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Tony Flowers is one of my favourite illustrators in the Australian children’s book industry and I eargerly anticipate each new project with his name on in it. His latest work is ‘Advance Australia Fair’ and I was so intrigued about the story behind this book that I asked him a…
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Guest post. Standing in front of the mirror, head tilted. She squints, focuses, dwells. She hones in on all the ‘flaws’ – and the tween girl looking back at her agrees with her thoughts. Yep. Definitely ugly. Her hair is too thin. Her skin too pale. Her body too thick.…
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The lovely bits and pieces in this post are gift ideas for colleagues, friends, family and teachers – a bit of a mash up of all the things I love, and I think you will also love. They are not sponsored ideas, though some links are affiliate links (which cost…
READ MOREI laughed, teared up (several times) and applauded enthusiastically from the first note to the final bow of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) last night. We could all do with being transported to a better place right now and the fantastical world of Wonka…
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I’ve been collecting books for tweens and teens on *all of the things* for many years now – for the various schools I have worked at and for my own children. I am not a doctor, psychologist or high school teacher (definitely no expert) but between a shelf full of…
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I am a Book Week tragic from way back. As a child I have vivid memories of planning my Book Week costumes with my teacher librarian mum, my favourite being the year my sister and I went as gumnut babies from the iconic May Gibbs books. I know some people dread…
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Guest post. How are we all in lockdown (if you are in lockdown)? Everyone’s experience is so different, right? While for some it’s good, nice even, for others it can be very mentally eroding and testing. Like those of us trying to homeschool while also working, for instance … face…
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Guest post. I don’t know about you, but I really haven’t the faintest idea of what happens in the six hours my kids are at school – five days a week. I mean, OF COURSE I know they are being educated and learning the stuff I did when I was…
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Many moons ago, when I was a young classroom teacher and still bopping around at raves and weekend music festivals, I lived for Book Week costume planning. My love for over the top rave and festival outfits was poured into planning Book Week costumes that involved an extreme amount of…
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Story has the power to educate and to heal and below you will find some of my absolute favourite texts by First Nations authors and illustrators in approximate age group order. Use this list as a starting point for adding to your home, school and library collection and leave me…
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