We’ve finally on facebook and news about the children’s writers and illustrators sharing information and friendship is easily available now. Come and have a look.
SCBWI has conferences, meetings, networks, lots of comraderie across Australia and New Zealand.
SCBWI Australia and New Zealand supports :-
National Year of Reading where SCBWI leaders Frane Lessac, Hazel Edwards, Deb Abela, Christopher Cheng and I are ambassadors www.love2read.org
Room to Read bringing education to the children of the developing world www.roomtoread.org
SCBWI is lead by:-
Frane Lessac Illustrator Coordinator
Corrine Fenton in Victoria and Tasmania
Dianne Wolfer in WA
Sheryl Gywther, Prue Mason. Tina Marie Clark, Pamela Rusby in Queensland
Frances Plumpton in New Zealand
Amanda Graham in SA
Susanne Gervay in NSW, ACT and Australia
Christopher in Australia and on the international board
www.scbwiaustralia.org
One of my favourite photos of 2011
Order of Australia OAM Susanne Gervay
is when the Governor Professor Bashir, the first woman to be appointed Governor of New South Wales, presented me with an Order 0f Australia (OAM) for children’s literature and other associations at Government House
Dr Bashir is a leading light in children’s services, psychiatry and mental health services, and indigenous health programs. and when appointed was Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney ; Area Director of Mental Health Services Central Sydney ; and Senior Consultant to the Aboriginal Medical Service, Redfern and to the Aboriginal Medical Service, Kempsey.
She is patron of the Children’s Book Council. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1988 for her services to child and adolescent health; and was invested by Her Majesty, the Queen, with the insignia of a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 2006.
Plunkett Street Public School, Books in Homes, Susanne Gervay Role Model author for Books in Homes
This was one of the special experiences as an author. The privilege of going to this small inner city school in the heart of the Housing Commission was inspiring.
The amazing principal Mr Moran has brought community, teachers, children together in an environment of learning and love. Every child was celebrated. Every teacher was celebrated. Every community supporter was celebrated.
Police officers, the pastor from the local Baptist Church, Head of Distance Education, Macquarie Bank – everyone from local people to corporates were there contibuting to these young people’s future.
As a role model author for Books in Homes, I had the pleasure of handing out books to the children so that reading would be part of their lives.
As an Ambassador for the National Year of Reading, I had the opportunity to share books. It was my pleasure to donate a class set of ‘I AM JACK’ to the school.
Thankyou Plunkett Street Public School.
“* This hopeful, heartfelt novel will give teens an understanding of what it means to have a reason to be self-conscious. Librarians won’t be able to keep it on the shelf.” - School Library Journal (Starred Review)
‘Heart wrenching and beautiful are the two words that immediately came to mind as I read “Butterflies’ …
Gervay paints a picture of Katherine as she grows and changes allowing the reader to believe in her as a real person. Unlike other teen angst books, Katherine does not dwell in her angst, but moves beyond it and chooses to leave the misery and find joy in her daily life.
Gervay allows Katherine to win at the end- not because she suddenly becomes amazingly beautiful, but because she always was beautiful and knew that within herself.
…. Kudos to Gervay for painting the reader a picture of a self-reliant teen girl who does not depend on a boy to make herself feel valuable. Highly recommended for libraries- school, public and personal- who want to add to their girl power collections.” -
SWON Libraries Royal Reviews; http://www.swonlibraries.org/royal-reviews?a=dr&id=6255
Thankyou to the kids and teachers of Central Coast Adventist School for loving I Am Jack and my JACKS!
‘I Am Jack’ is a core study at the Adventist School for a term. As I entered the library, it felt like I was welcomed by friends. The warmth of the kids and teachers was a special way to end nearly 2 months on this Book writing tour.
It was so much fun driving with my daughter Tory from Sydney to the Central Coast especially since my GPS went crazy.
We ended up at this Buddhist Cafe and gallery set amongst rolling hills and the green countryside. Beautiful. Then I got to speak to this fantastic kids on their last day before school holidays.
As an ambassador for the National Year of Reading 2012, love speaking to kids and promoting books – next year is going to be a major one – log onto and have fun:- www.love2read.org.au
We’ve finally on facebook and news about the children’s writers and illustrators sharing information and friendship is easily available now. Come and have a look.
