Children’s Books and the CPSIA
2009/01/18 at 9:28 pm | In books, random | 1 CommentI’m currently following the story on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) that comes into effect on February 10 ‘09 to see if it will impact children’s books or not:
From Publishers Weekly:
CPSIA FAQs
• The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act goes into effect February 10 and requires third-party testing of all products for children 12 and under, including books, audiobooks and sidelines. This includes older products on-shelf as well as books shipped after the deadline.
• AAP and other industry trade groups are lobbying to have print-on-paper and print-on-board books exempted. They also are looking for clarification on testing protocols and other specifics.
• If the Act stands as currently written and interpreted, significant costs and longer production times will negatively affect publishers and retailers, potentially putting some out of business and causing books to be removed from stores, libraries and schools.
• The industry is struggling to comply with the Act in time for the deadline, even as it waits for resolution and interpretation from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
For the latest updates and clarifications, go to www.cpsc.gov/about/Cpsia/cpsia.html.
-Industry Scrambling to Comply with Child Safety Act
By Karen Raugust — Publishers Weekly
UPDATES:
Jan 15, ‘09 article on Publishers Weekly.
Authors & Illustrators Talk Kid’s Books Online
2008/12/03 at 1:47 pm | In children's book illustration, random | 1 CommentTags: bubble stampede, cwill bc, just on more book
There are lots of conversations going on about children’s books on the internet these days. Here are a few places to listen, read or join in:
On the CWILL BC blog, there’s a new series called Tuesday Tell-All, where authors and illustrators can answer the question of the week. Join the conversation over there in the comments section, or suggest a question for a future Tuesday.
On Bubble Stampede, two authors carry on a nine month conversation about promotion. The conversation touches on everything from the dreaded author photo to social networking to book signings.
And as always, Just One More Book!!! is going strong with interviews with writers, illustrators, editors, publishers etc etc. (there’s a new interview on the site about children’s book illustration gallery shows that looks interesting).
Books Set in BC
2008/08/11 at 12:53 pm | In random | Leave a CommentAuthor Karen Autio has compiled a list of children’s books that take place in British Columbia. Read the list over here on the CWILL BC blog.
Meet the Author Series on iTunes
2008/04/15 at 1:37 pm | In random | Leave a CommentTags: author interviews, illustrator interviews
There’s a series of video (and audio) interviews from WETA learning media on iTunes of interviews with (American) authors and illustrators. (view them here [launches iTunes]).
Own a Piece of the Magic
2008/04/02 at 12:01 pm | In children's book illustration, random | Leave a Comment
I’ve donated some artwork for Own A Piece of the Magic, a fundraiser for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) and the BC Coalition for School Libraries (BCCSL). I’m happy to lend a hand in supporting the cause of promoting Canadian children’s books.
$100 dollars gets you in the door of “one of Vancouver’s most spectacular waterfront venues” and guarantees you a piece of original artwork from a West Coast children’s book illustrator. The pieces are randomly matched to their new owners – but if you are particularly fond of a work, you can bid more to ensure you get it. More information about the event, including an order form for tickets is available on the BCCSL website (I apologise in advance for exposing you to the discordant colour palette on that page).
Pileated Woodpecker Study | ink on paper | 10 1/2″ x 13″
(for the book Looking for Loons)
If there are other children’s book illustrators out there who are interesting in donating a piece of artwork, please contact Kathryn Shoemaker asap at kshoe [at] telus [dot] net.
New York Library’s Donnell Branch Closing
2008/02/06 at 3:34 pm | In random | Leave a Comment
Winnie-the-Pooh & Piglet at the New York Pubic Library’s Donnell Library Center Central Children’s Room.
I just read on 7-Imp, where there’s a much more in depth and eloquent summary than I can attempt here, that the New York Public Libaries Donnell Branch will be closing in May. This branch houses the Central Children’s Room, home to, among other things, the original Winnie-the-Pooh toys (sans Roo who, being small, must have been lost along the way), Mary Poppin’s umbrella and, during the time of my visit, original N.C Wyeth Robin Hood illustrations. With the closure of the branch the future of the Children’s Room seems uncertain and many are worried it will disappear all together.
The photographs here are from our visit to New York in January of 2006. We were told about the Children’s Room by a New York aquaintence who we had hit up for tips on New York must-sees – especially those that involved art, books or food. We didn’t have a lot of time to spend at the library – it was more of a quick pilgrimage to see the toys so it was an extra bonus to see the Wyeth illustrations. I would have loved to had more time to explore more of the library and to have gone through the collection of reference books. I can only imagine how wonderful it would have been to have access to a library like this when I was little, not only for the books but for the chance to see original, classic illustrations. Here’s to hoping that the Children’s Room reopens in a brand spanking new location (with better lighting) and that for many years to come, kids will have access to literature in this way.
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I love Winnie-the-Pooh – the proper A.A Milne original book versions with the lovely E. H. Shepard illustrations – not what’s become of it now, so it was kind of sad to see this – not a Milne in sight – completely obliterated (at least on Flickr) by the ‘D’ word:
Making Child Literacy a Priority in B.C
2008/01/25 at 12:27 pm | In random | Leave a CommentTags: literacy
(cross-posted from the CWILL BC blog)
B.C.’s new lieutenant-governor, who credits a single book with changing his life, has designated literacy as one of the major themes of his term at Government House.
Steven Point plans to concentrate on early childhood literacy and to do what he can to ensure that more reading material for preschoolers makes its way into B.C.’s most remote communities.
-Jeff Rud, Times Colonist
Published: Sunday, January 13, 2008 (full article)
Raincoast Books Will No Longer Publish
2008/01/08 at 12:02 pm | In random | 2 CommentsVancouver is losing one of its largest publishers as the company moves to focus on its distribution business. The strong Canadian dollar has been blamed for the having a negative impact on the Canadian book market. From the cbc.ca website:
In interviews on Monday, Raincoast marketing vice-president Jamie Broadhurst said that, in response, the company dramatically dropped its suggested retail prices by 20 per cent. He described the shuttering of the publishing program as a tough but necessary measure.
Raincoast Books to ditch publishing arm
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
This means a loss of jobs in both Vancouver and Ontario, and a loss of yet another publisher of Canadian books.
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LOOKING FOR LOONS
2007 Cybils Nominee for Fiction Picture Book
and selected as one of the Canadian Toy Testing Council Great Books for Children 2009
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More Photos
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