This is Banjo Paterson launch wrap-up

What a gorgeous event today at the National Library, launching This is Banjo Paterson into the stratosphere!

On a mega high-temps morning, we had a lovely turnout of adults and kids. After an intro by publisher Susan Hall, we enjoyed a rendition of Waltzing Matilda, sung by the amazing Sarah Wallace, accompanied on guitar by Candice from the National Library. They trilled like angels! And of course, everyone sang along.

Next was a book reading followed by a book signing and some Banjo-inspired activities. Kids made their own hobby horses and sheep masks, and hunted around for Banjo-inspired words.

I was astonished to see how much some kids knew about Banjo, and it was so much fun revealing more about his incredible life. The only thing missing was illustrator Christina Booth who is currently stranded on a beautiful island just south of Victoria (known for its apples; you may know it).


Warmest thanks to Susan and Candice from the NLA for all their hard work, and to Sarah and her daughter Imogen for their beautiful voices. Huge thanks to Nicole Godwin for taking these sensational images, and for the small handful taken by Cate Whittle, too.

And thank you to everyone who came along, for your continued support and for celebrating books for kids. Books are everything. Everything!

I hope you enjoy this wrap-up. Wish you could have been there.

Above, with James from Harry Hartog in Woden and with Julie (President, CBCA ACT) and Dawn from CBCA ACT Branch.

Above, intro by Susan Hall, and angelic voices singing (not mine!).

Oh my goodness, this little girl, above. The most divine little soul. She high-fived, fist-bumped and blew kisses, all while sipping from her hot chocolate bubbaccino takeaway cup. Not even two years old. Oh my. I wanted to steal her.

happy - lovely people make me happy, books make me happy

nattering with James from Harry Hartog, author Cate Whittle and Leanne Barrett, CBCA

behind the scenes--the incomparable Nicole Godwin

And the winner is ...

Thank you to everyone who entered the comp to win a copy of This is Banjo Paterson! Biggest congrats to:

Nella Pickup

The Gee Family

You have won a copy of the book! Please *email me booksATtaniamccartneyDOTcom with your postal address. I am popping into the National Library tomorrow (Thursday) and I can sign each book. If you can be in touch before tomorrow, I can personalise it to someone for you! Just let me know who you'd like it dedicated to.

*Please note, if you are not in touch within 10 days, I will announce another winner.

And if you are in Canberra this weekend, I'd love to see you at the book launch at the National Library Bookshop, details below.

Book Launch - This is Banjo Paterson

11am

Sunday 12 February 2017

National Library of Australia

Canberra

FREE!

...more info and reserve a place...

This is Banjo Paterson Book Launch at the National Library

Book Launch
This is Banjo Paterson
11am
Sunday 12 February 2017
National Library of Australia
Canberra
FREE!
...more info / reserve a place...

Also...

Join Tania on Periscope on Friday 17 February at 1pm AEDST, where
she will be chatting about the book live from the National Library,
and showing various priceless Banjo Paterson items,
along with original artwork by Christina Booth!

This is Banjo Paterson Day 7 - win a copy of the book!

It's launch day! And to celebrate, here's your chance to win a copy of This is Banjo Paterson! We have two copies to give away.

To win, all you have to do is leave a comment below (or email it to me here if you can't access Blogger), telling me which historical Australian you'd like to see a children's book on.

My two favourite suggestions will win a copy of the book. If you miss out, you can snaffle a copy of the book right here, or come along to my book launch at the National Library on 12 February in Canberra--details below.

COMP DETAILS: The comp runs from today until Tuesday 7 February 2017 at 9pm Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time. The winners will be announced the next day, right here on this blog. The comp is open to anyone, world-wide, so long as the book can be sent to an Australian address. This is a game of skill, not chance. The winning decision is final.

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Join Tania on Periscope on Friday 17 February at 1pm AEDST, where 
she will be chatting about the book live from the National Library, 
and showing various priceless Banjo Paterson items, 
along with original artwork by Christina Booth!

And for those in or near Canberra ...

Book Launch - This is Banjo Paterson

11am

Sunday 12 February 2017

National Library of Australia

Canberra

FREE!

...more info and reserve a place...

This is Banjo Paterson Day 6 - resources for teachers and librarians

Welcome to Day 6!

As part of the National Library's commitment to educational (and entertaining!) books, comprehensive teaching notes for This has Banjo Paterson have been provided for curriculum levels kindergarten through to year 3. Notes include discussion and inquiry questions, and ideas can be adapted for older students, too.

At the end of This is Banjo Paterson, a beautiful full-page spread (broadsheet style) is dedicated to further information on Banjo's life. Ideal for adults and older students.

Click the poster above for the teaching notes relating to This is Banjo Paterson. 

All 162 of his poems can be viewed here at the Australian Poetry Library, and kid-friendly audio on the real story behind Waltzing Matilda, can be found here.

For further resources on Banjo's life, the following websites are recommended:

National Library of Australia Digital Collection

Australian Poetry Library
Trove 

Australian Dictionary of Biography

Australian War Memorial

Banjo Paterson Museum

The Perth Mint

Banjo Paterson Park  

Poetry Writing Lessons for Kids

Poetry Writing Tips on Australian Bush Poetry, Verse and Music

Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival 2017, Orange

Stay tuned for Day 7, where you'll have a chance to win a copy of the book! Click here for the full list of launch posts.

---

Join Tania on Periscope on Friday 17 February at 1pm AEDST, where 

she will be chatting about the book live from the National Library, 

and showing various priceless Banjo Paterson items, 

along with original artwork by Christina Booth!

And for those in or near Canberra ...

Book Launch - This is Banjo Paterson

11am

Sunday 12 February 2017

National Library of Australia

Canberra

FREE!

...more info and reserve a place...

This is Banjo Paterson Day 5 - Banjo's poetry and influences

Welcome to Day 5 where you'll learn more about Banjo's poetry and influences. You may be surprised!

One of Banjo's (or 'Barty' as he was called by his family) earliest poetic influences was a man named Jerry the Rhymer. Christina has depicted him (as the young lad's father) above.

Jerry was a 'shepherd' or bushman who lived near the Paterson property, Buckinbah Station, near Orange, New South Wales. He had a habit of speaking in rhyming slang and young Barty found him fascinating. He loved spending time with him and his son Jim, who was a teenager at the time.

Another major influence was Banjo's maternal grandmother Emily Mary Barton. She lived in Sydney at a house in Gladesville (you can see current images here - it is now a restaurant). Barty went to live with her when he turned 10, so he could attend Sydney Grammar School.

As an accomplished poet (she began writing in the 1840s; you can read more about her here), Emily encouraged her grandson to read and write verse.

Naturally, much of Banjo's work was inspired by the bush, horses and justice; some of Banjo's early poems were influenced by his work as a solicitor. Clancy of the Overflow is said to have been inspired by a lawyer's letter he'd had to write to a man who hadn't paid his debts.

When Banjo first began submitting his work to newspapers and magazines in 1885, he quickly developed a relationship with The Bulletin (this is where he adopted the pseudonym, The Banjo). Here, many of his works were published, and it's also where he and Henry Lawson embarked on their good-natured rhyming 'battle'.

One of his most famous poems was set to music (arranged by Christina Macpherson, who adapted it from an old Scottish song 'Craigeelee'). It was, of course, Waltzing Matilda, another poem inspired by real life events.

During his life, Banjo was compared to Rudyard Kipling in terms of his poetic talent, and by the end of his life, he had become one of Australia's most enduring poets--a legacy that remains today.

Many of Banjo's books are still in print, and he even wrote a book for kids--The Animals Noah Forgot (1933, illustrated by celebrated artist Norman Lindsay)--a copy of which I managed to find online. Alas, it's not a first edition, but a still-perfectly-vintage 1970 edition.

You can view a complete list of Banjo's poems at the Australian Poetry Library. Do note that some of these poems have altered over time, and there are several versions of the most famous. Indeed, Waltzing Matilda has changed over time, and This is Banjo Paterson features the original text, not that which is sung today.

Stay tuned for Day 6, where we reveal fabulous Banjo resources for teachers and librarians. Click here for the full list of launch posts.

---

Join Tania on Periscope on Friday 17 February at 1pm AEDST, where 

she will be chatting about the book live from the National Library, 

and showing various priceless Banjo Paterson items, 

along with original artwork by Christina Booth!

And for those in or near Canberra ...

Book Launch - This is Banjo Paterson

11am

Sunday 12 February 2017

National Library of Australia

Canberra

FREE!

...more info and reserve a place...