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Chris Morphew is an author very popular with kids in NSW. His books, Phoenix Files #1: Arrival and #2 Contact have blitzed the Year 7 to 9 category of the KOALA Awards, winning in 2012 and 2013. Chris was at both awards ceremonys, where he was mobbed by adoring fans!
In January 2014 Chris was pretty busy with an author tour of America, but he did keep up a video diary of the high points, presented here with compliments of the author. (Thanks Mr Morphew!)
Get to know Belinda Murrell, author of 21 books including The Sun Sword Trilogy, The Locket of Dreams, The Ruby Talisman, The Forgotten Pearl, The Ivory Rose, The River Charm, and the new Lulu Bell series.
Last year was such a wonderful year for me with lots of highlights. One of the most exciting things was firstly to be shortlisted for the KOALA awards for the third time, and then even more exciting was to go to the award ceremony and discover that my book The Forgotten Pearl was an Honour Book in the Fiction for Older Readers. I was so surprised that I actually screamed out loud, which made everyone laugh!! I love the KOALA awards because they are nominated and voted for by children. It is such a thrill for me that kids love reading my books. I also had five lovely new books that came out last year (my busiest year yet) including my new book for Older readers – The River Charm, plus a new series for younger readers called Lulu Bell.
The River Charm is a very special book to me, because it is based on the true life adventures of my great-great-great grandmother, Charlotte Elizabeth Atkinson. Set in Australia, during the 1840s, it is the story of a family who lost everything but fought against almost insurmountable odds to regain their independence and their right to be together as a family. Charlotte was born into a wealthy family at Oldbury, a grand estate in the bush. But after her father dies, her mother is left to raise four young children on her own. A young widow was a tempting target – from murderous convicts, violent bushrangers and worst of all, a cruel new stepfather. Fearing for their lives, the family flees on horseback to a remote hut in the wilderness. The Atkinson family must fight to save everything they hold dear.
I have had so much fun working with very talented illustrator Serena Geddes on the series. Lulu Bell is an eight year old girl, growing up in a vet hospital just like I did as a child. She is the eldest child, so she is creative but practical, sometimes a little bossy, but usually warm and caring and great at solving problems.
The first four books were released last year - Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn,Lulu Bell and the Fairy Penguin,Lulu Bell and the Cubby Fort and Lulu Bell and the Moon Dragon. The series is about family, friends and animal adventures.
I have had such an overwhelming response to the series from kids, teachers, librarians and booksellers so it is all very exciting!
When I was about eight, I started writing poems, plays, stories and novels in hand illustrated exercise books just because it was fun!! I kept writing all through school and university, then when I left uni I worked as a technical writer, journalist and freelance travel writer, but all the time I had a dream to write books. When my own children were young I started writing books for them, and then one day was brave enough to send a manuscript off to Random House – the first book in The Sun Sword Trilogy. They loved it and I’ve been writing kids books full-time ever since. I’m now working on my twenty-first book!
I try to write every day, unless I am out visiting schools and festivals. I usually get my kids off to school early in the morning, then I walk my dog Asha along the beach to get lots of fresh air and exercise, which helps get my brain working well. Back at my desk I make a coffee, read over what I have written the day before, check my notebook or plan to see where I’m going, then start writing. I write most of the day, until my kids get home from school at about 4.30pm., then I stop work and focus on the family – homework, sport, ballet, cooking and housework. The only time it gets tricky is when I am getting close to a deadline and then I become totally obsessed with the book. At that point dinners get burned and no-one has any clean washing!
I work in my beautiful office, which is lined with hundreds of books, has a fireplace and looks out over my gorgeous garden. My dog Asha keeps me company, sleeping in front of the fire. It is a gorgeous place to work.
Here are my top writing tips for aspiring authors:
The important thing is to write lots! Get an exercise book and keep a journal writing down ideas, observations, poems and stories. Writing is like anything – you need to practice lots to get better! Write lots of stories and publish them on the computer – they make nice presents for parents, friends, grandparents.
Don’t forget to read lots too because most good writers read lots and lots of books.
Have fun and write what you love. I mean write stories which are just like the stories you love to read!!
Lastly don’t forget to edit your work. Most writers don’t write fantastic first drafts. That comes from polishing and rewriting your work.
This year is a huge year for me as I have six new books being released. Firstly I have my new time slip book for older readers, The Sequin Star coming out in May. This book was so much fun to research and write because it is set in a circus during the 1930s. Here is a sneak peek:
After her grandmother falls ill, Claire finds a sequin star in an old jewellery box. Why does Claire’s wealthy grandmother own such a cheap piece? The mystery deepens when the brooch hurtles Claire back in time to 1932.
Claire finds herself stranded in the camp of the Sterling Brothers Circus. Rescued by Princess Rosina, a beautiful trick rider, Claire is allowed to stay – if she promises to work hard. The Great Depression has made life difficult for everyone, but Claire makes friends with Rosina and Jem, and a boy called Kit who comes to the circus night after night to watch Rosina perform.
When Kit is kidnapped, it’s up to Claire, Rosina and Jem to save him. But Claire is starting to wonder just who Kit and Rosina really are. One is escaping poverty and the other is escaping wealth – can the two find happiness together?
As well as that I have five books in my new Lulu Bell series – written for younger kids (6 to 9) years old. Two new books have just been released - Lulu Bell and the Circus Cub and Lulu Bell and the Sea Turtle. I’m now editing two to come out in June - Lulu Bell and the Pyjama Party and Lulu Bell and the Tiger Cub. And if that wasn’t enough I’m in the middle of writing book 9 in the series Lulu Bell and The Christmas Elf. No prizes for guessing when that one comes out!
When I was young I wanted to be a vet like my dad, so I could have lots of animals to heal and look after. The only problem was I was really good at English but completely hopeless at maths and chemistry so I became a writer instead – and what a good move that was!
Immersing myself in a different place and time. Discovering the stories of my characters. Experiencing the almost magical evolution from the first spark of an idea, to the outline of a story, to a complete book.
I also love the feedback from my readers. One of my greatest joys is getting hundreds of emails and letters from kids, telling me how much they love my books.
I often base my characters on real people, but usually I mix them up. For example in my new Lulu Bell series – Lulu is partly based on me, because when I was eight years old I lived in a vet hospital. Like me, Lulu is creative but practical, caring and warm, but sometimes bossy. She is also a bit like my daughter Emily, a bit of a tom boy and very artistic. Likewise the little brother Gus is cheeky, mischievous and adorable, so he is a mixture of my son Lachie, my nephew Gus and my brother when he was young.
There are so many fantastic Australian children’s books, so it is very hard to choose.
Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner. One of my all time favourite books!
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs. I loved this as a young child.
Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester. We travelled all around Australia for 18 months and took this book with us the whole way as an inspiration.
A Mother’s Offering to Her Children – the first children’s book published in Australia back in 1841, and written by my great-great-great-great grandmother Charlotte Waring Atkinson.*
The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell. This was definitely one of my favourites as a child.
* Find out more about this intriguing book on Kate Forsyth's blog - A Mother's Offering: Australia's first children's book (Kate is Belinda's sister sister. What a talented family!)
Belinda Murrell is an internationally published, bestselling children’s author. Her 21 books include The Sun Sword Trilogy, a fantasy-adventure series for boys and girls aged 8 to 12. Her time-slip books - The Locket of Dreams, The Ruby Talisman, The Forgotten Pearl, and The Ivory Rose – have been shortlisted for various awards, including KOALAs (2013, 2012 and 2011), CBCA Notable List and highly commended in the PM’s Literary Awards. Her new book, The River Charm, is based on the thrilling adventures of her ancestors. For younger readers (aged 6 to 9) Belinda has a new Lulu Bell series, about friends, family, animals and adventures growing up in a vet hospital. www.belindamurrell.com.au
Author & Illustrator Gus GordonTeacher Librarian, Angela Hay, presides over a range of inspiring and engaging events across the Mount Keira Public School community. Links are made between Education Week, Literacy and Numeracy Week, Children’s Book Week and The KOALA Awards. On top of this the whole school participates in a Rich Task Program based on the CBCA shortlisted books. In a small school where staff have multiple roles everyone gets involved in reading, listening, talking, performing and participating in events both at school and in the wider community.
Here are some of the events this year:
The Mount Keira Demonstration School community is doing exciting work making reading, books and authors fun and rewarding for kids, and also supporting Australian authors and illustrators, who keep on producing such stimulating works.
And supporting KOALA of course! Thanks, Mount Keira.
Mount Keira Demonstration School is a K to 6 public school in the Illawarra region of NSW. Visit their Library Page to find out more.
We would love to share your story about student reading activities, particularly ideas for incorporating the KOALA Awards or any other promotion of Australian literature. See the contact page for our details.
You can download pdfs of the shortlist posters:
Full Shortlist / Picture Books / Younger Readers / Older Readers / Year 7 to 9
If you would like a larger poster go to the order page for your free A2 COLOUR SHORTLIST POSTER
I have always felt that to do something right you need to concentrate your effort, put your head down and power on. So the thought of taking on KOALA and the PRC always seemed like too much to consider. (I did download all the PRC docs one January in recent years only to leave them untouched – forgotten in the effort to get kids nominating for KOALA.)
Just recently I changed my mind on this in an epiphany moment. A Year 7 boy came to us at the library desperately asking how he could register for the PRC for 2013. He had completed the challenge for seven years in a row at his primary school. So I took the challenge and joined PRC to help him out. Quickly checking the rules I was reminded of the fact that although the PRC runs from 1st March to 1st September each year, participants can start reading in September for the following year’s challenge. Light bulb moment: PRC lists over 7,000 titles; a high proportion of the PRC books are Australian (I’m working on the figures for that); most of the KOALA 2013 shortlisted books are on the PRC lists [here is the KOALA shortlist matched to PRC] ; each year new books are added; and September through to February represent a pretty good window of opportunity for kids to get reading.
So in February they might have some good ideas for KOALA nominations, and in March they can start to record online their reading for PRC. (We also have a DEAR database where our students are encouraged to record their reading.)
The other aspect I had been missing is that when our new Year 7s arrive each year we are completely blind to what they have been reading in primary school. With 230,000 students completing PRC in 2012 we are bound to have a number of these in our intake. What a great opportunity to pick up the ball and encourage that habit of reading at a time when many kids slow down in their reading practice.
The issues and opportunities around using KOALA and PRC to develop young readers, and to highlight Australian literature, will vary from school to school and between levels of schooling. But there is certainly an opportunity or two worth considering.
We would love to hear comments from schools and public libraries who are managing both schemes, or your thoughts and experiences on the opportunities and pitfalls.
The NSW Premier's Reading Challenge
By Marita Thomson, Teacher Librarian, The King’s School, Parramatta.
Download: Years 7 - 9 Shortlist Poster / Full Shorlist Poster (pdf)
Our oldest and boldest shortlist category. Here are some links to help you find out about our ten great finalists. If you are in year 7, 8 or 9 we would love to publish your review.
A Straight line to my Heart by Bill Condon Review at Aussie Reviews
After by Morris Gleitzman Reviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak Feature review in The Guardian
The Phoenix Files: Contact by Chris Morphew Reviewed at My Best Friends Are Books
The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner - Reviewed by Fancy Goods, the blog of Books+Publishing Magazine
Give me Four Reasons by Lizzie Wilcock - A student review on ReadPlus
Grace by Morris Gleitzman Review from a case for books blog
The Invisible Hero by Elizabeth Fensham readingmatters@ssclibrary review
Shift by Em Bailey Read Alert review
Stolen by Lucy Christopher Teen reads review
Download: Older Readers Shortlist Poster / Full Shorlist Poster (pdf)
Investigate the Fiction for Older Readers Shortlist. Your comments and reviews from kids wanted!
26-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton Review & video on 366 Books
Brotherband: The Outcasts by John Flanagan Book Trailer
Con-Nerd by Oliver Phommavanh Review on Alpha Reader
Eric Vale Epic Fail by Michael Gerard Bauer & Joe Bauer Book Trailer by Joe Bauer
The Forgotten Pearl by Belinda Murrell Review on Kids Book Review
Just Doomed! by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton Doomed test & Review on Literary Life
Nanberry: Black Brother White by Jackie French Review on Kids Book Review
Specky Magee and the Best of Oz by Felice Arena & Garry Lyon Reader Reviews from Insideadog
Thai-Riffic by Oliver Phommavanh Review on Momo Celebrating Time to Read
The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow by A.J. Mackinnon Description, extract & video of author
Download: Younger Readers Shortlist Poster / Full Shorlist Poster (pdf)
Here are some links to help you find out more about the ten fiction books for younger readers on this year's KOALA Shortlist.
What do you think of the books on the list? Tell us in the comments below. Better still, if you are a young reader - up to Year 9 - then send us your review to contact@koalansw.org.au and we will put it on the blog.
Alice-Miranda Shows the Way by Jacqueline Harvey Review on ReadPlus blog
Andy Roid and the Field Trip Terror by Felice Arena Review on ReadPlus blog
Billie B. Brown: The Copy Cat Kid by Sally Rippin, illustrated by Aki Fukuoka - Review by The Book Chook
Bungawitta by Emily Rodda, illustrated by Craig Smith Review by NSW Association for Gifted & Talented Children
EJ12 Girl Hero: Pyramid Puzzle by Susannah McFarlane A page of fun & a sample chapter
Our Australian Girl: Meet Nellie by Penny Matthews, illustrated by Lucia Masciullo Read a sample
Our Australian Girl: Meet Rose by Sheryl Clark, illustrated by Lucia Masciullo Read a sample
Pizza Cake by Morris Gleitzman Review on Boomerang Books Blog
Sword Girl: The Siege Scare by Frances Watts, illustrated by Gregory Rogers Frances Watts Guest on Kids Book Review
The Three Doors #1 The Golden Door by Emily Rodda Review & trailer on St Martin of Tours LRC blog
Mr Graham Davey, the YABBA President for more than 20 years, passed away on Thursday 11 April 2013
Graham Davey was a good friend to KOALA over many years. He was a passionate believer in the rights of children to have their say in ‘judging’ what were the best books for them, hence his dedication to YABBA and children’s choice awards in general. He willingly shouldered most of the workload involved in the operation of the REAL Awards involving the children’s choice awards in NSW, ACT and NT as well as VIC but he never claimed any credit for himself or YABBA.
A quick call to Graham was never that – he always had time to chat, discuss problems and share ideas. YABBA and KOALA regularly borrowed ideas from each other and Graham was always generous in sharing the resources created for YABBA. In my time as president of KOALA I had many conversations with Graham about the future direction of children’s choice awards and the creation of a national children’s choice award was one of his dreams.
Our sympathy goes to his family and friends and especially the YABBA team. They will be big shoes for someone to fill.
Val Noake
Past President of KOALA Council
A tribute to Graham Davey from the YABBA Committee
KOALA has been an exciting addition to Library events at St Philomena’s School. Students have been nominating books like crazy! (Seriously, we actually found a book in our post box instead of a nomination form!)
The KOALA book marks have also been a tremendous hit. Both designs are intriguing and fun, and we especially love the one illustrated by Kim Gamble because it can be coloured in!
We have been tying in lots of educational activities in our Library with KOALA, as well. Students have been learning how to identify Australian books in our collection and how a Library and Book Awards can work.
Kristy Moony
Teacher Librarian K - 10
St Philomena's School
Moree
We use KOALA in our school to support and promote local authors, literature, reading and writing. It's an easy way to engage children in the Library. You just set it up and it self promotes.
A kids' choice list is a very powerful way to get reluctant students reading. “Student voice of popular choice can often be more effective than teacher/parent recommendation”.
KOALA gives students the chance to meet popular authors - at the annual awards day - which is great as students then feel more connected to the people who create the books they love. Because students like competitions they understand the value of nominating and voting for their favourite books/authors. The process helps them to see the importance of reading, writing and literature.
Megan Light
K-6 Teacher Librarian
Cranbrook Junior School
(Photos of our 2012 voting promotion)
This is a new blog page for the website where we will publish news, research reports, reports from schools, book reviews - and whatever else comes to our attention which is related to Australian children's literature and children's choice awards.