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IBBY Names David Almond and Jutta Bauer 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Award Winners

Bologna, Italy...The Hans Christian Andersen Award Jury of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), has announced that David Almond, from the United Kingdom is the winner of the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Author Award and that Jutta Bauer, from Germany is the winner of the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Illustrator Award. The announcement was made at the Bologna International Children's Book Fair, and the Andersen medals and diplomas will be presented to the winners on Saturday, 11 September 2010 at the international IBBY congress in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books. In awarding the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Medal for writing to David Almond, the jury has recognized the unique voice of a creator of magic realism for children. Almond captures his young readers' imagination and motivates them to read, think and be critical. His use of language is sophisticated and reaches across the ages.

The 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration recognizes Jutta Bauer as a powerful narrator who blends real life with legend through her pictures. The jury admired her philosophical approach, originality, creativity as well as her ability to communicate with young readers.

David Almond was selected from 28 authors for the award. The four finalists were: Ahmad Reza Ahmadi from Iran, Bartolomeu Campos de Queiros from Brazil, Lennart Hellsing from Sweden and Louis Jensen from Denmark.

Jutta Bauer was selected from 27 illustrators nominated. The four finalists were Carll Cneut from Belgium, Etienne Delessert from Switzerland, Svjetlan Junakovic from Croatia and Roger Mello from Brazil. The full list of candidates can be read at www.ibby.org.

The ten members of the 2010 Jury, led by Jury President Zohreh Ghaeni from Iran, met in Basel, Switzerland on 13 and 14 March 2010. The Jury of children's literature experts comprised Ernest Bond (USA), Karen Coeman (Mexico), Nadia El Kholy (Egypt), María Jesús Gil (Spain), Jan Hansson (Sweden), Annemie Leysen (Belgium), Darja Mazi-Leskovar (Slovenia), Alicia Salvi (Argentina), Helene Schär (Switzerland) and Regina Zilberman (Brazil). Elda Nogueira from Brazil representing IBBY and Liz Page as Jury Secretary attended the meeting ex officio.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is considered the most prestigious in international children's literature, is given biennially by IBBY to a living author and illustrator whose complete works are judged to have made lasting contributions to children's literature. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is the Patron of the Andersen Awards. The Author's Award has been given since 1956 and the Illustrator's Award since 1966. Nami Island Inc. is the sponsor of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards. Information, including a history of the awards is available at www.ibby.org.

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The Best motivation video

Leadership Skills Are Important For Family, Company and Self

t is a well known fact that most people believe that leaders are born, not made. It is also an unfortunate belief that those who have leadership potential also believe this as truth.

However the other camp believes that leaders can be made. The former statement is only partly true. There are those with charisma and the needed confidence to be leaders to the point they stand out as role models in many facets of society. Depending on work positions and a number of other factors these individuals are missing out on a grand slice of life. With just a bit of leadership training they might easily fulfill their role as society leaders.

Leadership skills can be easily developed through enrolling in the right courses. Inherent leadership skills can be developed and used to further ones career and status in life.

Why is leadership so important today? Commitment is a condition where you not only take responsibility for your actions but also assume the care and conditioning, failures and success of others. But it does require some action which has to be driven by an internal motivation. Once the decision is made to become a leader, the training will reinforce that decision towards reaching its fullest potential.

Embracing personal training in the leadership and development arenas helps the prospective leader showcase those gifts lying dormant. Leadership training impacts every area of the leader's life, from communication skills, self confidence all the way through to overall leadership abilities in every situation of life. There are numerous leadership seminars and workshops that offer an array of training for whatever areas are needed to bring out those uncultivated leadership qualities. Self esteem rises, self confidence shines through and emotional intelligence increases to the point that one may believe they can accomplish most anything.

Leadership development training goes beyond just being able to lead a group of people or an organization. The focus and drive of the training tempers the leader to perform and support groups of diverse people and backgrounds. Leaders gain insights into themselves, how people work best under varying circumstances as well as how to keep the groups they lead focused and motivated. Motivation and optimism are traits that a leader must have in order to lead effectively.

Principles and valuables are another important characteristic of would be leaders. Understanding your motivations and inclinations are important as leaders because people watch what you do more than what you say. Boldness and strength are essential as well. Regardless of how strong you are at leading people, they will not follow unless they are certain you can be trusted.

Whatever dominates you as an individual will be amplified when leadership skills are honed to the best. Expressing ideas succinctly and with conviction are key ingredients a leader must have. The confidence and certainty often showcase themselves in these situations. Leadership development training can help define these characteristics. This training also helps potential leaders recognize the barriers and excel at overcoming them in themselves and others.

Leadership training is not just for the already talented. There are workshops that dig deeper to help those less talented when entering such a program and enables them to become a leader from wherever you enter as long as you have the desire, determination and drive to learn, change and adapt.

Obviously faith in self is a must. If you think you can become a leader, you are right. If you have doubts you are right. So choosing the right mindset is important before you begin. If you are not selected for a leadership position in your work or company, it will serve you in every other area of life.

Leadership responsibilities are very serious. It impacts not only your life but the lives of those you decide to lead, so choose wisely. A lot of other peoples well-being depend on it.

Attitude plus aptitude equals altitude. These life altering resources, articles and FREE downloads are available for a limited time to help you identify what's holding you back from achieving all that you have dreamed. Revise your life blueprint to dramatically increase your self worth, outlook on life and net worth. By using these proven methods you'll discover how you can become the person you've always dreamed of being. You owe it to yourself to visit my self improvement guide, which also discusses the positive thinking quote and other misconceptions.
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Secret to World-Class Speaking

It was downright devious, definitely bordered on preposterous, and decidedly over the top. Maybe even a little cheesy. Yet the audience gobbled it up.

The speaker gave a brilliant performance. He courted his audience's emotions. He pushed and pulled on their hot buttons. He pandered to the whimsical fancies of the crowd.

Effective?

Yes... if you're looking for a temporary high.

Valuable?

No, not at all. I remembered what he did-but I didn't get anything meaningful from his talk. In short, it seemed like he was just blowing motivational smoke down into our collective consciousness.

With his deep, thundering preacher's voice he rhythmically concluded his speech in a poetic cadence. Then he ripped open the front of his shirt ala Hulk Hogan. The buttons danced all over the stage injecting spontaneous combustion to his ending.

And the crowd roared with abundant enthusiasm...

They chanted. They cheered. They fed off his energy. They wanted more. They rose off their seats applauding His Highness.

I discreetly shook my head in disbelief...

He gave the crowd a buzz and milked it for what its worth. He sold them their fix by shooting them in the arm with a rush of "feel good" adrenaline. I thought the days of rah-rah hype ended in the 80's. Guess not.

You see, His Highness didn't engage his audience at all. He pumped them up with motivational "feel good" bullet points. This type of oratory works well if you balance it with substance and meaning. Otherwise people will lose that good feeling somewhere between the time they drive off the parking lot and the time they swing open their front door.

So what's the secret to engaging your audience at a world-class level?

1) Start with a story. But not just any story. A personal story. One that puts you right dab in the middle of it. Preferably, one that no one else in the world can tell but you. And by all means, let us know who you really are.

2) Expose the conflict. Is there a problem that needs resolving? Is there an archenemy? Can you quote facts and figures? Who are the victims if nothing is done?

3) Identify the solution. Is it a product? Maybe a program. Perhaps it's an organization. What makes this solution unique? How does this stand out from other solutions?

4) Name the beneficiaries. Who benefits from this solution? Are they your clients? Maybe they're your donors. Do they live overseas? And how are they benefiting?

5) Give your reason. Now answer the why question. What do you get for doing this? What caused you to get involved? Why should prospects join, buy or promote what you offer?

I know you're smart enough to not follow in His Highness' footsteps. You have an authentic, passionate message you want to present at a world-class level. And you realize giving genuine value through a personal story will touch, engage and affect an audience much more and much longer than chants and cheers alone.

Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy's Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today athttp://www.TommyYan.com.  If you're a speaker, trainer, coach, or a consultant, the major challenge you face is connecting with your audience. You talk, shout, or recite your message while they are dreaming about dinner.  Their eyes are glossy, their minds' elsewhere, and their bodies ready to bolt. You don't have a lot of time, so you've got to grab their attention fast. Or else, you'll die wrestling against audience resistance.  Find out how

What are your priorities?

The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.
Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."
The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"
The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."
The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"
To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the Mexican.
The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions?...Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

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Vale Patricia Wrightson

Pioneer of Australian idiom for kids dies
From: The Australian, March 25, 2010 12:00AM

PATRICIA Wrightson, who died this week aged 88, was one of the first children's writers to use Australian places and idioms in her novels.

Born in the northern NSW town of Lismore, Wrightson's first books were published in the 1950s, and she continued writing until ill health forced her retirement in the late 1990s.
The Rocks of Honey (1960) and The Nargun and the Stars (1973) were two of her four books to be awarded the Children's Book Council Book of the Year. She was also awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal.
In 1999, the NSW Premier's literary awards honoured Ms Wrightson by naming their children's literary prize after her. Minister for the Arts, Virginia Judge, yesterday acclaimed Ms Wrightson as an "Australian literary great".

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/pioneer-of-australian-idiom-for-kids-dies/story-e6frg8nf-1225844972765

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The winner of the 2010 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is Kitty Crowther

Kitty Crowther is an illustrator and author, born in 1970, who lives and works in Belgium. The jury's citation reads as follows:
Kitty Crowther is the master of line but also of atmosphere. She maintains the tradition of the picture book while transforming and renewing it. In her world, the door between imagination and reality is wide open. She addresses the reader gently and personally, but with profound effect. In her deeply felt empathy with people in difficulty, she shows ways in which weakness can be turned into strength. Humanism and sympathy permeate and unify her artistry.

In Kitty Crowther's books, text and pictures form an integral whole. Her principal works are her own picture books, including L´enfant racine (2003), La visite de Petite Mort (2004), Le grand désordre (2005) and the Poka & Mine series (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010).

She addresses readers personally using a limited repertoire of tools, principal among them pencil, ink and coloured pencils. Facial expressions, posture and atmosphere are captured with unfailing precision. In Kitty Crowther?s world there are no basic stereotypes. The landscapes in which the stories are set resemble the ones we know, but Kitty Crowther sees beyond them to a world richer in possibilities than we imagine.

One of the cornerstones of her authorship is to show how weakness can be turned into strength. Her loyalty to children is unconditional. The sympathy and intense empathy Kitty Crowther shows with her fictional characters is an expression of the deep humanism that runs through all her works.

Examples of Kitty Crowther?s world of imagery can be downloaded from www.alma.se. For more images and interviews with the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award winner and jury, please contact the ALMA office: agnes.lidbeck@alma.se or +46 76 540 10 17.

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) is the world's largest prize for children's and young adult literature. The award, with a total value of SEK 5 million, is awarded annually to one or more recipients. Authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and reading activists are eligible. The award is designed to promote interest in children's and young adult literature, and to promote children's rights, globally. An expert jury selects the winners from candidates nominated by institutions and organizations worldwide. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council.

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American Idol Winner David Cook Tattoos “The Dash” on Arm

Embraces The Dash Philosophy to Remember Brother

03.16.2010 – Linda Ellis’ poem "The Dash" was published and made into a short internet video by Simple Truths. Since its debut in 2006, the book has sold more than 300,000 copies, and the movie has been viewed over 30 million times. This remarkable poem has touched many lives, and most recently the life of David Cook, season seven’s American Idol champion.

Adam Cook, who is David's brother, battled cancer for over a decade before dying of brain cancer. The Dash, a poem about a eulogy given at a friend's funeral, was read at Adam Cook’s funeral. This event inspired Cook to tattoo the last stanza on his left forearm, reminding him of his brother and the importance of "living your dash", a testament to the depth and reach of the poem. Click here to see the poem.

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"The well of Providence is deep. It’s the buckets we bring to it that are small."

-- Mary Webb

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Thought for Thursday

"Life is the coexistence of all opposite values. Joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, up and down, hot and cold, here and there, light and darkness, birth and death. All experience is by contrast, and one would be meaningless without the other."
-- Deepak Chopra