Apr 20 - 08/06/2013

A beautiful exhibition of sculptural trees which take on the shape and nature of the poems they bear as leaves. Every Saturday from 20 April – 8 June @ 10am-5pm Bank Holiday Mondays 6 May & 3 June @ 10am-5pm (last entry 4.30pm) Suitable for all the family Originally commissioned by The Ark in 1997, the seven sculptural trees in this exhibition by artists Genevieve Murphy and John Kelly take on the shape and nature of the poems they bear as leaves. Featuring poetry by acclaimed poets including Seamus Heaney, Paula Meehan, Gabriel Fitzmaurice and Jenni Oakley, the trees offer children a dynamic encounter with poems old and new. Free entry

May 13 - 24/06/2013

Writing for children online course with Oisin McGann Course Start Date: May 13, 2013 Course Duration: 6 weeks Fee: €190.00 Course outline at http://creativewriting.ie/writing-for-children-course/ <http://creativewriting.ie/writing-for-children-course/> More information at http://www.creativewriting.ie/ or email info@creativewriting.ie The Writing for Children course will cover the basics of storytelling and the specific aspects of writing for children and young adults. Areas that will be looked at include: how to generate ideas; how to use observation; description of both character and setting; using dialogue and ensuring a good pace and plot, as well as how to tailor your writing for different age groups. There will be short practical exercises at each stage of the course. Oisin will also be giving tips on how to get published, and how to market your books once you get published. Places are strictly limited to 12 – early booking advisable.

May 20 - 26/05/2013

Dublin Writers Festival and Children’s Books Ireland invite you to Get Drawn In to a unique celebration of European picture book makers. The city has come alive with specially commissioned illustrations from our resident picture book makers Hervé Tullet (France), Sarah McIntyre (UK) and Laureate na nÓg, Niamh Sharkey (IRL). Children can flex their creative abilities in a wide range of workshops, monster drawing sessions and other arts activities in schools, libraries and venues across the city. Picture books open up the wondrous world of literature and visual arts. It’s time for Dublin to Get Drawn In. Check out the Dublin Writer's Festival website for more info on schools workshops, family events and events for adults working in the industry: http://www.dublinwritersfestival.com/programme/programme-2013

May 24

Arts programmers and practitioners are invited to take some time out to be inspired. Dublin Writers Festival and Children’s Books Ireland have gathered together some of Europe’s leading arts programmers for children to discover some new ways of thinking and working to engage young minds. Featuring Sally Goldsworthy (Discover Story Centre, London), Tamsin Ace (Southbank Centre, London), Sean Love (Fighting Words) and Arthur Lappin (The Ark). Discover, London’s children’s museum, is a place where children and their families can create stories together through play. Connecting Stories, a multimedia project, explored links between diverse communities and cultures. Southbank Centre recently ran the innovative Imagine Festival. A panel of local schoolchildren aged between 7 and 11 – the Festival Ideas Cloud – programmed festival events, from discussions with writers to series of debates on issues that affect them most. The Ark’s “Poetry Trees”, originally commissioned in 1997 from artists Genevive Murphy and John Kelly, take on the shape and nature of the poems they bear as leaves and feature poetry by acclaimed poets. The Ark is currently developing a national tour for the exhibition. Fighting Words is a creative writing centre established by Roddy Doyle and Sean Love. The clarity of its mission and ideology has attracted voluntary participation from filmmakers, composers, illustrators and writers. Tickets are free but booking is required via Tel 01 6707788 orboxoffice@ark.ie

May 25

As part of Get Drawn In, a children’s season at Dublin Writers Festival, Children’s Books Ireland are bringing the Book Doctor to the Culture Box, Temple Bar on Saturday, May 25th.  Bring your young book worms to the book clinic from 12-4pm where our book doctor will prescribe them with suggested authors and titles to add to their bookshelf collection.  

May 25

As part of Get Drawn In, a children's season at Dublin Writers Festival, Arnotts have partnered with Children’s Books Ireland to host the Book Doctor  in the childrenswear department on Saturday, May 25th. Customers are invited to bring their young future literary laureates to the book clinic from 12-3pm where our book doctor will prescribe them with suggested authors and titles to add to their bookshelf collection. WHSmith on the lower ground floor will also be on hand to assist and are offering a 20% discount upon presentation of the book prescription.

May 25

Meet illustrator Adrienne Geoghegan and decorate a pop-up story pod where you can snuggle up and enjoy a good read. Suitable from ages 5-9. Free but booking is required at the link: http://www.dublinwritersfestival.com/event/story-pod-decoration

May 26

Meet the monsters created by our European illustrators and picture book illustrators and personalise them with your own choice of materials, colour and designs. Irish picture book creators Marie Louise Fitzpatrick and Steve Simpson will be on hand to assist and advise. Suitable for 6-12 years. No Booking Required! This event runs from 1.30-3pm.

Jun 06

Are you a freelancer or professional working in the area of children's books? Do you write, illustrate, review, publish or organise festivals and events? Then please attend Talkshop on Thursday 6th June to network, swap ideas, and generally talk shop! If all goes to plan, the organiser hope this to become a regular gathering, with opportunities down the line to hear from guest speakers, share a tipple with industry experts and learn of exciting developments within the sector. For now, it's simply a case of popping along to the Library Bar from 7.30pm to say "hello!" Please feel free to bring along something you'd like to tell people about - a work in progress, details of a project you're involved with or simply an amazing book you've come across lately that you think everyone should know about! What: First ever Talk Shop children's books social When: Thursday 6th June 7.30-9.30pm Where: Library Bar, Central Hotel, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 Twitter: @TalkShopDublin