Word of Mouth | Issue 3 | 2021

WORD OF MOUTH | ISSUE 3 | 2021

In this issue:

Welcome to 2021!
Voices on Tour for Reader's Cup
Join Ginger Meggs's 100th Birthday Party!
Congratulations!
International Read to Me Day
The Last Word
Dates for your Diary

Welcome to 2021!

Welcome to 2021 - Speakers Ink hopes that everyone has started the year on a positive note!

This year we have a number of touring speakers as well as continuing to support our local talent.

Please keep your eye on the Touring Speakers Page on our website for up-to-date details and continue to read our e-Bulletins which will keep you informed as to what our speakers are achieving - new books, awards etc.

If you are interested in making a booking, please contact our office for assistance.

Voices on Tour for Reader's Cup

	2021 Readers Cup Judge Wai Chim will be in Brisbane and available for a booking on Thursday, 2nd September.
	2021 Readers Cup Judge Amie Kaufman will be in Brisbane and available for a booking on Thursday, 2nd September
	2021 Readers Cup Judge Lisa Nicol will be in Brisbane and available for bookings on Monday, 30th and Tuesday, 31st August AND Thursday, 2nd September

For all our information on voices on tour, please go to the Touring Speakers information on our website.

Join Ginger Meggs's 100th Birthday Party!

Tristan Bancks (Two Wolves, Detention, Tom Weekly) has written a brand new book of short stories to celebrate the 100th birthday of Australia’s longest-running comic strip, Ginger Meggs. Tristan’s great-great uncle, Jimmy Bancks, created Ginger Meggs in 1921 and now your school can be part of the 100th birthday celebrations and help launch the new book with a very special one-hour presentation, combining Australian history and identity in a fun, action-packed, visual and interactive session. Limited bookings are available at a reduced rate in the week of 24 May. Tristan will be offering 3 x 1-hour sessions each day - 1 x 1-hour session per school - session times offered will be approx 9:30am; 11:30am and 1:30pm.

Congratulations!

Once again, there are many Speakers Inkers honoured on the CBCA Notables list this year. The creators, illustrators, poets, editors and publishers are to be commended for once again providing a rich source of literary delight for our children to learn from, be immersed in, and enjoy. Some of our speakers have been honoured more than once, their work appearing in different titles on the list, for example illustrators Dub Leffler and Liz Anelli. We also have a mother/daughter combo in Allison Rushby and Pamela Rushby, honoured for separate titles. We are now eagerly awaiting the announcement of the CBCA Short List on 30 March. Good luck everyone!

	Deborah Abela for Bear in Space (Early Childhood)		Briony Stewart for We love you, Magoo (Early Childhood)
	Liz Anelli for The Biscuit Maker (Picture Book) and Dry to Dry (Eve Pownall Award)		Jackie French for text, The Fire Wombat (Picture Book)
	Barry Jonsberg for Catch Me if I Fall (Older Reader)		Sarah Davis illus., Worse Things (Younger Reader)
	Katrina Nannestad for We are Wolves (Younger Reader)		Allison Rushby for When This Bell Rings (Younger Readers)
	Pamela Rushby for The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle (Younger Readers)		Dub Leffler illus., Bindi (Younger Reader) and Strangers on Country (Eve Pownall Award)
	Carol Wilkinson for Matthews Flinders: Adventures on Leaky Ships (Eve Pownall)

International Read to Me Day

Many people working in the Children's Literature sphere will be aware of International Read to Me Day (IRTMD). The good news is that now, it is becoming not just one day, but an ongoing online event.

International Read to Me Day relaunches on March 19 to become a single ongoing global event, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year using Facebook live!
Picture this… If I read a children’s picture book at 10am in Australia, Carmen (Ambassador in Panama) can have her children listen to the story being read aloud 6pm her local time.

By using Facebook live, we plan read to children all over the world. It’s the ‘WE’ that creates the magic in this! We have Ambassadors already in Canada, UK, USA, Tanzania, Venezuela, Sri Lanka, Panama, Indonesia, China, Bahrain, Greece, Iran, New Zealand, Germany and Australia, ready to promote the event via their social media channels and networks, and invite readers to choose a 10-minute timeslot from the calendar to read aloud.

The Last Word

Wendy Orr launched a new book on March 1st: Cuckoo's Flight, a companion novel to her previous historical novels Dragonfly Song and Swallow's Dance.

"When Clio's town in Bronze Age Crete is threatened by seafaring raiders, she faces the greatest sacrifice of all. Can Clio, her herd of horses and a new young friend find a way to change their destinies? Another wonderfully engaging historical middle fiction adventure from the author of Dragonfly Song and Nim's Island"

Dates for your Diary

	11 March 2021	Romancing the Stars - New Kids on the Block free online event.
	19 March 2021	Relaunch of International Read to Me Day as an ongoing online event via Facebook live.
	30 March 2021	CBCA Book of the Year Shortlist published here at noon AEDT
	13-20 March 2021	Somerset Storyfest
	1-19 April 2021	B risbane City Council and Gold Coast City Council libraries host author talks with Aleesah Darlison, Samantha Wheeler, Joanne Brooker and Nadia Sunde.
	19 May 2021	Narelle Oliver Lecture with Australian Children's Laureate, Ursula Dubosarsky presented by Book Links
	Week beg 24 May 2021	Celebration of the 100th anniversary of Ginger Meggs
	4-11 July 2021	NAIDOC week
	21 August 2021	CBCA Book Week - Book of the Year winners and honour books announced at noon AEST