Scottish Book Trust are running a competition for film makers, new media types, art students, animators and anyone who has ideas and skills with a video camera.
A prize is offered for the most entertaining, creative and inspiring short film or animation on the theme ‘The Book That Changed My Life'.
Films should be no longer than 1 minute long and should begin or end with the link http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/thebook
The winner will receive a fabulous, newly released Sony Reader Pocket Edition worth £179 plus a voucher to spend on eBooks.
Your challenge is to create a short film or animation to illustrate the life-changing power of books. Entries will be judged on creativity, entertainment value, number of views and how well it encourages people to take part in The Book That Changed My Life project online. Full details of how to enter are here.
Here are some of the short films and animations that have inspired us here at Scottish Book Trust.
These were entries to a competition to make short films to inspire others to join a union, which we were very impressed by.
We can't wait to see what you come up with!
Monday, 28 September 2009
Monday, 21 September 2009
David Almond's Skellig, A Life-Changing Book
We received a story today from author Nicola Morgan about the book that changed her life, her choice was Skellig by David Almond. Read her story to find out how it changed her life forever.
This book is about a boy whose family is going through a very rough time when he encounters a semi-owl, angelic down-and-out creature in his garage and amazing things start to happen. The book is much admired by children, teenagers and adults alike and was made into a film and shown on Sky this year. Watch the trailer below.
It looks worth a watch, and also worth a read, according to Philippa here at Scottish Book Trust, who couldn't be more enthusiastic about how amazing the book is.
“Skellig is a brilliant novel. Written and published for children, it will draw in a reader of any age. You cannot read it without joining Michael in the wonder of his discovery of the winged and ragged Skellig and it will leave you with questions and images for a long time after you have put it down. This was David Almond’s first novel for young people, and clearly showed the way for the extraordinary body of work that was to come. A real treat!"
Well that recommendation has me sold.
That is the wonderful thing about The Book That Changed My Life, every day I am finding out about new and amazing books I haven't ever thought to pick up before. One book doesn't just change your life once, it seems. I can't wait to read this one and find out about the life-changing power of David Almond's writing.
This book is about a boy whose family is going through a very rough time when he encounters a semi-owl, angelic down-and-out creature in his garage and amazing things start to happen. The book is much admired by children, teenagers and adults alike and was made into a film and shown on Sky this year. Watch the trailer below.
It looks worth a watch, and also worth a read, according to Philippa here at Scottish Book Trust, who couldn't be more enthusiastic about how amazing the book is.
“Skellig is a brilliant novel. Written and published for children, it will draw in a reader of any age. You cannot read it without joining Michael in the wonder of his discovery of the winged and ragged Skellig and it will leave you with questions and images for a long time after you have put it down. This was David Almond’s first novel for young people, and clearly showed the way for the extraordinary body of work that was to come. A real treat!"
Well that recommendation has me sold.
That is the wonderful thing about The Book That Changed My Life, every day I am finding out about new and amazing books I haven't ever thought to pick up before. One book doesn't just change your life once, it seems. I can't wait to read this one and find out about the life-changing power of David Almond's writing.
Bernard Beckett talks about the cult, underground book that changed his life
When Bernard Beckett visited the Scottish Book Trust one sunny afternoon during the Edinburgh Book Festival, we asked him which book changed his life. We're nosy like that.
I must admit I wasn't expecting to be enticed into reading something I had never heard of before (and was never likely to have heard of otherwise), but Bernard managed it in under 3 minutes.
Watch him speaking and find out what I mean...
The book Bernard chose is called 'Sydney Bridge Upside Down.' by David Ballantyne and information about the book is elusive to say the least! The only listings online seem to be from large Australian libraries.
I'm all the most intrigued for that! I want to read it! Bernard, will you lend me your copy?
I must admit I wasn't expecting to be enticed into reading something I had never heard of before (and was never likely to have heard of otherwise), but Bernard managed it in under 3 minutes.
Watch him speaking and find out what I mean...
The book Bernard chose is called 'Sydney Bridge Upside Down.' by David Ballantyne and information about the book is elusive to say the least! The only listings online seem to be from large Australian libraries.
I'm all the most intrigued for that! I want to read it! Bernard, will you lend me your copy?
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Watch authors talk about The Book That Changed Their Life!
Watch authors answering the question, Which Book Changed Your Life? This week author Sara Sheridan is on The Book That Changed My Life page talking about her life-altering read. Sara's latest book, 'The Secret Mandarin' is out on the 17th September.
There are videos of more authors telling their stories on the Scottish Book Trust Youtube channel.
There are videos of more authors telling their stories on the Scottish Book Trust Youtube channel.
Monday, 17 August 2009
There is an emerging trend in stories for The Book That Changed My Life - Asterix!
This week we have received two stories about how Asterix books have changed reader's lives. Read children's author Thomas Docherty's inspiring story about how 'Asterix in Britain' sparked a love of books here
Jane Ryan has written her story about how the small mustaochioed Gaul and his wine-sloshing friend had her hooked from the outset - read it here
Read more about Asterix the Gaul at his official website.
Has a Graphic novel changed your life? Or are you yet to discover the pleasures of Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Kazuo Koike?
Tell us about a book that changed your life. We want to know!
Nick Cave- touring to launch 'The Death of Bunny Munro'
'The Death of Bunny Munro' is the latest offering by multi-talented enigma Nick Cave.
This autumn's most hotly tipped publication has only been made more exciting by the tantalising release online of chapters being read by Nick Cave - accompanied by a 3d spacial soundtrack - composed and recorded by Cave for the audiobook. If the cool credentials mean nothing to you - no matter; the book is a darkly funny, postmodern triumph.
UK tour dates for Nick Cave's book tour have just been released!
http://www.thedeathofbunnymunro.com/events.html
Here is Nick reading from chapter 10.
This autumn's most hotly tipped publication has only been made more exciting by the tantalising release online of chapters being read by Nick Cave - accompanied by a 3d spacial soundtrack - composed and recorded by Cave for the audiobook. If the cool credentials mean nothing to you - no matter; the book is a darkly funny, postmodern triumph.
UK tour dates for Nick Cave's book tour have just been released!
http://www.thedeathofbunnymunro.com/events.html
Here is Nick reading from chapter 10.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
'The Wasp Factory' is "a dangerous, unpredictable friend."
Author of the hilarious Mr Gum books Andy Stanton has revealed how he was introduced to the dark side of books through Iain Banks' twisted novel 'The Wasp Factory' and found it to be "a dangerous, unpredictable friend."
Many young Scots are introduced to the dark delights of 'The Wasp Factory' through high school English lessons - that is certainly where I discovered it- I went on to read everything by Iain Banks that I could get my hands on, followed by the science fiction novels he writes as Iain M. Banks. Although by that age like most teenagers I had seen quite a few gory horror films and become inured to violence by endlessly playing Grand Theft Auto, there was nothing that quite compared to the chilling menace of Banks' descriptions. A horror film would have to get up pretty early in the morning to beat that calibre of writing.
Here is a link to a Guardian Book Club podcast of Iain Banks discussing 'The Wasp Factory'. Interesting stuff!
Andy Stanton's story about his first encounter with 'The Wasp Factory' can be read here
What I want to know is - was this what laid the foundations for the nastiest piece of work in children's fiction, the meanest of scheming so'n'so's, the baddest of baddies, that BAD Mr Gum...?
Many young Scots are introduced to the dark delights of 'The Wasp Factory' through high school English lessons - that is certainly where I discovered it- I went on to read everything by Iain Banks that I could get my hands on, followed by the science fiction novels he writes as Iain M. Banks. Although by that age like most teenagers I had seen quite a few gory horror films and become inured to violence by endlessly playing Grand Theft Auto, there was nothing that quite compared to the chilling menace of Banks' descriptions. A horror film would have to get up pretty early in the morning to beat that calibre of writing.
Here is a link to a Guardian Book Club podcast of Iain Banks discussing 'The Wasp Factory'. Interesting stuff!
Andy Stanton's story about his first encounter with 'The Wasp Factory' can be read here
What I want to know is - was this what laid the foundations for the nastiest piece of work in children's fiction, the meanest of scheming so'n'so's, the baddest of baddies, that BAD Mr Gum...?
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