Sunday, March 25, 2012

Maitríóisce ar Ghearrliosta Leabhair na Bliana 2012 do CBI - Maitríóisce shortlisted for CBI Books of the Year 2012


Tá an-áthas ar Cois Life a rá gur gur ainmníodh Mairtríóisce le Siobhán Parkinson ar ghearrliosta Ghradaim Leabhair na Bliana 2012 ag Children's Books Ireland

Bhí thart ar 70 leabhar san iomaíocht don ghearrliosta i mbliana agus dúirt Cathaoirleach na mBreithiúna, Keith O'Sullivan, faoin ngearrliosta 'tá naoi leabhar den scoth ar an ngearrliosta i mbliana a léiroidh saibhreas agus sásamh na léitheoireachta do léitheoirí óga. Pléitear gach saghas iontu - gach rud ó chastachtaí an tsaoil chomhaimseartha go dtí scéalta grinn - ach tá ceardaíocht agus ealaín ag roinnt le gach leabhar acu'. Bíonn na naoi leabhar san iomaíocht le haghaidh sé nduais éagsúla - ina measc duaise a roghnaíonn paineál leanaí - agus fógrófar na buaiteoirí ag searmanas i mí na Bealtaine.

Is é a dúirt na breithiúna faoi Mhaitríóisce ná: 'san úrscéal seo atá inmholta ó thaobh simplíocht a phlota, léirítear turas na príomhphearsa dhéagóra agus í sa tóir ar ghinealas a theaghlaigh ag dul siar trí chúig ghlúin máthartha.'

MAITRÍÓISCE by Siobhán Parkinson

Nuair a shroicheann Mara trí bliana déag d’aois tá sí ag súil go mór lena bronntanas ach nuair a osclaíonn sí é, athraíonn an scéal. Ní iPod nó seodra atá ann ar chor ar bith ach sraith bábóg maitríóisce ón Rúis. Séad fíne óna sheanmháthair atá ann agus ar dtús níl suim dá laghad aici sa bhronntanas páistiúil seo. Ní hamháin sin ach tá ceann de na bábógíní ar strae!

De réir a chéile, tuigeann Mara go bhfuil stair taobh thiar den bhábóg caillte agus téann sí sa tóir ar an fhírinne faoi bhrí agus scéal na bábóige seo. Lena cara Dorota lena taobh, glacann Mara ról an bleachtaire agus í ag iarraidh níos mó a fhoghlaim faoina gcúlra agus faoi stair na bábóige.

Ainmníodh leabhar eile le Siobhán ar an ngearrliosta - leabhar Béarla BRUISED a d'fhoilsigh Hodder Children’s Books (Londain).

Is iad na leabhair eile atá ar an ngearrliosta ná:

A GREYHOUND OF A GIRL le Roddy Doyle

INTO THE GREY le Celine Kiernan

MY DAD IS TEN YEARS OLD: AND IT’S PURE WEIRD le Mark O’Sullivan

STUCK le Oliver Jeffers

THE BUTTERFLY HEART le Paula Leden

WILL GALLOWS AND THE SNAKE-BELLIED TROLL le Derek Keilty

Is é an t-aon leabhar Gaeilge eile atá ar an ngearrliosta ná Ó CHRANN GO CRANN le Caitríona Hastings agus Andrew Whitson (léaráidí) a d'fhoilsigh An tSnáthaid Mhór - leabhar eile ar ardchaighdeán mar is dual dóibh.

Cois Life is delighted to anounce that Maitríóisce by Siobhán Parkinson (pictured) has been shortlisted for the 2012 Children's Books Ireland (CBI) Book of the Year Award.

Keith O’Sullivan, chair of the judging panel who between them read more than 70 titles said: 'This year’s shortlist features nine excellent books which all offer young readers a rich and satisfying experience. With subjects which range from difficult contemporary issues to stories of whimsy and fun, each book is beautifully crafted and brilliantly conceived'. Each of the nine titles will compete for six awards, including the Children’s Choice Award voted for by ten junior juries located across the country. The winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held in May.

The nine shortlisted titles for the CBI Book of the Year Award 2012 are as follows:

MAITRÍÓISCE by Siobhán Parkinson

When Mara reaches her thirteenth birthday she looks forward to her present but when she finally opens it, it’s a different story. It is not an iPod or jewellery but a series of Russian dolls. They turn out to be an heirloom from her grandmother and at first Mara has no interest whatsoever in this seemingly childish present. If that weren’t bad enough, one of the dolls turns out to be missing.

As time progresses, Mara begins to understand the history surrounding the missing doll and she intuitively goes in pursuit of the truth behind the Russian dolls. With her friend Dorota by her side, Mara assumes the role of detective in an attempt to track down the missing doll and to uncover more about her own interesting heritage.

The judges said of Maitríóisce 'admirably simple in terms of plot, this engaging work charts its thirteen-year-old protagonist’s journey into her past, as she maps her genealogy back five generations through maternal lineage.'

A second book by Siobhán was also shortlisted - a book in English entitled BRUISED and published by Hodder Children’s Books (London).

The other shortlisted books are as follows:

A GREYHOUND OF A GIRL by Roddy Doyle

INTO THE GREY by Celine Kiernan

MY DAD IS TEN YEARS OLD: AND IT’S PURE WEIRD by Mark O’Sullivan

STUCK by Oliver Jeffers

THE BUTTERFLY HEART by Paula Leyden

WILL GALLOWS AND THE SNAKE-BELLIED TROLL by Derek Keilty

The only other Irish-language book shortlisted was Ó CHRANN GO CRANN by Caitríona Hastings and Andrew Whitson (illustrator) published by our colleagues in An tSnáthaid Mhór with their usual flair.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Orna Ní Choileáín & Cois Life ag Seachtain na Gaeilge

Ailfí agus an Vaimpír

Mar chuid de Seachtain na Gaeilge beidh Orna Ní Choileáin ag léamh as Canary Wharf (Cois Life 2009), cnuasach gearrscéalta Gaeilge agus as an leabhar do pháistí (10-13bl.) Ailfí agus an Vaimpír (Cois Life 2012) atá scríofa aici freisin.

Tabharfaidh Orna cuairt ar shé cinn de leabharlanna le labhairt faoina cuid leabhar. Is do dhaoine fásta an píosa cainte a dhéanfaidh sí i Leabharlann na Cúlóige, agus is do pháistí gach ceann eile. Is gá áirithint a dhéanamh leis an leabharlann roimh ré.

Cead isteach saor in aisce, moltar áit a chur in áirithe - buíochas mór le Leabharlanna Bhaile Átha Cliath.

As part of Seachtain na Gaeilge, Orna Ní Choileáin will give readings at a number of library venues 6-8th of March from her book Ailfí agus an Vaimpír (Cois Life, 2012). Is there a vampire ‘living’ at the bottom of your garden? Marius is a very special vampire who lives in the garden of a young boy named Ailfí. Marius, you see, prefers fig rolls and cake to blood and flesh. When all the everyday troubles of life - such as ultraviolet lights and cloves of garlic - threaten this poor undead creature, it’s no wonder he becomes cranky when everything doesn’t work out just as he’d planned!

For young adults (10-13) and young adults of every age!

Orna will meet schoolchildren to talk about her book in the following libraries;

  • Raheny Library on Tuesday 6th March at 10am, T. 8315521
  • Coolock Library on Tuesday 6th March at 11.30am Orna will meet the adult Irish conversation circle and will also discuss her short story collection Canary Wharf (2009) T. 8477781 .
  • Cabra Library on Wednesday 7th March at 10am, T. 8691414
  • Ballymun Library on Wednesday 7th March at 11.30am, T. 8421890
  • Dolphin's Barn Library on Thursday 8th March at 10am, T. 4540681
  • Terenure Library on Thursday 8th March at 11.30am, T. 4907035

Booking advisable at the relevant libraries. Huge thanks to Dublin City Libraries!