LOCAL AUTHOR HONOURED - DAVID ARNAULT

Gippsland resident David Arnault has won a major gong from the Independent Publisher Book Awards for his novel "The Koan of the Fisherman's Wife". More than 5,200 entrants were submitted to the US-based organisation and David's book took out the bronze medal in the "Visionary Fiction" category. The "Koan of the Fisherman's Wife" has two themes running through it. One is concerned with the environmental degradation of the world's oceans. The second theme is about the indomitability of the human spirit.

Launched in 1996, the Independent Publishers awards were the first unaffiliated awards program open exclusively to independent publishers, including universities and self-published works.

We are delighted to have almost all of David Arnault's work on our shelves, so come and take a look at the book that won the award and his other titles.

VALE MAURICE SENDAK 1928 - 2012

This month we lost a great children's book author and illustrator. Maurice Sendak was probably best known for Where the Wild Things Are which won him the Caldecott Medal in 1964. Before he began writing and illustrating his own children's books, he was mostly known for the illustrations he did for other publications, and a compilation of these was published in 1947.

Another well know children's book In the Night Kitchen was published in 1970 and was subjected to censorship for its drawings of a young boy prancing naked throughout the story. All together Maurice Sendak wrote and illustrated 22 children's story books and illustrated more that 70 books and publications for other authors. He won many awards for his books and his illustrations.

In 1975 he produced an animated television production based on his work titled Really Rosie this featured the voice of Carole King. He designed sets for many operas and ballets including Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Mosart's The Magic Flute and Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. He also created the children's television series Seven Little Monsters.

Maurice Sendak has gone home.

SHORT STORY AND POETRY COMPETITION

Yarram Community Learning Centre are holding a short story and poetry competition which runs until 23rd July with the winners being notified by September 7th. If you'd like an entry form you could click here or get one from the bookshop. So all you budding authors and poets here's the chance to let everyone see what you can do. The Centre can be contacted on (03) 5182 6294.