Colborne writer and illustrator, Jirina Marton has been selected as a finalist for a Governor General's Award for her illustrations in Bella's Tree, a children's book with text by Janet Russell and printed by Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press.
The selection was announced on October 14 by The Canada Council for the Arts.
Christina Neigel, program head for the Library and Information Technology Program at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, BC. reviewed the book for CM Magazine. She said:
"Bella's Nan was "crooked." In order to cheer her up, Bella offers to cut down a Christmas tree for her. Only after Bella's determined coaxing did Nan agree to it. On three separate outings, Bella tries to bring back the right tree only to discover that none of her choices were the "right" ones. However, Nan insists on putting the trees in the house and decorating them because she is a "sensible" woman. Bella returns with an alder, a spruce and a pine. Each time she brings home a different tree, her Nan sings her a new song to help her identify the trees. Eventually Bella returns with the right type of tree, a fir, but all of the decorations have been used. It sits in the darkness of the house, almost invisible in the presence of the decorated trees.
Each time Bella took a tree, she agreed to let a variety of different winter birds come to Nan's house and sing on Christmas Day. Nan was presented with a big surprise on Christmas morning when she looked on at her austere fir to see a crowd of waxwings singing their beautiful song.
Recreating a Newfoundland dialect for her characters, Janet Russell fabricates a story that has the feel of an old folk tale. The simple plot, the careful repetition of events, intermixed with song, make Bella's Tree inviting for storytellers. Marton's illustrations capture the feeling of winter in many of the outdoor scenes and the feeling of comfort when portraying the inside of Nan's house.
Underneath the simple story of a girl finding her grandmother the right Christmas tree to cheer her up is the story of the close bond a young girl and her grandmother share. Russell reminds her audience of the powerful role elders can play in the lives of young people, and Marton's simple and frequently beautiful images reinforce the charm of this grandmother-granddaughter relationship."
A jury of peers selects the finalists for the GG Awards in fiction, non‑fiction, poetry, drama, children’s literature (text and illustration) and translation for the Canada Council for the Arts. In total, 70 books were shortlisted this year in French and English.
In its press release the council states, "This year marks the 50th anniversary of Canada Council involvement with the Governor General’s Literary Awards. A total of 1,541 eligible books were submitted for this year’s awards. Thirty-eight of the 75 finalists are nominated for the first time. At least seven of the finalists are under the age of 35 and three of the finalists are aboriginal. A sense of belonging, family, war and religion are themes that figure prominently in several of the books."
This is the second time Ms. Marton has been a finalist. In 2007 she was selected for her illustrations in Marja's Skis.
The story of Marja's Skis, by Jean Pendziwol, is the tale of a little girl who finds out she has inner strength. It is based on a true story about Ms. Pendziwol's husband's Finnish grandmother.
Describing Ms Marton's illustrations in 2007, the School Library Journal stated, "illustrations have a softly focussed, ethereal quality. The evocative text is rich with elements of Nordic culture, and endnotes provide a historical context. While the period will be unfamiliar to young readers, Marja's emotions ring true."
In recommending Marja's Skis to its readers, CM Magazine said, "Jirina Marton's full page illustrations are set in a winter wilderness. The colours are subdued by the darkness in the rooms. The light that is cast into the rooms comes from the sunlight shining through the windows and from the lanterns hanging from the ceilings. The outdoor scenes are brightened with rosy cheeks and Marja's red hat and mittens. The illustrations have layers of colours, and a range of smudged effects. The pictures remind me of old paintings hanging in a museum."
The Canada Council for the Arts funds, administers and promotes the Governor General’s Literary Awards. Each winner will receive $25,000 and a specially-bound copy of the winning book. The publisher of each winning book will receive $3,000 to support promotional activities.
Non-winning finalists will each receive $1,000 in recognition of their selection as finalists, bringing the total value of the awards to approximately $450,000.
The winners will be announced on Tuesday, November 17 at 10 a.m. at La Grande Bibliothèque de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, 475 Boulevard De Maisonneuve East, in Montreal.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will present the 2009 Literary Awards on Thursday, November 26, at 6 p.m. at Rideau Hall.
The Governor General's Literary Awards were established by Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir of Elsfield (also known as John Buchan, author of The Thirty-Nine Steps). The first awards honoured books published in 1936. The GGLAs have since evolved into Canada’s pre-eminent national literary awards.
Launched by the Canadian Authors Association, the awards initially included only works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama written in English or translated from French into English. When the Canada Council assumed responsibility for funding and administering the awards in 1959, it added prizes for works written in French. In 1987, the Council’s Prizes for Children’s Literature (text and illustration) and Translation were made Governor General’s Literary Awards.
The award was originally a non-monetary prize. Then in 1951 a prize of $250 was introduced, rising over the years to $15,000 in the year 2000.
Jirina Marton was born in Czechoslovakia and moved to France as a young woman. She was already a published author when she married a Canadian and emigrated to Canada.
Her first story, Nicole's Boat, was followed quickly by Le Petit Benjamin, printed in 1986, and a pair of French titles she illustrated.
Since her first book in 1982, she has written or illustrated close to 30 books, with more being released this year. The first English book that she wrote and illustrated was the 1988 version of Midnight Visit at Molly's House.
Her work has been described as ravishing, and Chagallesque. Her illustrations clearly and evocatively create the impression of the moment.
In her Japanese tales, they capture the stillness just before the chaos.
In an interview with the Colborne Chronicle in 2007 and reflecting on the future, she recounted the story line of her 1997 book Lady Kagula's Secret, a tenth-century Japanese tale.
It is about a poor peasant couple who are childless. A child comes to them, enchanting all whom she meets, then departs. She is going back to the moon.
"We come into this world and know nothing. We learn about love and there is a time to go."
It is a simple understanding of the meaning of life.
"I may not be able to change the world around me. But I can change my mind, and in that way I can change my world."
Jirina Marton's illustrations can also be found in Little Book of Northern Tales: The Bear Says North, and Arctic Adventures: Tales from the Lives of Inuit Artists.
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