Smile Cry Launch Party!

Come and join us for a launch party this Saturday 5 March, to celebrate the release of Smile Cry, a unique double-story picture book, with Smile starting and one end and Cry at the other! A Beginner�s Book of Feelings, join Pig, Bunny and Cat as they explore their emotions with gorgeously whimsical illustrations and lots of humour.

Kids will enjoy a story, book signing, goodie bag, a special animal mask and colouring-in. Yes, there will be cupcakes and maybe even pies, and they�ll be able to meet real life versions of the characters!

And the amazing Jen Storer will be in town to launch the book! She might even sign one of her own books for you ...

Perfect for kids up to the age of 6, but all ages welcome.

Bring along smiles, a love of story and your favourite stuffed toy�especially if it�s a pig, bunny or cat!

Goodie bags are limited, so RSVP to woden@harryhartog.com.au or 02-6232 5832 if you�d like one.

Chief Minister's Reading Challenge

From Monday 22 February to Friday 9 September 2016, the Chief Minister's Reading Challenge for the ACT, will be in full swing. Kids all over the territory are invited to participate in this wonderful initiative--and all they need to do is read 15 books in that time (or many, many more, of course!).

Schools can register for the Challenge online and each student keeps an individual reading record. Books can include anything that interests them, from poetry to novels and non-fiction.

I'm so excited to be a CMRC ambassador for 2016, along with other local book aficionados, Irma Gold, Jack Heath, Tracey Hawkins and Virginia Haussegger.

Learn more about how to participate here, and meet the 2016 Ambassadors here. We will be visiting schools around town these coming six months... I hope to see you at your school!

International Book Giving Day 2016

Tomorrow, 14 February, is International Book Giving Day!

Perfectly timed with Valentine's Day--what could be more loving that giving the gift of story ... and literacy? You can give books to your kids, to your partner, to your friends or colleagues. You can give books to medical centres or women's shelters or to strangers. Or you can even give them to yourself.

Tomorrow I'll be handing a stash of books I've been saving to up - to random kids in the street. I'll also be heading to a local bookstore to buy up tomes for my kids--and thankfully, it will be my birthday next week and I always gift myself books for my birthday!

Who will you be giving a book to this IBGD? Be sure to use the #bookgivingday hashtag to share your activity!

One Word Wisdom with author Jack Heath

1. What is the best thing about being an author?
Daydreaming

2. What�s the worst thing?
Repetition

3. How did writing Bullet Train Disaster make you feel?
Tangled 

4. What do you hope it brings its readers?
Focus 

5. What else do you like to do?
Entertain

6. Who has influenced your writing the most?
Silverberg 

7. What has been your biggest career reward?
Education

8. What is the most important contribution an author can make to the world?
Empathy

9. What�s your biggest writing goal?
#100

10. What�s next?
Sequels!

Learn more about Jack's fabulous books 
at his website. 

You are invited - Smile Cry launch party!

Come and join us for a launch party to celebrate the release of Smile Cry, a unique double-story picture book, with Smile starting and one end and Cry at the other! A Beginner�s Book of Feelings, join Pig, Bunny and Cat as they explore their emotions with gorgeously whimsical illustrations and lots of humour.

Kids will enjoy a story, book signing, goodie bag, a special animal mask and colouring-in. Yes, there will be cupcakes and maybe even pies, and they�ll be able to meet real life versions of the characters!

And the amazing Jen Storer will be in town to launch the book! She might even sign one of her own books for you ...

Perfect for kids up to the age of 6, but all ages welcome.

Bring along smiles, a love of story and your favourite stuffed toy�especially if it�s a pig, bunny or cat!

Goodie bags are limited, so RSVP to woden@harryhartog.com.au or 02-6232 5832 if you�d like one.