CHATS with Fabulous Children's Authors and Illustrators

CHATS with Fabulous Children's Authors and Illustrators!

We ask those in the know. Why is Newcastle such a hub of children’s book authors and illustrators? Can you offer any advice to kids who love writing and drawing and want to take their passion further? Do you prefer dogs or cats? Shining a spotlight on local children’s authors, illustrators and events, Newcastle Libraries asks the big questions to inspire your family on their reading journey.

Series One

Episode One: Lynn Jenkins. In this episode we chat to Lynn Jenkins, a practicing and experienced clinical psychologist, who has authored the Lessons of a LAC series alongside Illustrator Kirrili Lonergan. With the release of her latest book Tree, we ask her about storytelling as a way of teaching life skills to children and parents alike.

Episode Two: Deb Kelly. Deb comes in to tell us about her CBCA Notable Book 'The Thing about Oliver' and the inspiration behind this honest account of the impact that autism can have on siblings, sometimes known as glass children.

Episode Three: Jess Black. The Mr. Walker series has a dedicated following. Author, Jess Black, takes us through her fourth instalment, Mr. Walker and the Dessert Delight, letting us know where she finds inspiration for her range of characters and scenarios. This is also a 2020 CBCA Notable Book.

Episode Four: Nicola Bolton. Join Nicola as she goes through her creative process as an artist and illustrator. Telling us about her book You Can’t Catch Me, Nicola tells us what it was like to write her first picture book and fills us in on the canine inspiration behind the story.

Episode Five: Sami Bayly. Hear about Sami's stunning debut, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals, that has received several award nominations. Listen in as Sami tells us about her passion for natural history illustration and what is on the cards for the future.

Episode Six: Katrina McKelvey. Catch up with Katrina about her latest release, 'Isla’s Family Tree' and discover her inspiration for this story of a growing family. Hear about Katrina's journey as a writer here in Newcastle.

Bonus Episode: Children's Book Week Play. It’s Book Week! Wondering what all the fuss is about? Go behind the scenes with our Book Week experts, Jo Cashin from Newcastle Libraries and Karen Eastwood from Storyspot to find out why Book Week is so important for children, schools, libraries and the Australian Book Industry. You’ll also have a sneak peek at the famous Newcastle Libraries Book Week play, viewed and enjoyed by close to 2000 children each year.

Series Two

Episode One: Jenni Goodman. Local illustrator Jenni Goodman shares with us the process behind creating a board book series from the Australian Classic, 'Storm Boy'. Jenni also reveals how she came to draw medical illustrations and what her next publication is all about.

Episode Two: Leila Rudge. Local illustrator of ten books, Leila Rudge's work is a mixture of pencil, paint, and collage, and has been shortlisted for a number of national awards. Leila chats with us about what inspires her work, why she prefers broccoli to cauliflower and what she would really love to illustrate for a children's book.

Episode Three: Kirrili Lonergan. Local illustrator Kirrili Lonergan shares with us the importance of playing with ideas, why making mistakes is good, and the process behind creating the characters of Loppy and Curly from the Lessons of A Lac series.

Episode Four: Gwynneth Jones. Local illustrator Gwynneth Jones describes her favourite artistic practices including 'scribble style'. She shares with us why working with kids is great fun and also gives us a sneak preview into her upcoming publications.

Episode Five: Paul Russell. We meet teacher and author, Paul Russell. He shares with us the stories behind the stories of his books, 'Grandma Forgets' and 'My Storee' and treats us to a short excerpt of his latest book, 'The Incurable Imagination'.

Episode Six: Liz Anelli. Artist and map maker Liz Anelli shares with us the ways in which travel has influenced her work, the location of her favourite spot in the Port of Newcastle, and why the Chuppa Chup featured in her map of Madrid. She also gives us a sneak preview into her upcoming publications, 'Dry To Dry' and 'The Biscuit Maker'.