So much happening (or should I say HOPpening) in 2024!
There is so much going on! We have 8 new books out, this year, heaps of great festivals and a stack of school visits that we’re looking forward to doing. The best way to keep up with the very latest is probably on the socials, but if that’s not your thing there are also blog posts below to keep you in the loop!
Stick 'em up! Stanton Library
As Book Week 2017 comes to an end things were just heating up at Stanton Library. Stacks of grade 3s and 4s joined us in waking up those sleeping the afternoon away in Non-Fiction. What's Dewey Decimal for raucous loud fun in the library?
Book Week visits to the country!
Today I drove out to two delightful schools in the Hawkesbury... at least I think that's where I was. First to Peat's Ridge Primary where they have a some sort of rare sparrow nesting on their grounds and then to Somersby Public for an afternoon of reading, rhyming and staring in amazement at their disco chickens.
BOOK WEEK iS ON!
It's happening AGAIN! Book Week is off and running and libraries and schools everywhere are getting into the swing. Here's us at Mosman Library reading to hundreds and millions of excellent young readers and writers from Sacred Heart and Mosman Primary. Thank you to the Simin the librarian for organising this great event! They even got a sneak peak at the new top secret book which they promised to forget they ever saw...
CBCA Honour Book 2017!
The CBCA has selected Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers Third Grade as Honour Book for 2017. What a treat! First a Notable, then the shortlist, now this. We're letting this go directly to our heads... eating ice cream for breakfast, wearing hats with fake fruit, riding lamas around town and letting it all sink in. Thank you CBCA for this lovely award.
Captain Jimmy Cook - THE PLAY!!!!
Okay. Pull over your horse drawn apple cart and get ready to fall off your cow. This is some seriously great news: Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers The Third Grade has been turned into a play... no... not just any play... a musical play! And it's touring schools right now. We just saw a performance to grades 3 -6 at Marrickville Primary this very morning. It was awesome, there was an Alice Toolie puppet and a talking stick puppet... they even made one of the teachers into the dude who sells the Big Deal in the book. Nice work Meerkat Productions. Gold Star.
Writing Workshop @ Woollahra Library
Buffalo Exploding Floss! That's what the kids invented at the Woolahra Library Writers' Sessions on Friday. There were some other crazy products like Lava flavoured Slime Cream and Crunch Cactus Cakes... but those are best left unspoken about. Thanks Sarah and the team at Woollahra Library for having us in to talk books with the kids.
BOOKFEST! Premier's Reading Challenge LiveFeed
Whoo Hoo! We just beamed into classrooms across the state for a chat with over 2000 kids... with Jol dressed like a chicken. Umm. Yeah. I on the other hand looked very sensible in my jaunty captain's hat and said very sensible things like, "What does a chicken who likes reading say?"
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Captain Jimmy Cook Discover's X Marks the Spot
Did we forget to mention Captain Jimmy Cook is off on another adventure? He is. This time he's got his eye on the prize... treasure. Oh he also has his eye on inventing robot bin and is trying to contact a pirate that doesn't have email...
ABDAsolutly Amazing - Jimmy Cook shortlisted for Best Designed Book
Jimmy Cook has been shortlisted by ABDA for Best Deigned Book in Children's fiction along with these stunners. Gold star Jimmy and Jon Foye.
Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers the CBCA Shortlist
Well hello there uncharted land of the CBCA shortlist! We're stepping bravely on to your shores and setting up an ice-cream stand that only sells weird flavoured ice cream like seaweed and rubber chicken flavour. Ahoy!
Somerset Festival of BOOKS!
Yes it was wet. It was soggy. But it was GREAT. Rain, heat and sleet could not keep the kids from the books or the books from the kids. We met hundreds of young readers and writers from all over the country and shared our new Jimmy Cook and our silly picture books. We even read a brand new book and got some excellent suggestions for the title... I still can't decide between Evil Snail Robots and Wizard Dizard. Any more suggestions SEND THEM OVER!
Jimmy Makes the LONG LIST
Captain Jimmy Cook has discovers the Children's Book Council Awards LONGLIST. He's put down his anchor right next to Artie and the Grime Wave and WIzz the police dog. Gold Star Jimmy!
Russ the Story Bus and other ridiculous things
Well hello there Russ the Story Bus. Russ is about the coolest bus you can possibly ride. He's decked out with library of hot of the press books and he gives all his books away! This is us out at Llandilo Pubic School reading books and having a ball. Go Russ.
Premier's Reading Challenge at Kellyville Public School
Kellyville Ridge, that's where it's happening. And no one is more happening than Rhiddi who won the Premier's Reading Challenge with her beautiful cover re-design of Thumbelina and book report to boot. Thanks to all the grade 3s and 4s for having us and glade you liked the rhymes!
Captain Jimmy Cook - The (little) Movie!
We made a little video of Captain Jimmy Cook to help him set sail. Check it out...
Kids' Book Review - review Jimmy Cook!
Kids' Book Review asked us 12 of their curliest questions... Have a read of it here>
National Simultaneous Storytime - 2016
Ahoy! And what a day National Simultaneous Storytime day was! Here are some snaps that came in from all across the country as kids, teachers and parents everywhere joined in the fun. Thank you fellow hat wearers!
Jimmy Cook Sets Sail!
Thanks to everyone to coming out for the series launch of 'Jimmy Cook Discovers Third Grade.' What a blast. There were cupcakes, books, drawings, kids running a muck and even some stage diving. JOL! If you haven't checked this ridiculous book we suggest you do but with caution.
Book Launch!
Our new series Jimmy Cook Discovers kicks off with Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers Third Grade.
Come join us for a cupcake and a glass of bubbles.
Big Books at Adelaide Writers' Festival
They were expecting big things from us but not this big! Our BIG BOOKs made their debut this weekend at the Adelaide Writers' Festival. When I say Big Books I means stupidly oversized big. If there was a giant who was really into rhyming picture books these are the books he'd be reading. Each book takes two people to carry! Lucky there's two of us! Thanks kids of Adelaide who came out to our sessions and to the Auslan interpreters who rhymed in sign . Here are some pics.
