Today’s post is from the team at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne, a Victorian Government initiative and the centrepiece of Melbourne’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature.
The Wheeler Centre is dedicated to the discussion and practice of writing and ideas. Through out each year it has a programme of talks and lectures, readings and debates.
You can follow them on twitter and keep up to date with events and news via facebook too.
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A recent study in early childhood development found that reading with kids is a great way to improve their literacy levels and speech in later years. A great way to do this as a family is at the Children’s Book Festival in Melbourne, where kids will have the chance to make their own books, meet their favourite authors and illustrators and get lost in the magical world of reading.
Four brilliant Australian authors that are taking part in the Festival are Boori Monty Pryor, Andy Griffiths, Alison Lester and Graeme Base. From Animalia to The Day My Bum Went Psycho, there’s something for all ages and reading levels. Enjoy one of the classics below or even find a new favourite.
Boori Monty Pryor
Boori Monty Pryor is an indigenous Australian born North Queensland. His father is from the Birri-gubba Nation of the Bowen region and his mother is from Yarrabah (near Cairns).
He has written several award-winning books with Meme McDonald including Maybe Tomorrow, My Girragundji, The Binna Binna Man and Njunjul the Sun. His picture book collaboration with Jan Ormerod, Shake a Leg, won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction in 2011.
Boori’s stories are about finding strength within to deal with life’s challenges and help to create positive visions of the future for all Australians.
Book recommendation: Shake a Leg
Andy Griffiths
Andy Griffiths is the author of over 20 books. Over the past 15 years, Andy’s books have won over 40 children’s choice awards, been adapted as a television cartoon series and sold over four million copies worldwide.
Andy is best known as the author of the much-loved Just! series and The Day My Bum Went Psycho. Andy has a long-standing collaboration with the multi-talented illustrator Terry Denton. Together they have produced theJust! series, the wildly popular The Bad Book, and What Body Part is That?
Book recommendation: The Day My Bum Went Psycho
Alison Lester
Alison Lester is one of Australia’s most popular authors. She has written and illustrated over 25 picture books including The Quicksand Pony, the Bonnie and Sam series, When Frank Was Four, Magic Beach and Are We There Yet? Alison’s sure sense of colour and design, her humour, and her keen observation of the details of children’s lives make her books lasting favourites.
Book recommendation: Magic Beach
Graeme Base
Graeme Base is one of the world’s leading creators of picture books. His alphabet book Animalia, received international acclaim when it was first published in 1986, and has achieved classic status with worldwide sales approaching three million copies. It has now inspired an animated TV series.
Other favourites by Graeme Base include The Eleventh Hour, My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch, The Sign of the Seahorse, The Worst Band in the Universe, Jungle Drums and Uno’s Garden. Graeme lives in Melbourne with his artist wife, Robyn, and their three children – James, Kate and Will.
Book recommendation: Animalia
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You can actually meet all of these wonderful authors – Boori, Andy, Alison and Graeme from 11am – 4pm at The Children’s Book Festival this Sunday the 25th of March in Melbourne.
The Festival is a free event for kids and their families with workshops, facepainting, a Teddy Bear’s picnic and plenty more! Presented by the State Library of Victoria and the Wheeler Centre, click here to find out more details about the day, including times to see your favourite authors and illustrators.
We love all these authors here at the house of PWK, my personal favourites are Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo by Alison Lester, The Eleventh Hour from Graham Base and The Cat on the Mat is Flat by Andy Griffiths (super beginner reader text) and Shake a Leg from Boori Monty Pryor.
What are your faves from these authors?