The Stories+Art=Picture Books festival which celebrate stories and art in picture books will run at GMBB in KL from June 18 to July 17. Photo: Handout
If you're a book lover, you're in for an absolute treat this June.
Kuala Lumpur is set to come alive in the next few weeks (or days) with two book festivals - the major league Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair at its traditional home World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, while the month-long Stories+Art=Picture Books festival at GMBB mall is something new and exciting for the children's book community and illustrator/designer scene.
Don't forget to pack extra large tote bags to haul your book stash home. Here's what you need to know:
One of the country’s largest book industry and literary events returns to the headlines (after a two-year on-site absence), starting this Friday at WTC KL, with a bumper 10-day programme. Hundreds of on-site and online activities are being planned each day for this year’s Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF), which rolls into its 39th year and remains a free admission event.
At WTC KL, a total of 170 domestic publishers, book distributors, translation houses, content creators, illustrators, independent bookshops and related others will showcase their works spanning mostly Bahasa Malaysia, with English and other languages also having a presence at KLIBF. On the regional and international front, 120 booksellers, distributors and publishers will meet to network, explore new market opportunities, and discuss ways to strengthen the industry.
Book lovers can look forward to visiting over 560 exhibition booths and interactive kiosks at the WTC KL. Daily activities include the main stage programme, book launches, dialogue sessions, seminars and book award presentations.
The Ministry of Education Malaysia via the National Book Council of Malaysia (NBCM) organises the KLIBF in collaboration with six Malaysian book industry associations.
More info here.
Here's something for the young at heart. In fact, make it a festival for everybody. The inaugural Stories+Art=Picture Books is a colourful festival to celebrate stories and art in picture books. The month-long fest will be held, starting June 18, at GMBB, a creative mall in the capital. Organised by the Museum of Picture Book Art, the festival will see more than 20 Malaysian illustrators taking part with their own individual units as well as group exhibitions.
The participating illustrators will dress up their units with specific themes, especially themes that relate to their books so as to create an immersive experience of their books. They will also carry out various activities for children at their units. Illustrators of picture books, especially those who are not from Kuala Lumpur and who have not taken units will be carrying out activities over the weekends. Visitors can expect a lot of variety over the one-month festival.
Besides illustration exhibitions, there will also be an official festival bookstore that stocks a wide variety of children's books, especially picture books, both local and international. A number of new local picture books will also be launched at the festival.
Another key attraction of the festival is the exhibition on rare and vintage Malaysian children's books which will certainly attract book lovers and scholars. The exhibition is being curated by a three-women team who have worked in the public library and with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
More info here.
