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Room to Read -  giving children in developing countries in Asia and Africa have access to schools, libraries, books and literacy instruction.

Booktober celebrations in Sydney with Berkelouw events and booksignings with writer ambassadors for Room to Read – watch out for Deb Abela and me  10am-12.30 am  Saturday 26^th October at B erkelouw’s bookshop Paddington.  During ‘Booktober’, it would be great if could ‘like’ and ‘retweet’ Room to Read and spread the word:-

“Like” Room to Read Australia on Facebook / http://www.facebook.com/roomtoreadaustralia

•  “Follow” Room to Read Australia on Twitter / (http://Twitter.com/RoomtoRead_Oz)

 Berkelouw Booktober  – Writer Ambassadors’ e vent Schedule

Saturday October 26, 10.30am to 12pm at various Sydney locations. Authors will speak at 11am. 

Deborah Abela and Susanne Gervay at Berkelouw Paddington
19 Oxford Street, Paddington (9360 3200)

Pamela Cook at Berkelouw Cronulla

29 Cronulla Street, Cronulla (9544 4790)

Sarah Davis at Berkelouw Leichhardt
70 Norton Street, Leichhardt (9560 3200)

Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell at Berkelouw Balgowlah
24/215 Condamine St, Balgowlah  (9948 1133)

James Knight at Berkelouw Rose Bay
708 New South Head Rd, Rose Bay (9371 5500)

John Larkin at Berkelouw Dee Why

3/11 Howard Avenue, Dee Why (9982 3568)

Oliver Phommavanh at Berkelouw Mona Vale

12/14 Park Street, Mona Vale  (9979 2112)

The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators SCBWI Australia and new Zealand endorses Room to Read

www.berkelouw.com.au 

The post Celebrate ~ Room to Read’s Booktober with Berkelouw Books all across Sydney appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

It was exciting seeing the young intern who started working at the NSW Writers Centre emerge as the new Director of the Emerging Writers Festival in Melbourne.

Sam worked with me on the Kids and Young Adult Literature Festival – he was great.

The EWF is doing amazing things from the festival to the wellness retreat for writers – love to go there.

I joined authors Paul Collins and Meredith Costain and George Ivanoff.

Congratulations Sam Twyford-Moore!

This was a welcome party amidst the hectic schedule of talks and interviews for ‘Gracie and Josh’ partnering with Variety the children’s charity

What’s Melbourne mean to me?

The city of literature.

Brilliant creative friends

My welcoming publishers – Lisa Berryman from HarperCollins – thankyou for a great dinner

Paul Collins from Fort Street Publishing – thankyou for your hospitality

Hazel Edwards who gave such a beautiful launch speech for ‘Gracie and Josh’.

Thankyou to the fabulous authors and illustrators who came along to the launch on a long weekend

Special thanks to Meredith Costain and Niki Horin for the editorial inspiration for ‘Gracie and Josh’

Serena Geddes – what can I say? She captured the joy of Gracie and Josh who jump from the pages of the book.

VARIETY the children’s charity – I love VARIETY and Kathryn the marketing manager for Variety Victoria gave such a special speech about helping kids – ‘Gracie and Josh’ is helping them too.

Excited to catch up with the talented Jen McVeity -and hear her Highlighting Writing tours.

Corrine Fenton – the award winning picture book author who leads SCBWI Victoria – love what you are doing for kids writers and illustrators in Victoria – the retreat sounds amazing

…..  so many friends …. radio interviews especially loved being in the ABC Tardis ……and so much more!!!!!

The rain poured, Sydney was brooding, but the launch of Gracie and Josh was a total joy.

Paul MacDonld from The Children’s Bookshop, VARIETY the children’s charity, Meredith Costain from Ford Street Publishing and an enthusiastic crowd welcomed ‘Gracie and Josh’ into the world.

I couldn’t believe it when Jodie Wells Slowgrove and Vicki Stanton and others braved the weater to drive hours from Woollongong to this event.

People came from fare and wide:-

Sharon Rundle, Christie Lamb and one of my favourite fans – the wonderful girl Nina Lamb – came from the Central Coast.

Loved poet Beverely George , award winning illustrator Sarah Davis and Nikau – gosh I couldn’t believe that she already a teen. – also from the Central Coast.

The award winning Libby Gleeson, Sue Murray playwright from School Magazine, Rachel Greenwood editor of the CBCA magazine and so many people piled into the Children’s Bookshop.

Serena Geddes and I shared the very special journey of creating our picture book ‘Gracie and Josh’ -

where we celebrated children and families who faced illness through the joy of words and colour.

Deeply personal, ‘Gracie and Josh’ is our public testament to the resilience and courage and love of children.

 We were privileged to partner with Variety the children’s charity in ‘Gracie and Josh’ – www.variety.org.au

Variety the children’s charity helps children with special needs, illness and disadvantage.

Variety also supports the families

Variety provides $1 million per month to kids’ hospitals, kids & families.

‘Gracie and Josh’ has partnered with VARIETY with the power of story.

I am very proud of this.

Launches are:-

9.45 am 1st March Children’s Bookshop 8 Hannah St Beecroft Sydney

1 p.m. 9th March Richmond Library415 Church St Richmond.

Jenny Mounfield reviews:-

‘My name is Gracie. Today, I’m a squiggly black spider.

My brother Josh helps me make my spider legs. They look like fat sausages.

Josh gives me his wooly black beanie. His favourite one has green stripes.’

Josh is going to be a famous movie-maker. Dressed in her spider costume, Gracie is starring in her brother’s first film. The only thing to mar this perfect picture of childhood is Josh’s cancer.

It isn’t often—if ever—that a picture book has the power to bring a lump to my throat. This one did it for me. Endorsed by Variety the children’s charity, Gracie and Josh is not a story about fighting a life-threatening disease; it’s a story about life and living—and milking every drop from every minute we have been given. This is a profound lesson for us all. Sadly, the world is filled with children like Gracie and Josh. Every one of them is undoubtedly a hero.

Gracie and Josh by Susanne Gervay & Serena Geddes

Ford Street Publishing; PB—5+ Price: AUD HC $26.95 PB $16.95

ISBN: HC 9781921665844 PB 9781921665851

Reviewer: Jenny Mounfield

My  daughter inspired the character Gracie Spider – here she is in her spider dress-up.

www.variety.org.au

Do I love Beecroft Bookshop!

YES!

Is Paul MacDonald, owner of the Bookshop a passionate advocate of kids’ books?

YES!

Did I enjoy speaking to kids and parents about writing at the Bookshop?

YES!

Did I love sharing with Paul, my beautiful picture book illustrated by the talented illustrator Serena Geddes?

YES!

Had a great morning there.  Beecroft Bookshop is launching Gracie and Josh which is endorsed by the wonderful VARIETY, the children’s charity, on 1st March 2013.

How cute is Tory, my daughter?  Here she is dressed as a spider – secretly she wanted to be a princess.

Tory climbed that spout when the sun dried up all the rain.

She is the sun!!!!

Like so many kids, who meet challenges, they find the gifts of every day life.

I wrote Gracie and Josh because my son and daughter played, supported each other, teased and loved when life was difficult.

Kids have an enormous capacity of hope.

Variety  support kids and families, especially those facing challenges.

Variety help so many schools providing wheelchairs, special equipment, bringing entertainment and joy to kids.

The cutest Gracie Spider will be available with the 1st print run coming out in March 2013 by Ford St Publishing Australia.

I LOVE Variety the children’s charity that embraces fun, kids and supports kids and families who face disadvantage and/or disability.

Luna Park was the ‘fun-est’ place to celebrate the Melbourne Cup in Sydney.

Serena illustrated for the kids and I played with them – they are so sweet. Loved them.

Serena Geddes and I are creating a beautiful picture book which is endorsed by VARIETY

-called ‘Gracie and Josh’ to be published by Ford Street Publishing celebrating kids who ‘seize the day’ despite sickness and challenges.

We got to see big people too like the fantastic VARIETY team including David Small the ED, Gracie Proust Marketing and Brooke Taylor.

…… and very big people like Sheila Blige – who wasn’t a drag!

…..and Glen Wheeler TV personality with the secret RED shoes.