It’s September. The start of Spring here in Australia – although the more accurate season where I live is Djilba, one of the six Noongar seasons.  If you read about it  here, you will learn that Djilba (second spring) is marked by the appearance of yellow and cream flowers – and I have seen those on a daily basis, the yellows of the wattles being especially lovely.

September also marks, in my world, the end of what is always the busiest month in a children’s author’s year, because Children’s Bookweek ® is always in August, and many events happen not just during that week but in the weeks around it.

I was lucky enough to visit Rockingham and Bunbury libraries and schools during Bookweek – and managed to not get a single photo of myself presenting, which is a shame, so you’ll just have to imagine me at the front of the room, with my crown, sharing Queen Narelle, and, more importantly, a love of reading and writing, with classes from local schools. We had fun trying to decide what cats think, and then, also, what dogs might think, or swans, or even quokkas.  I suspect there might be a few animal-themed stories being written in those classrooms 🙂

One really special moment was when the Bunbury library took me to visit Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School  where not only was  I made to feel very welcome, but was also reminded and thanked profusely for a small contribution I made. Several years ago, the school’s library burnt down and I used Facebook to ask fellow creators to donate books to ensure the students still had plenty of reading materials. And, as I hoped,  the books came and were enjoyed.  On this visit I was taken on a tour of the incredible new library built since then. So thoughtfully planned for the needs of the whole school community – but I must confess that my favourite feature was a child-sized door into the junior part of the library, which I just had to try for size.

Thanks Djidi Djidi school  for making me feel so welcome.

I was also lucky enough to speak at the Make Your Own Story Book award ceremony  where I also helped present prizes to  very talented young creators from across the state who had written and illustrated some top quality books of their own. After the ceremony they stayed for a Masterclass with moi, which was  more fun than this photo of me looking VERY stern would suggest.:

 

Also in Bookweek ® I visited Maidens Park Primary School as a Rolemodel for the Books in Home charity, a wonderful program where children in participating schools each get a pack of books, which they have selected, to take home and keep.  I was there with staff from Mainfreight, who are sponsoring the school’s participation, and we were treated to a circus themed assembly, the school’s Bookweek dress up parade, and a really warm welcome.  I love being part of this program, and was especially happy that is now being rolled out close to home.

And, lastly, my final Bookweek ® event (last, but not east) was at Paperbird Books in Fremantle, where Dianne Wolfer and myself joined the after school bookclub to discuss our books. So much fun spending an hour with keen young readers, and a lovely way to finish Bookweek ®

Like lots of authors and illustrators, I always get to the end of August pretty tired – but it is possible, I know from experience, to feel simultaneously exhausted and elated.  The absolutely best part of being an author is getting to spend time with young people, talking about books and writing and, hopefully, inspiring them to read and write even more.  And, with requests for next year’s Bookweek ® already arriving, I can’t wait!

I am feeling very grateful that I get to do what I do,  and especially grateful for the librarians, teachers, bookshops and others who arrange these visits – they have a far harder job than mine. And, even more especially grateful to the Children’s Book Council of Australia, who ‘invented’ Children’s Bookweek ® and keep making it happen, and to the WA Branch who make it happen locally. Thank you for all you do.

And, lastly, thanks to every young reader who reads, not just one of my books (though that of course makes me happy) but ANY book, and, by doing so, makes the world a better place.