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Tell Me a Story: Mem Fox on Reading Aloud

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Mem Fox is a legend of Australian children’s literature. More than 35 years after her first book, Possum Magic, was published, it is still printed in hardback, with its iconic original illustrations by Julie Vivas.

In the intervening years, Fox has somehow managed an academic career as a literacy expert, while writing 40 more books. She’s charmed generations of readers with stories of Australian children and animals, including Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Baby Bedtime, Wombat Divine and Where is the Green Sheep?

Through her books, Fox has also helped young readers grapple with difficult topics – perhaps most famously with Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. Her new book, too, broaches a difficult topic with great wisdom and sensitivity. The Tiny Star is about life and death, and it’s told in an unmistakably tender and lyrical voice – the singular voice of Mem Fox – with illustrations by the award-winning Freya Blackwood. 

At this very special event hosted by Michael Williams in October, Fox will discuss her stories and her career. She’ll tell us, too, why encouraging us all to read aloud has been such an important part of her work.

Little Bookroom will be our bookseller for this event.

Featuring

Mem Fox

Mem Fox has written over 38 books for adults and children including Possum Magic, which has sold over three million copies and is the bestselling picture book ever in Australia. Mem has been presented with many awards including an AM in the 1993 Australia Day Honours for services to the cultural li... Read more

Michael Williams

Michael Williams is the Director of the Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas in Melbourne. He has worked at the Wheeler Centre since inception in 2009, when he was hired as the Head of Programming before being appointed as Director in September 2011. He has hosted Blueprint for Living (2015â... Read more

Location

The Wheeler Centre

176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000

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Acknowledgment of Country

The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional owners of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to the people of the Kulin Nation and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past and present.