International Children's Book Day is coming up on April 2, and its sponsor IBBY Netherlands has developed a suite of activities, lesson ideas and a competition to encourage participation.
The 2025 theme is The Freedom of Imagination, and the motto is the last sentence of the poem The Language of Pictures:
‘Make pictures for my poem, and please feel free: these words belong to you even though they came from me.’
The poem comes from the illustrated poetry collection Alle Wensen Van De Wereld (2021) by Rian Visser and illustrator Janneke Ipenburg. This book was awarded a Zilveren Griffel in the Netherlands and the Gouden Poëziemedaille (Gold Poetry Medal) in Belgium.
International drawing competition
Children are invited to create a drawing, painting or other kind of artwork based on the poem The Language of Pictures (see below). Once completed, take a photograph of your art and (optionally) a photograph of yourself with your artwork and email it to IBBY Australia ibby.australia@gmail.com or directly to IBBY Netherlands ibby.secretariaat@gmail.com.
IBBY-Netherlands will show all the entries on their website and select the winners, who will be rewarded with a package of books for their school. The virtual exhibition will be a celebration of the freedom of imagination.
The Language of Pictures
by Rian Visser Translation: Laura Watkinson
Can you draw pictures
for the words,
for the things I say?
Then draw
part of the picture,
cold,
wind,
a lump in your throat
or tough luck,
draw a cough,
a sigh,
the scent of fresh bread,
time,
a moment,
the beginning or the end
of a plan,
draw the place wherever,
the place where never,
the place where soon
something is going to happen,
draw the pain of a push,
the taste of the sea.
There is so much
that I want to see,
like love,
one day,
and maybe for me.
Make pictures
for my poem,
and please feel free:
these words
belong to you
even though they came from me.
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