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Wen Dee Tan won BIB Golden Apple Award 2019 in Bratislava
The Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) is one of the oldest international events concerning illustrations of children’s books. The award given at the event is one of the most important prizes in the domain of illustrations of children and young adults’ books not to mention the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
The BIB has been held biennially in Bratislava, Slovakia, since 1967 under the aegis of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and under the supervision of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). The event is regarded as one of the most illustration competitions in the world.
Last year a total of 416 illustrators from 47 countries joined the competition. Six Malaysian illustrators participated and one came out as one of the five winners of BIB Golden Apple Award 2019.
Those participating were Khairul Azmir Shoib, Tan Yun Ru, Leong Yoke Mee, Eng Gee Fan, Kok Wai Ling and Tan Wen Dee, of which the latter won the Golden Apple Award 2019. Wen Dee submitted illustrations from the books, Lili and El Circo De Los Monstruos (Circus of Monsters).
The prize-giving ceremony took place on 25th October 2019 at Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava. Receiving the awards on behalf of Wen Dee was Dato Ganeson Sivagurunathan, the Ambassador of Malaysia to the Republic of Austria and Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in Vienna. He is also accredited to the Slovak Republic.
Wen Dee received a Golden Apple award, a winner certificate and cash prize of USD1500.
On another note, the session of the International Jury of the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2019 took place in Bratislava on October 20. 2019 – October 23. 2019
Members of the jury:
Mr. Ali Boozari, Iran, Ms. Graça Lima, Brazil, Ms. Akoss Ofori-Mensah, Ghana, Ms. Nor Emila Mohd Yusof, Malaysia, Mr. Alexejs Naumovs, Latvia, Mr. Igor Olejnikov, Russia, Ms. Daniela Olejníková, Slovakia, Ms. Tatjana Pregl Kobe, Slovenia, Mr. Yuval Saar, Israel, Mr. Zhigeng Wang, China- The jury chose Mr. Alexejs Naumovs, Latvia as the chairman of the jury.
- All required conditions for the work of the Jury were met.
- International Jury of the BIB 2019 awarded following prizes:
GRAND PRIX BIB 2019
Hassan Moosavi, Iran: BoxerBIB GOLDEN APPLE 2019
1. Janis Blanks, Latvia: Mole Cricket
2. Soojung Myung, South Korea: The Skirt That Spreads to the End of the World
3. Anton Lomaev, Russia: Lullaby for a Small Pirate
4. Wen Dee Tan, Malaysia: Lili, Circus of Monsters
5. Chengliang Zhu, China: Don’t Let the Sun Fall.BIB PLAQUE 2019
1. Guilherme Karsten, Brazil: Aaahhh! Ride!
2. Maja Kastelic, Slovenia: Koozi
3. Chiki Kikuchi, Japan: Letter of the Scarlet Maple Leaves
4. Andre Letria, Portugal: War
5. Anat Warshavski, Israel: The Restaurant at the Edge of the Pole.HONORARY MENTION FOR TO THE PUBLISHER
1. Ecuador: Comoyoko Ediciones, 2019, Quito: A ritmo endiablado de bomba / At the Evilish Rythm of the Drum
2. Brazil: Editora positive, 2018, Curitiba: Um livro pra gente morar / A Book where to Live in
3. Brazil: Companhia das letrinhas, 2018, Sao Paolo: Apesar de tudo / In Spite of All
4. United Kingdom: David Fickling Books, 2017, Oxford: TornhillTHE CHILDREN JURY of the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava 2019 DECIDED TO GIVE THE PRIZE OF CHILDREN JURY TO:
Svetozár Košický, SlovakiaNominations of the Children’s Jury:
1. Peter Uchnár, Slovakia
2. Cornelia Bredschneider & Katharina Guntzer, Austria
3. Levi Pinfold, United KingdomLink: http://www.bibiana.sk/en/events/bib-2019-awards
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The Jury
Last year (20 – 27 October 2019) saw a significant event to my career of 10 years in the children’s picture book industry. Being one of the members of the international jury for BIENNALE OF ILLUSTRATIONS BRATISLAVA 2019 (BIB) was such an honour. I could not imagine in a million years I was selected to be one. It was like completing the final page of my book of illustrating for children’s book. I can now put it to rest after struggling 10 years in the industry trying to make the best out of it despite some hiccups and obstacles.
With PhDr. Zuzana Jarošová, General Commissioner BIB and Chair of the International Committee BIB. 
With BIB members of jury 2019. I know I did my best to contribute to the industry. I know I did my best to not just promote myself but to promote my fellow illustrator friends as well. It was fun carrying extra baggage just to carry local books to be exhibited overseas. It was fun promoting them in ways that I know I could help. It was fun helping some of them published their books. It was fun travelling with some of them. It was fun chasing them around to submit their participation. It was all fun until it wasn’t fun anymore when my efforts were looked down upon. Just like a book, the ending is inevitable. I saw it coming.
I need to find my happiness. I decided to adjourn illustrating picture books for the years to come. But just like a book, I might pick it up and start again.
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Poplar
“What are those?” I asked Bernadette pointing to the spread of white stuff carpeting the road during our drive from her home to the city. “Oh, those are from the poplar tree,” she replied. “It is such a mess, and it aggravates respiratory diseases and allergies. I would not go near them.”
“Oh, but I think it is pretty! Just look at the road, it is like it’s snowing here,” I let her know my thoughts. “Please stay away from that thing, very dangerous to your health,” Bernadette added. Bernadette who was a Malaysian (now Italian) is very health-conscious. During the seven days stay at her home in Bologna, she ate healthily, she did yoga and walked in the morning. “That’s my priority,” added the 70-year-old woman.
I was inspired by the scene and came up with a short haiku while travelling back home from Bologna via Dubai. It was a few hours spent well while waiting to board the plane.
Anyway, I did some reading on the Internet and came across an Indian folktale about the poplar cotton.
Once upon a time, when all stars should be sleeping during the days, some could not sleep even when they were counting sheep. So they travel to the earth and then drift along just under the surface until they find the roots of the magical poplar tree. They enter the roots and slowly work their way up through the tree. Finally, they come to rest in the small twigs at the end of the branches. Here they wait patiently until they are needed. Then when the ‘Spirit-of-the-night-sky’ decides she needs more beautiful stars to light up the heavens, she calls on the Wind-spirit to help her and he sends wind gusts so hard that the twigs of the cottonwood tree begin to break off. As each twig break off the stars is released and race up to a special place in the sky.
Cheyenne and Arapaho folktales. Ref from Marilyn Kytzli at Clinton Herald. -
Never Gonna Give You Up
I was 17—fresh from the school, and G was 25. All the time I was working as a part-time promoter at a store, I tried to ignore him. G was a butcher in the meat department and ran around with a chopper in his hand with drops of blood on his white apron; quite scary that way. G tried hard to be helpful to me all the time but I felt suffocated. When I saw him walking towards me, I quickly ran to the toilet, or I quickly grabbed a customer’s attention talking about the product I was selling. He would nod his head and turn around.
One day, out of the blue, I heard someone dedicated Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up (NGGYU) through the intercom system. The songs played and I listened to the lyrics carefully. Aha! What a dedication, I thought to myself and wondered who was the dedicator. After a few minutes, he dropped by at my counter and asked, “do you like the song? From me to you.”
We got close and went out a few times. He was great, came to my house and asked my mother if he could take me out. I thought I was in love, well it must’ve been love but it was over after the third date. The truth was—I was not in love with him but with someone else. Every time I listened to NGGYU again and again, flashes of G’s face appears in front of my eyes for only a brief moment but then Astley overpowered.
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The Girl and The Goose
They glide gracefully on the breezy lake. “I will always remember you as the girl who mended my wound,” said the goose.
“If you ever come this way again…,” she could not continue, her words faded into a stream of tears. If only she had a pair of wings, she would’ve flown with him.
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Tom Thumb Kampung Pandan
“Tadi waktu rehat, aku nampak Tom Thumb tepi longkang dekat pagar belakang kelas,” kata Aini kepada Dollah. Dollah tercengang sebentar kemudian ketawa sambil menepuk dahi. “Gila dah Aini ni!” kata Dollah sambil beredar.
“Tadi waktu rehat, aku nampak Tom Thumb tepi longkang dekat pagar belakang kelas,” kata Aini kepada Liza. Liza menggeleng kepala dan beredar.
“Tadi waktu rehat, aku nampak Tom Thumb tepi longkang dekat pagar belakang kelas,” kata Aini kepada Anuar. Anuar ketawa berdekah-dekah. “Eh Dollah tunggu aku, malas aku layan si Aini ni,” Anuar mengejar Dollah.
Aini tercari-cari lagi kawan-kawan lain untuk memberitahu cerita sensasinya dan tiba-tiba dia memandang Amelie yang kebetulan sedang memandangnya.
“Tadi waktu rehat, kau nampak Tom Thumb tepi longkang dekat pagar belakang kelas, bukan?” kata Amelie kepada Aini.
Mata Aini bersinar-sinar gembira. Akhirnya ada orang percaya akan ceritanya.
“Kau tahu, aku pun nampak Tom Thumb tu. Dulu aku pernah nampak pari-pari di pangkal pokok rhu tepi pantai masa aku tinggal di Melaka,” cerita Amelie lagi.
“Lagi, lagi, cerita lagi,” Aini keciwi.
Semenjak itu mereka bersahabat karib dan bertukar-tukar cerita dongeng Eropah yang diolah sesukahati mengikut citarasa khayalan masing-masing.
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The Kill
Screech. Screech. Croak. Croak.
For a while, they made a good orchestra: a frog and a cicada. But the cicada didn’t know that the frog has deliberately planned to kill it. While the frog was about to shoot its tongue out, a loud grunting noise heard from the air. A feisty vulture stoops down ferociously.
Screech. Screech.
