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Sooooo much happening – August is when kids’ authors & illustrators are on the move – across Australia – speaking at schools, events and spreading the LOVE of books.

Monkey Baa Theatre is putting on a week of I AM JACK at Darling Quarter Theatre – nearly full houses, but this year I can’t do the post play Q & A as I’ll be speaking at schools. I love doing those Q & A’s with Tim McGarry.

There’s the Benefit for ROOM TO READ – reaching more than 9 millions kids in Asia and Africa. They won’t be all at the Benefit Sat 23 August – ha – but all funds go to building schools and literacy programmes and books.

Launch of my 4th and final BEING JACK – the 15 year journey creating the I AM JACK series.

Treat yourself and see the many amazing authors and illustrators in your schools and bookshops, libraries and events!

CELEBRATE BOOKS & READING!

MonkeyBaa Theatre – www.monkeybaa.com.au

Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org

BOOKINGS for 5 p.m. Sat 23 August. All funds go to Room to Read: monkeybaa.com.au/show/jack-room-read-fundraiser/

The post BOOK WEEK~ Monkey Baa Theatre’s I Am Jack~ Launch of BEING JACK at ROOM to READ BENEFIT appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

Mozart wears ear muffs and slippers. Ha?

Mozart plays the piano backwards. Ha?

Mozart wrote his first musical score at 4. Ha?

Mozart’s a GENIUS and composed Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Did he?

The brilliant directors of Monkey Baa Theatre – Eva di Cesare and Tim McGarry (of ‘I Am Jack’ fame) with the gifted pianist Simon Tedeschi wrote the BABIES PROM.

The audience was babies to littlies under 5 years old and it was gorgeous as they were transfixed by the show, the music and the hilarity of it.

Of course they all twinkled with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star created by Mozart.

Simon Tedeschi who played Mozart was hilarious.

Fabulous – take your kids and they’ll start the wonderful journey of classical music.

The post Babies twinkle at Mozart’s Babies Prom with brilliant Simon Tedeschi and Monkey Baa Directors appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

Montessori is one of those beautiful philosophies that centre on the child.

Morris Gleitzman. Oliver Phommavanh, Aleesah Darlison and many more.

Ist May – I’ll be there Thursday sharing all my books from Gracie and Josh (Ford St) to my I AM JACK series to young adult books – Butterflies and That’s Why i Wrote This Song.

Friday the fabulous Tim McGarry and I will be in conversation about the theatrical adaptation of I AM JACK  which will be performed for BOOK WEEK – 18-22nd August at Darling Quarter Theatre:-

www.monkeybaa.com.au

The kids and teachers and parents are beautiful in a rustic style school in Sydney’s South.

The Children’s Bookshop Beecroft is the bookseller.

Come along: Montessori Literature Festival Bookings – email: Deborah Browne Festival Director at – [email protected]

ph: 9526 3000

The post Everyone Welcome to Sydney’s Montessori Literature festival ~ 30 April to 2nd May! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

My last author talks are in Los Angeles and it has been fabulous – great kids, with insightful questions; great teachers and special thankyou to the beautiful welcome by the Principal of Tulita Elementary School Redondo California.

Hi to IKE who has great humour.

Malik who’s a great I AM JACK fan – loved sharing JACK with you at Playa Vista Elementary School, Playa Vista California.

Meanwhile Monkey Baa Theatre is continuing its hugely successful tour of the play I AM JACK across the USA.

Great performances by Tim McGarry!!

I’ll be home in 2 days – what abuzz!  Thankyou to the consultants from my publisher Kane Miller Books for hosting me.

The post Farewell to the USA – a special hi to Malik & IKE!!! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

What a trip – the love, engagement, enthusiasm of thousands of US kids for I AM JACK has been extraordinary.

Tim McGarry who plays 11 characters from JACK to wobbly Nanna to 11 year old Anna …. and more makes you believe he’s all of them.

Sam Johnston, stage manager puts the stage together and all those tech parts – fantastic.

It’s a love fest across the USA and a huge anti bullying campaign with heaps of media.

I have been privileged to do the post show Q & A and media with Tim in Las Vegas at the fabulous Smith Center for performing Arts.

The post Monkey Baa Theatre’s I AM JACK Wows USA appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

It’s the start of 2014 & it’s drop in time before the crazy life of writing tours, events, festivals , school visits, media …. start seriously.

Where’s the drop in centre? You guessed it -The Hughenden.

I loved catching up with:-

-the award winning Albany (WA) Dianne Wolfer whose Lighthouse Girl (Fremantle Press) is a best seller!

- Monica Lizama the Chilean-Australian writer who dresses up as her character PAWS!

- Jennie Orchard with Margaret Wilcox from Room to Read who are developing the Writer Ambassador programme to raise awareness of the need to educate the kids of Asaa and Africa. SCBWI is on board with lots of our authors taking on the role of ambassadors.

- Libby Hathorn dropping in with her poetry books and she’s got a new book coming out with HarperCollins on ANZACS.

- Chris Cheng with Bini getting ready to head off to New York for the SCBWI Conference and then Bologna Book Fair  …. and other favourite creators!

Nearly ready to hit Las Vegas for the I AM JACK season at the Smith Center of performing Arts!

I’m staying at the EXCALIBUR HOTEL, so getting into princess gear … their could be some princes there. or toads!

The post Love, love, love the community of kids’ books!!! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

Is this the way to start the New Year?

My VIP list:-

-  get organised for the LAS VEGAS trip where I AM JACK is being performed!

(LOVE Monkey Baa Theatre  www.monkeybaa.com.au)

- finalise the author tour on the West Coast USA.

- seriously organised the SCBWI International Conference 13-16th July at The Hughenden!

- work out the SCBWI website www.australiaeastnz.scbwi.org

-  edit my BEING JACK – where Jack goes from victim to victor to someone who stands beside his mate & family – I LOVE Jack because he’s like all the boys we know – the funny, real, good bits.

And it’s late ….. I’m pooped … and going to join this puppy.

The post From Las Vegas to Pooped! appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.