Category: reflection

Melbourne Writers Festival Today

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We saw three authors speak today and each had something valuable to say. The first up was Maureen McCarthy, then Greg Pyers and finally Brigid Lowry. I thoroughly enjoyed the balmy spring day in the city with some of my favourite ‘book worm’ students.

Maureen McCarthy
Maureen McCarthy has written a number of books and I have read Queen Kat, Carmel & St Jude Get A Life and enjoyed the TV series. After hearing her speak today, I can’t wait to read her latest Rose by Any Other Name. It sounds great. I loved it when she said she doesn’t write for teenagers and I got the impression she doesn’t think of people in terms of age. I enjoyed her talk very much and she described her writing process in an exciting way. The students enjoyed her talk too. She was a confident speaker who was easy to listen to.

Greg Pyers
Greg Pyers had the most challenging session. We were in a dark room, just before lunch and it was very warm. It was difficult to stay focused as he read to us from his latest fiction novel, Jack Brown. He described his journey to writing and gave the students good advice. He has written a great deal, mainly non-fiction. I found his slides and discussion about Jersey quite interesting.

Brigid Lowry
Juicy Writing with Brigid Lowry delivered everything it promised with such a luscious title. She spoke with passion and read some great writing to us. I got quite watery in the eyes by a piece she wrote about a mother reflecting on her son’s impending independence. I am sorry I didn’t have the time and presence of mind to ask where I could get it. I am not even sure who wrote it, but I suspect she did. I have spent the weekend reading her latest book Tomorrow all will be Beautiful and have found what I have read so far poignant and touching. It is truly juicy.I will get my hands on Guitar Highway Rose as soon as possible too. The students thoroughly enjoyed her talk and she was honest and helpful in the information she passed on.

‘To the Boy in Berlin’ by Elizabeth Honey and Heike Brandt

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‘To the Boy in Berlin‘ was shortlisted for the CBCA Awards Younger Readers category. Elizabeth Honey teams up with Heike Brandt to create a compassionate and tolerant duo of mystery solvers. The characters based in Australia and Germany email one another to satisfy the curiosity of Henni who has found some old things and began asking questions about the past. The kids share their current lives and the uncovering of the past. In usual Elizabeth Honey style the characters are powerful, proactive young people who use their resources and their communities to get their mission accomplished. It is also a very funny read.
Elizabeth Honey’s Books
The character Henni, was earlier seen in the Stella Street books, which are among my favourite kids books. ‘Remote Man‘ has been taught at our school to year 7 students and although I have read it to classes for over 7 years, I still get fresh insights from it. I enjoy the way Elizabeth Honey’s characters use technology in empowering and positive ways. I love that they overcome distance to learn from kids in other countries. I always laugh and smile along the way.
Melbourne Writers Festival
Heike Brandt and Elizabeth Honey are at the ‘Melbourne Writers Festival Schools Program’ tomorrow, as well as at other events, but they are speaking at the grade 5/6 level. I won’t get to listen, but I would love to hear about their processes. Heike Brandt is a German author/translator, among other things, so their work would have been a great collaboration just like the characters in Honey’s books. They write about their exchanges at the end of the book.

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