The Great Reads Award, run by the School Library Association in the Republic of Ireland, was set up by a group of school librarians working in a variety of Irish second level schools who are passionate about introducing students to great books.  
The aim of the award is to highlight new authors and diversify the reading of young adults. It’s also an opportunity for students to voice their enthusiasm about good writing for their age group at a time during the school year when examinations are less pressing.
​The GRA organizers are now looking for nominations. The books have to answer the following criteria:
(a) Fiction with YA protagonists;
(b) Published between January 2016 and May 2017;
(c) Début authors to fiction or established authors who are new to the YA scene;
(d) Works written in English or translated into English (this includes authors who may have already published YA works in their own language but were translated into English for the first time.) Submissions must be suggested to a school librarian for consideration or to secretary@slari.ie
​Get nominating!

 To celebrate International Children's Books Day this April, IBBY Ireland have teamed up with various libraries around the country to bring young readers some exciting events around international books and the theme of fairy tales.
Tatyana Feeney was in Meath at the end of March and will be in Ballyroan Library, South County Dublin, tomorrow 8 April, running a Fairytale Monster Doodle. Come and draw an enormous castle and help fill it with monsters, fairies, princesses, dragons, or any other creatures you can imagine!
​Debbie Thomas will run 'Nation Creation' workshops in Ballyroan Library on April 11 and Tallaght Library on April 27 and entice young writers to create their own countries, making up their own laws, deciding on their flags, customs and national treats!
​Juliette Saumande will run a storytelling and writing workshop around Disaster David, her picturebook inspired by an Armenian folktale, in Ballyroan Library on April 12.
​These events are free but some are school events while others are open to the public. Check out details with the venues.

Saturday 8 April from 2pm come and join us in Ballyroan Library for the launch of the Silent Books exhibition. Take a tour around the collection, join in a Monster doodle with Tatyana Feeney and meet Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick for a workshop around her wonderful wordless picturebook Owl Bat Bat Owl.
​All events are free and family friendly! More info here.