Fremantle Press author makes international book list
Dropping In by WA author Geoff Havel has been chosen for the prestigious 2017 IBBY Selection of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities. This is the only Australian book to be selected and one of just 50 books selected worldwide.
The biennial award, which is administered by the Toronto Public Library’s IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities and the IBBY secretariat, encourages the production, promotion and dissemination of superlative books for young people with disabilities.
‘We know that the expert selection committee does not make its decisions lightly; each two years we nominate a number of titles and it is indeed an honour to have one’s book selected,’ said National President of IBBY Australia, Dr Robin Morrow AM.
Geoff Havel said that in Dropping In he had tried to show some of the issues people with physical and mental disabilities faceand compare how they are treated differently by society.
‘Dropping In is a book that means a great deal, not only to me but also to those people who helped me crystallise the perspective of the children with disabilities in the story. Their desire to be seen and understood as individuals remains an inspiration to me. I hope the book will help others to see and appreciate people who don’t and won’t let their disability define or limit them,’ said Havel.
The 2017 selection and print catalogue will be launched at the Bologna Book Fair on 3 April 2017 with the books on display throughout the fair at the IBBY stand. An annotated print catalogue will be digitised and available on the IBBY Collection website (www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/ibby).
The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, recognised by UNICEF and UNESCO and committed to bringing books and children together (www.ibby.org).
