Research Projects

In 2007 and 2008, we will complete a major new piece of research. As part of our Engagement programme we are committed to leading and influencing the development of good practice in book-based events and activities for children. Documenting current practice around book-based events and activities for children in this report will enable a greater understanding of the level and type of provision on a national basis to assist the development of better practice around book–based programmes.

We include in book based events and activities readings, workshops, programmes and initiatives for young people that are based solely on books and take place in locations outside of formal education settings. The report will provide a ‘snapshot’ of book based events available to audiences aged between seven and twelve years. The completed report, to be published in 2008, will support CBI’s ongoing planning and will be shared with a wide audience. CBI and Book Communications will be working together to complete this unique report. If you would like to know more or to contribute please contact mags@childrensbooksireland.com

CBI is currently also a partner organisation in The Touring Experiment. The Touring Experiment is an initiative of the Arts Council. It is a two year action research project which seeks to identify generic factors affecting touring in Ireland in relation to music, the visual arts, literature, the traditional arts, theatre and dance. It also seeks to identify artform specific issues in relation to touring in these artforms.

The Touring Experiment is an action research project which will support, observe, and work in partnership with a number of artists, producers, companies, venues and venue networks over the course of two years. The Touring Experiment will then present recommendations which will be presented to the Arts Council in early 2008.

Children’s Books Ireland will present Children’s Book Festival Author Tours as part of the Touring Experiment. Participation in this programme will enable children's books events to be adequately represented in the development of national touring policy. For more information please visit www.thetouringexperiment.ie

In 2002 CBI published a ground breaking report examining the reading habits of young people in Ireland

What's the Story?The Reading Choices of Young People in Ireland (ISBN: 18729100)

What's the Story? is the first large scale comprehensive survey of the leisure time reading choices of young people in Ireland. Published by Children's Books Ireland in 2002, the research was conducted by Dr. Deirdre Haslett. Over 2,200 students from Ireland, North and South, took part in the study. They came from 62 different schools, urban and rural, large and small. Areas covered in the research include:

• Favourite Books
• Favourite Authors
• Popular Genres
• Favourite Periodicals
• Recent Book Buying
• Book Ownership
• Influences in Choosing a Book to Read
• Books in the Home
• School and Local Libraries
• Buying and Borrowing Books
• Periodicals

What's the Story? is essential reading for anyone concerned with books and young people. Copies of What's the Story? are available from Children's Books Ireland, contact us to order your copy or follow the link to shop above.

Eligibility & Submissions

We are currently accepting submissions for the CBI Bisto Book of the Year Awards. Publishers must complete an official entry form, available here cbi__awards_entry_form07 or by calling 01 872 7475 for each title submitted. All sections of the form must be completed and accompanied by 12 copies of the title. Books will not be returned to the publisher.

Criteria

The CBI Bisto Book of the Year Award seeks to reward excellence in books for children and young people. The award is open to books written in Irish or English.

In identifying the most distinguished books of the year, judges shall consider the following criteria for excellence:

• Quality of the text and of illustrations and of design
• Exceptional integration of text, illustration and design
• Originality of the work and appeal to its readership

Eligibility

• Books must be a first edition, published between January 1st and December 31st 2007. Books may be published in Ireland or abroad.
• Authors/Illustrators must be Irish Citizens or resident in Ireland.
• Book must be written for a child/ young person audience.
• Books must be currently available in Ireland. Details of distribution must be completed on entry form.
• Books must meet basic professional standards of publishing and printing.
• Books may be in English or Irish.
• Books may be fiction, non-fiction or poetry.
• Academic textbooks, Translations and Re-issues are not currently eligible.
• Anthologies are eligible, at the discretion of the Judging Panel, provided they are primarily of Irish content, ie Editor, Contributors etc.

Children's Books Ireland reserve the right to include/exclude any titles for the awards

Submission Procedure

Publishers must complete an entry form, available here or by calling 01 872 7475 for each title submitted. All sections of the form must be completed and accompanied by 12 copies of the title. Books will not be returned to the publisher.

Books eligible for the 2007-08 CBI Bisto Book of the year Awards must be submitted between August 2007 and December 15th 2007. Any books that arrive after this date will not be accepted. Books are submitted by the publisher.

12 copies of all eligible entries must be sent by the publisher, along with a completed entry form to :

The CBI Bisto Book of the Year Awards,
Children's Books Ireland,
17 North Great George's Street,
Dublin 1,
Ireland.
Tel: 353-1-8727475

For further information contact: info@childrensbooksireland.com

Publishers must submit books as early as possible to ensure the judges have sufficient reading time.

Books must reach CBI no later than December 15th 2007.

Late and incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

The Judging Panel

There are five judges and a chair. These judges are drawn from a larger panel established by CBI in conjunction with the Chairperson of the Awards. All the judges along with the chairperson are fully fluent in Irish and English. The Chairperson is appointed by CBI. No judge can remain on the panel for more than three consecutive years.

Selection Process

The judging panel review all eligible titles and examine them according to the criteria for the award.

The shortlist of approximately 10 titles is announced, normally in April and the winners in late May/early June. Publishers are required to provide CBI with, at no cost, 50 copies of each short listed title for promotion purposes.

The Awards

5 awards are normally made.

The CBI Bisto Book of the Year Award

The Eilis Dillon award for a first children's book

3 Honour Awards (formally Merit Awards)

Further awards may be made at the discretion of the judging panel in any given year and no award will be made if the judging panel deem not eligible book has reached an appropriate standard of excellence. All awards are made entirely at the discretion of the judging panel. No correspondence will be entered into.

Further information

Further information and entry forms are available from

Children's Books Ireland
17 North Great George's St
Dublin 1
+353 1 8727475

info@childrensbooksireland.com

http://www.childrensbooksireland.com/

Entry Form

Conditions of Elegibility

Rules for Winning Books

New Editors for Inis Magazine

Inis 16

Cbi is delighted to announce the appointment of a new editorial team for Inis Magazine. Caitriona Magner and Patricia Kennon will succeed Paddy O’Doherty as editors of CBI’s flagship quarterly publication, beginning with Inis 23, to be published on March 1st 2008. Paddy O’Doherty’s tenure will finish with Inis 22, to be published on December 1st. The Board of CBI would like to thank Paddy, most sincerely for her work with the magazine. To contact the new editors please email inis@childrensbooksireland.ie

CBI ANNUAL TABLE QUIZ

Why not join us for a special quiz? A fun event for adults where teams can battle it out over Potter, Blyton, Dahl, Artemis as well as plenty of general knowledge questions. Table quiz takes place on Thursday January 24th at 7pm in The Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Tickets for tables of four(ish) for 40euro. Please note the event is for anyone aged 16 and over. Numbers are limited so please book your tickets early by contacting Jenny in the CBI Office 01 8727475

Recommended Reads

Choosing books can be a daunting task for parents, teachers and young readers themselves. CBI is committed to make high quality book reviews and information available to everyone.

Each year we produce Book Fest, an annual Recommended Reading guide that highlights the best books on offer for young readers from babies to teenagers. Our expert panel of reviewers tackle all the new titles to bring you a colourful quick reference guide. Copies of Book Fest are available free from your local library and bookshop during the Children's Book Festival in October. You can also recieve your free copy by contacting us.

If you need more in-depth reviews more regularly than Inis is the publication for you. Each quarterly issue reviews dozens of new books in depth.

Follow the links on the right for more details about choosing books for different ages - you'll find helpful introductions along with details of new titles available in 2006 and 2007. Thanks to Sarah Webb, Caitriona Magner, Oisin McGann, Claire Ranson, Liz Morris, Helen Carr, Kevin Brookes, Pj Lynch and Julie O'Callaghan for their help with these sections

The Touring Experiment

CBI is currently also a partner organisation in The Touring Experiment. The Touring Experiment is an initiative of the Arts Council. It is a two year action research project which seeks to identify generic factors affecting touring in Ireland in relation to music, the visual arts, literature, the traditional arts, theatre and dance. It also seeks to identify artform specific issues in relation to touring in these artforms.

The Touring Experiment is an action research project, which will support, observe, and work in partnership with a number of artists, producers, companies, venues and venue networks over the course of two years. The Touring Experiment will then present recommendations to the Arts Council in early 2008.

Children’s Books Ireland presented Children’s Book Festival Author Tours as part of the Touring Experiment. Participation in this programme ensures children's books events to be adequately represented in the development of national touring policy. For more information please visit http://www.thetouringexperiment.ie

Children’s Book Festival Bookmark Competition Winners Announced
Congratulations to Claire Malone (10) from co. Kildare and Dennis Appleby (11) from Co. Leitrim, winners of this year's CBF Design A Bookmark Competition. Combining striking visual elements with a snappy catch-phrase, both Claire and Dennis' designs are sure to look great when printed up into posters and bookmarks to promote the competition in 2008.

A prizing-giving ceremony will be held in each of the winners' respective library authorities: in Rathangan Library, Co. Kildare, at 12.00 noon Saturday 8th December & in Ballinamore Library, co. Leitrim, at 6.30pm on Tuesday 11th December.

The standard of all entries was once again incredibly high this year and judge Niamh Sharkey had a very tough time picking her favourites from each category. Commenting on the experience of judging and on the particular qualities of the winning entries Niamh said:

"The quality of the entries was really impressive. It was such a difficult decision to choose the winners.

Dennis Appleby's design: This bookmark design stood out for the fantastic characterisation of the dragon coupled with the brilliant typography that perfectly matches the illustration. Superb!

Claire Malone's design: I love the colours and the graphic nature of this bookmark. It is strong, direct and has huge appeal for both boys and girls. It will make a fabulous bookmark. Congratulations!"