IBBY Congress brings the world of children's books to Auckland

One of the world's major gatherings for children's books, reading and writing is barely two weeks away from New Zealand shores.

The 35th IBBY International Congress - and the first ever in Oceania - takes place at Auckland's Aotea Centre from 18 - 21 August.

IBBY, the International Board on Books for Young People, is a non-profit organisation that represents a global network of people committed to bringing books and children together.

The Congress features an impressive array of international speakers and over 500 delegates, including authors, illustrators, literacy specialists, academics and teachers.

Oratia is going to be there as an exhibitor alongside seven other New Zealand publishers, on the Publishers Association of New Zealand stand at the Aotea. 

We're looking forward to showing our children's books to the gathering, meeting with colleagues from around the world, and sharing in an exciting few days.

The Congress has been a major undertaking for the Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand (the New Zealand section for IBBY), with organisation led by Libby Limbrick and Rosemary Tisdall.

More information is on the IBBY Congress 2016 website.

'The Children's Nobel'
A highlight of the Congress will be the awarding of the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award, the children's literature equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Literature. 

This year, China's Cao Wenxuan is the winner of the Author Award, and Germany's Rotraut Susanne Berner receives the Illustrator Award.