Australia Map--it's a puzzle!

Sometimes, you just have addictions, you know? Picture books, handbags, puzzles. I LOVE puzzles. Totally surreal, then, to sit at a table and do your own puzzle! (By the way, this photo, above was taken on a table, with me standing on it!)

Thanks to the gorgeous peeps at Hardie Grant Travel, my Australia Illustrated Map has been converted to the pieced-up form--252 pieces, to be exact. I've already made it three times and it's so much fun, especially as I drive my son nuts by knowing where most things are located!

Australia Map Puzzle will be on the shelves 1 June, in bookstores or online, and you can pre-order a copy right here. The puzzle pieces come in a lovely sturdy box, and on the front of the box is a 12-page booklet with fun facts the kids can work through as they make the puzzle.

Here are some more pics, and you can read the product blurb right here. Happy puzzling!

This is Home : Essential Australian Poems for Children launch wrap-up

Yesterday, at the National Library of Australia, a sea of poetry-loving peeps descended to celebrate the official launch of This is Home: Essential Australian Poems for Children. It truly was the most beautiful gathering--there was some poetic magic in the air.

Publisher Susan Hall opened proceedings, then the amazing Margaret Hamilton, who had travelled all the way from the Blue Mountains, launched the book. She spoke so eloquently while simultaneously having us laughing, as she is wont to do. Jackie then spoke, and as always, had the entire audience enchanted. Even the children were enthralled, and a friend's young son later expressed he was brought to tears by her beautiful words. Says it all.

I spoke briefly before handing the mic to the gorgeous poets in attendance, some who had travelled from far flung places. In order of left to right in the following photos: Stephen Whiteside, Libby Hathorn, Janeen Brian, Geoff Page, Chris Cheng, Jackie Hosking and young local poet Leo Barnard. Absolute literary legends in this group, and such beautiful people. I am fiercly clutching my book copy, signed by all poets (except Geoff, but I hope to have him sign it in the future, along with any other poets I encounter!). It's now a treasured possession, that's for sure.

What struck me, as the event unfolded and as the poets read their work, was how utterly engrossed the children were. Even the very young. They were also super calm and relaxed, lounging on the floor cushions and drinking in the words, as though a soothing balm was washing over them. The event was quite long, yet little eyes, everywhere, were wide with wonder and engagement.

At the end of the poetry spell (did not want it to end!) Jackie and I signed books for--golly, I reckon over an hour. It was so special to meet these poetry lovers and chat and share stories.

Huge thanks to everyone who came along to celebrate This is Home. Thanks to Jackie who travelled all the way from the Araluen Valley, with her painful leg! She is one incredible woman. Thanks to the NLA--to Susan, Candice, Lynda, Amy, Katherine and the rest of the team, for this book and for this beautiful event. A special thank you to Stephen Whiteside for making everyone laugh with delight at his poetic 'performance'. It was an absolute hoot! Thanks, also, to my beautiful friend Stephanie Owen Reeder who was roped into taking pics--they are sensational!

And now--pictures paint a thousand words--so here we go . . .

Hip Hip Hooray! launch birthday party

 

Hip Hip Hooray! Happy birthday to our beloved book--Hip Hip Hooray!--with Windy Hollow, which has just this week launched into the world, featuring amazing illustrations by Jess Racklyeft, and the coolest, coolest augmented reality feature!

We launched at the STUNNING new Harry Hartog store at the ANU--mega thanks to friend and The Best Bookseller in the Universe Ever Jimmy Redden, the gorgeous Katarina Pearson and the fab HH team for hosting. It was such a hoot and was the most beautiful, perfect venue.

Huge thanks, too, to everyone who came along to celebrate, and especially to the amazing Nicole Godwin for these brilliant photos, and to my girl Ella and her beau Josh for wrangling the kiddles into pass-the-parcel. Truly, these kids are amazing book-loving dynamos and I simply adore chatting with them; they always make me laugh.

Also, a humble thank you to Julie Long and Lisa Fairlamb for the unexpected and heartfelt gifts--they are just divine and I will treasure them and your words; thank you.

Here is a peek at the shenanigans... and please, if there is a photo of your child here you do not want public, please email me here and I'll remove it, pronto.

So . . . we took a peek at the book's AR pages (videos below) and we overcame a tech hiccup to do so (no wifi on my iPad, doh!) and then we lit a cupcake and sang happy birthday with the help of ACTUAL birthday girl, Cate Whittle, and of course all the kids blew the candle out from where they were sitting, too. On the last page, everyone blew their party blowers--oh, it was festive!

Then the kids played pass-the-parcel and I signed books and got lots of cuddles and laughs and then we ate cake, yes we did, and coloured in (chameleons! thanks, Jess!) and gobbled Easter eggs and the kids nabbed party bags and we all sashayed around in our book-matching party hats.

It really was the loveliest time. Thank you again, everyone--and Harry Hartog--sorry about the crumbs! Jess and Cristina, you were missed.

Tx