Tag Archives: author interview

Let’s meet courageous, creative Claudette by Helene Magisson – #readilearn

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Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Claudette, the beautiful new picture book written and illustrated by Helene Magisson, published by Red Paper Kite. While Helene has illustrated many other picture books, this is the first that she has both written and illustrated.

I have previously introduced you to Helene’s gorgeous artwork when interviewing her about Magic Fish Dreaming, a collection of poems by June Perkins and Sarah’s Two Nativities by Janine M Fraser. Please refer back to those posts to find out more about her beautiful artwork.

About Helene Magisson

Helene Magisson is an award-winning illustrator. She started her artistic career as a painting restorer in Paris, where she was also trained in the art of medieval illumination.
Helene has lived in Africa, France and India. She is now settled down in Australia with her family. She has illustrated more than 15 books and has collaborated with major Australian publishers.
Recent awards include:
• Claudette, her first book as an author-illustrator, has been longlisted in the Australia Books Industry Awards 2021
• Little Puggle’s Song written by Vikki Conley, CBCA 2020 Notable Picture Book of the Year
• Slowly! Slowly! written by T.M. Clark, CBCA 2018 Notable Picture Book of the Year

About Claudette 

Loutka is a brilliant puppet maker. All of his creations work perfectly, just as he expects them to. Except for Claudette. She is a rickety misfit who longs for freedom and adventure. What can be done with such a puppet? Loutka doesn’t know.
So Claudette stays on the shelf. Until one incredible day…

Claudette takes the reader on a courageous and magical adventure beyond the clouds, discovering the power of beauty, possibility and self-worth along the way.

‘A book infused with magic!’ – Megan Daley, Children’s Books Daily

Longlisted in the Australia Books Industry Awards 2021

The Interview

Helene, we’ve met you before as an illustrator of beautiful picture books. Now we are talking to you as an author-illustrator.

What gave you the idea for this delightful story of the extraordinary puppet Claudette?

Continue reading: Let’s meet courageous, creative Claudette by Helene Magisson – Readilearn

interview with Brooke Graham author of Go Away, Worry Monster

Go Away, Worry Monster! — Interview with Brooke Graham #readilearn

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It is not uncommon for children to experience some level of anxiety or worry when beginning a new school year or starting at a new school. Many adults experience it too when faced with a new situation. It is important to keep the worries in perspective to avoid having them grow uncontrollably until they take on monster proportions.

Today I am interviewing Brooke Graham, author of a beautiful new picture book called Go Away, Worry Monster! that is not only a tool for discussing these worries with children but also shares strategies they can use independently to chase those worry monsters away.

About the author Brooke Graham

Brooke Graham author of Go Away Worry Monster

Brooke Graham is a children’s author, primary school teacher and mother. She enjoys writing emotive stories that help children cope with life’s ups and downs. Brooke is a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), The Australian Society of Authors, and Write Links, a Brisbane based writers’ group. Brooke teaches in primary schools part-time. She also does author visits in schools and kindergartens. In her spare time Brooke enjoys reading, bike riding, bush walking and spending time with family and friends.

About the book Go Away, Worry Monster!

Go Away Worry Monster, a picture book by Brooke Graham

Worry Monster loves ‘helping’ Archie worry, especially on the night before he starts at a new school. Archie feels so anxious that his head hurts, his tummy flutters and his heart pounds. He soon realizes that the only way to feel better is to make Worry Monster go away. He does his belly breaths and challenges his inner fears by facing facts, and Worry Monster is forced to leave Archie alone! Go Away, Worry Monster! gives children useful strategies to cope with their anxieties and stress, showing them how to make their own Worry Monsters leave, even in highly stressful times.

What I like about Go Away, Worry Monster!

Continue reading: Go Away, Worry Monster – Interview with Brooke Graham – readilearn

Creating a positive future with Ethicool books

Creating a Positive Future with Ethicool Books – #readilearn

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Today I am delighted to introduce you to a new publishing company Ethicool Books.

When I first heard about Ethicool Books, I was intrigued by the name and the play on words. When I delved a little further into their website, I was delighted to find what they were aiming to do.

The statement on their homepage says,

“Hi! we’re Ethicool. We publish remarkable children’s books about the world’s big issues, encouraging kids to make a positive change.”

I couldn’t find anything to argue with there. Or anywhere, in fact.

About Ethicool Books

Ethicool Books aims to encourage parents to engage children in discussions about issues such as climate change, ocean pollution, poverty and gender equality through stories told in their beautiful picture books.

© Stuart French and Teigan Margetts

As parents themselves, Stuart French and Teigan Margetts, the founders of Ethicool Books, realised the powerful role that parents have in educating their children for a positive future.

“Our little ones have the opportunity to create a different world, right from the ground up. The future is in their hands and if we give them the gift of knowledge and the inspiration to take action, they can create the world of their dreams.”

Ethicool Books.

But Ethicool Books are not only words. They are action also. They have partnered with 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of all book sales to that organisation. They are also eco-conscious and use soy inks in the printing process. You can read a little more about that here.

The Interview

Today, I have the great pleasure of introducing you to Stuart French, co-founder of Ethicool Books and author of the best-selling picture book Remembering Mother Nature.

Continue reading: Creating a Positive Future with Ethicool Books – readilearn

Develop your Kindness Superpower with Super Nicholas

Develop your Kindness Superpower with Super Nicholas by Michelle Worthington

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Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Michelle Worthington, Australian author with many successful picture books to her credit.

I previously introduced you to some of Michelle’s work when I interviewed Katrin Dreiling, illustrator of Michelle’s fun story The World’s Worst Pirate.

Today we are discussing her beautiful picture book Super Nicholas which presents alternate abilities in a compassionate way that promotes kindness.

About Michelle Worthington

© Michelle Worthington

Michelle Worthington is an award-winning children’s author and international guest speaker on the power of storytelling. A full-time fiction writer based in Brisbane, Michelle credits her three sons for giving her an endless source of inspiration, as well as her wrinkles.
Michelle is dedicated to encouraging a strong love of reading and writing in young children and enjoys working with charities that support the vision of empowering youth through education. As a mentor and editor, she helps aspiring authors find pathways to publication and enjoys working as part of a team in projects that are purposeful, innovative and inspirational.

About Super Nicholas

When a little boy with alternate abilities is born into a family of super heroes, it can be tough to make everyone happy. Nicholas has a heart as big as the sun and he can shine just as bright, even without super strength, super speed or being able to fly. His superpower is kindness and when it comes time to save the day, it’s the most powerful of them all.

What I like about Super Nicholas

Promoting kindness is one of our key values here at readilearn  and many resources can be found in our collection focusing on friendship skills.

One of the things I really appreciate about Super Nicholas is that it challenges the superhero stereotype and suggests to children that showing kindness to others can be the most effective superpower.

It also shows the importance of accepting and appreciating differences in others, as well as ourselves. Stories like this have an important place in every home, school and library collection and I am happy to recommend Super Nicholas to you. Most of us feel a little different from those around us at times and all of us will find something to love in Super Nicholas.

The Interview

Michelle, you are a prolific and accomplished children’s author. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I have always made up stories in my head but I wasn’t very good at writing them down. I am not very good at spelling and I was too scared to make a mistake, so I didn’t write any of them down until I was in Grade 5. My Grade 5 teacher encouraged me to start with writing poetry to get my confidence up and I started writing from then and have never stopped!

Continue reading: Develop your Kindness Superpower with Super Nicholas by Michelle Worthington – readilearn

interview with Caroline Tuohey author of Skadoodle & Snug's Magnificent Plan

Meet Caroline Tuohey author of Skadoodle & Snug’s Magnificent Plan – #readilearn

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Today it is my pleasure to introduce you to Caroline Tuohey author of the delightful picture book Skadoodle and Snug’s Magnificent Plan.

I previously introduced you to some of Caroline’s work when I interviewed illustrator Muza Ulasowski about another of Caroline’s beautiful books Forest Wonder. But today we are talking about the adorable Skadoodle and Snug.

About Caroline Tuohey

© Caroline Tuohey

Caroline Tuohey is a children’s writer and poet whose main interest is picture books.  She has five published picture books in print with a sixth due out with Ford Street Publishing in October 2020.  She has also been published in children’s literature magazines in Australia and Ireland as well as in anthologies and poetry sites online.  She enjoys holding story time sessions at libraries, schools and preschools and conducts workshops for both school students and adults.  Her other interest is bush poetry – which she writes and performs.  She lives on a farm in the Riverina region of New South Wales, with her husband, two children, several dogs and a horse or two.

About Skadoodle and Snug’s Magnificent Plan

Continue reading:  Meet Caroline Tuohey author of Skadoodle & Snug’s Magnificent Plan – readilearn

interview with Wendy Haynes author of Hayden's Bedtime

Interview with Wendy Haynes, author of Hayden’s Bedtime #booksontourpr – #readilearn

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Today, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Wendy Haynes and her delightful new picture book Hayden’s Bedtime as part of the Books on Tour promotion.

About Wendy Haynes

Wendy Haynes has completed a Diploma in Creative Writing at Southern Cross University. Her writing focuses on middle-grade fantasy, historical, and contemporary stories for children, picture books, junior fiction, and YA. She believes that having a regular writing practice, and understand the device at your disposal, is the key to not only completing a story but in building the skills required to produce a worthy manuscript.

About Hayden’s Bedtime

What parent of a young child hasn’t had to perform a bedtime ritual to get the child into bed and off to sleep? Hayden’s Dad is no different as he checks every corner, every nook and cranny to ensure there is nothing lurking in the bedroom. All he finds are everyday things like building blocks and smelly socks, toy cars and chewed up gum. When the child is satisfied that all is safe, Dad reads a story and the child settles down for a good night’s sleep.

Why I like this book:

Continue reading: Interview with Wendy Haynes, author of Hayden’s Bedtime #booksontourpr – readilearn

Raymund and the Fear Monster by Megan Higginson

Fighting the Fear Monster – reblogged from readilearn

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Most of us have fears that can become monsters if we allow them to get out of control. Learning how to manage them and put them in perspective is essential for mental health.

In this post, I introduce you to Megan Higginson, author of the newly released picture book Raymund and the Fear Monster.

About Megan Higginson

Megan Higginson loves to write and illustrate stories of monsters, aliens, and mind-blowing places and asking questions like, ‘What if?’. Megan Higginson is also an artist, speaker, street library ambassador, a Books in Homes Role Model, dyslexic book worm, a mother, a qualified youth worker and education support worker, and a retired horse whisper. Megan believes in living an amazing life even with a chronic illness and encouraging kids and adults not to give up. She hopes her stories and illustrations will help readers to look at their life and the world around them with new eyes.

Megan is the author of, The Sock Thief which was included in The Creative Kids Tales Story Collection Vol. 1 in 2017, and An Angel to Watch Over Them (shortlisted) in the anthology Three Dummies in a Dinghy and Other Stories of Life in 2018. Her stories, Freya and the Fear Monster and Super Moon and Fairy Dust in The Creative Kids Tales Story Collection Vol. 2 in 2019. Three Seconds, Truck Stops and Log Trucks (shortlisted) in Papa’s Shoes and Other Stories of Life 2019. She loves to write stories of monsters, aliens, and mind-blowing places. 

About Raymund and the Fear Monster

A tale of courage and overcoming fears when the odds seem to be stacked against you.

At the top of an enormous mountain is a dark and gloomy forest. In the dark and gloomy forest lives a monster who roars and growls and makes terrible noises. Raymund lives in a small village at the bottom of the enormous mountain. Raymund is scared of many things. But, most of all he is afraid of the night, and the monster that sends him running to hide under his bed. How will Raymund face his fear, discover what it means to have courage, and defeat the huge and hideous monster that smells like fish guts, rotten eggs and smelly feet?

Continue reading: Fighting the Fear Monster – readilearn