Friday, October 9, 2020

White Ravens list - Australia can celebrate!

 


We could just as well have called them 'Pink Elephants', 'Green Hares' or 'Blue Lamas' - but we didn't. We chose the name 'White Ravens'. They stand for something special, something outstanding, something unusual and extraordinary. International Youth Library Facebook post



Let's celebrate!!

Australia have six titles on the 2020 White Ravens list plus one more which I think we can claim by Remi Lai. This is SO exciting. There are a total of 200 titles in 36 languages from 56 countries. 

The White Raven label is given to books that deserve worldwide attention because of their universal themes and/or their exceptional and often innovative artistic and literary style and design. International Children's Digital Library

Here are the three picture books (click colour links to read more):






Review in Reading Time, September 2019

Here are the three Young Adult titles:


White Raven review quote: "... a riveting narrative"



White Raven review quote: "Readers are taken for a breathless ride in this novel about trauma, secrets, memories, storytelling, and the search for truth."



White Raven review quote: "A truly fascinating glimpse of LGBTQIA+ life in all its many variations."

Here is the title by Remi Lai (listed under English USA in the catalogue)



What are the White Ravens? Who selects these books? 

The White Ravens a selection of International Children's and Youth literature made by the International Youth Library in Munich.

Take a look at the full 2020 list here.

Here are three extracts from the preface to the 2020 publication:

Selecting the books for the White Ravens list is one of the tasks of our language and children’s book specialists. They set aside new publications that catch their attention and strike them as noteworthy and that they want to recommend to an international audience. Books are chosen for the list based on the universal relevance of the themes they address, their literary and pictorial qualities, or their innovative approaches or design.

They read new publications in the original languages, visit important international book fairs, scout and gather information, maintain contact with publishing houses, institutions, organisations, and other experts. In addition, they also engage in conversation with the research fellows at the International Youth Library, foreign scholars who have a profound knowledge of the literature of their home countries.

The White Ravens catalogue thus presents a unique selection of 200 books that cover a highly diverse range of voices. Its international nature results from the efforts of approximately twenty children’s and young adult book experts, who are tasked with sifting through the thousands of books received annually by the International Youth Library.

2019 Australian titles:

  • Amelia Westlake by Erin Gough
  • Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina
  • Cicada by Shaun Tan
  • Grandma Z by Daniel Gray-Barnett
  • Midnight at the Library by Ursula Dubosarsky illus by Ron Brooks
  • The Things That Will Not Stand by Michael Gerard Bauer

Previous years (a selection). Use the Advanced search to find more.

Archie and the bear by Zanni Louise illustrated by David Mackintosh; Bleakboy and Hunter stand out in the rain by Steven Herrick; Do not lick this book by Idan Ben-Barak and Julian Frost; Flight by Nadia Wheatley illustrated by Armin Greder; Magrit by Lee Battersby; Mopoke by Philip Bunting; My two blankets by Irene Kobald illustrated by Freya Blackwood; Somewhere else by Gus Gordon; Song for the Scarlet Runner by Julie Hunt; Sophie Scott goes South by Alison Lester; The Duck and the Darklings by Glenda Millard illustrated by Stephen Michael King; Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend; Parachute by Danny Parker illustrated by Matt Ottley; I am Cow hear me Moo by Jill Esbaum illustrated by Stephen Michael King

This year are 35 titles on the White Raven list in English. Perhaps there are some which you might consider adding to a library collection (Primary School and High School) and if you collect books in other languages for your school or public library there are a wealth of wonderful titles to explore too. Teachers could use the covers of these very different books for discussions about visual literacy or as part of an art lesson.

Here are two international covers for young children that really appeal to me - Strawberry from Japan and Colour Switcher from Portugal.


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