It’s been a big few months
Back-handing the beagle at Story Arts Festival Ipswich (photos courtesy of Aspire Photographics)
It’s been bigger than Proust’s rememberances. Bigger than Rapunzel’s shampoo bill. Bigger than Pinocchio’s nose if they’d ever made lying an Olympic sport.
Yes, it’s been Book Week. Man, I love it, but each year it just keeps getting bigger.
Ostensibly a 7-day celebration of children’s literature in August, CBCA’s Book Week has grown like Topsy into the busiest term of the year for writers, illustrators and those unsung heroes of all things literary, the wonderful teachers and librarians who tirelessly promote reading and writing in our schools.
[image error]I started Author Visits for Book Week back in July and just finished my last one yesterday – that’s a couple of dozen schools and a couple of thousand kids who’ve met me, my books and my dog in the last couple of months.
(Yes, Huggy usually manages to put in an appearance on power point; he is, after all, a most inspiring character!)
And that’s what it’s all about: getting kids enthused about reading and writing. Putting books in their hands that open their minds, spark their imaginations and make them think.
It’s a fun gig, one I’m lucky to have. But now it’s time to rest the voice, plant the birkis firmly on the floor under the desk and get back to finishing my next book (which will give me something new to talk about next year!)
