City Library, National Year of Reading and Australian Children's Literature Alliance event

On Thursday Nov 29, (the hottest night in Melbourne for one hundred years!) The City Library hosted a wonderful event to mark the last showing of the Are We There Yet? Exhibition that has been touring Australia for this National Year of Reading. It has been a privilege for Books Illustrated to be involved in this tour. Check the NYoR website for the winners of the National competition which has been associated with this tour.

The highlight of this joint event between National Year of Reading, The Australian Children’s Literature Alliance and the City of Melbourne Library Services were talks by our Australian Children’s Laureates Alison Lester & Boori Monty Pryor. Both gave a taste of their first year in this new position, as well as  their personal projects, that they will continue to develop during 3013. You can learn more about the laureate position, projects and how to become involved on the ACLA website.

A bonus highlight for the audience was a presentation by Ann James on behalf of IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) to Bob Graham. The presentation was a certificate of his 2012 nomination for the prestigious Hans Christian Anderson Award. This award is presented each two years to a living author and illustrator whose complete works have made a lasting contribution to children's literature.

Inverloch 'Magic Beach' National Year of Reading exhibition

In November Books Illustrated curated an exhibition of Alison's work from Magic Beach at Inverloch Library to celebrate the success of National Year of Reading. In true Australian Children's Laureate style Alison took to the surf before joining the event at the Inverloch Library. There were fish n' chips, Zart Art kids workshops, and of course, Story Time with Alison. Thanks to the Inverloch Library team, Swellmamas, and the National Year of Reading for organising this event!

A Touching Speech by Children's Laureate Alison Lester

At the Darwin opening of the National Year of Reading 2012 Are We There Yet? exhibition, Ann James read out a touching speech on behalf of Alison Lester, who was unable to be there in person.

We thought you'd enjoy reading it too...

I love darwin, it always feels like coming home when I get off that plane and drive down the wide palm-lined streets into town. I've had family and friends to stay with for a long time, in Parap and Nightcliff, so I know those parts well. 

I love sitting in the roma bar, running out to east point, having a laksa at the Parap market, swimming in the Nightclif pool, dancing at Shenanigans and the beautiful art gallery. In 2005 I nearly died in the darwin hospital so i'll always be grateful to darwin for saving me, it was a great place to get my wobbly legs going again, I hope you enjoy the show, I wish I could be there, x, Alison.

To read more about the Are We There Yet? touring exhibition please visit our earlier blog post.

The Opening of the National Year of Reading 2012 Touring exhibition

Books Illustrated are excited to announce the opening of the beautiful Are We There Yet? National Year of Reading exhibition in The Northern Territory Library, Parliament House, Darwin.

The exhibition was first curated by Books Illustrated in 2004 to celebrate the launch of this famous picture book by Alison Lester. Since then it has travelled widely around Australia and even gone as far as Tokyo.

The exhibition shows both the original illustrations as well as the preliminary and developing stages in the making of the book - from Alison's children's actual travel diaries, through text, illustration and design drafts, to the final published book. It includes a number of folios of developmental drawings.

An fascinating addition to the original exhibition is a special display and range of activities for the braille version of the picture book published by Vision Australia.

The exhibition will tour to 8 venues in 2012, one for each state and territory.  Starting in Darwin from the 1st - 22nd of February and the exhibition will end in Victoria in December 2012.

As the curators of the exhibition the Books Illustrated team, Ann Haddon and Ann James, were thrilled to be invited to the opening in Darwin on Wednesday 1st February. ( A detailed itinerary will posted soon on this blog and on the National Year of Reading website).

Award-winning Darwin author and National Year of Reading ambassador, Marie Munkara, was invited to open the exhibition. Her first book Every Secret Thing was awarded the 2010 Northern Territory Book of the Year.

There is a National Year of Reading competition based on the book Are We There Yet? where children are encouraged to write and/or illustrate about their own town or special place they've visited in Australia. Visit the NYoR website to find out more.

A proud Cathy Hilder, I Manager, Public Library Services Northern Territory Library, who managed the opening and exhibition installation. 

Marie Munkara, author of "Every Secret Thing" who introduced the Are We There Yet? exhibition at the opening. 

Ann James from Books Illustrated explained the history of the Are We There Yet? exhibition and spoke on behalf of Alison Lester. 

Visitors at the opening (Cowboy Grace in the background).

Enjoy a sneak peak at the impressive map of Australia surrounded by Alison's family photographs.