scholastic – Bookmarked!

#HarryPotter20

My life is marked by so many Harry Potter memories that if you plot them out on a timeline, you would see them spread out through about two-thirds of my life.

I’ve been celebrating the Harry Potter 20th anniversary for two years now (2017 for the UK anniversary, and 2018 for the US anniversary) and the last two years have been no less magical than the moment I read my first Harry Potter book. It’s definitely been a grand adventure, from the Harry Potter pilgrimage that took my friends and I from London to the wilds of Scotland (read: Cursed Child and the House of Minalima, the Warner Brothers London Studio Tour, and Scotland I will write about for Harry’s birthday this year — come back to read it, please!) down to today’s festivities: a tea party to launch the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary covers by Caldecott award-winning illustrator Brian Selznick.

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Postscript: You Write To Me, I’ll Write to You

Last year, the Scholastic Asian Book Award (SABA), in partnership with the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY), launched “You Write to Me, I’ll Write to You,” a manuscript critique initiative that aspires to motivate Filipino writers while assisting them to get their manuscript in shape and recognizing excellence in Asian writings.

A total of 6 entries (the brief synopses and opening pages of 6 manuscripts) were shortlisted to receive a review and written feedback from Barry Cunningham, discoverer of J.K. Rowling, and managing director of Chicken House UK.

Joel Donato Jacob’s manuscript, “Wing of the Locust” was deemed the most outstanding of all the entries and got the amazing opportunity of a full review from Mr. Cunningham and a Skype chat with the publishing legend.

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You Write to Me, I’ll Write to You with Barry Cunningham!

Calling all Filipino writers! Submit a short synopsis and the opening pages of your unpublished chapter book or novel and stand a chance to be shortlisted to receive a review and written feedback by the man who discovered J.K. Rowling, Mr. Barry Cunningham.

‘If it wasn’t for Barry Cunningham, Harry Potter might still be languishing in his cupboard under the stairs… I doubt any of the writers with whom he has worked could be more grateful to him.’ — J.K. Rowling

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