Kerry Brown

Kerry Brown

Queensland

Speaker type

  • Author
  • Educational consultant

Kerry has always had a love of words……… - she speaks a lot of them! Thankfully, to the relief of her family and friends, this passion for talking has been channeled into writing children's picture books. This has become her new passion.

Kerry's motto is 'Imagination is Magical'.

"Your imagination is a wonderful and powerful thing. It has no limits, expectations or marking key! I'm not saying that spelling and reading aren't important. They are. However we need to encourage a love and fascination of literature within our children. We need to ignite the spark that gives them an appetite for adventure. Once they are immersed in the joy and satisfaction of storytelling, the rest will follow."

Kerry is a qualified primary teacher with a Masters Degree in Education.  She has had the privilege to work alongside some of the best imaginations in the country - the children she has taught!

As a classroom teacher, Kerry is able to provide informative and relevant talks and workshops to classes of children that relate directly to curriculum content or a theme. She is able to deliver these specific to her own books and writing or to an objective requested of her, such as preparation towards NAPLAN testing.

Kerry juggles her writing, part-time teaching, studying and being a full-time Mum, on the Gold Coast, where she lives with her husband, children and much-loved Labrador!

Her first book Can I Cuddle the Moon?  illustrated by Lisa Stewart, was released in 2010. Her second book Poppy Wash was  illustrated by her sister Michelle Pike. These were followed in 2014 by All My Kisses illustrated by Jedda Robaard  and the #1 picture book bestseller Lest We Forget illustrated by Isobel Knowles and Benjamin Portas in 2015.

Kerry's latest collaboration The Hole -  April 2018 is with fellow Australian picture book creator Lucia Masciullo.

Lower Primary Years

Kerry uses her book Can I Cuddle the Moon? to cover the following concepts:

  • Classifying - things you can and cannot cuddle.
  • Rhyme - discovering rhyme, recognising and creating rhyming words (auditory and orally).
  • Questions and Answers - identifying them in the text and creating their own.
  • Collage - discuss, discover and possibly help create their own group collage depending on time available. (If time does not allow for this, Kerry provides teacher packs so that there is an option to continue this activity in the classroom).                           

Kerry uses a gorgeous (very realistic) owl puppet, large visuals, data projector and introduces interactive group activities during these sessions.

She also adapts well known songs to her themes which the children pick up very quickly!

A look at Kerry's second book Poppy Wash provides an introduction into basic narrative structure and the genre of storytelling.

Middle Primary Years

These sessions are a little different but still use the book Can I Cuddle the Moon? to introduce the concepts of questions / answers and rhyme which are then used to create a class book titled Can I kiss a?  The children love this session as they work together as a group to create their very own class book.

Upper Primary Years

Kerry is able to adapt her current published works by deconstructing her stories in detail and discussing the processes involved.

Sessions can be adapted or created based around a learning concept, set of skills or particular objective. Understanding the need for participation and change of pace, sessions are engaging and interactive.

 

For all age groups, Kerry is eager for the children to have fun, feel relaxed about their input, excited about literature and above all, believe that their imagination is magical!

The Reading Train

Kerry can also offer a new 45 minute presentation titled. Get on Board the Reading Train - a journey of discovery between you and your child.

The importance of early literacy skills, the reluctant reader, the role of parents and reading tips for both the younger and older readers are all explored.

This session is relevant to parents, staff, schools and libraries for staff pd or literacy evenings and events. 

Testimonials

  • Kerry did a fantastic session with the children, she contacted the library before the event to clarify our expectations of the day / event and to gather information on the target audience. She was really great.

    Kerry Brown - Wynnum Library, June, 2013.

    Kerry Brown - Wynnum Library, June, 2013.
    Kerry Brown
  • We had a wonderful day with Kerry Brown yesterday. The sessions were great and all the children enjoyed them. Thank you Helen for recommending her… a very good choice.
    I also appreciated the fact that Kerry was so flexible. One group was late arriving and at one stage we had a class of Year 6 students joining in and Kerry was unfazed.


    Kerry Brown - Canterbury College, Book Week, August, 2013.

    Kerry Brown - Canterbury College, Book Week, August, 2013.
    Kerry Brown
  • Kerry has just finished her presentations. Very successful. Praise all round. The kids LOVED her. Many thanks for organising the booking.

    Kerry Brown - A B Patterson College, May, 2012

    Kerry Brown - A B Patterson College, May, 2012
    Kerry Brown
  • Kerry’s visit yesterday was an amazing success, sensational and professional. Kerry had the absolute attention of the younger grades which is never easy to do.

    I cannot speak highly enough of Kerry and would highly recommend her to any school. I will definitely be using your company again to book authors if they are of the same quality.


    Kerry Brown - Jubilee Primary School, September, 2011

    Kerry Brown - Jubilee Primary School, September, 2011
    Kerry Brown
  • Kerry Brown is fantastic and very inspirational. Everyone loved her presentations and it is a hard task keeping preps - year 3 entertained.

    Kerry Brown - Guardian Angels Primary School, August, 2011

    Kerry Brown - Guardian Angels Primary School, August, 2011
    Kerry Brown
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Kerry Brown