Review: The Oo in Uluru

Having an engaging book that will both entertain and teach little ones is always a bonus, whether at school or at home. 

This is a vibrant rhyming romp through the heart of Australia, exploring the traditional home of the Anangu people and wildlife, and, at the same time, a tool for teaching beginning readers about the phoneme ‘oo’ the long vowel sound that has so many different appearances. 

12 Curly Questions with author/illustrator Gregg Dreise

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.  

My canvas paintings are signed Bood. So people may not know that they have my artwork hanging on their wall.

2. What is your nickname?  

Bood.

3. What is your greatest fear?  

Not being motivated to try my hardest.

Guest Post: Story Box Library Reflects on NAIDOC Week Theme: Voice. Treaty. Truth.

Jackie Small, Education Consultant at StoryBox Library, reflects on last week's NAIDOC theme; Voice. Treaty. Truth. 

One year since launching our Indigenous Story Time series, NAIDOC Week 2019 and its theme of Voice. Treaty. Truth provided an opportunity for us to reflect on the aims of the series and the quality and relevance of the resources we are providing educators and families.

Review: I Remember

I Remember is a gorgeous story about memories, as an elderly woman recalls the family camping trips of her childhood.

Set in the Geraldton area of Western Australia, Joanne Crawford’s text is simple and yet profound. It’s written in such a way that makes you feel you’ve been there; that you’ve experienced the memories for yourself.

Visually Kerry Ann Jordinson exquisitely portrays the landscape through illustration. Using soft pastel and a stunning colour pallet, children will appreciate each illustration as the story unfolds.

The Great Book Swap - Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Indigenous Literacy Day is coming up on Wednesday 3 September, and you can contribute by organising the Indigenous Literacy Foundation’s Great Book Swap challenge at your school, book club or workplace. The Great Book Swap is a fundraising event where you bring along one of your favourite books, and for a gold coin donation you can swap it for someone else's.

It works well in all kinds of organisations. It is easy to organise, it celebrates books and reading, and it raises much need funds for the Foundation's literacy work. All the money raised is donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Interview Exclusive: Suzy Wilson of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation

KBR is thrilled to feature this exclusive interview with Indigenous Literacy Foundation founder, Suzy Wilson. A former teacher, education consultant and university lecturer, Suzy is passionate about literacy, and has become a catalyst for changing children’s lives through literature. The ILF has not only raised vital funds, it has translated dozens of early childhood books into the first languages of Indigenous communities, and supplied 100,000 books to people around Australia. More than 20,000 students now support the foundation through annual Great Book Swaps and other fundraisers. Here, Suzy chats with us about her recent achievement - Finalist for Australian of the Year Local Hero.

Welcome, Suzy. What did it mean to you to receive this honour?
I was very happy that the work of this Foundation with its goal to improve literacy levels in remote communities was acknowledged as being such an important challenge for us all.

Event: Indigenous Literacy Foundation Trivia Night

CALLING ALL MELBOURNE SUPPORTERS - the ILF need  you!!! BOOK YOUR TICKETS ASAP and help us raise urgently needed funds!

Come to our third annual trivia night. Hosted by Brian Nankervis from RocKwiz, there will be raffle prizes, a silent auction and, of course, the chance to show of your trivia skills.

WHEN: Thursday 3 April
WHERE: Preston City Hall, 284 Gower St, Preston
TICKETS: $30.00 per person, book here.

For more information please contact: mail@aba.org.au

SILENT AUCTION
· Prints from Bologna, donated by Books Illustrated
· Original Dirty Dinosaur artwork, donated by Books Illustrated
· $500 worth of books, donated by Penguin Australia
· $100 voucher to The Kids' Bookshop

Book a seat or a table today.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Yakanarra Book Launch at the National Library of Australia

This morning, at the National Library of Australia, Alison Lester launched two fabulous new books - A Yakanarra Day and The Yakanarra Dogs - written and illustrated by the students of Yakanarra Community School, in the West Kimberley.

The books, written in both Walmajarri and English, were created during workshops run in 2012 by ILF Ambassador and Children's Co-Laureate Alison Lester and author/publisher Jane Godwin, with sponsorship from the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia.

(above, Jane Godwin and Alison Lester hand out book packs to the kids)

The books were translated this year into Walmajarri by two language teachers, Jessie Moora and Mary Vanbee (below, with a student), who teach at Yakanarra Community School, and who read from the books during the launch.

The Yakanarra school children were in Canberra for two days as part of their book tour, and it was so exciting to see these budding authors and illustrators peep with excitement as they opened their ILF packs and saw their books for the very first time.

The children also delighted the audience by singing a song.

Senior students from the school wrote A Yakanarra Day - Wangki Yakanarrajangka, a beautiful book which captures the countryside, river and fishing and daily life from daybreak to darktime. Junior students wrote The Yakanarra Dogs - Yakanarrajangka Kunyarrwarnti. 

Both books reflect the beautiful small community located in the foothills of the St George Ranges between the Fitzroy River and the Great Sandy Desert, in Central Kimberley, Western Australia.

NLA Director-General, Anne-Marie Schwirtlich opened proceedings, followed by Juliet Rogers, Chair of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Helen Unwin, Principal at Yakanarra Community School, spoke (with great emotion) about the production process of the children's books, and Karen Williams, ILP Manager was also in attendance.

Published with the sponsorship of the Copyright Agency Limited Cultural Fund, the books can be purchased from the NLA online bookshop.

ILF Event: Get Caught Reading!

When did you first Get Caught Reading?

Books are magical things. They help us learn, escape to new worlds, and most importantly show us the opportunities that life can offer. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same access to books. In many of the remote Indigenous communities across Australia there simply aren't enough books so kids miss out. In fact, figures from the ABS show only 36% of people in remote communities even have access to a library.

But, for as little as $5 you can help change all that.

Just a small donation can help get books to kids in remote Indigenous communities.

All you need to do is:

1. Take a photo of yourself with a book you love.

2. Share it with us by uploading it along with a donation of $5 or more.

3. Tell your friends. Spread the word by sharing your photo on Facebook or Twitter, with the hashtag #getcaughtreading

Reading opens doors. Get caught reading and give kids in remote parts of Australia the opportunity of books too.

Got more books to share? Share your photos with us on our Facebook page, and tell us about the difference it made to you, we love hearing from you!

Don’t forget to include the hashtag #getcaughtreading to help us spread the word.

See here for more.

Event: Indigenous Literacy Day

Today is a VIP day--Indigenous Literacy Day!

Indigenous Literacy Day aims to help raise funds to raise literacy levels and improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians living in remote and isolated regions. The ILF need your support to help raise funds to buy books and literacy resources for children in these communities.

What happens on Indigenous Literacy Day:

Events and fundraisers are held across Australia.

Participating publishers donate 5% (or more) of their takings from their invoices on ILD.

Participating booksellers donate 5% (or more) of their takings from sales on ILD.

Participating schools host a Great Book Swap Challenge and other fundraising activities.

Participating businesses, clubs and organisations host a Great Book Swap Challenge or other fundraising activities.

People everywhere are invited pause to read to support Indigenous literacy and celebrate Indigenous culture.

You can Get Caught Reading on Indigenous Literacy Day... more here!

Event: One Word One Day Auction

Around Australia, illustrators were brought together to create pictures, and work and play. Each gathering was supplied with a delicious array of art materials, and invited to explore a surprise theme word visually.

The 78 finished artworks will be auctioned to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The auction will take place on Wednesday 4 September, Indigenous Literacy Day.

One Word One Day is organised by the Australian Society of Authors in conjunction with the Micador Group and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The ASA would like to acknowledge the support of ABC Local Radio in this project.

Interested parties may register bids in advance (absentee), or choose to bid live at the auction by telephone or in person. Refreshments will be provided.

Find One Word One Day on Facebook. The One Word One Day auction is listed as a Facebook event, making it easy for you to share details about the auction with your friends.

Auction Details
When: Wednesday 4 September, 6pm - 8.30pm
Where: ABC Southbank Centre, 120 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank, Melbourne
RSVP: email events@asauthors.org or call (02) 9211 1004
More Information: visit One Word One Day to view the artworks and to download bidding registration forms.

NAIDOC Week 2013 - Indigenous Literacy Foundation

NAIDOC week is a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Held each year during the first full week in July (the 7th – 14th July in 2013), NAIDOC week encourages all Australians to take the opportunity to recognize the contributions of Indigenous Australians in various fields.

We have reviewed many books by Indigenous authors and about Indigenous culture at Kids’ Book Review. From picture books through to middle and young adult fiction, there are many wonderful books that share various aspects of Indigenous culture and history, as well as simply showcasing the amazing creative talents of Indigenous authors and illustrators. You can find links to these reviews here.

We are also passionate supporters of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) and their aims to ‘raise literacy levels and improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous children living in remote and isolated regions’. We believe that all children should be given the opportunity to not only develop literacy skills, but also develop a love of books and the ILF works hard to make sure that Indigenous children have access to the materials they need to foster this love of reading.

New: ILF: Same but a little bit different

This is the third year the Indigenous Literacy Foundation has worked with Education Queensland on the ‘I Dream’ initiative. The project helps bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture schools through a series of challenges and starts today in 50 schools across Queensland.

This year ILF has put together a literacy challenge called ‘Same but a little bit different’ and is providing a kit of 3 books to every school involved.

See more on the 'I Dream' initiative here. 

ILF News with Karen Williams, Executive Director

In the past couple of months, the Indigenous Literacy Foundation has traveled by plane, troupee and light aircraft, clocking up nearly 20,000 kilometres in field trips across Australia. During this period, we visited Warburton in Ngaanyatjarra Lands in WA, Yakanarra in the Kimberleys in WA and schools, service organisations and communities in Broken Hill, Wilcannia and Menindee in NSW and Alice Springs in NT.

The time spent in each of these communities is short but very precious. Most dawns, we’re up to be part of playgroup or to yarn with local teachers and principals, community members and elders before the day launches into school or a series of meetings.

In our Book Buzz communities, where our early literacy packs are changing the culture of literacy, it's interesting to note how each community has taken the same Buzz resources but introduced them differently, to suit each of their needs. It’s been a special time travelling out with Tina Raye, our new Program Manager, and in Warburton with Suzy Wilson, our Founder. You can read more about these trips on our website.

With April well underway, we’re hoping to engage more schools for the Great Book Swap and to confirm our activities for Indigenous Literacy Day on September 4. Please register and be part of a fundraiser to help us raise awareness and important funds. Note the terrific school kit (with Teachers notes and resources) that is now available to all schools that participate.

As the end of this financial year rapidly approaches, we encourage businesses and individuals to make a tax-deductible donation and be part of our Foundation’s efforts to make a difference. We have $560,000 more funds to raise in 2013.

- Karen Williams, Executive Director, ILF

International Book Giving Day

It’s Valentine’s Day - a day to give something special to those we love. Here at Kids Book Review, we think that there is nothing more special than sharing the gift of reading with others, especially children, so naturally we were very excited to discover that this Valentine’s Day is also International Book Giving Day.

International Book Giving Day is a day dedicated to getting new, used and borrowed books in the hands of as many children as possible.

From the International Book Giving Day website:
International Book Giving Day’s focus is on encouraging people worldwide to give a book to a child on February 14th. We invite individuals to 
1) give a book to a friend or family member, 
2) leave a book in a waiting room for children to read, or 
3) donate a gently used book to a local library, hospital or shelter or to an organization that distributes used books to children in need internationally.

Kids Book Review would like to encourage you to take the opportunity to share a book with a child today in celebration of this great event. Whether you donate a book to a school, preschool or the children’s ward at your local hospital, make a financial donation to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation or another children’s book charity or simply share a new story with your own child, we hope that you will know that in doing so, you are sharing something very special.

You can find out more about International Book Giving Day at their website or Facebook page.

Event: One Word One Day Art Auction

Sean Tan, Alison Lester and a host of other well known artists have produced a stunning and beautiful collection of original art that will be auctioned on 25 September ABC Studios, Ultimo.

The works, which can be viewed on the ASA website, are available for sale to the general public and bids can be made prior to the event or on the night.

'One Word, One Day' is an initiative run by the Australian Society of Authors in conjunction with Micador, the ABC and aims to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Throughout the year over 100 of Australia’s leading artists, cartoonists and illustrators gathered in each state to create works of art in response to a word they were given on the day.

See ABC TV news coverage on One Word, One Day event recently in Sydney and listen to an interview conducted by ABC Radio Darwin.

Event: The Great Book Swap

The Great Book Swap 

in partnership with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Date: Saturday 15 September 2012
Venue:  National Library of Australia Foyer, Canberra
Time: 11.00 am onwards  
Entry: Bookings not required, gold coin donation

Join Australian Children’s Laureate Boori Monty Pryor for one of his famous storytelling performance workshops at 11.30 as part of the Great Book Swap.

This will be followed by book signings; music and readings; and you can swap one of your books in  support of  the Indigenous Literacy Foundation!

There will be giveaways for young readers too.

To find out more, please visit the National Library of Australia's website. 

National Indigenous Literacy Day

 

National Indigenous Literacy Day

 

5 September 2012

Thousands of school kids across Australia will hold Great Book Swaps and raise funds and awareness on Indigenous Literacy Day (ILD), Wednesday 5 September.

Now in its sixth year, the event is organised by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and involves a host of well known authors, ambassadors and dignitaries from its Patron Therese Rein, the Governor of WA, Sally Morgan, Andy Griffiths, May O'Brien, Kate Grenville, Samuel Wagan Watson, Kaz Cooke, Kim Scott and many more.

ILF Founder Suzy Wilson said the Foundation hopes to raise awareness and importantly, funds to support literacy on 5 September.  

 

"Funds raised will help us buy new books and resources for kids living in the remotest parts of Australia", she said.

 

"One in five children living in a remote community cannot read or write to the basic minimum level. Our Foundation provides access and resources for children in these communities".

Ms Wilson said that the Foundation was hoping to raise over $150,000 and that businesses, individuals and institutions could all lend their support by making a tax deductible donation on the day.  

 

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is a not-for-profit charity established with the support of the Australian Book Industry. It does not receive any government funding.  The Foundation aims to raise $600,000 in 2012 to support its programme.

 

Donations can be made online at www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/donate or by calling: (02) 93192883

 

Click here to see a press release and click here to download images.

 

 

 

 

Event: One Word, One Day Auction

In 2012 the Australian Society of Authors, in partnership with Micador and the ABC launched a national event to raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Around the country artists were brought together at the ABC studios to spend a day creating illustrations and artwork based on a surprise theme word. This work will be auctioned to raise funds for the ILF at the One Word, One Day Auction on Tuesday 25 September.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation aims to raise literacy levels and improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians living in remote and isolated regions. This is done by providing books and literacy resources to Indigenous communities and raising broad community awareness of Indigenous literacy issues.

By the age of 15, more than one-third of Australia's Indigenous students 'do not have the adequate skills and knowledge in reading literacy to meet real-life challenges and may well be disadvantaged in their lives beyond school' .(PISA cited in Bortoli and Cresswell, 2004, page 11). The ILF is attempting to give these children and communities the same benefits enjoyed by so many other Australians.

Auction Details
Tuesday 25 September, 6pm - 8pm
ABC Studios, 700 Harris St, Ultimo NSW
Refreshments provided- Registration essential
RSVP to events@asauthors.org or see here for telephone and absentee bidding options

To find out more about the work of the ILF and ways you can support them, visit the Indigenous Literacy Foundation website.

Wall of Hands for Indigenous Literacy

Right now, four out of five Indigenous kids in remote communities cannot read. It's an appalling statistic, when being able to read and write is a basic human right. Only by working together can we make a difference to give Indigenous kids the chance to write their own futures.

Yesterday marked the launch of the 2012 Wall of Hands Indigenous Literacy Appeal. The support shown for this important program allows The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation to continue their programs in Tennant Creek and Mungkarta, and launch a new program to a whole new community of kids in Elliott, Northern Territory.

The ALNF are now reaching hundreds of children in these communities but they need more support.

The Wall of Hands movement is about improving Indigenous literacy, one community at a time. This year, the goal is to establish a new program in Ali-Curung, a remote community in the Northern Territory. Ali-Curung is located 350km north of Alice Springs and has a population of 500, including 150 school kids. This new program will ensure these kids receive the life-changing gift of literacy.

Please join in the Wall of Hands by raising your hand and saying 'I care'. Raise your hand today by making a donation to support these kids. Then start spreading the word to help us reach our $300,000 target to ensure we can launch our literacy program within this community.

With your help, Wall of Hands will continue to make a difference within remote communities to help Indigenous kids reach their true potential.