The kids at every school I visited were fantastic: warm, friendly, welcoming, excited, funny, interested, motivated - awesome. And the school / council librarians were fantastic too, going out of their way to make my day - and most importantly, the kids' day - the best it possibly could be, and to enthuse all about books and reading and writing. What an important job they do!
Here is the week in a nutshell.
Number of kilometres driven: 759 kms
Number of schools involved: 8 (including 4 who visited Marrickville Library)
Number of sessions: 16
Number of children I spoke to: 960+
Number of times I dressed up as a firefighter: 9
Number of times I told my "Antarctic" story: 8
Questions that I had never been asked before:
Did you tell lies when you were a child?A: Very rarely. Perhaps that's why I like telling stories now - it gives me the opportunity to "stretch the truth".
How many books have you written that haven't been published?
A: Not counting the numerous unfinished manuscripts gathering dust in my bottom drawer, probably about six.
When you walk down the street do people run after you screaming and wanting your autograph?
A: No.
Number of words added to my work in progress: 0 (Not surprisingly!)
Feeling a bit weary, but there is no time to rest.
Next week is Literacy Week, and the week after that I fly up to Brisbane for the Ipswich Literature Festival, Brisbane Writers' Festival and the CYA conference.
More fun ahead!
Some interesting questions from the kids. I particularly liked the one about telling lies as a kid.
ReplyDeleteYes, that one made me giggle. It also made me stop and think. Do kids perceive my "stories" as telling lies? Do they think a gift for telling lies means a gift for telling stories? Interesting.
ReplyDelete