Story Hooks and Sizzling Starts

Encourage students to read books from the KOALA shortlist with this first lines activity.

In pairs, students identify which criteria the first lines meet.

Then rank the first lines in order of most enticed to read.

Share and explain personal choices.

Students try to match first lines with books.

Share each matching book with students.

 

KOALA at Birrong Girls High School

Teacher Librarian Victor Davidson relishes the opportunity that KOALA creates for getting his students involved in reading. He jumped right in last year, from nominations all the way to bringing a small crowd on the train to the Awards Day, and the girls responded with enthusiasm. How did they do it?

Birrong Girls High School participated in the KOALA program for the first time last year and it was an outstanding success. It suits our goal of engaging students in recreational reading to perfection.

While we run other reading programs, KOALA has proven to be the best way to expose students to peer endorsed literature and has empowered them to make choices. Moreover we appreciate the Australian focus and the opportunity for students to meet the authors and illustrators on the KOALA Short List.

We appreciated the website resources and the options available for nominating and voting. At Birrong we tailored the processes of nominating and voting to small groups. We are a low socio economic demographic and need to work hard to improve our literacy rates. KOALA provided the means for motivating students to engage and commit to literature.

The KOALA Awards day was one of the highlights of our year. The organisation was superb. We took 23 students to Newington College and each carried a book by one of the authors and illustrators for signing. Watching the students on the train intently reading their chosen author/illustrator was a peak experience for their Teacher Librarian!

By Victor Davidson

Birrong Girls High School

Nomination Time!

If you are reading this we know you are keen to encourage your students to read and enjoy Australian Children's Literature.

If you are a current or past member of KOALA then we hope you’ve had the opportunity to collect nominations from your students to contribute to the 2015 Shortlist. Not a member yet? Do the paperwork and get cracking!

The closing date for all nomination submissions is Thursday, 2nd April at 3pm. There is still time to nominate so please check the Nomination Kit for helpful tips and resources. Then fax or email your nomination tally sheet: fax 02 9327 9133 •email contact@koalansw.org.au

Encouraging Nominations

In the photo above (right click and open in a new tab to examine more closely) you can see the Librarian has made a list of Australian authors to prompt memory or spur curiosity; a list of KOALA winners from the last ten years; nomination forms and a cute letterbox to post them. And there's a sweetener, too, in a prize draw for those who nominate. The artwork (by Sarah Davis in this case) is from the KOALA website. There's more in the Gallery.

Other Ideas

Introduce the students to the concept of KOALA – Kids Own Australian Literature Awards: it is their chance to say what THEY like to read. The Children’s Book Council Awards are selected by adults, KOALA is by kids for kids!

Look at previous KOALA winners and compare with CBCA winners.

Copy and decorate the Nomination Poster from the KOALA Kit for each classroom.

Set up a display of eligible Australian books and pop a nomination form in each one.

Discuss favourite Australian books with classes or groups of students.

Show students ways of identifying Australian books and authors.

Older students can read aloud extracts of favourite books to the class, write reviews, ‘booktalk’ their favourites titles.

Give teachers a bulk loan of Australian picture books to read to the class. Be sure to include some of last year’s new titles not just the old favourites.

REMEMBER Nominations must be for a specific title e.g. Selby Surfs not Selby books. It’s first past the post so every nomination counts!

Blasts from the past: A Powerful Way of Getting Reluctant Students Reading ; St. Philomena's Joins Koala

Book Trailers - Year 7 to 9 Shortlist

Seven of the ten shortlisted books for the Year 7 to 9 award have book trailers. Here they are - plus a second imagined movie trailer for one of them. We kick off with that one! If you want to watch in a different order then use the Playlist dropdown at top left of the video.

Shortlist 2014 - Focus on Fiction for Older Readers

Our Older readers' Shortlist has plenty of colour - can you imagine the noise if all these characters got together? But there are a couple of mysterious types there as well. If you are a student up to Year 9 why not give us your opinion on one or two of these titles? Comment below or go to our contact page for email, Twitter or Facebook links.

THE 39-STOREY TREEHOUSE by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton

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Andy and Terry's amazing treehouse has 13 new levels and a top secret 39th level that hasn't even been finished yet. A quick peek with Andy | Chapter 1

CON-NERD by Oliver Phommavanh

Connor’s mum wants him to work hard to be a doctor. But what Connor really wants to do is draw crazy cartoons and gruesome dragons that fly off the page. From Oliver | Review | Teachers' Notes

ERIC VALE, EPIC FAIL by Michael Gerard Bauer & Joe Bauer

Ever had a STUPID nickname? A rotten run of bad luck? A best friend who just looks on the bright side even when the bright side looks black? Well Eric Vale’s got all three, and they’re pushing him towards the EPIC-EST of all EPIC FAILS! Trailer | Review | Teacher Notes

MY LIFE AND OTHER STUFF I MADE UP by Tristan Bancks & Gus Gordon

This book is about a boy named Tom Weekly. He has kissed a dog, eaten Vegemite of his sister’s big toe, eaten 67 hotdogs in 10 minutes and much more. This book is full of Tom’s stories, jokes, cartoon characters, ideas for theme park rides and other stuff he has made up. Trailer | Review | Teacher Notes

BROTHERBAND: THE INVADERS by John Flanagan

Hal and the Heron brotherband are on the trail of Zavac and his precious cargo. Will they be able to find the pirates when the weather clears? And when they do, how can they possibly beat the mighty Raven and its crew of vicious cut-throats and killers? Review ! First Chapter

THE IVORY ROSE by Belinda Murrell

Jemma has just landed her first job, babysitting Sammy. It's in Rosethorne, one of the famous witches' houses near where she lives. Sammy says the house is haunted by a sad little girl, but Jemma doesn't know what to believe. Review ! Teaching Notes

WEIR-DO by Anh Do

Weir Do's the new kid in school. With an unforgettable name, a crazy family and some seriously weird habits, fitting in won't be easy - but it will be funny! Trailer ! Preview ! Review

POOKIE ALEERA IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND by Steven Herrick

A heart-warming tale about friendship, grief and the importance of baked goods.Set in a country town, in a school where the kids in Class 6A tell their stories. For new teacher Ms Arthur, it’s another world, but for Mr Korsky, the school groundskeeper, he’s seen it all before. Review ! Author Reflection ! Teacher Notes

RANGER'S APPRENTICE: THE ROYAL RANGER by John Flanagan

After a senseless tragedy destroys his life, Will is obsessed with punishing those responsible - even if it means leaving the Ranger Corps. His worried friends must find a way to stop him taking such a dark path. 

It is Halt who suggests the solution: Will must take an apprentice. Series Trailer ! Review ! Preview

SPECKY MAGEE AND THE BEST OF OZ by Felice Arena

Specky has been selected to represent Australia in International Rules, taking on the Irish in a two-test competition in Ireland. Can the boys learn to play with a new set of rules and perfect their skills with the round ball before the Irish team wipes the field with them? Extract ! Review

SHORTLIST 2014 - FOCUS ON FICTION FOR YOUNGER READERS

Find out more about the ten fiction books for younger readers on this year's KOALA Shortlist by clicking on some of the highlighted links for each of the nominated books.

What do you think of the books on the list? Tell us in the comments below. Better still, if you are a young reader - up to Year 9 - then send us your review to contact@koalansw.org.au and we will put it on the blog. 

Alice Miranda in Paris by Jacqueline Harvey

This is the seventh book in the Alice Miranda series. Alice and her friends are in Paris to sing at Fashion Week and discover a darker side to the glitz and glamour of this famous city. Aussie Reviews | Read an Excerpt

Andy Roid and the Tracks of Death by Felice Arena

This adventure takes Andy and Judd to Switzerland to find the headquarters of the Blaireau Corporation. Andy's enhanced powers will certainly be needed if this mission is to succeed. Read an Excerpt | About Andy Roid

Billie B. Brown: The Best Project by Sally Rippen

Billie B. Brown's class has a casual teacher for the week. This teacher has decided that the students will build a model city.  Billie has decided on what she wants to make but will she be able to succeed? Read an Excerpt | Meet Billie B. Brown

EJ12: Kimono Code by Susannah McFarlane

Kimono Code was included in the Get Reading! top 50 Books You Can't Put Down list for 2012. Special Agent EJ12 needs to stayed focused if she is to stop the evil agency Shadow sabotaging the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival.  Book Outline | Book Description | Author Biography

Extra Time by Morris Gleitzman

Matt, a 13 year old Aussie soccer genius, is offered the opportunity of a lifetime - a tryout with a junior side for a Premier League soccer club. Bridie, his 10 year old sister and manager, goes half way across the world with Matt but she has a very difficult challenge ahead of her - reminding everyone that soccer is meant to be fun! Read and Listen | Kids' Book Review

Extreme Adventures: Monkey Mountain by Justin D'Ath

During a class excursion to see a real-life volcano in Borneo, Sam Fox is thrown into the thick of the action. The volcano erupts with a bang, his teacher has a heart attack and he must fight off blood-thirsty creatures to save the day. Will Sam's trademark ingenuity be enough? Book Review | Read an Excerpt

Go Girl: Style Stars by Chrissie Perry, Sonia Dixon & Danielle McDonald

Casey loves clothes and fashion. Will she be able to create a knockout outfit for the fashion show from items bought from the op-shop? Author Interview

Meet Grace by Sofie Laguna & Lucia Masciullo

It's the year 1808 in London. Life is very tough for a young orphan named Grace who is responsible for her own survival. When she is caught by the police for thieving apples, will this be the end of her life or a new beginning for Grace? Read an Excerpt | Kids' Book Review

The Third Door by Emily Rodda

Rye and Sonia have survived the perils of The Golden Door and The Silver Door. Drawn to the last remaining door, the Wooden Door, from the very beginning of his quest to save Weld, will Wye have the courage to go through it and face the challenges that await him? Teaching Notes | Kirkus Reviews

The Wishbird by Gabrielle Wang

In this moving tale of courage, friendship and magic we met Oriole, a young orphan girl raised by Mellow, a Wishbird, in the Forest of Birds and Boy, a street urchin. Mellow is dying and Oriole must travel to the City of Soulless to try and save him. This is where her story and destiny becomes entwined with Boy's.  Listen to a Reading | Author Interview | Teaching Notes

Shortlist 2014 - Focus on Picture Books

Below are some links to help you find out more about the ten picture books on this year's KOALA Shortlist. What do you think of the books on the list? Tell us in the comments below. Better still, if you are a young reader - up to Year 9 - then send us your review to contact@koalansw.org.au and we will put it on the blog.

A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham

The discovery of an old derelict bus named 'Heaven' outside Stella's house, brings a community together for a common good. But then, one day the bus is towed away. Will Stella manage to save the day?  Teaching Notes | Kids' Book Review

Alphabet Town by Bryan Evans & Kimberly Moon

This is a delightful story of curiosity and imagination set in a place called Knowledge. In one little town live Numbers and in another little town live Letters. When a disheartened Zero and an unemployed Spot the Dot meet, they discover that everyone does indeed have a purpose.  Book Trailer |  ReadPlus Review

Annie to the Rescue by Deborah Niland 

Daring Annie is back in this story of adventure and courage. When Callisto the cat, gets stuck in a tree it is Annie to the rescue. But will Annie be brave enough to save herself? Teaching Notes| Illustrations Up Close

Fiona the Pig's Big Day by Leigh Hobbs 

It is the first day of school and everyone is excited including Fiona the Pig. But why are her parents so sad? Will Mr & Mrs Pig survive Fiona the Pig's Big Day at school? Meet Fiona | Teaching Notes

First Day by Andrew Daddo & Jonathan Bentley 

Everyone is nervous about the first day of school. It will be fun. You'll meet new friends. New BFFs! But who is more nervous about the first day? Kids' Book Review | Author Interview

Noah Dreary by Aaron Blabey 

Noah Dreary loved to complain! One day he complained so much his head fell off. But still Noah complained..... until one day a terrible event happened. That's when things began to change. Inside the Book | Book Review

The Dreadful Fluff by Aaron Blabey 

Serenity Strainer thought that her life was perfect until one Saturday morning she made a perfectly dreadful discovery - evil belly button fluff!  Book Trailer | Inside the Book | Teaching Notes

The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky & Andrew Joyner 

An unexplained noise causes panic among the forest animals. As the animals try to get away from the Terrible PLOP! only the littlest rabbit finds the courage to face this fear and have the last laugh. Ursula Dubosarsky Reads The Terrible Plop | Andrew Joyner Draws the Bear | Kirkus Reviews 

The Very Brave Bear by Nick Bland

The Very Cranky Bear is back with a new adventure. This time he faces off with Boris Buffalo in a contest to see who is the bravest. But an unexpected surprise has both of them running through the jingle jangle jungle in fear! Read an Excerpt | ReadPlus Review

Too Many Cheeky Dogs by Johanna Bell & Dion Beasley 

Set in a remote Indigeous community, this is a quirky story about a pack of pesky dogs. Each day our narrator encounters an increasing number of cheeky dogs in various locations. Kids' Book Review | Too Many Cheeky Dogs Website

Shortlist 2014 - Focus on Years 7 to 9 list

What a fabulous list of books chosen by our junior secondary cohort! We would love to publish reviews of these books by students in Years 7 to 9. Go to our contact page to make your contribution, or comment below.

13 by James Phelan

Sam wakes from a nightmare to discover the terrifying reality. It will come true. Kidnapped from school and finding out his parents aren't who he thinks they are, Sam is suddenly running from danger at every turn. First Chapter | Author Video

HIT LIST by Jack Heath

When Ash and Benjamin are hired to rescue an imprisoned girl they realise they are in over their heads, with corrupt governments, ruthless corporations and rogue assassins. A gripping, fast paced story. Trailer | Synopsis | Review Excerpts

RED by Libby Gleeson

Red can't remember the cyclone. She doesn't remember her name, where she lived, who her family might be. What can she do to find out who she is and where she belongs? Is there anyone she can trust to help her? A gripping mystery. Synopsis | Author Bio | First Chapter

MY LIFE AS AN ALPHABET by Barry Jonsberg

Candice Phee wants to bring light and laughter to those around her, and somehow she succeeds despite the bizarre mix-ups and the confusion she effortlessly creates. An uplifting comedy-drama. Description | Author Info | Preview

PENNIES FOR HITLER by Jackie French

The complexities of Georg's life in 1939 Nazi Germany are more than any child should know, but his experiences and the people he meets make for an inspiring coming of age story. Set in Germany, England and Australia. Preview | Description | Author Information

SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS by Fiona Wood

A witty and warm book about Dan, who has had to move house and school when his parents' marriage and business fail. His Dad has also come out as gay, just another thing to throw into the mix. Dan is struggling, but then there is this girl who lives next door, and it so happens they share an attic. Five Reasons To read Six Impossible Things

THE WHOLE OF MY WORLD by Nicole Hayes

With a grieving father and a terrible secret of her own, Shelly takes shelter in a full blown obsession with AFL footy – the games, the players. But her friends don’t get it and she doesn’t know why. Book Description | Free Chapter

YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW by Sue Lawson

Alex Hudson is a good guy. He plays water polo. He has a part-time job. He's doing okay at school. Then the thing that anchors Alex is ripped away and his life seems pointless. How can he make anyone else understand how he feels, when he doesn't even know? Review

DOOMSDAY by Chris Morphew

PHOENIX FILES #6 With less than a day to go until the end of the world, there's nowhere left to hide. Luke and Jordan don't think they'll make it through the night, let alone save the day. "...the ultimate battle between good and evil [is] powerful and engaging. Not a read for the fainthearted, however!" (Jo Schenkel, Reading Time.) Review

FINDING SERENDIPITY by Angelica Banks

Tuesday McGillycuddy loves stories - and her mother is a writer. A very famous writer, who has locked herself away in her writing room to finish the final book in her best-selling series for children. But when Tuesday knocks on her door, she discovers her mother is missing! Description | Author Info | Preview

Jackie French on Inspiration

The Australian Children’s Laureate: enriching the lives of young Australians through the power of story.

Since 2011, highly respected Australian children’s authors or illustrators have been awarded this prestigious honour for an outstanding contribution to children’s literature. They act as national and international ambassadors for reading.

Find out what the second Children’s Laureate, Jackie French is doing during her two year term (2014-15), from the Australian Children’s Laureate Page

Today Jackie shares with us her once and only experience of true inspiration as a writer - and also a favourite recipe!

Only Once

Sometimes, just sometimes, a book comes to you with almost no conscious thought. And yet for years I’ve denied this happens.

Kids’ favourite question is, ‘Where do you get your inspiration’. I tell them there is no such animal. Each book is made up of millions of ideas, observations, themes, all drawn together and built up over years. A book never spears down from the ether into your brain.  Instead there are years of work and thought and planning and rewriting.

And mostly that is true. It’s wrong to encourage a child – or any writer – to expect to wait for a book to come to you, ready made whispering ‘here I am, your inspiration.’

Except this year it happened.

The book is To Love a Sunburnt Country, about 200,000 words written in three weeks, and then revised a little after the editor had seen it. There’ll be other small changes along the editorial process till it comes out on December 1. But mostly, that book just came to me. And reading it – crying for both the beauty and the tragedy of the human race and the many, many wastes of love – I can’t believe I wrote it.

Yet, in another way I have been writing this book since I was three years old. I screamed at the sight of a friend’s father, bent over and scarred from torture and starvation in the prisoner of war camps. I thought that poor hunched man with his twisted face was a spider, and only years later realised the anguish a three year old’s horror must have meant to him. The children of the street played at other houses after that.

To Love a Sunburnt Country is about Australia, in all its diversity, and the many and diverse ways one can be connected to country. It is also about a girl called Nancy of the Overflow, and Australia’s war, from the day Japan attacked in December 1941 to January 1946 – the years we had to fight to keep our country.

I fell in love with Clancy of the Overflow when I was twelve years old. But why is there no Nancy of the Overflow in those ballads and bush stories, no strong women of the bush, just the desperate wives and lonely sweethearts? They were there, pioneering women managing properties, teaching their children, droving mobs of cattle thousands of miles. But they didn’t fit the clichés of the day.

And so it’s written. And it is far better than anything else I have written, even if it still doesn’t feel as if I am the writer. Luckily I had time and emotional space space to write it in early January. Since then I’ve been ‘laureating’, talking, writing, talking, talking, talking, forgetting the banner twice and losing it once (hopefully it’ll turn up again, and there is a spare) and juggling events for the next two years and wishing there was a way to stretch each day to three times its length, or at least invent faster-than-light travel across Australia.

I’ve also been asking kids what they’d like to see at schools, and receiving gems as replies like ‘more time for inventions’ from Sam, five and three quarters, who is working on a machine to mine steroids but hasn’t quite got it right yet; and a fourteen-year old in Queensland who is developing an app that he hopes will make him a millionaire by the time he is eighteen, and would love a panel of teachers to call on for advice in the second half of every lunch hour.

Humanity’s capacity for invention is perhaps our greatest gift and mover of society. But where is it in the syllabus, except as small parts of courses in the last two years of school.  We accept the need for creativity in writing and in the arts. But- in the words of one of the respondents- when you  prefer ‘things and stuff’ to art and books, there’s little room for you to invent.

Other kids – most kids – long for classes held out of doors, and to be able to talk in class – not gossip, but about lessons, to explain a problem to their best friend or ask them for help or just to say, ‘Cool’. (A cheap microphone, ear sets and amplifier, total cost about $40 a year, would make this possible.)

A kid in the NT wants school to begin at 4 pm, because his brothers keep him up late and he gets into trouble if he can’t get to school till 10 am and, anyway, by 4 pm you have done all the fun stuff. He’d really like to sit down and learn stuff, he says, if it was in mid-afternoon and you got afternoon tea too.

Plus another project that I’ll write about next time, because this is already too long, and there are 36 kids waiting for a phone link, Q and A session, and two more laureate blogs to write after this one, and the pumpkin vine to haul out from among the winter veg and send on its proper course down the path before it smothers the silver beet, and clothes to choose for tomorrow’s visit to Sydney to the Jewish Museum – ‘work’ clothes, most respectable, unlike the too-big jeans and sloppy jumper with flour smudges I’m wearing as I write this…

Which reminds me. Must take biscuits out of the oven. And very good biscuits they are too. It’s good to create things. Biscuits, a garden, a book and, most of all, the slow and joyous guiding of children’s minds.

Flat Out Biscuits

Quickly made, quickly cooked, good to keep husbands happy when you are jaunting off to Sydney. Keep two weeks in a sealed container.

125 gm butter

2 tbsp golden syrup

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup plain flour

½ cup SR flour

1 cup white choc bits.

Melt sugar, butter and syrup. Mix in all but chocolate. Cool. Mix in chocolate.

Use your hands to make small balls then pat them flattish. Place on a baking tray covered in baking paper. Bake at 200º C for about 10 minutes till gold on top. Cool before removing from the tray as they crisp up as they cool. Keep in a sealed container.

They are very good indeed.  

Chris Morphew reporting from America

Chris Morphew is an author very popular with kids in NSW. His books, Phoenix Files #1: Arrival and #2 Contact have blitzed the Year 7 to 9 category of the KOALA Awards, winning in 2012 and 2013. Chris was at both awards ceremonys, where he was mobbed by adoring fans!

In January 2014 Chris was pretty busy with an author tour of America, but he did keep up a video diary of the high points, presented here with compliments of the author. (Thanks Mr Morphew!)

 

Q & A with Belinda Murrell

Get to know Belinda Murrell, author of 21 books including The Sun Sword Trilogy, The Locket of Dreams, The Ruby Talisman, The Forgotten Pearl, The Ivory Rose, The River Charm, and the new Lulu Bell series.

1. What has been the highlight of the last year for you?

Last year was such a wonderful year for me with lots of highlights. One of the most exciting things was firstly to be shortlisted for the KOALA awards for the third time, and then even more exciting was to go to the award ceremony and discover that my book The Forgotten Pearl was an Honour Book in the Fiction for Older Readers. I was so surprised that I actually screamed out loud, which made everyone laugh!! I love the KOALA awards because they are nominated and voted for by children. It is such a thrill for me that kids love reading my books. I also had five lovely new books that came out last year (my busiest year yet) including my new book for Older readers – The River Charm, plus a new series for younger readers called Lulu Bell.

2. Tell us about your latest book for older readers?

The River Charm is a very special book to me, because it is based on the true life adventures of my great-great-great grandmother, Charlotte Elizabeth Atkinson. Set in Australia, during the 1840s, it is the story of a family who lost everything but fought against almost insurmountable odds to regain their independence and their right to be together as a family. Charlotte was born into a wealthy family at Oldbury, a grand estate in the bush. But after her father dies, her mother is left to raise four young children on her own. A young widow was a tempting target – from murderous convicts, violent bushrangers and worst of all, a cruel new stepfather. Fearing for their lives, the family flees on horseback to a remote hut in the wilderness. The Atkinson family must fight to save everything they hold dear.

3. And Lulu Bell?

I have had so much fun working with very talented illustrator Serena Geddes on the series. Lulu Bell is an eight year old girl, growing up in a vet hospital just like I did as a child. She is the eldest child, so she is creative but practical, sometimes a little bossy, but usually warm and caring and great at solving problems.

The first four books were released last year - Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn,Lulu Bell and the Fairy Penguin,Lulu Bell and the Cubby Fort and Lulu Bell and the Moon Dragon. The series is about family, friends and animal adventures.

I have had such an overwhelming response to the series from kids, teachers, librarians and booksellers so it is all very exciting!

4. How did you get started as a writer?

When I was about eight, I started writing poems, plays, stories and novels in hand illustrated exercise books just because it was fun!! I kept writing all through school and university, then when I left uni I worked as a technical writer, journalist and freelance travel writer, but all the time I had a dream to write books. When my own children were young I started writing books for them, and then one day was brave enough to send a manuscript off to Random House – the first book in The Sun Sword Trilogy. They loved it and I’ve been writing kids books full-time ever since. I’m now working on my twenty-first book!

5. What is a typical day for you?

I try to write every day, unless I am out visiting schools and festivals. I usually get my kids off to school early in the morning, then I walk my dog Asha along the beach to get lots of fresh air and exercise, which helps get my brain working well. Back at my desk I make a coffee, read over what I have written the day before, check my notebook or plan to see where I’m going, then start writing. I write most of the day, until my kids get home from school at about 4.30pm., then I stop work and focus on the family – homework, sport, ballet, cooking and housework. The only time it gets tricky is when I am getting close to a deadline and then I become totally obsessed with the book. At that point dinners get burned and no-one has any clean washing!

6. Where do you write?

I work in my beautiful office, which is lined with hundreds of books, has a fireplace and looks out over my gorgeous garden. My dog Asha keeps me company, sleeping in front of the fire. It is a gorgeous place to work.

7. What advice can you give to young readers and writers?

Here are my top writing tips for aspiring authors:

  • The important thing is to write lots! Get an exercise book and keep a journal writing down ideas, observations, poems and stories. Writing is like anything – you need to practice lots to get better! Write lots of stories and publish them on the computer – they make nice presents for parents, friends, grandparents.

  • Don’t forget to read lots too because most good writers read lots and lots of books.

  • Have fun and write what you love. I mean write stories which are just like the stories you love to read!!

  • Lastly don’t forget to edit your work. Most writers don’t write fantastic first drafts. That comes from polishing and rewriting your work.

8. What are you working on now?

This year is a huge year for me as I have six new books being released. Firstly I have my new time slip book for older readers, The Sequin Star coming out in May. This book was so much fun to research and write because it is set in a circus during the 1930s. Here is a sneak peek:

After her grandmother falls ill, Claire finds a sequin star in an old jewellery box. Why does Claire’s wealthy grandmother own such a cheap piece? The mystery deepens when the brooch hurtles Claire back in time to 1932.

Claire finds herself stranded in the camp of the Sterling Brothers Circus. Rescued by Princess Rosina, a beautiful trick rider, Claire is allowed to stay – if she promises to work hard. The Great Depression has made life difficult for everyone, but Claire makes friends with Rosina and Jem, and a boy called Kit who comes to the circus night after night to watch Rosina perform.

When Kit is kidnapped, it’s up to Claire, Rosina and Jem to save him. But Claire is starting to wonder just who Kit and Rosina really are. One is escaping poverty and the other is escaping wealth – can the two find happiness together?

As well as that I have five books in my new Lulu Bell series – written for younger kids (6 to 9) years old. Two new books have just been released - Lulu Bell and the Circus Cub and Lulu Bell and the Sea Turtle. I’m now editing two to come out in June -  Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party and Lulu Bell and the Tiger Cub. And if that wasn’t enough I’m in the middle of writing book 9 in the series Lulu Bell and The Christmas Elf. No prizes for guessing when that one comes out! 

9. If you were not a children’s author what would you be?

When I was young I wanted to be a vet like my dad, so I could have lots of animals to heal and look after. The only problem was I was really good at English but completely hopeless at maths and chemistry so I became a writer instead – and what a good move that was!

10. What do you love about writing?

Immersing myself in a different place and time. Discovering the stories of my characters. Experiencing the almost magical evolution from the first spark of an idea, to the outline of a story, to a complete book.

I also love the feedback from my readers. One of my greatest joys is getting hundreds of emails and letters from kids, telling me how much they love my books.

11. How much of yourself or people you know is in your books?

I often base my characters on real people, but usually I mix them up. For example in my new Lulu Bell series – Lulu is partly based on me, because when I was eight years old I lived in a vet hospital. Like me, Lulu is creative but practical, caring and warm, but sometimes bossy. She is also a bit like my daughter Emily, a bit of a tom boy and very artistic. Likewise the little brother Gus is cheeky, mischievous and adorable, so he is a mixture of my son Lachie, my nephew Gus and my brother when he was young.

12. What are your favourite children's books set in Australia? 

There are so many fantastic Australian children’s books, so it is very hard to choose.

  • Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner. One of my all time favourite books!

  • Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs. I loved this as a young child.

  • Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester. We travelled all around Australia for 18 months and took this book with us the whole way as an inspiration.

  • A Mother’s Offering to Her Children – the first children’s book published in Australia back in 1841, and written by my great-great-great-great grandmother Charlotte Waring Atkinson.*

  • The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell. This was definitely one of my favourites as a child.

 * Find out more about this intriguing book on Kate Forsyth's blog - A Mother's Offering: Australia's first children's book (Kate is Belinda's sister sister. What a talented family!)

Belinda Murrell is an internationally published, bestselling children’s author. Her 21 books include The Sun Sword Trilogy, a fantasy-adventure series for boys and girls aged 8 to 12. Her time-slip books - The Locket of Dreams, The Ruby Talisman, The Forgotten Pearl, and The Ivory Rose – have been shortlisted for various awards, including KOALAs (2013, 2012 and 2011), CBCA Notable List and highly commended in the PM’s Literary Awards. Her new book, The River Charm, is based on the thrilling adventures of her ancestors. For younger readers (aged 6 to 9) Belinda has a new Lulu Bell series, about friends, family, animals and adventures growing up in a vet hospital. www.belindamurrell.com.au

Literature & Literacy Activities at Mt Keira

Author & Illustrator Gus GordonTeacher Librarian, Angela Hay, presides over a range of inspiring and engaging events across the Mount Keira Public School community. Links are made between Education Week, Literacy and Numeracy Week, Children’s Book Week and The KOALA Awards. On top of this the whole school participates in a Rich Task Program based on the CBCA shortlisted books. In a small school where staff have multiple roles everyone gets involved in reading, listening, talking, performing and participating in events both at school and in the wider community.

Here are some of the events this year:

  • Author/illustrator Gus Gordon, CBCA 2013 award nominee for Herman and Rosie, visited the school and addressed students. His funny illustrated stories have animals as the principle characters, something Gus attributes to his lifelong love for Kenneth Grahame’s classic, The Wind in the Willows.
  • The Book Week theme Read Across the Universe became a reality when students visited Wollongong Library to hear a special guest. Graham Morphett, from Minnamurra Rotary, talked about a program where books are donated to support literacy in developing countries. Both students and staff have supported this program with donations, a relationship they plan to continue.
  • Invited students and Mrs Hay were given the chance to meet many of their favourite authors at a Literary Lunch.
  • Earlier in the year students reviewed the KOALA Awards shortlisted books.
  • Book Speed Dating sessions with the CBCA shortlist books kick started student work on the whole school Rich Task: Sell that book!
  • Activities from dramatization to digital activities in the Rich Task culminate in choosing favourite books from the CBCA shortlist to nominate for the KOALA Awards 2014.
  • And just by the way, 100% of students have completed The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge 2013.

The Mount Keira Demonstration School community is doing exciting work making reading, books and authors fun and rewarding for kids, and also supporting Australian authors and illustrators, who keep on producing such stimulating works.

And supporting KOALA of course! Thanks, Mount Keira.

Mount Keira Demonstration School is a K to 6 public school in the Illawarra region of NSW. Visit their Library Page to find out more.

We would love to share your story about student reading activities, particularly ideas for incorporating the KOALA Awards or any other promotion of Australian literature. See the contact page for our details. 

KOALA Awards and NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge

I have always felt that to do something right you need to concentrate your effort, put your head down and power on. So the thought of taking on KOALA and the PRC always seemed like too much to consider. (I did download all the PRC docs one January in recent years only to leave them untouched – forgotten in the effort to get kids nominating for KOALA.)

Just recently I changed my mind on this in an epiphany moment. A Year 7 boy came to us at the library desperately asking how he could register for the PRC for 2013. He had completed the challenge for seven years in a row at his primary school.  So I took the challenge and joined PRC to help him out. Quickly checking the rules I was reminded of the fact that although the PRC runs from 1st March to 1st September each year, participants can start reading in September for the following year’s challenge. Light bulb moment: PRC lists over 7,000 titles; a high proportion of the PRC books are Australian (I’m working on the figures for that); most of the KOALA 2013 shortlisted books are on the PRC lists [here is the KOALA shortlist matched to PRC] ; each year new books are added; and September through to February represent a pretty good window of opportunity for kids to get reading.

So in February they might have some good ideas for KOALA nominations, and in March they can start to record online their reading for PRC. (We also have a DEAR database where our students are encouraged to record their reading.)

The other aspect I had been missing is that when our new Year 7s arrive each year we are completely blind to what they have been reading in primary school. With 230,000 students completing PRC in 2012 we are bound to have a number of these in our intake. What a great opportunity to pick up the ball and encourage that habit of reading at a time when many kids slow down in their reading practice.

The issues and opportunities around using KOALA and PRC to develop young readers, and to highlight Australian literature, will vary from school to school and between levels of schooling. But there is certainly an opportunity or two worth considering.

We would love to hear comments from schools and public libraries who are managing both schemes, or your thoughts and experiences on the opportunities and pitfalls.

The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge

By Marita Thomson, Teacher Librarian, The King’s School, Parramatta.

SHORTLIST 2013 - Focus on Fiction for Years 7-9

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Our oldest and boldest shortlist category. Here are some links to help you find out about our ten great finalists. If you are in year 7, 8 or 9 we would love to publish your review.

A Straight line to my Heart by Bill Condon Review at Aussie Reviews

After by Morris Gleitzman Reviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak Feature review in The Guardian

The Phoenix Files: Contact by Chris Morphew Reviewed at My Best Friends Are Books

The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner - Reviewed by Fancy Goods, the blog of Books+Publishing Magazine

Give me Four Reasons by Lizzie Wilcock - A student review on ReadPlus

Grace by Morris Gleitzman Review from a case for books blog

The Invisible Hero by Elizabeth Fensham readingmatters@ssclibrary review

Shift by Em Bailey Read Alert review

Stolen by Lucy Christopher Teen reads review