Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards 2103

I've just returned from a flying visit to Canberra for these prestigious awards. The CBCA work tirelessly organising the longest running children's festival in Australia; it all began as far back as 1945.

The volunteer committees read through hundreds of books, sorted into various categories, and a short listing guarantees the work a life in schools and libraries across the country.

I'm deeply grateful for all the hard work that goes into the awards and humbled by the respect the CBCA show to the authors, illustrators, publishers, editors and designers.

Lyrebird! A true story was named an Honour Book. Peter Gouldthorpe and I had great fun signing copies and chatting to the children who attended the awards.

Seeing our book on the display table with the other award winners was a heart stopper!



Entries are now open for the 2014 Awards. Details HERE

Kamishibai in the Rex Arcade: Daylesford Words inWinter 2013

You could be excused for thinking that the only kind of storytelling I do is Kamishibai but its not the case. What is true, is that I have an enormous amount of fun travelling around with my story box.

Here I was snapped in an arcade in the indescribably picturesque town of Daylesford (about 100 ks north west of Melbourne).

I busked with my stories for two hours. I confess I didn't ride my bike all the way but I did wheel it up a hill and down a hill and through the town.

The event was the Daylesford Words in Winter

A special day all round! Celebrating literacy and numeracy week.

I had the best time today.
I definitely have the most wonderful job in the world. (Well ... it suits me.)

Today I worked in a school which educates children with special needs. I'm rarely invited into these schools and I was a little anxious. The teacher and I batted emails to each other for weeks about the best way to plan for success. In the end we abandoned the formula most commonly used, that is 45 - 55 minute sessions and a fee as recommended by the Australian Society of Authors for school visits.

This rigidity was not going to work. We all know that the smaller group, the easier it is on every one,  so we settled on  7 x 30 minute sessions.

I knew this would be exhausting and not something to be attempted on a regular basis but this was a special occasion and a good night's sleep repairs any damage.

The school caters for students from primary through to secondary so today was a great work out.

Unless I'm deluding myself, I think the day was a great success. Taking time to negotiate and plan with the teacher in charge of my visit and both of us, and the  school willing to be flexible, smoothed the path.  We also gave ourselves permission to fail. Taking the pressure off created a wonderful cooperative atmosphere.

I took a boot load of props and stories thinking that visual storytelling would assist those students with language challenges. As well as auditory processing problems, I suspect some of the students spoke English as a second language.

The kamishibai was the most useful tool in my kit.
My own story about Split Dog worked a treat.
Claire Saxby's There was an Old Sailor was a lifesaver with the younger grades.

Thank you Mathieu for the photos. And thanks Nola for suggesting I have a go.

The July storytelling rounds have begun!

Here is the Earth.
Here is the sky.
Here are my friends.
And here am I.



Back into harness, loading the car with stories and visiting schools, kindergartens and childcare centres.

Children's Book Week is almost upon us. My book Lyrebird! A true story (illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe and published by Museum Victoria) has been short listed by the Children's Book Council of Australia and I reckon that's worth throwing my hands in the air!

This photo was taken this morning at a child care centre in Melbourne. Lets support the people, who look after our children, in their bid for a pay rise. I see with my eyes how hard they work with energy, courtesy, intelligence and patience.

The Adventures of Split Dog and Ol'Joe no 2 is out now

In my enthusiasm to see my Intelligent Tall Tales in the universe as a comic, and being unable to convince any publishers that it was a grand idea, I've made my own. A little DIY comic. This is adventure 2.

When telling stories to Italian children in Rome recently, I was delighted to see how my little comics leapt the language barrier.

I sell them for $2.00 each and there is nothing so heart warming as exchanging a warm and sticky gold coin for an ephemeral little book.

Split Dog (the dog who is two legs up and two legs down) appears in traditional stories in Britain, America and Australia. But these are my Split Dog stories.

Special thanks to Bernard Caleo for encouraging me to have a go instead of whinging and wishing someone would do it for me.

Australian Bush Poet and reciter: Dave Davies CD Launch Newport Folk Festival 2013

I am delighted to be taking part in the launch of Dave's CD. The recitation and composing of stories in  rhyming verse is a significant part of the oral tradition in Australia and is still practised to perfection. 

From Ironbark to Dandaloo, Dave has been bringing us poems and stories of the bush for many years now. This will be a special event as Dave is launching his CD The Man From Ironbark. The CD showcases Dave's extensive repertoire, including C.J. Dennis' The Play, Banjo Paterson's How Gilbert Died and Henry Lawson's The Lights of Cobb and Co. Come along, enjoy a poem or two, and pick up your own copy of the CD.

Newport Bowls Club, Sunday 7 July 10:30 am - 11:00 am 
Entry: Wristband or pay at door

All details for the festival, venues etc HERE

From the introduction BUSH BALLADS by Banjo Patterson:

Among the assisted immigrants and currency lads of the earlier days education was not a strong point; and such newspapers as there were could not be obtained by one-half of the population, and could not be read by a very large percentage of the other half. It is no wonder, then, that the making of ballads flourished in Australia just as it did inEngland, Scotland, and Ireland in the days before printing was in common use.

Back from Rome: the Federation for European Storytelling Conference and Storytelling Festival 2013

The idea for a European Federation for European Storytelling was first mooted in 2001, in Paris at the Maison du Conte in response to the challenge faced by storytellers to be recognized for their art. Behind the Federation is the idea that as a group, storytellers would have more ‘weight’ as well as providing a network for building expertise, collaborations, and the development of new storytellers.

Since its formation, FEST has met in Oslo (Norway), Lausanne (Switzerland), Reading (England) and Toledo (Spain).

This year, FEST attracted 90 delegates. The non member guests included, Canada, Pakistan, the USA, Singapore and Australia. It was my privilege to represent Storytelling Australia (Victoria).

I had some fun with my little digital camera and imovie and as result you can share some of the adventure.

The Storytelling Festival followed on from the FEST Conference. I had fun with my Italian colleague and translator Mariella Bertelli. These are some slides of our antics.