Wednesday, August 31

More Festival Presenters...more to follow

What a brilliant line-up of presenters are at the Festival this year. Like....

Aleesah Darlison - author 

Anne Spudvilas - illustrator  
Brian Falkner - author  

Charlie Carter - author (can't find a photo of you, Charlie!


Nadia Sunde - singer/songwriter, published children's author, music educator, comedienne.  

Tuesday, August 30

Writing / Drawing Competition

Remember, the cut-off date for the competition is now the 8th September, 2011!

WRITING / DRAWING COMPETITION

Tatty Rat

The theme of this year's Literature Festival is ONE WORLD MANY STORIES so we're celebrating it with a writing and drawing competition.

If you are aged between 7-12 and you live in Queensland, here's your chance to win a book, or a signed picture of Tatty Rat. 

Here's the link to the competition again. Thank you to all those children who have already entered it. 

Monday, August 29

COUNTDOWN TO FESTIVAL: 5 days to go...

Yes, we're almost there! The people behind this brilliant Queensland children's literature festival (like Jenny Stubbs and her crew from the Ipswich District Teacher Librarian Network are finalising the organisation. 


Soon the grounds and buildings at Woodlands, the historic house at Marburg will ring with the chatter of excited young readers and writers. (Ditto in Ipswich city and several small towns in the region.) The logistics of it all blows my mind away! So glad I'm the blogger and not the organiser!!
***************
 Many of the presenters at the Ipswich Festival will also appear at the popular CYA, the Children's and Young Adult Writers and Illustrators Conference in Brisbane during the weekend of the 10th-11th September. Check out their website.

This popular conference, with its workshops and master classes is aimed as Professional Development for new and established writers and illustrators of Children's and Young Adult literature.

 The Sunday program, Hatchlings, is devoted to younger writers. (Illustration by the talented Bec Timmis). 

Monday, August 22

FESTIVAL PRESENTERS WIN CBCA AWARDS

The Ipswich Festival of Children's Literature warmly congratulates some of our festival presenters who, on the eve of Children's Book Week in Australia won accolades in the The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Awards.


Michael Gerard Bauer (author) - HONOUR BOOK in the Younger Readers Book of the Year 2011 - for Just a Dog
Sarah Davis (illustrator) - HONOUR BOOK in the Younger Readers Book of the Year 2011 - for Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot
Freya Blackwood (illustrator) - WINNER in the Early Childhood Book of the Year 2011 - for Maudie and Bear
Jeannie Baker (author and illustrator) - JOINT WINNER in the Picture Book of the Year 2011 - for Mirror
Clare McFadden - WINNER of the Crichton Award for New Illustrators - for her picture book, The Flying Orchestra 
The Book of the Year Awards - CBCA

Sunday, August 21

ANANSI & THE SKY GOD'S STORIES - school play waits for its players

My school play, Anansi and the Sky God's Stories is now published in the The School Magazine # 8 September 2011 issue of Touchdown.  How fabulous it would be if an upper primary school class performed it during the festival!! Okay, that's just a dream I have ... (Blogger grins dreamily)

It's based on the famous retelling of the traditional Ashanti tale by Gail E Haley, A STORY A STORY. Gail gave me permission to adapt and retell her retelling (as is traditional) of the story. She has visited Australia and loved her time here. Gail is also remembered fondly by those who experienced her storytelling in some lucky schools.

A Story A Story

Two pages from the script


WRITING/DRAWING COMPETITION ENTRY - DATE EXTENDED to 8th September


The cut-off date for the competition is now the 8th September, 2011!

WRITING / DRAWING COMPETITION


Tatty Rat

The theme of this year's Literature Festival is ONE WORLD MANY STORIES so we're celebrating it with a writing and drawing competition.

If you are aged between 7-12 and you live in Queensland, here's your chance to win a book, or a signed picture of Tatty Rat. 

COMPETITION CLOSES: 8th September 2011

WRITING COMPETITION 

If you ruled the Earth and you could change one thing, what would it be?" (Max. 50 words)
  1. To enter the competition, you must include permission from your parent  
  2. Write your entry in the body of the email (no attachments).
  3. Include your name and your age and the name of your school.
  4. Include your parent's name in your email.
  5. Email your entry gwythersc@gmail.com
BOOK PRIZES will go to the best answers:
  • most thoughtful answer
  • funniest answer
  • most creative answer

DRAWING COMPETITION 
  1. Draw a picture of yourself and Tatty Rat enjoying the Ipswich Festival of Children's Literature. 
  2. Scan and email your pencil or felt pen drawing as a jpg (nothing bigger than 500Kb). Get mum, dad or your teacher to help you with this.
  3. Email to gwythersc@gmail.com
  4. Judges: Tatty Rat and Paige Turner
Prize: a signed picture of Tatty Rat

GET THOSE ENTRIES ROLLING IN SOON!! 

Thursday, August 18

ANDY GRIFFITHS - A Free Event for Families Monday 5th September 2011 - All Welcome!

The Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature invites you to an evening with Andy Griffiths 
Free Event for Families
Books for sale
For Further Details: ejones@iggs.qld.edu.au
Monday 5th September at 6.00pm
Ipswich Girls Grammar School - Katherine Carter Theatre


Andy Griffiths is the author of over twenty books, including nonsense verse, badly drawn cartoons, short stories, comic novels and creative writing textbooks. Over the past 15 years Andy’s books have been New York Times bestsellers, won over 40 children’s choice awards, been adapted as a television cartoon series and sold over four million copies worldwide.

Andy is an ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Project. He has travelled around Australia to conduct writing workshops with students in remote communities. The students wrote stories based on their own lives. These stories could be true or fictional or a mixture of both. Thirteen stories edited by Andy have been published in The Naked Boy and the Crocodile.

Andy and Terry live in a 13-storey treehouse. They’ve got a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a tank full of sharks, a games arcade, a giant rope swing, a vegetable vaporiser and a marshmallow machine that follows them around and shoots marshmallows into their mouths whenever they’re hungry. Read all about them in The 13-Storey Treehouse.    


  

Tuesday, August 16

ANDY GRIFFITHS talks about 'Getting Boys to Read'

Parents and teachers bemoan the challenges involved to get boys to read. But wave an Andy Griffiths title tantalisingly in front of their eyes and the temptation is too great to resist. 
What is Andy's secret? 
Andy Griffiths is one of the authors appearing at the Ipswich Festival of Children's Literature in September - and the proof that kids love his books is in the 'pudding'. Andy's author-talk sessions will be attended by over 1000 eager, excited children!

Thought you might like to hear and read the transcript of Andy's secrets. In this interview from the NSW Education Dept's School A to Z website, Andy chats with James O'Loghlin about 'the cleverest and most disgusting ways to get boys and girls into books'.

Many thanks for permission to access this interview to Jenni Hamilton, Service Manager-Digital Channels, New South Wales Department of Education and Communities; Andy Griffith and James O'Loghlin. Their site also links through Mobile Applications as well  

To tantalise you, see below ... for much, much more, click on the GETTING BOYS TO READ transcript link from the NSW Department of Education.


At a glance

  • A key to getting boys to read is finding subject matter that interests them.
  • Often young boys are interested in "rude things" because it allows them to laugh about it without having to do it themselves.
  • Boys can see reading as a feminine activity because it's often women they see reading.
  • Hook boys into reading something they like and they will broaden their choices in time.
  • Books allow the reader to visit different worlds and dimensions; something many boys love.

Monday, August 15

COUNTDOWN TO FESTIVAL: 19 days to go!

Preparations for the Festival are in full swing!

Authors, Illustrators and Musicians are packing their bags (well, we're thinking about it!)

One World Many Stories: The Mirror Project Exhibition is being hung - ready for its official opening, and the Festival Launch at St. Paul’s Hall, d’Arcy Doyle Place, Nicholas Street, Ipswich Central. Saturday 3rd September at 2 pm—3:15 pm
This project of visual art works by children and young people from Ipswich and the greater region is inspired by the works of artist and author, Jeannie Baker.

My blog co-host, Paige Turner is looking for Tatty Rat to make sure he has respectable (i.e. not too tatty!) clothes to wear to the Festival. 
Paige Turner


We all look forward to meeting you there! 

Wednesday, August 10

WANTED: Junior Roving Reporters

Julian Bear - Junior Reporter at the Ipswich Daily


  • Are you a young person coming to the Ipswich Literature Festival in September?
  • Are you interested in being one of the Festival's Junior Roving Reporters? 
  • You'll get the chance to use one of our new microphones and recorders.
  • We'll webcast your reports as well.

If you're interested, let us know in the comment section below.

Monday, August 8

WRITING AND DRAWING COMPETITION

Catching your eye?


The theme of this year's Literature Festival is ONE WORLD MANY STORIES so we're celebrating it with a writing and drawing competition.

If you are aged between 7-12 and you live in Queensland, here's your chance to win a book, or a signed picture of Tatty Rat. 

COMPETITION CLOSES: 1st September 2011


WRITING COMPETITION 

If you ruled the Earth and you could change one thing, what would it be?" (Max. 50 words)
  1. To enter the competition, you must include permission from your parent  
  2. Write your entry in the body of the email (no attachments).
  3. Include your name and your age and the name of your school.
  4. Include your parent's name in your email.
  5. Email your entry gwythersc@gmail.com

BOOK PRIZES will go to the best answers:
  • the most thoughtful answer or...
  • the funniest answer or...
  • the most creative answer

DRAWING COMPETITION 
  1. Draw a picture of yourself and Tatty Rat enjoying the Ipswich Festival of Children's Literature (even if you're not going). 
  2. Scan and email your pencil or felt pen drawing as a jpg (nothing bigger than 500Kb). Get mum, dad or your teacher to help you with this.
  3. Email to gwythersc@gmail.com
  4. Judges: Tatty Rat and Paige Turner
Prize: a signed picture of Tatty Rat

SO GET THOSE ENTRIES ROLLING IN SOON!! 





    COMPETITION BOOK PRIZES .. details coming

    Here is the full list of competition BOOK PRIZES:

      

     
       
    Plus a signed picture of one of our Festival stars, Tatty Rat.

    Competition details announced on this blog!
    Many thanks from the Ipswich kidslitfest blog to John and Deb at The Book Garden, Julie and Tania.  

    Friday, August 5

    Look who's coming to the Festival!

    With over 40 presenters at this Festival, it looks like it's going to be a humdinger! 
    Over the next few weeks, we'll check out the list of who's who - so who are your favourite Australian authors and illustrators? 



    Are you a fan of the Ishmael stories? Michael Gerard Bauer, who's celebrating the launch of the final book in the series, Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel will be there. Michael's books sell in over 20 countries so it's not just Aussie kids who enjoy his stories. He's also a very entertaining speaker! 
    It will be great to catch up again with Gabrielle Wang too. Her latest four books are in the series, Our Australian Girl - her Aussie girl, Poppy is of Indigenous and Chinese heritage, and lives in 1864 on a mission. There are adventures galore when Poppy runs away to look for her brother. Meet Poppy, Poppy at Summerhill, Poppy and the Thief and Poppy Comes Home. A great read! Here's Gabrielle's Author Page on Facebook.

    You're in for a treat if you've booked in to see author, Christine Bongers. Chris's novel, Henry Hoey Hobson has been shortlisted for both the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers and the Western Australia Premier's Award for Children's Fiction. Henry is 'a hero to cheer for till your tonsils hang out on strings!' Read it and find out for yourself!! Here's a great review and interview with Christine about Henry Hoey Hobson

    Newcomer to the 2011 Festival is Gold Coast author and illustrator, Angela Sunde. Her book, Pond Magic is a hit in schools across Australia. It's one of the popular Aussie Chomps series of books from Penguin. Angela will present a workshop for adults, Writing for the Tweens.  


    More authors and illustrators coming soon to this blog! :)

    Thursday, August 4

    KIDS' COMPETITION COMING SOON!!

    Are you aged between 7 and 12 and you live in Queensland?
    This Festival Writing and Drawing Competition is just for you. 

    Prizes include:
    • Books - like Andy Griffiths book, What Body Part is That? 
    • Your very own autographed picture of Tatty Rat
    • More prizes coming once finalised. 

    Details of competition coming soon on this blog!