Children’s Book Festival
The big event on the calendar of all lovers of children’s literature is back! On Sunday 25 March, your favourite authors and illustrators will be taking over the lawns of the State Library for a day of books, books, books. Get yourself into the city for a huge celebration of children’s books that’ll be even bigger than last year. There’ll be performers and readings, music and magic. And most of all, there’ll be the people who created your favourite stories.
Festival day is Sunday 25 March, but on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 March, the State Library of Victoria will host a programme of activities and events for primary school classes.
With fun activities organised by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, Playgroup Victoria, Books Illustrated and others, you’ll barely have time to stop for an icecream … But you can.
Events include:
· Meet the Author/Illustrator
· Workshops
· Activities
· Author storytelling
· Theatre performances
· Petting Zoo
· Face painting
· Music
· Book signings
· Live broadcast – 774 ABC Melbourne’s Sunday Programme with Libbi Gorr
· Publisher tents
Authors visiting the festival this year include Graeme Base, Bernard Caleo, Hazel Edwards, Andy Griffiths, Leigh Hobbs, Anna Pignataro, Boori Monty Pryor, Sally Rippin, Anna Walker, Gabrielle Wang and Mark Wilson.
Download the full programme for the day below:
Photos from Children’s Book Festival 2011
(Click small images to view full size)
Featuring
Bernard Caleo is a comic book teacher, maker, and communicator. He was the editor and publisher of the romance comics anthology Tango, made the feature film Graphic Novels Melbourne with filmmaker Daniel Hayward and is part of the graphic novel publishing enterprise Twelve Panels Press. In 2021 he s... Read more
Andy Griffiths is one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors. He and illustrator Terry Denton have collaborated on more than 33 bestselling books since their first title, Just Tricking, was published in 1997.In Australia, Andy and Terry’s books have sold over 10 million copies, won... Read more
Anna is a Melbourne-based illustrator and storyteller. Over recent years Anna has a created a range of award-winning picture books.
Her books are published both in Australia and overseas. She likes to draw, knit woolly animals and create small worlds.
Best known for There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake, Hazel Edwards writes across media, for adults and children. She is currently writing her autobiography. In 2013, she was awarded an OAM for Literature. As a national literary ambassador, Hazel supports various reading org... Read more
Gabrielle Wang is an author and illustrator born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage and the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2022 and 2023. Her maternal great grandfather came to Victoria during the Gold Rush and her father from Shanghai. Her stories are a blend of Chinese and Western culture with... Read more
Boori Monty Pryor is an indigenous Australian born in Townsville, North Queensland in 1950. His father is from the Birri-gubba Nation of the Bowen region and his mother’s tribal group from Yarrabah, near Cairns, is the Kunggandji. Boori travels extensively as a performer and public speaker for sch... Read more
Leigh Hobbs is the Australian Children’s Laureate (2016–2017). He is best known for his children’s books featuring his characters Old Tom, Horrible Harriet, Fiona the Pig and Mr Chicken, as well as the Freaks and their teachers in 4F for Freaks and Freaks Ahoy. Old Tom&... Read more
Sally is the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2024 – 2025. She is Australia’s highest-selling female author and has written over 100 books for children and young adults, many of them award-winning, including the popular Billie B Brown and Hey Jack! series, and the Polly and Buster tr... Read more
Winner of the Crichton Award for Illustration in 1998, Anna Pignataro has created over forty books for children. Shortlisted by the Childrens Book Council of Australia for Picture Book of the Year and the Young Australian Best Book Awards, many of her books are CBCA Notables. Her bestselling picture... Read more
Graeme Base is an international award-winning picture book creator and bestselling author. His books include; My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch, Animalia, Jabberwocky, The Eleventh Hour, The Sign of the Seahorse, The Discovery of Dragons, The Worst Band in The Universe, The Waterhole, TruckDogs, Jungle... Read more
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