Tennis Courts Storytelling workshop and activities
Alison Lester
10.15 to 11.15am
Alison Lester AM is an Australian author and illustrator who has published over 25 children's picture books and two young adult novels; The Quickstand Pony and The Snow Pony. In 2005 Lester won the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year for her children's book, Are We There Yet?: A Journey around Australia. Her books have been published worldwide. Alison won the Dromkeen medal in 2016 and is also Australia’s First Children’s Laureate awarded alongside Boori Monty Prior.
Andrea Rowe
11.15am to 12.15pm
Andrea is an award-winning, best selling children’s author, a seashore rambler, and a not-so-secret Cherry Ripe eater.
Her picture book Jetty Jumping (Hardie Grant) won the 2022 Children’s Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year for Early childhood and the 2023 Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year. In the Rockpools (Hardie Grant) was a 2024 CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood.
Her internationally released Sunday Skating was inspired by Olympic winning skater kids, and her next coastal early reader book Amid the Sand Dunes is out this October 2024. She has 5 more books about Australian kids in production.
Andrea is a 2024 May Gibbs Literature Trust Fellow for her commitment to environmental writing, and the winner and runner-up of the Hal Porter Short Story Award, Newcastle Short Story Award and Mulga Bill Award.
A passionate advocate for contemporary Australian literature, Andrea’s books have featured in Premier’s Reading lists across Australia, as well as StoryBox Library, Vision Australia sensory library and the Big Summer Reads for Public Libraries Victoria.
She writes stories about kids in the outdoors, overcoming tricky issues and enjoying adventures with friends.
WORKSHOP - WILD WRITING
Leap, ramble and wander through stories in the great outdoors with award-winning children’s author Andrea Rowe.
Deep dive into your imagination, creating adventurous characters in sensational settings inspired by wild and wonderful places.
The best-selling author invites kids to take inspiration from her award-winning coastal picture books, Jetty Jumping and In the Rockpool, and Amid the Sand Dunes as you GO WILD writing your own stories.
Jane Godwin & Anna Walker
1pm to 2pm
Jane is the highly acclaimed author of over forty books for children and young people, across all styles and ages. Her work is published internationally and she has received many commendations, including the 2024 Pixie O’Harris Award for services to children’s literature.
Jane's most recent novels for 11 – 14 year olds are A Walk in the Dark and Look Me in the Eye, and recently acclaimed picture books include A Life Song, illustrated by Anna Walker and winner of the 2024 ABIA Award, Picture Book category, and Can You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree?, illustrated by Terry Denton and shortlisted for the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year Award – Early Childhood.
Anna is an illustrator and author of picture books based in Naarm/Melbourne. Using traditional mediums, anna creates stories inspired by the quiet and sometimes joyful details of life. Her books include Florette - New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book, Mr Huff shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and winner of the CBCA book of the year Early Childhood. Her most recent illustrated book is A Life Song written by Jane Godwin - shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards.
Jane and Anna Walker have created nine picture books together, and hope to get to ten!
WORKSHOP - What Do You Wish For?
Join Anna and Jane for a fun reading and craft session. We will share some stories, and then make our own wishes to hang on a wishing tree. Kids can also decorate their own treasure box to put their wishes in. There will be fun craft activities for all ages!
Jess Racklyeft
2.00 to 3.00pm
Jess is a children’s book illustrator based in Melbourne. She has illustrated 35 picture books, and won several awards including a CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award (2022).
Working primarily in watercolours, she also likes to experiment with collage, digital and acrylic mediums, as well as create greeting cards, abstract paintings and work on client projects. Her studio is found by a farm in inner city Melbourne and filled to the brim with picture books and papery goods.
WORKSHOP
Join author and illustrator Jess Racklyeft in a glow-in-the-dark bookmark making session, and learn how to draw nocturnal animals. Themed around her book Big World, Tiny World: Bush, participants will design their own bookmark to take home.