SCBWI Tokyo Presentations

Suzanne Kamata (left), author of Playing for Papa was presented with a plaque from SCBWI Tokyo regional advisor Holly Thompson (right). Suzanne Kamata's novella, "Pilgrimmage" published in Cicada Magazine, won the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' Magazine Merit Award. Congratulations, Suzanne!

Laura Rennert (center) a senior agent from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency came to our SCBWI Tokyo chapter to do a presentation about writing fiction. It was great! I learned a lot. Her picture book, Buying, Training and Caring for Your Dinosaur, will come out October 2009. It looks fun.

Teri Suzanne an author/illustrator in our chapter received a Letter of Merit for illustration in the selection of the 2005 Magazine Merit Award. Click here to see samples of her paper cuts. She is not in this picture.

Thanks, again, Holly Thompson (right) for organizing a great event! Holly is a great SCBWI advisor and author. Check out her picture book, Wakame Gatherers, a Sakura Medal nominee.

Sakura Medal Picture Book Nominees

The Sakura Medal nominees have been posted on some of the participating international school websites. Books of Japan residents, Naomi Kojima and John Shelley, have been nominated. Naomi Kojima wrote and illustrated Singing Shijimi Clams published by Kane/Miller. John Shelley illustrated The Boat in the Tree written by Tim Wynne-Jones and published by Front Street Books.

Sakura Medal Picture Book Nominees

Sakura Chapter Book Nominees

Sakura Medal Middle School Book Nominees

Sakura Medal High School Japanese Book Nominees

Sakura Medal High School English Book Nominees

Sakura Medal Winners

I posted about the Sakura Medal on April 25, 2007. Some of the international schools here in Japan award the medal to some of the students' favorite books. I wrote an article about the award. It is on pages 11-12 of the spring SCBWI newsletter, Carp Tales. Thanks go to Linda Hayakawa, Wouter Laleman, Anna Fernicola, and Rose Hoger for their input. And especially thank you, Ruth Bender, for setting up the pictures that appeared in the April 25th post.

Here are the lists of the 2006 and 2007 winners:

2007 Sakura Medal

Picture Book
Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear, Matt Dray, Kane/Miller

Chapter Book
Cryptid Hunters, Roland Smith, Hyperion

Middle School Book
The Recruit, Robert Muchamore, Simon Pulse

High School Book
The Book Thief, Markus Zusak, Knopf Books for Young Readers

High School Japanese Book
Saga No Gabai Baachan, Youshichi Shimada, Tokuma Shoten


2006 Sakura Medal

Picture Book
Mystery at the Club Sandwich, Doug Cushman, Clarion

Chapter Book
Dragon Rider, Cornelia Funke, The Chicken House/Scholastic

MS/HS Book
Ark Angel, Anthony Horowitz, Walker Books, Ltd.

MS/HS Japanese Book
Koufuku na shokutaku, Maiko Seo, Kodansha

The Sakura Medal

Soon, the Sakura Medal will be awarded to a picture book and a chapter book. Students at some of the international elementary schools in Japan are voting for their favorite picture books and chapter books this week.

Librarians and teachers from participating international schools selected the books. Here are some of the books that were nominated. These pictures were taken at the American school.

The authors of the winning books will receive a medal, a certificate, and an original work of art. Students painted pictures as part of the "Sakura Medal Art Project". The certificate and a copy of the art are placed in a nice black cover. This rocking chair, however, stays there. It was given to the American School Elementary School Library. A librarian sits in it at storytime. The kids sit on the floor.

Here is the "Sakura Medal Art Project" at the American School. These pictures are voted on, too. Unfortunately, I didn't take a close-up. The theme was a Japanese setting with sakura, cherry blossoms.

This is the wall of pockets at the American School. Each elementary school student has a pocket on this wall. In October, students started reading the books on the Sakura Medal list. they read other books as well. The selection for the medal is also part of a reading incentive. Students are encouraged to read as many books as they can. The students put a slip of paper in their pockets when they finished a book. Some students got to attend some special activities based on how many books they had read.

On voting day, students decide which book they liked the most and then vote. The votes are counted and tallied from all of the other schools. The results may be in next week. I'll post them.

At the American School, there was also a raffle. Oops! I forgot to ask what the prize is! I'll tell you when I post the winners of the medal.

There was a table of snacks for voters.

Picture Books nominated for the Sakura Medal 2007

Chapter Books nominated for the Sakura Medal 2007

High school students will also choose their favorite book. A Sakura Medal will also be awarded to the favorite Japanese book.