Eco Warriors Review in Reading Time

The lovely people at Reading Time have reviewed Eco Warriors to the Rescue! Yay!

Eco Warriors Giveaway on Web Child

Web Child, the hub for the fabulous My Child state magazines, are having a national giveaway of Eco Warriors! Click here to enter.

Goulburn Library Visit

My family and I love to explore new places, and it was so much fun to spend the day in Goulburn this past Saturday, visiting Goulburn Mulwaree Library with two kids' sessions and an adult talk on Beijing Tai Tai.

I started with a presentation on Eco Warriors to the Rescue! There were some self-proclaimed eco warriors in the audience and yet again, I just loved hearing the responses from the kids as we went through the book and explored ways to keep our native flora safe.

Next was a session for littlies--I read Riley and the Jumpy Kangaroo, and of course, Roo just happened to be onsite and did A LOT of hopping around, which always gets the kids fired up. Little ones are so hoppy!

After a book signing, I held an adult session for Beijing Tai Tai, and had a wonderful discussion with some local ladies on China and expat life and the contrast of living in Australia. I loved it.

My warmest thanks to the lovely Susan McIlroy for organising these sessions. I had a lot of fun and it's always fantastic to meet people from other towns.

After the library, we had some lunch and then visited the war memorial and museum on the hill overlooking Goulburn. Such beautiful views and such a moving tribute to those we have lost in war.

Event: Goulburn Mulwaree Library Talks

Delighted to be travelling today to Goulburn for some library presentations and talks. It's not too late to book a place! Hope to see you there.

Saturday 9 November 2013

Children's Book Reading and Presentation

10.30am

Goulburn Mulwaree Library, Goulburn, New South Wales

...book a place...

Saturday 9 November 2013

Beijing Tai Tai Author Talk

12pm

Goulburn Mulwaree Library, Goulburn, New South Wales

...book a place...

Eco Warriors to the Rescue! Review on Creative Kids' Tales

Fabulous review of Eco Warriors to the Rescue! on Creative Kids' Tales today. Thanks, Georgie! Click here to read.

Meet the NLA Author Event at National Library, Canberra

One of my favourite places to visit is the National Library of Australia. I always have the best experiences there--from cookies at the cafe to meetings with my wonderful publisher to fabulous events that tie in with fabulous festivals like Showcase: The Second Annual Festival of Australian Children's Literature.

Today I had the pleasure of reading Eco Warriors to the Rescue! (alongside my publisher Susan Hall) to some gorgeous kids and their accompanying adults, before listening to Susan read her adorable book What's Dad Doing? alongside NLA editor Joanna Karmel (below).

The kids then enjoyed a wonderful (spooky!) reading from author Nina Poulos and illustrator Cheryl Westenberg of their book Night Monsters.

In between readings, the kids enjoyed some fabulous activities including word searches, colouring-in, making their own finger puppets and drawing monsters with Cheryl. They loved it!

To finish off, the lovely Stephanie Owen Reeder enchanted the kids with an exuberant reading of Dance Like a Pirate, where the kids hopped and leapt and stretched and had a grand time.

What a joy it is to see parents and grandparents and children immersing themselves in fabulous books, and sharing a love of reading. I even met two young girls--Christine was just 7 and Adele just 6--who have an entire catalogue of their own written and illustrated books. They brought several to show me. I asked them if they would ask me along to their book launches one day, and they said yes.

What more could you ask for?

Congratulations to the NLA and to Belle Alderman and the team from Showcase for yet another fabulous event in their incredible festival line-up. There's still two more events to come! For more on these events and the Festival of Australian Children's Literature in general, click on the posters below. #showcasefest

Eco Warriors Review in West Weekend Magazine

Eco Warriors Book Launch Wrap-Up!

Jake and Riley - the calm before the launch

What a glorious launch at Canberra's National Arboretum today--celebrating the release of Eco Warriors to the Rescue! Held in the stunning Village Centre, with that rather breathtaking backdrop behind us, we welcomed kids and adults, had a book reading and signing, and chatted with the gorgeous guests. I just love meeting new kids, in particular.

introduced by Arboretum concierge Michael

After a lovely introduction, we got to the reading. Riley and Claire read their own parts from the book, and Riley's friend Jake stood in for Andrew, who was away.

Introducing two stars from the book - Riley (Ned) and Claire (Matilda)

The kids about to read - Riley's friend Jake stood in for Andrew (Ned), who was away

The Reading

The Reading

The Reading

The Reading

It was then time to schmooze and meeting up with old friends--and of course, meet  loads of fabulous new kids, and big kids, too.

meeting up with Timothy--I signed a Riley book for him 5 years ago!

The Signing

While I signed books, the kids got busy with nature drawings on leaf-shaped paper. They also loved the word searches--a junior one, and an intermediate one.

Life is so crazy busy, it's so nice to spend time chatting with friends I haven't seen in ages!

And of course--make that all-important kid-connection, which I just love love love.

It was so lovely to have dear authorly friend Tracey Hawkins (below) there, as well as divine local talent and gorgeous friend Emma Grey of WorkLifeBliss.

I could resist meeting Benjamin's monkey, George

award-winning artwork? so hard to choose!

My warmest thanks to everyone who came along, and to the National Arboretum, especially Heather Tregoning, for having us. Thank you to Luke from The Plant Web (below) for bringing along those wonderful plants, and to my dear friend Sylvia for her photography. Thanks to Maureen Brooks and Jo Karmel of the National Library, and to Ella, Nicole, Bethany and Georgia for crowd-controlling the goodie bags!

I had such a wonderful time and was so grateful for the beautiful feedback on Eco Warriors. It warms my heart to see children so warmly embrace the importance of our native flora. I feel so confident we are leaving its future in great hands.

Georgia, Nicole, Ella and Bethany - Goodie Bag + Balloon Control