Siobhán Parkinson becomes Ireland's first Laureate for Children's Literature
ILE would like to extend our warmest and most hearty congratulations to Siobhán Parkinson, who became Ireland's first Laureate na nÓg at a special event at the Arts Council on Monday, 10th May. Ms Parkinson was presented with the Laureate na nÓg medal by President Mary McAleese and will hold the position until 2012.
ILE has supported the translations of a number of Siobhán's works into foreign languages:
The Moon King
Translated by Yumiko Inui
Published in Japanese by Iwasaki Shoten
The Love Bean
Translated by Marija Puslojic
Published in Serbian by Vilenjak
Sisters . . . No Way!
Translated by Zane Rozenberga
Published in Latvian by SIA Apgads RASA
Translated by Katarina Mahnic
Published in Slovene by Mish Publishing House
Translated by Rita Bakaniene
Published in Lithuanian by Vaga Publishers
Kate
Translated by Durim Tace
Published in Albanian by Shkupi
Ms Parkinson said she is thrilled and honoured to be chosen and believes that 'children's literature lays the foundations of the imaginative life of a people, and that every child deserves to have access to a reading haven – a well-stocked and well-run library in their school and in their community'.
The Laureate na nÓg is an initiative of the Arts Council, with support from the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Children's Books Ireland and Poetry Ireland, Eason's bookstores and the Irish Times. The Arts Council's chairperson Pat Moylan said: 'Laureate na nÓg seeks to broaden and enrich young people's imaginative worlds, to encourage a love of reading ...'