DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA – Blog Tour and Giveaway

This past week I’ve enjoyed reading the backstory for the wonderful new-release Walker picture book, DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA, by Sally Murphy and Sonia Kretschmar. Both Sally and Sonia have a swag of awards and commendations to their names, and collaboratively, they have created a rich and warm picture book that Australians can be proud of.

DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA tells the story of Henri and Billy, two boys who are oceans apart, but together in heart. Billy’s Australian father is fighting the war near Henri’s French hometown, Villers-Bretonneux. The year is 1918.

Inspired by a significant battle in World War I, the story doesn’t focus on the despair of war. Rather, the illustrations and text gently move the story past death and destruction, to focus on the hope – the lasting good that comes from cross-cultural compassion, empathy and aid.

When Henri’s village is destroyed in battle, Billy is one of many Australian children who work together to help rebuild Villers-Bretonneux. To this day the sign of acknowledgment remains; DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA.

DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA is a must read for all Australians.

Lest we forget.  

Do Not Forget Australia – Blog Tour

Hoping you can drop by next Thursday, 8th March, when I interview Sally Murphy and Sonia Kretschmar about writing and illustrating historical picture books.

Ebb and Flow of 2011

I blogged about my Ebb and Flow writing process in 2009.

In 2011 I experienced the ebb and flow of writing in a different way, with extended family health dramas taking all head and heart space for 6months. When I first heard the word ‘cancer’ I resolved to let my writing go, for unlimited time, to invest in family and fighting this dread disease. There would be no stress on my part if there was no time for writing or submitting. In fact, any writing would be a bonus.

SAVE: 20% off ‘This is the Mud!’ in December

School Visit at St John’s, Bundaberg

Author visits to schools are great fun! At a recent visit to St Johns in Bundaberg we;

• Dramatised ‘This is the Mud!’ (Prep/Yr1)
• Wrote shape poems (Yr2/3)
• Wrote haiku (Yr4/5)
• And performed poetry (Yr6/7)

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Dramatising 'This is the Mud!'

Mud in Pre-Prep

I loved hearing about the fun that the Pre-prep student at Bundaberg Christian College had after reading ‘This is the Mud!’ recently. Thanks for sharing!

We put paint onto foam letters and matched them to the letters on our sheets and then had another look at ‘This is the Mud’ book, at the mess the diggers and tractors made in the mud. We drove some small tractors and diggers into our ‘mud’ and then drove all over our paper with it.

This is the mess that they made in the MUD!

We all had a great time and learnt something about rhyming words and really enjoyed the book.

Joanne Henderson, Prep Teacher

Coming Soon… writeoncon

Last year, with thanks to Twitter, I heard about a free online writer’s conference;  writeoncon. It was the inaugural event and it was a resounding success. I know. I was there. (I was here.) And I loved it.

This year they’re back, and offering MORE awesome opportunities; live events, recorded webinars, critiques, competitions, community and much MUCH more!  

PB 10 for 10

Recently the challenge went out; Name 10 PBs that you cannot live without. It’s known as #PB10for10, thanks to Cathy Mere and Mandy Robek.

If I was choosing my 10 favourite picture books, this would be an impossible task – so I have focused my list on the classroom, and chosen 10 books that I’ve built units of work around. Some of these are linked – and I think you can tell that we have a lot of fun with water-based units, bringing in the sea, floating and sinking – and much, much more! Others are one-offs but fantastic within their specific units.

Some Books are Worth Owning

I admit it. I love to hear if people enjoy my books. It is both immensely satisfying and buzzingly good. It’s exciting!

And some tweets are worth sharing.

Thank-you Edwirinia – and 2y/o. xx

Spot the Muddy Difference

Excitement!

For some time I’ve been wanting an simple kids’ game on my site, linked with my books.

…………….Dum der dah… *Drum roll and pause for effect*