Journal articles on the topic 'Quebec poetry'

The surrealist Quebec poet, painter and artists’ books editor Roland Giguère has based his entire work on a dialogue between poetry and visual arts (painting, serigraphy, typography) in order to experiment the iconicity of writing. He has composed a graphic poetry made of plastic and iconic signs as well as graphic signs, playing with the semiotic ambiguity to create poetic effects and sense. His polysemiotic experiment of the poem based on a specific use of serigraphy has impacted the readability, but has paradoxically shown a new kind of poeticity and the expressiveness of writing. The aim of this article is to establish how the writing subversion and the semiotic experiment allowed by an original use of serigraphy creates poetry.

Cet article s’intéresse à un événement tenu en 1963 dans les Cantons-de-l’Est, le Foster Poetry Conference, qui avait réuni plusieurs poètes de langue anglaise, ainsi qu’au volume publié dans sa foulée, English Poetry in Quebec (1965). Aujourd’hui presque oubliée, cette rencontre poétique organisée par John Glassco, Frank Scott et A.J.M. Smith, qui bénéficia du soutien financier du Gouvernement du Québec, avait l’ambition de rapprocher les poètes anglophones et francophones du Québec, et cela à un moment charnière tant du développement des événements publics de poésie en Amérique du Nord que des politiques publiques et culturelles du Québec.

Using a life writing research methodology in this article, I seek to understand the complexities implicated in reading silenced narratives as a way towards reconciling internations relationships. To do so, I weave in the poetical territories of Josephine Bacon, Innu poet from Pessiamit, Quebec. I analyse how a poetic text has created spaces for reinterpreting silence[s], that journey into and beyond my whispered narratives as an emerging, settler scholar and curriculum theorist. As I tune into several layers of silences, I examine the pedagogical implications lying within public and intimate territories of silenced narratives and the narrative(s) of silence(s) in our various practices as educators.Keywords: Postcolonialism; Indigenous education; educator's role; pedagogyFigure 1. A visual abstract is offered here as an alternative way to enter the space of silenced narratives of symbolic literacies (see Battiste, 1986).

Abstract Two recent anthologies of Canadian writing – Refuse: CanLit in Ruins and Resisting Canada: An Anthology of Poetry – reflect stances of resistance to mainstream institutional understandings of Canadian writing culture. They highlight recent scandals in academia and in literary communities, as well as highlighting the voices of Indigenous and women writers. These stances echo earlier forms of cultural revolution in Canada, in particular the Refus global manifesto, which provoked conventional Quebec society in the late 1940s. This paper contrasts these forms of refusal with a period in the 1950s and 1960s when influential Jewish writers, including Leonard Cohen and Irving Layton, took a counter-cultural stance while appearing in mainstream venues offered to them by CBC television and radio.

Quebec-born playwright Chantal Bilodeau has been responding to the challenges of dramatizing anthropogenic climate change by developing an eight-part Arctic Cycle, each play of which is set in one of the nations that claims Arctic territory. Sila (2014) immerses audiences into a complex network of humans, animals, and mythical beings crisscrossing the Canadian Arctic. These movements circle around the Inuit concept of sila, which is the life-giving force of breath and voice. Thus, the sonic world of Sila focuses on voices speaking words, on performance poetry, and on the sounds of breath and wind. Bilodeau’ s second Arctic Cycle play, Forward (2016), addresses the long-term impact of Fridtjof Nansen’s polar exploration of the 1890s on Norway’s economy and society. In terms of sound, Forward features multiple musical performances rangingfrom traditional songs to European opera arias and Lieder to contemporary Norwegian electro-pop. The sonic features of both plays stress interdependence across time, space, as well as (non-)human, earthly, and metaphysical realms. Sila and Forward address climate change in a non-universalizing manner which promotes a heterarchical (rather than hierarchical) aesthetic fit for a growing awareness of planetary relationality.

Breve panorámica de la poesía contemporánea del Canadá francés, que se inicia en la práctica con la figura de Nelligan, sigue con la generación denominada de los “grands arnés”, configurándose posteriormente en cuatro grandes bloques: la poesía de estética surrealista, la influencia de la casa editorial "El Hexágono” y los poetas nacionalistas, la poesía femenina y el lirismo urbano de la poesía del actual Quebec.

Breve panorámica de la poesía contemporánea del Canadá francés, que se inicia en la práctica con la figura de Nelligan, sigue con la generación denominada de los “grands arnés”, configurándose posteriormente en cuatro grandes bloques: la poesía de estética surrealista, la influencia de la casa editorial "El Hexágono” y los poetas nacionalistas, la poesía femenina y el lirismo urbano de la poesía del actual Quebec.

ABSTRACTAnalysis of a sociolinguistic interview reveals repeated presentation of ideas, words, expressions, and structures. These recurrent devices and patterns increase the effect of arguments. The immediate purpose is the listener's acceptance of the speaker's views. There is also a concern to gain recognition of the speaker's opinion of self and his position in society. (Poetics in conversation, argumentation, repetition, Montreal French, Quebec)

Resumo: A poesia do autor português Ernesto Manuel de Melo e Castro, radicado no Brasil, desconhece limites geográficos e da expressão, pautando-se pelos ritmos da liberdade. Sua obra, marcada pelo concretismo brasileiro, confirma o movimento, conferindo-lhe não um papel de superioridade e influência, mas um papel de diálogo, de junção das experiências e a busca de linguagens contemporâneas. O que não se limita à experimentação expressiva, pois implica a atuação num espectro amplo e da quebra de tabus. O questionamento incansável é a pauta de sua obra.Palavras-chave: poesia portuguesa; vanguarda; experimentação; concretismo; barroco.Abstract: The poetry of Portuguese author Ernesto Manuel de Melo e Castro, based in Brazil, is oblivious to limits of geography and expression, guided instead by the rhythms of freedom. His work, marked by Brazilian Concretism, confirms the movement, providing not a role of superiority and influence, but of dialogue, of bringing together experiences and the search for contemporary languages. This is not limited to expressive experimentation, as it implies acting on a broad spectrum and breaking taboos. The tireless questioning is his work’s agenda.Keywords: Portuguese poetry; vanguard; experimentation; concretism; baroque.

El Libro de romances y coplas del Carmelo de Valladolid és el més conegut dels cançoners conventuals de la primera edat moderna. Tot i que les seues formes mètriques i els seus temes reflecteixen semblances amb els d'altres cançoners de l'època, també parteixen de i es queden incrustats en les creences, els pensaments, els sentiments i les acciones de dones recloses que vivien en comunitat i venien de diverses classes socials. Malgrat les seues diferències, tanmateix, les prioritats i preocupacions de l'orde carmelita descalça dominen en el tom; el producte col·lectiu demostra una meta en comú, enllaçada amb pràctiques religioses específiques. Aquest estudi explora a fons com, temàticament i tècnica, els versos del cançoner manifesten tres interessos que destaquen: la celebració de Nadal, la presa de l'hàbit i vel i la pràctica de l'espiritualitat interior.

Everyone agrees to put practical activities at the heart of artistic teaching. Whether or not there isan “artistic”, “aesthetic” or “poetic” dimension is a question that haunts these teachings. How can we be sure that artistic dimension is present, in particular during practical workshop activities? Since the early of the 19th century, democratization of arts has been the main aim of practicalartistic education, the artistic dimension is ensured by the development of creative imaginationand its support from artistic circles, just like our contemporary teachings. This article proposes to describe the place given to the artistic dimension in practical activities, by French and Quebec plastic arts programs at elementary and secondary levels and more generally in the teachingof drawing in the 19th and 20th centuries. Noting the limits of French-speaking practices and research with regard to practical artistic activities, we conclude with the presentation of research examples to develop a didactic of practical artistic activities, which seems essential to us, to whatwe could call an aesthetic experiential culture.

Herberto Helder, no livro Doze nós numa corda, publica o poema "Israfel" de Edgar Allan Poe e as traduções de Mallarmé e Artaud, acrescentando, por último, a sua própria. Procuraremos avaliar o significado do gesto de inscrição de seu nome ao lado do de outros poetas com os quais compartilha a tarefa tradutória, assinalando alguns pontos de contato entre a sua poética e a de Artaud. A busca de uma renovação da linguagem representará, para ambos, a possibilidade de uma quebra dos automatismos lingüísticos, o que implica a concepção da poesia como uma força viva, transgressora, capaz de atuar sobre as estruturas cristalizadas do discurso.

Resumo: O presente trabalho tem como objetivo colocar em destaque algumas mitologias do fim do mundo e suas problematizações na cultura contemporânea, partindo das discussões apresentas por Eduardo Viveiros de Castro e Déborah Danowski no livro Há mundo por vir? Ensaio sobre os medos e os fins (2017). Tomando como objeto poético a obra recente da cantora Linn da Quebrada, o ensaio discute a realidade da população transexual brasileira com o propósito de perceber como tal sentimento de catástrofe imanente aparece mais marcado em populações que já enfrentam o fim do mundo há alguns anos. Por fim, a análise também se debruça sobre trabalhos críticos como os de Donna Haraway (2009) e Jacques Derrida (2011), de modo a propor uma realidade por vir possível somente com a quebra da barreira de gêneros e com os recursos acessados a partir das ferramentas do poético.Palavras-chave: Linn da Quebrada; fim do mundo; ciborgue.Abstract: This paper aims to highlight some end of the world mythologies and their problematizations in contemporary culture, starting from the discussions presented by Eduardo Viveiros de Castro and Déborah Danowski in the book Is there a world to come? Essay on fears and ends (2017). Taking as poetic object the recent work of singer Linn da Quebrada, the essay discusses the reality of the Brazilian transsexual population in order to understand how such a feeling of immanent catastrophe appears more marked in populations that have already faced the end of the world for some years. Finally, the analysis also focuses on critical works such as those by Donna Haraway (2009) and Jacques Derrida (2011), in order to propose a reality to come only with the breakdown of the gender barrier and with the resources accessed by the poetic tools.Keywords: Linn da Quebrada; end of the world; cyborg.

<p><strong>Flanelinha-flagelado </strong></p><p> </p><p>Abastardado enquanto poeta,</p><p>Quebrei garrafas na minha cabeça:</p><p>Em paraísos artificiais de tinta dantesca,</p><p>Onde antecipei o punk ao ser pateta;</p><p> </p><p>Estou rugindo sobre tudo que não presta,</p><p>Desgovernando a grande força que afasta:</p><p>Lati famélico e depois caí na praça,</p><p>Com ares cínicos a vida é uma festa;</p><p> </p><p>As minhas letras são escritas em fumaça,</p><p>Por isso todas vêm jogadas e dispersas:</p><p>Longe lançadas como tempo que se passa,</p><p>Caminhando todo torto em linhas retas.</p><p> </p><p>Atravessando brechas e atirando farpas,</p><p>Espinhos do mal perfurando as épocas,</p><p>Fazer dos crânios as melhores taças,</p><p>Bebendo ao feio na poesia destas.</p><p> </p><p>A minha contribuição aqui foi esta:</p><p>Deixar meus sonhos e também poemas;</p><p>Como se meus delitos fossem minhas penas,</p><p>Vi-me morrer sangrando, tipo um estigmata!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Jan Clefferson Costa de Freitas – Doutorando em Filosofia: UFPB/UFPE/UFRN</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Lightboy Lash </strong></p><p> </p><p>Bastard Poet I</p><p>broke bottles on my head:</p><p>Artificial paradises in Dantesque tones</p><p>I predicted punk would be Goofy;</p><p> </p><p>I’m howling about the crap, </p><p>Unruly the great fugitive force:</p><p>Yelping irate & later pass out in the plaza,</p><p>In the cynical air, life just a party.</p><p> </p><p>My words written in smoke</p><p>All of them thrown & scattered:</p><p>Far, flung like time passing,</p><p>Zigzagging in straight lines.</p><p> </p><p>Crossing chasms & slinging barbs,</p><p>Evil needles piercing the ages,</p><p>Fashioning skulls into the finest goblets</p><p>Drinking to the hideous in poetry.</p><p> </p><p>My contribution here is this:</p><p>Leave dreams & poems</p><p>As if my crimes were my wings</p><p>I watch as I bleed to death, from my own Stigmata!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Translated by Jennifer Sarah Cooper, PhD</p><p>Natal, 2016</p>

L’essor de la production poétique au Québec s’avère parfois difficile pour certains d’y aborder, le public autrefois intéressé se laissant impressioner par son évolution accélérée ; mais, en connaissant la place qu’occupe la poésie québécoise dans l’histoire, on apprécie mieux les poètes et leur poésie. L’histoire de la poésie québécoise se déroule selon des étapes bien distinctes jusqu’à nos jours et c’est surtout l’histoire selon Jean Royer qui donne un aperçu de l’ensemble des voix et des oeuvres marquantes. Le présent discours n’a d’autre but que de commenter l’itinéraire de la poésie québécoise, à partir duquel le goût personnel pourrait enfin se prendre.
 The surge of poetic production in Quebec sometimes proves difficult to get into, the otherwise interested public intimidated by its rapid evolution; yet, by learning the place that Québécoise poetry holds in history, one comes to better appreciate the poets and their poetry. The history of Québécoise poetry unfolds by rather distinct stages from its origins up till now and its history overall, according to Jean Royer, which gives insight into the group of voices and vital works. The present talk has no other aim but to discuss the path that Québocise poetry has led, whence personal taste can finally take off.

Quebec has been home to a rich and vibrant English-language literary community since the nineteenth century. The rise of the Canadian small-press movement in the 1960s gave way to a revival of the English-language publishing industry in Montreal, which had considerably dwindled at the turn of the twentieth century. Poets benefited greatly from this phenomenon, and literary coteries of poets were formed as a result, in particular the Vehicule Poets, associated with the Véhicule Art Gallery and with Véhicule Press in the early 1970s, and a group of poets who were associated with New Delta and later with the Signal Editions poetry series. This paper focuses on the ways in which literary circles are formed and how they might be identified, and uses the Jubilate Circle, a group of poets revolving around Signal Editions and consisting of Michael Harris, David Solway, Carmine Starnino and Eric Ormsby, as a case study.

Being a guest-writer at the Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences Congress was an honour. I thank the Canadian Association of Commonwealth Language and Literature Studies (CACLALS) and the Association for Canadian and Quebec Literatures (ACQL) for hosting me to read from my new volume, God’s Spider (Peepal Tree Press, UK)–a shortlisted finalist for the Guyana Prize for Literature (Best Poetry Book category). Indeed, a reading is always a special occasion for me; it’s also a time of liminality–in-betweenness, if you will-- placelessness, a void, quest, looking or yearning for an identity; and being nowhere, but searching. Wanting. As a preamble to my reading, I touched on W.H. Auden’s view that a poet should “mythologize the ground on which he walks.” Having now lived for over four decades in Canada, I am well equipped to do this: mythologizing Canada, sometimes with post-colonial verve and style, or angst. Post-colonial, presumably because all art is political (see Salman Rushdie’s essays in his Outside the Whale).

News and Announcements1) Canadian Children's Book News, Spring 2015 IssueIn recognition of the TD Canadian Children's Book Week and its theme "Hear Our Stories: Celebrating First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature," this issue explores several facets of this vibrant part of children's literature. It includes a profile of author David Alexander Robertson and a look at the publishers and market for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit stories.2) TD Canadian Children's Book Week (May 2- May 9, 2015) is the single most important national event celebrating Canadian children’s books and the importance of reading. More than 28,000 children, teens, and adults participate in activities held in every province and territory across the country. Hundreds of schools, public libraries, bookstores, and community centres host events as part of this major literary festival. It is organized by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, in partnership with the Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada.3) Free Comic Book Day (May 2, 2015) takes place annually on the first Saturday in May. It is a single day when participating comic book specialty shops and public libraries across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops! For more information: http://www.freecomicbookday.com/Home/1/1/27/9924) Canadian Authors for Indies Day (May 2, 2015)Authors across Canada support independent bookstores by volunteering as guest book sellers. To see who may be in your local indie book store, go to http://www.authorsforindies.com/5) Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada conference: Where Languages Meet (July 2-5, 2015). This year’s conference is in Lévis, Quebec where a rich storytelling tradition awaits. La Maison Natale Louis Fréchette – birthplace of one of Quebec’s most celebrated poets – hosts the SC-CC conference which proudly brings a range of vibrant programming in both official languages storytellers and listeners. http://www.storytellers-conteurs.ca/en/conference/storytellers-conference-2015.html6) Words in 3 Dimensions Conference 2015: Intersections (May 22 to 24, 2015)Held at the Chateau Lacombe Hotel in Edmonton for this second edition, the conference connects writers, editors, publishers, and agents from across Canada. This weekend focuses on how and where a writer’s work with words intersects with other disciplines. http://www.wordsin3d.com/7) The 2015 Storytelling World Resource Awards (storytellingworld.com/2015/) includes the following Canadian titles :Stories for Pre-Adolescent Listeners: Not My Girl: the True Sotry of a Daughter's Cultural Adjustmentsby Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton (Annick Press)Stories for Adolescent Listeners: Hope Springs: a Story of Complassion and understanding by Eric Walters (Tundra Books)8) IBBY Canada (International Board on Books for Young People, Canadian section). Stop, Thief!, illustrated by Pierre Pratt and written by Heather Tekavec (Kids Can Press, 2014), is the winner of the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. Pierre was also nominated [again] by IBBY Canada for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award.” www.ibby-canada.org/elizabeth-mrazik-cleaver-pratt/And now, a plethora of shortlist announcements:1) The 2015 Alberta Literary Awards ShortlistWinners will be announced and awards presented at the Alberta Literary Awards Gala on Saturday, May 23, 2015. The celebration will take place at the Chateau Lacombe Hotel (10111 Bellamy Hill Road) in Edmonton alongside the 2015 Words in 3 Dimensions Conference: Intersections (see above).A full list of award categories and nominees can be found at http://writersguild.ca/2015-alberta-literary-awards-shortlist/2) R. Ross Annett Award for Children's Literature (www.bookcentre.ca/awards/r_ross_annett_award_childrens_literature) Victor Lethbridge– You're Just Right (Tatanka Books)Leanne Shirtliffe– The Change Your Name Store (Sky Pony Press)Richard Van Camp– Little You (Orca Book Publishers) 3) 2014 Science in Society Book Awards Shortlists. Two annual book awards honour outstanding contributions to science writing. One is for books intended for children ages 8-12; the other for book aimed at the general public. Winners will be announced on Canada Book Day, April 23, 2015. http://sciencewriters.ca/awards/book-awards/Zoobots by Helaine Becker, Kids Can Press.Starting from Scratch by Sarah Elton, Owl Kids Books.It’s Catching by Jennifer Gardy, Owl Kids Books.The Fly by Elise Gravel, Penguin Random House.If by David J. Smith, Kids Can Press.4) 2015 Atlantic Book Awards ShortlistThe full shortlist for the eight different book prizes comprising the 2015 Atlantic Book Awards can be found www.atlanticbookawards.ca. Below are the nominees for the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature and the Lillian Shepherd Award for Excellence in Illustration. Winners will be announced Thursday, May 14, 2015.Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s LiteratureJack, the King of Ashes by Andy Jones (Running Goat Books & Broadsides)Flame and Ashes: The Great Fire Diary of Triffie Winsor (Dear Canada series) by Janet McNaughton (Scholastic Canada Ltd.)The End of the Line by Sharon E. McKay (Annick Press Ltd.)Lillian Sheperd Award for Excellence in IllustrationSydney Smith (nominee) Music is for Everyone by Jill Barber (Nimbus Publishing)Michael Pittman (nominee) Wow Wow and Haw Haw by George Murray(Breakwater Books)Nancy Rose (nominee) The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose (Penguin Canada)5) Newfoundland and Labrador Book Award shortlist.During even-numbered years, these awards honour fiction and children’s/young adult fiction books; odd-numbered years recognise poetry and non-fiction. The winners will be announced May 27, 2015. This year’s list of finalists for the Newfoundland and Labrador Non-fiction Award are all first-time authors (http://wanl.ca/literary_awards)Alan Doyle for Where I Belong: From Small Town to Great Big Sea (Doubleday Canada)Janet Merlo for No One to Tell: Breaking My Silence on Life in the RCMP (Breakwater Books)Andrew Peacock for Creatures of the Rock (Doubleday Canada)Three acclaimed Newfoundland poets are shortlisted for the E.J. Pratt Poetry Award:Michael Crummey for Under the Keel(House of Anansi Press)Mary Dalton for Hooking (Véhicule Press)Carmelita McGrath for Escape Velocity (Goose Lane Editions)6) 2015 Information Book Award Shortlist announced by the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada. Voting Deadline: Saturday October 31, 2015.Any Questions? by Marie-Louise Gay.(Groundwood Books). A Brush Full of Colour: The World of Ted Harrison. by Margriet Ruurs & Katherine Gibson (Pajama Press).Do You Know Komodo Dragons? by Alain M. Bergeron, Michel Quintin, and Sampar. Illustrations by Sampar. Translated by Solange Messier (Fitzhenry & Whiteside).Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices. edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale (Annick Press). Not My Girl. by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard (Annick Press). The Rat. by Elise Gravel (Tundra Books). Shapes in Math, Science and Nature: Squares, Triangles and Circles. by Catherine Sheldrick Ross. Illustrated by Bill Slavin (Kids Can Press). Take Shelter: At Home Around the World. by Nikki Tate and Dani Tate-Stratton (Orca Books). Tastes Like Music: 17 Quirks of the Brain and Body. by Maria Birmingham. Illustrated by Monika Melnychuk (Owl Kids). We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers. by Julie Flett (Native Northwest).For more information about voting and submissions please contact the Information Book Award Chair, Kay Weisman at weismankay@gmail.com7) IBBY Canada (International Board on Books for Young People, Canadian section).Stop, Thief! illustrated by Pierre Pratt and written by Heather Tedavec (Kids Can Press, 2014) is the winner of the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award. Pierre was also nominated [again] by IBBY Canada for the prestigious ans Chrisitan Andersen Award. (www.ibby-canada.org/elizabeth-mrazik-cleaver-pratt/)-----Presented by Gail de Vos. Gail is an adjunct professor who teaches courses on Canadian children's literature, young adult literature, and commic books and graphic novels at the School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) at the University of Alberta and is the author of nine books on storytelling and folklore. She is a professional storyteller and has taught the storytelling course at SLIS for over two decades.

New Year. In this edition of the news I am highlighting several online resources as well as conferences, tours, and exhibits of possible interest.First of all, I highly suggest you sign up at the Alberta School Library Council's new LitPicks site (aslclitpicks.ca). It is free, filled with promise, and includes only books recommended by the reviewers. The reviews are searchable by grade level and genre (e.g., animal, biographical fable, fantasy, humour, historical, horror, verse, realistic, mystery, myth) and include all formats. The reviews include curriculum connections and links to relevant resources. Library staff review titles based on engagement of story, readability, descriptive language, illustration excellence and integrity of data, and source for non-fiction titles. The target users are teachers, teacher-librarians, library techs, and others working in libraries. School library cataloguers can provide a link to the review from within the catalogue record.Another recommended resource is CanLit for Little Canadians, a blog that focuses on promoting children's and YA books by Canadian authors and illustrators. The blog postings can also be found on Facebook. (http://canlitforlittlecanadians.blogspot.ca/)First Nation Communities READ is another resource for your tool box. It is an annual reading program launched in 2003 by the First Nations public library community in Ontario and includes titles that are written and/or illustrated by (or otherwise involve the participation of) a First Nation, Métis, or Inuit creator and contain First Nation, Métis, or Inuit content produced with the support of First Nation, Métis, or Inuit advisers/consultants or First Nation, Métis, or Inuit endorsement. Julie Flett's Wild Berries - Pakwa Che Menisu, available in both English and Cree, was the First Nation Communities Read Selection for 2014-2015 and the inaugural recipient of the Periodical Marketers of Canada Aboriginal Literature Award. (http://www.sols.org/index.php/develop-your-library-staff/advice-consulting/first-nations/fn-communities-read)This resource should also be of great value for those schools and libraries participating in TD Canadian Children’s Book Week in 2015. Each May, authors, illustrators and storytellers visit communities throughout the country to share the delights of Canadian children’s books. Book Week reaches over 25,000 children and teens in schools and libraries across Canada every year. The theme for this year is Hear Our Stories: Celebrating First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature, celebrating the remarkable variety of topics, genres and voices being published by and about members of our First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) communities in Canada. On a personal note, I will be touring as a storyteller in Quebec as part of this year’s Book Week tour.Freedom to Read Week: February 22-28, 2015. This annual event encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This year’s Freedom to Read review marks the thirtieth anniversary of its publication and of Freedom to Read Week in Canada. It was first published in 1984 to explore the freedom to read in Canada and elsewhere and to inform and assist booksellers, publishers, librarians, students, educators, writers and the public. To commemorate Freedom to Read’s thirtieth anniversary, some of our writers have cast a look back over the past three decades. As usual, the review provides exercises and resources for teachers, librarians and students. This and previous issues of Freedom to Read, as well as appendices and other resources, are available at www.freedomtoread.ca.Half for you and Half for Me: Nursery Rhymes and Poems we Love. An exhibit on best-loved rhymes and poems and a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Alligator Pie held at the Osborne Collection in the Lillian H. Smith Library in Toronto until March 7, 2015.Serendipity 2015 (March 7, 2015). An exciting day exploring the fabulous world of young adult literature with Holly Black, Andrew Smith, Mariko Tamaki, Molly Idle, and Kelli Chipponeri. Costumes recommended! Swing Space Building, 2175 West Mall on the UBC campus. (http://vclr.ca/serendipity-2015/)For educators: Call for entries for the Martyn Godfrey Young Writers Award (YABS). An annual, juried contest open to all students in Alberta in grades 4 through 9. Students are invited to submit their short stories (500-1500 words) or comic book by March 31, 2015 to the YABS office, 11759 Groat Road, Edmonton, AB, T5M 3K6. Entries may also be emailed to info@yabs.ab.ca.Breaking News: The Canada Council for the Arts has revised the Governor General’s Literary Awards Children’s Literature categories (in consultation with the literary community) in the wake of controversy regarding graphic novels. The revised category titles and definitions:The new Children’s Literature – Illustrated Books category will recognize the best illustrated book for children or young adults, honouring the text and the illustrations as forming one creative work. It includes picture books and graphic novels, as well as works of fiction, literary non-fiction, and poetry where original illustrations occupy at least 30% of the book’s space.The Children’s Literature – Text category will recognize the best book for children or young adults with few (less than 30%) or no illustrations. http://www.bookcentre.ca/news/governor_general%E2%80%99s_literary_awards_revisions_children%E2%80%99s_literature_categoriesGail de Vos, an adjunct instructor, teaches courses on Canadian children's literature, Young Adult Literature and Comic Books and Graphic Novels at the School of Library and Information Studies for the University of Alberta and is the author of nine books on storytelling and folklore. She is a professional storyteller and has taught the storytelling course at SLIS for over two decades.