Have a look at this special event - coming soon!

About the boys

Wednesday 19 June at 7pm, Hawthorn Library

A special book author talk/book discussion event for boys aged 10+ and their dads.*

Meet guest author Fiona Wood.

Fiona is a TV scriptwriter and novelist. Her first YA novel Six impossible things is a wonderful story about growing up and fitting in, seen through the eyes of the main character who is a 14 year-old boy. Fiona's second novel Wildlife will be released this year.

Snacks provided │Free session │Bookings essential

To book call 9278 4666

*Male carers or mums welcome

Discussion with Robert Newton

Reviewed by:  Will
Rating: 5 stars

On the 15th of june Robert Newton came in and had a chat with the boys.


I think he had a very good clear loud voice and he kept us interested the whole evening. I also liked the way he told us about the way he writes his books



What now?

• Add your thoughts about in the comments below.

Doug Macleod answers some questions......

Doug Macleod recently visited Hawthorn Library and was kind enough to answer some follow-up questions for our blog......

"If you didn't live in St. Kilda, where on earth would you like to live?"

I haven't spent long enough in other cities to judge. St Kilda suits me because I like our community. It's very uncool to be judgmental in St Kilda, and I especially like that. We have a diverse population. Kids run businesses, fifty-year-olds ride skateboards. There's a community vegie patch next to Luna Park and we even have penguins. Keith is a little old man who lives in our street and he seems to have found out the secret to life. He loves people, and they love him. He's great to talk to, and knows everyone. He isn't a bore. Everything he says is interesting. This is a remarkable achievement in a built-up area. One morning I went to the ATM on Fitzroy Street, collected my receipt but forgot to take the cash. (It was an intense writing morning. I really shouldn't be let out when I'm like that.) When I realised my mistake ten minutes later, I returned to the ATM, and of course the money was gone. But two English backpackers came up to me and asked if I'd just done something stupid. I said I had. They handed me my money and refused to accept a reward. Even the backpackers are good.

"Are there any foods that help your writing process?"

I do most of my work in the morning, so breakfast is a vitally important meal. It's usually fruit and cottage cheese, because I'm trying to get my blood pressure down. (This is a new thing for me. Apparently having a job where I sit in the front room in my pyjamas typing stories is bad for my blood pressure.) Nectarines are amazingly good for creativity. You can write as many as two thousand words after eating a single nectarine. Bananas are good for comedy. Grapes for historical fiction. Roald Dahl always had the same morning meal - Norwegian prawns and half a lettuce - and insisted that it helped him to write for kids. I've never tried a Norwegian prawn. Victoria Wood said they swim around sewage outlets with their mouths open. It's a potent image, and a good example of the power of the written word.

"Could you write a serious book or does the humour always come through?"
My next book is serious. I've never done one before and I didn't think it was any good, but Penguin gave me a contract for it. I hesitated to sign but my editor kept reassuring me that the manuscript was fine and that he would help me turn it into a book. And just today I have learned that my editor has decided to leave Penguin. It's horrible news. Just thinking about it makes my blood pressure go up. At the moment it's 250 over 3 but I've lost faith in that blood pressure gauge that I bought at Aldi on Inkerman Street. Don't you think it's interesting that there's a shop where you can buy a bag of nectarines and also a blood pressure gauge?

Visit Doug Macleod

About us all - Book Raps!

Don't know what to read next? Come and hear library staff (including me!) talk about new and favourite books and get the inside information on the best reads around!

A special event for girls and boys aged 10+ and their mums and dads.

When: Wednesday 16 June at 7pm
Where: Hawthorn Library, 584 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn

The session is free but bookings are essential. Call 9278 4666 before it fills up.

PS. In a moment of madness I promised the boys at Tim Pegler's talk that I would give a Freddo to anyone who submitted a review to the blog then showed up at the Book Raps session. Same goes for the girls and anyone else. Submit a review using the link above, then come at see me at Book Raps. Jonathan.

Book Idol is coming soon

Have you got a favourite book which you think should be read by everyone? Well come along to our final combined session in the popular About the Boys/About the Girls series and see whether it has made the shortlist for the Boroondara Book Idol Award.

Youth Services Librarians from the Boroondara Library Service have put together a fantastic line up of titles which they think are worth considering, and you get the chance to vote for which one you think should win. It’s sure to be a fun evening with lots of interesting quizzes and guessing games planned – prizes too!

This is a combined event for boys aged 10 + and their dads and girls aged 10+ and their mums.
The session is free, however places are limited and bookings are essential.

Make bookings at any one of our libraries on 9278 4666

When: Tuesday 18 August at 7pm
Where: Kew Library, Cnr Cotham Road & Civic Drive, Kew

About the boys and About the girls Book Raps

In case you missed the news, the second sessions of About the boys and About the girls are coming up in the next couple of weeks. They are both taking the form of Book Raps where a few staff (including me) will talk about some new & favourite books to introduce you to some titles that you may not have come across yet. As usual, there will also be quizzes and prizes.

The boys session will be at Hawthorn Library, on Wednesday 15 July at 7pm.
Girls will be at Kew Library, on Tuesday 21 July at 7pm.

As of today (July 10) there are still places left for both sessions. Remember of course, the boys session is for boys aged 10+ with their Dads (or other male carers, or mums) and the girls session is for girls aged 10+ with their Mums (or other female carers, or dads).

Phone 9278 466 to book you place.

About the boys event - Michael Hyde

Last week saw the first About the boys event for 2009. A good crowd of boys and their dads had the chance to meet Michael Hyde, hear him talk about writing and fire questions at him. Michael is the author of the Change the game series of sporting related choose your own adventure type books. He has also written a bnunch of other titles for older kids & teenagers.

Michael talked about starting his writing career 30 years ago. He was working as a teacher and had been encouraging his students to write their own stories. Then one day one of the students asked him why he didn't write some himself. So he did. He pointed out that many of his early attempts were not very good. The students were also disappointed that most books were about American or English kids, that there were very few Australian stories for them. Michael saw the opportunity to contribute in this area.

He made the point that writing is for everyone, not just the lucky few who get published. There are plenty of people who write beautifully but never get published. He talked about getting ideas from all around him. Things he sees and people he meets.

Michael read from a few of his stories, answered questions, and laughed out loud at the horrible history quiz run on thi night.

So there you have it - writing is for everyone, ideas can come from everywhere, and even a published author started out writing stories that he was too embarrassed to tell us about.

"About the boys" and "About the girls" are back!

The events that inspired this blog are back for 2009.

About the boys – bloke lit for boys and dads

The fist session for boys aged 10 + and their dads is on Wednesday 17 June featuring guest author Michael Hyde. Michael’s most recent success has been with his series Change the game however he has also written a number of young adult novels.

About the girls – good reads for girls and mums

For girls aged 10+ and their mums, author Jane Godwin will be sharing her writing secrets and experiences at Kew Library on Tuesday 23 June. Jane has written a range of children’s books, including picture books, junior fiction (including Aussie Nibbles and Aussie Bites titles) and her latest young adult novel Falling from grace.


The sessions are free, however places are limited and bookings are essential. So get in fast!

Make bookings at any one of our libraries on 9278 4666

BOYS

When: Wednesday 17 June at 7pm
Where: Hawthorn Library, 584 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

GIRLS

When: Tuesday 23 June at 7pm
Kew Library, Cnr Cotham Road & Civic Drive, Kew

Stay tuned for details about the sessions in July and August.