meeting (kind of) Jackie French, and picking up wonderful quotes, tips and tricks!

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meeting (kind of) Jackie French, and picking up wonderful quotes, tips and tricks!

I recently attended the annual Queensland Childcare Association conference and I was so excited to be going—but my excitement went through the roof when I heard that the keynote speaker was Jackie French, the author of my favourite novel, I think in the world, To Love a Sunburnt Country!

I have always loved Jackie French! Ever since I was little I enjoyed reading—or mainly having read to me—her books. Probably the first one I heard was Stories to Eat with a Blood Plum. I must have been all of three-years-old

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come inside the world of QAGOMA’s collection artists and learn some great new ways to make art

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come inside the world of QAGOMA’s collection artists and learn some great new ways to make art

ages 4 to infinity
Everything leading up to our moving was, as it always is, hectic and messy. We didn’t get to do everything we'd have liked before we left, but we did get to visit GOMA’s 10 year anniversary exhibit.  

GOMA is one of Ivy’s and my favourite places, we miss it. On our last (final) visit, we bought this fantastic book, 10 Ways to Make Art, from the shop:

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Annie Grossman: a passionate bookseller on the books that formed and changed her life

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Annie Grossman: a passionate bookseller on the books that formed and changed her life

Over the years we've bought our Sunshine Coast holiday reading at Annie's Books on Peregian, but we only recently met Annie Grossman in person. It was a real treat!

We were so impressed (charmed actually) by Annie's wit and passion, we asked if she'd share some of her favourite books with us and our readers. And what a great selection! But first, we asked if she would tell us a little about herself:

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12 books for National Reconciliation Week and beyond

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12 books for National Reconciliation Week and beyond

For the last 21 years—between 27 May when the Say Yes referendum was held, and 3 June when the Mabo Land Rights Case was decided—Australia has held a National Reconciliation Week. 

The events of NRW can be a great starting point for conversations about race and reconciliation, and to continue that important work, here are 12 picture books that speak to indigenous life in Australia. These 8 are on my bookshelf now:

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an interesting story about a free black slave owner—and the impact that choices have on the world around us

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an interesting story about a free black slave owner—and the impact that choices have on the world around us

adult fiction
I’ve become fascinated with the history of race relations in the USA. (Actually everywhere, but you’ve got to start somewhere.) So I went hunting for fiction that would make good airplane/road trip reading but still taught me something. And this is what I found. 

The story revolves around Henry Townsend who is a free black farmer and slave owner. (There were actually quite a few free black slave owners but Henry is not an historical figure.) Henry, his former master, his family and slaves have lives that are mingled and intertwined. That mingling is the essence of the story.

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a favourite book to explore night, independence and family life

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a favourite book to explore night, independence and family life

ages 0 to 8 years
Have you ever heard the patter of little feet in the night and found toys and books scattered around the house in the morning? It used to be an almost nightly routine at our place.
In this tender story Hannah wakes and, ‘surprised to find that it was still dark’, discovers that her family is soundly asleep.
She gently finds her way around, pouring milk for her cat, eating cherries without permission, and borrowing some of her sister’s precious possessions.

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