Australia Reads Events

Garth Nix presents his latest novel ‘The Left- handed Booksellers of London’ in conversation with Yasmin Greenhalgh from Stanton Library.
This new fantasy adventure, set in 1980s London follows one girl’s quest to find her father, leading her to a secret society of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World when it disastrously intrudes into the modern world.
Presented in collaboration with NSW Public Libraries.

Support your toddler’s early learning by sharing:
– Active music & songs
– Rhymes
– Toddler Books
– Sensory development

Hear notable authors read sections from their books. Jackie French, James Moloney, Michael Gerard Bauer, Brian Falkner, Allison Rushby, Chris Bongers, Will Kostakis, Dave Lowe, Samantha Wheeler and Sally Rippin.

Meet Fiona McArthur, a renowned rural midwife, as she shares her love of working with women, families and health professionals.
Fiona draws from her medical experience to write a vibrant and charming cast of multigenerational characters, celebrating the power of women working together, and addressing the challenges faced by rural towns from the impact of the drought to the lack of medical resources.
Perfect for fans of Call the Midwife, The Bush Telegraph is a warm and romantic drama about facing your past, fighting for your community, and following your heart.

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

Join us virtually for this special author evening with Mohammed Massoud Morsi for Australia Reads.
Perth based and Egyptian-Danish author Mohammed Massoud Morsi will talk about his journey to Australia, why he started writing fiction instead of journalism and why he wrote his acclaimed novel The Palace of Angels which is set in Palestine and is a trilogy of confronting stories about the people who live and fight for freedom in this warzone.

The session introduces children and caregivers to a wide variety of books. Come and join in with others to enjoy stories, felt, boards books, songs, finger rhymes and craft activities.

Join us for an afternoon tea with bestselling South Australian author Victoria Purman, Friday 6th Nov 2 pm at the Function Room, Clare Town Hall. Victoria will talk about her new book the Women’s pages.
Booking Clare Library 88423817 or email clare.library@plain.sa.gov.au

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

The session introduces children and caregivers to a wide variety of books. Come and join in with others to enjoy stories, felt, boards books, songs, finger rhymes and craft activities.

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

Quotes from books by amazing authors will be read out and we will see which team can identify the authors and titles of the books.
Authors participating : Quiz master: Brian Falkner
Team A – Pamela Rushby, Christine Bongers, Samantha Wheeler
Team B – Michael Gerard Bauer, Will Kostakis, Dave Lowe

Join award winning author and illustrator Mark Wilson on writing and illustrating picture books on historical themes. This will be a free session and aimed at adults interested in writing and/or illustrating.

Mount Gambier Library welcomes children’s illustrator Vaughan Duck to our very special Storytime. After reading his latest children’s picture book, ‘Big Beach BBQ’ we will watch and learn as Vaughan shows us how he does his special drawings. Take home activity provided.
Come dressed in your crazy beach attire.
Booking essential, please call Mount Gambier Library 08 8721 2540

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

The session introduces children and caregivers to a wide variety of books. Come and join in with others to enjoy stories, felt, boards books, songs, finger rhymes and craft activities.

Pre-teen book club

Listen to a group of adult book lovers making recommendations for books to hook kids in. This will include a few bookshops offering their expertise as well as other book lovers.

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

In a virtual event, Australia Reads Ambassadors Jacqueline Harvey and Will Kostakis will discuss the joys of reading, their books, and writing for the young and the young at heart. Jacqueline Harvey (bestselling author of the Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose and Kensy and Max series of books) and Will Kostakis (award-winning author of The Sidekicks, The First Third and the Monuments series) will talk about the importance of reading and why they’re excited to be ambassadors for the program in 2020. They’ll read excerpts from the books they’ve written especially for the Australia Reads campaign before a Q&A focused on all things books and reading. 

Meet the Illustrators with Caroline Magerl, (Nop, Honour Book CBCA 2020 Picture Book of the Year Award) and Anil Tortop, (Bat vs Poss, written by Alexa Moses, CBCA Shortlist Early Childhood) Reading the pictures is as important as reading the words. Find out how they create these pictures.

Head to the library to celebrate all things reading with the Australian Reading Hour.
We’ll have a bit of fun with our quirky quizzes, a bite to eat and then you can relax and digest a good book.
Grab your latest read and make it a date. Bookings essential.
(Please note this event is for adults)
Bookings essential.

BE INSPIRED: Join the Better Reading Kids community at our Facebook Live event on November 11 at 2pm ADST as we catch up with Will Kostakis, (author of The Sidekicks, The First Third and the Monuments series and ambassador for Australia Reads), in conversation with Adrian Beck (author of Kick it to Nick series and the Derek Dool series) . They’ll be chatting about Australia Reads and what they are reading and writing. This is an interactive session and they are looking forward to answering your curly questions about reading, writing and more. Perfect for school groups – no bookings required.

Please join us for a chat with creators Steve Heron and Benjamin Johnston about their gorgeous new book, ‘Ling Li’s Lantern’.
After Ling Li is set a challenge to test her wisdom, she returns from the village marketplace with only a lantern to light her way. How will she prove herself to her father?
This webinar is interactive and best suited to pre-school to Year 2 students. Registration and participation is easy.

Join us for an evening with multi-award-winning author Sofie Laguna and Catherine du Peloux Menagé as they discuss Sofie’s latest novel. Infinite Splendours is an extraordinary novel, incandescent with love and compassion, rich in colour and character.

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

Two amazing historical fiction authors, one evening of fascinating conversation.
A very special event with Gulliver’s Wife author Lauren Chater in conversation with Meg Keneally, author of ‘The Wreck’.
Chater’s works are known for their atmospheric and richly detailed storytelling. ‘Gulliver’s Wife’ is the tale of Mary Burton Gulliver, who must set out on a journey to discover the truth of her husband’s travels, and the landscape of her own heart.
Meg Keneally is the author of ‘The Wreck’ and ‘Fled’, and co-author of the historical crime Monsarrat series, which she writes with her father Tom Keneally.
This author talk is a NSW Public Libraries collaboration. Presented with the support of Simon & Schuster and NSW Public Library Association.

We’re inviting you to share and celebrate the joys of reading for Australia Reads (1-12 November).
Join us for a virtual version of BINGO – everyone’s favourite game of chance, where we can have some fun and share our love of books & reading.
Please join by 11am via the zoom link and have your loud voices at the ready to shout BOOK BINGO!
We will send you a Zoom link prior to the event.
Free but bookings essential.

Would you like to help develop your child’s language and literacy skills?
Listening, understanding, and speaking skills are important for good literacy, and speech pathologists can help parents and carers build the right foundations.
Meet your local speech pathologist and find out more about how you can better support your child’s language and literacy development today. Bookings are essential.

Join with other participants online to bring a play to life. This is your chance to be a star for a day! Take on a character to read aloud.
Five short plays – take a character and play your part to entertain a small audience, then sit back and be entertained as others do the same for you.
Please note, this is an ONLINE EVENT. Once you book in for a session, you will be sent a link to join the session.

Noone said reading had to be quiet and serious! In fact – reading should be fun, wild, imaginative, and why not loud!!
Join a line-up of local Brisbane Children’s Authors in-store at the Mad Hatters Bookshop from 10am and help Australia spread the magic power of books to our youngest generation.

Support your baby’s early learning by sharing:
-Nursery Rhymes
-Music and songs
-Stories and books
-Sensory development

The session introduces children and caregivers to a wide variety of books. Come and join in with others to enjoy stories, felt, boards books, songs, finger rhymes and craft activities.

Join this in conversation event to hear about Anthony Sharwood’s incredible inspiring solo journey through Australian’s toughest and most beautiful hiking trail.We will delve into Anthony’s 500 kilometre solo trek through the iconic Australian Alps during the hellish, fiery summer of 2019/2020.

After months of reading alone it’s time for Victorians to read together!
Join us online for an exclusive reading from The Dressmaker’s Secret, the long-awaited sequel to the best-selling novel and award-winning film, The Dressmaker.
Let author Rosalie Ham bring 1950s Melbourne to life with help from a fabulous supporting cast. See Libbi Gorr, Jacinta Parsons and Brian Nankervis voice the characters you love (and a few new favourites) in this state-wide event hosted by Public Libraries Victoria’s Angela Savage, then stick around to share your thoughts on this new chapter in Tilly’s life.
And don’t forget to dress to impress – wouldn’t Tilly expect it?

As part of the Australia Reads campaign, join others in discussing good reads, favourite reads, ideas of what to read next and your general love of reading.

Join Richard Fidler in conversation with Michaela Kalowski as he talks about the history of one of Europes most beautiful and mysterious cities: Prague.

Join us for an evening with General Sir Peter Cosgrove in conversation with Richard Glover, discussing his new memoir You Shouldn’t Have Joined…