Books for JAPAN

IBBY's (International Board of Books for Young People)
Children in Crisis Support for Japan

“The earthquake of March 11, 2011 flattened much of the northeast region of the Japanese island of Honshu. Everyone has seen the pictures of destruction in the media; it was and still is horrendous. IBBY has been in communication with colleagues in JBBY and through the IBBY Children in Crisis Fund we wish to support a sustainable and practical project to bring relief to the children through books and reading.”
Excerpt from an appeal letter from IBBY President Ahmad Redza Ahmad Khairuddin.

A project to aid the children of Japan, the 3-11 Picture Book Project, has been initiated by JBBY (Japan BBY) and being run by former member of the IBBY Foundation Board, Chieko Suemori. According to Ms. Suemori, in some towns along the coast of Honshu, the libraries, day care centers, and other facilities for children were destroyed in the tsunami, so the 3-11 Picture Book Project plans to send miniature bookmobiles called “Ehon Cars” to visit the badly stricken and more remote areas of the disaster zone.
Donated funds will be used to order customized vans that will circulate in the area and ultimately be donated to the local libraries. The Project also includes the purchase of picture books and volunteer staff to read to the children. Already some donations (USD $3,200) have arrived from current and former Andersen Award winners.

USBBY members and friends can contribute to the IBBY Children in Crisis Japan Fund by going to the USBBY website at www.usbby.org. Click on Opportunities to Help: Donate Here; at the bottom of the page click on Donate online. You can also donate through the IBBY website at:www.ibby.org/index.php?id=811.

For more information about the 3-11 Picture Book Project and the Ehon Project go to: http://www.ehonproject.org/iwate/e/index.html.

In Canada you can send a cheque to IBBY Canada c/o The Canadian Children's Book Centre at 217 - 40 Orchard View Blvd, Toronto, Ontario, M4R 1B9. Mark on the cheque "Children in Crisis Fund - Japan": http://www.ibby-canada.org/