to be before also another pattern followed from the Harry Potter books. And of course the rise of graphic novels and their increasing presence in the teenager's world.
So what impact does this have on the reader? Well I think it spells a boon for the teen reader who now has a wider variety of materials to browse from and also an industry that has begun to take note of the teenager reader and placed considerable time and funds to cater to their growing needs. Given that the average teenager has a greater spending power, publishers are surely going out of their way to attract this section of the population which was previously forgotten. Good news for all teenagers I bet.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Twilight
Currently I'm reading Twilight, the Young Adult novel by Stephanie Meyer. It is an easy read but oh so fascinating and enthralling as well. A young girl falls in love with a vampire. You'd think this was a boring topic, so Buffy the Vampire Slayer kind of love but it is done well and with finesse as well. I find that the author has taken pains to craft the story poignantly and as I haven't finished reading the novel yet, I cannot say what the outcome is but this title has received good reviews as far as I have known which compelled me to read it in the first place and also because my colleague happened to have a review copy at hand. I would encourage anyone to give it a go cause is it largely about forbidden love.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Bologna Ragazzi Award Exhibition
When I was at the Bologna Childrens' Book Fair recently, I took the opportunity to visit the Bologna Ragazzi Award Exhibition.
40 years of the history of international children’s publishing were on display at the exhibition. It gathered the 150 prize-winning books and more than 500 titles that received special mentions by the Bologna’s Children’s Book Fair from 1966 till 2007. At the end of the exhibition, the books would be made available at Sala Borsa Ragazzi Library.
The exhibition was held at the Archiginnasio Piazza Galvani. The building was built in 1563 and was the University of Bologna until 1803. Today it is an important town library where invaluable manuscripts, antique drawings, prints and photographs are preserved. Here also housed the historical 17th century Teatro Anatomico (Anatomy Theatre) where famous ancient doctors such as Galen and Hippocrates studied the body, learnt about dissection and performed operations.
40 years of the history of international children’s publishing were on display at the exhibition. It gathered the 150 prize-winning books and more than 500 titles that received special mentions by the Bologna’s Children’s Book Fair from 1966 till 2007. At the end of the exhibition, the books would be made available at Sala Borsa Ragazzi Library.
The exhibition was held at the Archiginnasio Piazza Galvani. The building was built in 1563 and was the University of Bologna until 1803. Today it is an important town library where invaluable manuscripts, antique drawings, prints and photographs are preserved. Here also housed the historical 17th century Teatro Anatomico (Anatomy Theatre) where famous ancient doctors such as Galen and Hippocrates studied the body, learnt about dissection and performed operations.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Bologna Children's Book Fair 2007
The Bologna Children’s Book Fair is the most important international event dedicated to the children’s publishing and multimedia industry.In its 44th edition, the Fair offers more than 20,000 square meters of exhibition space that spread across 7 pavilions.
It was an eye-opener visiting the Bologna Children's Book Fair. Many foreign language books were represented at the fair. It is interesting to see the Italian version of Harry Potter with a totally different illustration on the book cover ! I must say that I do like it better as it looks more like a children's book.
The Book Fair also featured an illustrators' exhibition that is the largest and most prestigious international display of the most innovative trends in children’s illustration. Out of 2,653 entries from 58 countries, 85 illustrators were selected by an influential panel of judges to showcase their talent, publish in the Annual which is a reference tool that publishers use year-round and be part of the travelling shows organised by Japan Board on Books for Young People (JBBY). Within the exhibtion area, there were Illustrators Cafes where illustrators introduce themselves to professionals looking for new talent. The panel of judges also use the cafes to share and discuss the reasons behind their selection.
Here's where you can see some photos of the illustrations taken by me :)
It was an eye-opener visiting the Bologna Children's Book Fair. Many foreign language books were represented at the fair. It is interesting to see the Italian version of Harry Potter with a totally different illustration on the book cover ! I must say that I do like it better as it looks more like a children's book.
The Book Fair also featured an illustrators' exhibition that is the largest and most prestigious international display of the most innovative trends in children’s illustration. Out of 2,653 entries from 58 countries, 85 illustrators were selected by an influential panel of judges to showcase their talent, publish in the Annual which is a reference tool that publishers use year-round and be part of the travelling shows organised by Japan Board on Books for Young People (JBBY). Within the exhibtion area, there were Illustrators Cafes where illustrators introduce themselves to professionals looking for new talent. The panel of judges also use the cafes to share and discuss the reasons behind their selection.
Here's where you can see some photos of the illustrations taken by me :)
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