Author and illustrator: Anna Walker

On Friday of Book Week, our Prep – Year 2 students are eagerly looking forward to a visit by the very talented picture book author and illustrator, Anna Walker. We have been reading, enjoying and discussing some of Anna’s picture books as well as watching the book trailers she has made about her books. Anna taught herself how to make stop motion animation and she explains how she made Mr Huff HERE. We are beginning to recognise Anna’s style of illustration and we are very impressed with how patient and particular she is when creating her illustrations. We have also been doing some art work for Anna’s visit and we can’t wait to meet Anna in our library next Friday!

If you have one of Anna’s books you are welcome to bring it along on Friday for Anna to sign for you!

These are book trailers Anna has made for her books Peggy, Mr Huff and Florette.

We also enjoyed seeing Anna’s cosy studio where she creates her picture books!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Illustrated Edition

Some Year 5 students were excited to see that our copy of the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has arrived in our library! 

Imagine illustrating the famous and much loved story of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Every reader has their own pictures of characters and places in their head or images from the movie. Jim Kay, a famous children’s illustrator from North Hampshire in the United Kingdom has taken up the HUGE challenge and has done an amazing job reimagining the characters and the wizarding world of Harry Potter for us to enjoy all over again!

On the back cover of the dust jacket, J.K. Rowling has given her seal of approval…

“Seeing Jim Kay’s illustrations moved me profoundly. I love his interpretation of Harry Potter’s world, and I feel honoured and grateful he has lent his talent to it”.

The exciting news is that Jim Kay will be illustrating all of the Harry Potter books!

Watch the video of Jim Kay in his studio as he shares how nature influences his work and how creating models helps him with his illustrations. If you want to find out more where Jim got his ideas for drawing the characters in Harry Potter then read his interview HERE. It is also fascinating to read how Jim Kay has included so much from his own life in his illustrations.

This is definitely a book to put on your Christmas Wish List!

Children’s Book Festival 2015

The Children’s Book Festival is on Sunday, March 22nd at the State Library and the Wheeler Centre…

The Children’s Book Festival is a fabulous and fun day of celebrating books and reading with your family! Click HERE to find out more and to download the program.

You can meet your favourite authors and illustrators − including Shaun Tan, Gabrielle Wang, Andrew Joyner, Ursula Dubosarsky, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton and even more authors and illustrators. There are storytellers, musical acts and performers of all sorts to discover. Grab a book from the picnic library and sink into a beanbag. Help create a giant book that will become a memento of the day and drop by the Children’s Book Festival Monster Marquee, where you can make your own horns to wear all day long.

Warning – bookings required!

All events are free but bookings are required for Meet the Author and Illustrator sessions with Tristan Bancks, Hazel Edwards, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, Oliver Phommavanh, Shaun Tan and Gabrielle Wang. Tickets will be available from Wednesday, March 11th at the Wheeler Centre

Kim Gamble illustrates a scene from “Tashi and the Golem”

Last term the Year Three classes really enjoyed listening to the Tashi stories written by Anna and Barbara Fienberg and illustrated by Kim Gamble. This video is a wonderful insight into how Kim creates his illustrations using chalk pastels (instead of water colour paint).  I’m sure there will be some students wanting to try this for themselves…

Other exciting news is that there is a new Tashi book coming out in November!  It is going to be a full colour picture book called

“Once Tashi Met a Dragon”.  

Click HERE for a sneak preview

Horrible Harriet’s Inheritance by Leigh Hobbs

At long last we have another adventure for Horrible Harriet!  This time Harriet has her very own novel called Horrible Harriet’s Inheritance.

Not for the squeamish, nor for the weak.
You’ll not find it here, if  a fairy story you seek.

Horrible Harriet needs to find the names of any royal ancestors in her family tree so she can claim her royal inheritance.  A mysterious chest with the initials H.R.H.H.H arrives on her doorstep.   Inside its dusty darkness Harriet discovers photos of some rather unusual royal ancestors including  Queen Harrietabanana,  Harrizabethe the Fourth, Queen Numee Poowah, Victorious Valerie the Viking Invader and even Dracularriet.  It’s amazing how much Harriet looks like her ancestors!

Leigh Hobbs has had lots of fun drawing Harriet’s ancestors and Harriet herself has had a ball writing her own book, complete with some of her very own poetry.  If you are a fan of Leigh Hobbs then YOU are going to have lots of fun reading this book!