Snapshots of Children's Book Week 2012

I know Book Week was over weeks ago. But I have been busy working on revisions for my novel Portraits of Celina (Out in April), and haven't had a chance to post about my Book Week adventures. Until now.

Book Week 2012 was a wonderful week full of warm welcomes, enthusiastic students and teachers, terrific displays, amazing lunches and morning teas and lots of fun storytelling and joy about books. (And a crackly voice that just hung in there. Phew.)

A big thank you to the teacher librarians who hosted me and did such a fab job of preparing their students. Here are a few pics of some of the highlights. 

Uncle Alien by Jake at Caddies Creek

On the road again - Book Week 2012

I'm sitting up in bed, snug, my doona pulled up to my chin. It's gloriously sunshiny though a little windy outside. The house is quiet, and I am savouring this last tiny shard of peace, solitude and calm, before chaos reigns again.

This week is Book Week - the busiest, craziest week of the year for children's authors and illustrators in Australia. (So busy for some that it becomes "Book Month", but for me with a full-time job, it's just a week.) It is the week when schools and libraries hold bookish events, have character parades, invite authors and illustrators to speak, congratulate the Book of the Year winners and celebrate the joy of books and stories.

I love it.

So once I hop out of bed this morning, I will be dusting off my giant spider puppet, giving my cardboard fire engine a bit of a shine, packing my dress-up clothes (and some "real" clothes as well), collecting up my books, and all the while, rehearsing my stories in my mind (in case I have forgotten any of them!). Then it's time to hit the road. Five days, five schools, fifteen sessions, hundreds and hundreds of students. To coin a famous phrase: "I'm excited!"

Happy Book Week everyone.

Book Week facts and figures

Well, Book Week is over yet again and I must say I had an awesome week.

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.

Favourite display: The giant cactus and spiders at Narraweena.
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!

Book Week Fun

Here are some pics from BOOK WEEK. Courtesy of the wonderful Jean Saxby, T/L at Galston Public. Thanks, Jean!

Firefighting fun!

My volunteer firefighters are pretty tired after putting out the fire at Lulu's Ice-creamery.

Teacher / Librarian, Jean Saxby and moi.
Look at the great FREAKY poster on the window.

Lucky Last

Thanks to a wonderfully relaxing weekend, I headed off to Blaxland School this morning full of beans for my last Book Week school visit.

There is nothing like an eager audience, eyes wide, totally engaged with your stories to fire you up. Thanks Blaxland! Your bubbling enthusiasm, astute questions and lively participation has motivated and inspired me. I can't wait to get my fingers typing on some new stories.

And so it's back to the office tomorrow for the "day job". But that's not so bad, as I'm lucky enough to have a job where I get to work with other authors and illustrators helping them to create fantastic new books.

All worth it

To avoid having to drive two hours each way two days in a row, I shouted myself to a night in a hotel in Pennant Hills last night. It was a good move. I had noble intentions of using the solitude of my lonely room to write long into the night. Instead, I flaked. The bed was the hardest bed I have ever slept in, but it didn't seem to matter - I slept like a baby.

So this morning, I was ready and rearing to go, especially as Galston School was now only about twenty minutes away. Yay!

The kids at Galston love their stories and I had a ball sharing mine with them. Freaky again starred and so did my "Adventure Story". Question time was a blast with hands shooting in the air and kids almost begging to be picked - many having to save their questions until lunchtime.

I always hope that just a tiny bit of my enthusiasm for writing will rub off when I am doing these visits, so I was thrilled when one kindi teacher told me how inspired and excited the kids were to write after my session. One student in particular responded really well and wrote not only with increased confidence and enthusiasm - she also wrote far, far more than she usually does. Ahhh ... stories like this make it all worthwhile.

Bankstown Library tomorrow.

Freaky - the star of the show

Another day, another school. This time Sacred Heart, Pymble, where I was greeted with much enthusiasm and excitement. (They even had a parking spot reserved for me!) And, oh, what a gorgeous library - I started tingling the moment I walked through the door!

Book Week and school visits are such a great opportunity to see what works, and what doesn't - to really get an understanding of what makes your readership tick. And I am always amazed at how different every school you visit is - how different the reactions are. One school might fall about laughing over a story or anecdote, where the next school may barely crack a smile over the same material. What interests one group enormously, may seemingly wash over the next.

I find this intriguing and such a useful exercise in discovering what elements of my books appeal most widely. This year, the "star" book - the one that has had the most kids talking at the most schools - is Freaky. There seems to be a lot of excitement surrounding the possibility of a story containing giant spiders. The kids at Sacred Heart certainly followed this trend and seemed to really enjoy meeting my very hairy pet spider, Charlie!

Thanks, Sacred Heart - I had so much fun sharing my stories with you all.

Tomorrow - Galston.

Day Two - Lakelands Primary, Dapto

Well, today found me zipping down the coast to Lakelands Primary at Dapto.

There were two things that really struck me about Lakelands Primary (apart from its gorgeous name). Firstly, the kids were extremely well-behaved and attentive and it was obvious that the teaching staff worked really hard towards this end. Secondly, there was a wonderful buzz on the playground after my sessions. Kids everywhere talking about their favourite stories, favourite books, favourite authors, planning their own stories, bursting with questions as I walked through. The excitement about books was palpable.

This is why I love Book Week. It energises me. Inspires. Motivates.
Great stuff.
Thanks, Lakelands.

A great start to Book Week at St Paul's Camden + wonderful review at Kids' Book Capers

Just spent the day with the wonderful kids of St Paul's Primary at Camden (Kindi - grade 3).

We created a crazy monster called Hornhead, put out several raging fires at Lulu's Ice-Creamery, got freaked out over large and very hairy spiders, twirled to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and toiled over bubbling pots of sugary syrup! No wonder I'm exhausted. Hope you had as much fun as I did, kids!

I also had another interesting question that required some research back at home to find the answer. The question: "How many different illustrators have illustrated my books?" Great question - and I had no idea. But after a bit of a stock take at home, I think the answer is 35. (Even I was surprised.)

Four sessions down, fifteen more to go.

For those interested, check out this great review for Get a Grip, Cooper Jones at Kids Book Capers, Boomerang Blog. This one had me grinning all weekend.

An Interesting Question and Abbotsleigh Literary Festival

Last Monday I had the pleasure of speaking at the Abbotsleigh Literary Festival. I was a little nervous prior to the event as I was going to present Get a Grip, Cooper Jones for the first time and wasn't sure how Cooper would be received. I felt like the mother of a kindi student about to send her precious child off for his first day at school. Will the other kids be kind? Will he make any friends? Will the kids like him as much as I do?

As is often the case, I need not have worried. Cooper held his own and I had numerous students milling around me after my sessions asking the question author's love to hear: "Where can I buy the book?"

It was a wonderful event, the students were fantastic and I had a great time.

During one session, I had a question from a student (Miriam) that I couldn't think of an answer for at the time and I promised to think about it and get back to her. The question was: "If you could be a character from any book, who would you be?"

I have been mulling over this ever since and I haven't yet been able to come up with a female character that I sincerely would want to be. This troubles me slightly.

If I look to my own books, I think I would want to be Sasha from A Strange Little Monster because she has a kind heart, but is also strong and courageous and true to herself. If I look elsewhere in Children's Literature, I guess I am partial to Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series - for similar reasons, and also because of her intelligence.

When I look to adult literature, I really can't get past Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. I love Atticus because of his honesty and integrity.

I'm sure there are plenty of wonderful characters out there that I have overlooked. Any ideas? (Thanks for the great question, Miriam.)

Tomorrow is the first day of Book Week, and to mark the week, I have set myself the task of writing a blog post about each school/library I visit. Book Week is exhausting at best, so I'm not sure if I will be up for the challenge, but I will give it my best shot.

Congrats to all the winners in the CBCA Book of the Year Awards - especially the wonderfully talented bunch from Walker Books : Glenda Millard, Rebecca Cool, Sally Murphy and Heather Potter. You rock, gals!

Happy Book Week everyone!

Packing Away the Safari Suit

After travelling almost 2800 kms (1600 by plane, 1200 by car) to give 11 author talks , 3 writing workshops and attend 5 Book Safari events (including 2 Safari luncheons, 1 dinner and 1 brunch!), it's time to pack away the leopard skin and zebra print outfits and head back to the "day" job.
But it's been a blast.

Highlights:

The surprise "welcome" performance of a dramatisation of Taming Butterflies by a group of Year 6 girls at Meriden.

The nail-biting finishes to the "Who Wants to Win a Sue Whiting Book" competition.

The open-eyed, gaping-mouth response to my readings of Freaky - especially from the boys at Sydney Grammar.

The opportunity to join in with the Queensland events.

The enthusiastic response to some new material I was trying out.

The numerous kids begging me to write a book about the Antarctic adventure story I told.

Favourite quote:

Kindi boy: What is your next book going to be?
Me: A book called A Strange Little Monster.
Kindi boy (gleefully): Yay! It's about me.

And I think he may be right ...
Photos courtesy of Sally Govett at Meriden Junior School. Thanks!

Safari, anyone?

Book Safari 2009 started off with an early morning flight to the Gold Coast to attend the announcement of the CBCA Book of the Year winners and honour books.


It was my happy duty to look after our talented Walker Books' winners: Bob Graham (Winner, Early Childhood category for How to Heal a Broken Wing) and Mark Greenwood and Frane Lessac (Honour Book, Eve Pownall Award for Simpson and his Donkey). Speeches were accompanied by the barks and coughs of the neighbouring sea lions and a wild time was had by all.


Next stop was Brisbane to the CBCA Qld Branch's Book Safari dinner where the highlight was Glenda Millard's poignant and heartfelt speech, entitled, Getting Naked, which dealt with the use of raw emotion in writing. It was truly wonderful.


Saturday morning I trekked to Cafe San Marco, South Bank, for a wild Book Safari brunch with a great bunch of kids. It was lots of fun celebrating Book Week Queensland-style. (Thanks Beth!)

(I also had the chance to catch up with my sister and nieces and nephews, which was an added bonus!)

Children's Book Week Fast Approaching

It's that time of the year again!

Children's Book Week is officially celebrated from 21st - 30th August, but for most, the fun and frivolity lasts for most of August. Perhaps we should change it to Book Month? (No groaning, please!)

Although always hectic, I thoroughly enjoy all the festivities, events and school visits. I love the bookishness of the whole thing - the chance to really celebrate Australian children's literature and to put kid's books in the spotlight (albeit briefly). It also provides me time away from my "day" job, to share my passion for story and writing with others and to recharge my batteries.

Once the festivities are over, I usually finish up exhausted and enthused in equal measures. And I'm often ready to dive head first into my current writing project. (I'm really hope this will be the case this year as I have most definitely stalled on my WIP.)

So where will I be?

Monday, 17th August: Gib Gate School, Mittagong, NSW

Tuesday, 18th August, Gib Gate School, Mittagong,NSW

Friday, August 21st: QLD CBCA Book Week Dinner, Brisbane, Qld

Saturday, August 22nd: Book Safari Children's Literary Brunch, Cafe San Marco, South Bank Brisbane, Qld

Monday, August 24th: NSW CBCA Children's Book Week Luncheon, South Steyne, Darling Harbour, Sydney

Tuesday, August 25th: Frenchs Forest School, Sydney

Wednesday, August 26th: Meriden Junior School, Strathfield

Thursday, August 27th: Sydney Grammar Prep, Edgecliff

Sunday, August 30th: NSW CBCA Book Safari at the Australian Museum, Sydney, 10.30 - 11.00.

As you can see, there are a number of events open to the public. So why don't you contact your local CBCA branch and see what they have planned for your state? Come along and join in the fun!

See you round.