Episode 23 - Merry Bookmas
Where the Wild Things Are is a dedicated children’s bookshop in West End, Brisbane. They’ve grown from a little corner in Avid Reader to their very own space next door for kids! They proudly promote inclusivity, diversity, and local authors through the books they stock and their many events. Wild Things hosts regular story times, author events, school visits and book fairs, and their dynamic school holiday program.
Kasia Janczewski has worked for both Avid Reader and Where the Wild Things Are for over six years. She specialises in picture books and storytelling, has co-facilitated weekly story time, and special holiday story time events. Kasia also co-facilitates Avid Reader’s Her Voice bookclub. She has trained and worked as an art, history, and design teacher in secondary schools, and practices as an artist. Kasia is the mother of twin three-year-olds that help her test out, enjoy, and recommend many wonderful picture books!
Find out more about Where the Wild Things Are:
In Store: 191 Boundary Street, West End QLD 4101
Website: www.wherethewildthingsare.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wherethewildthingsarebookshop/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WTWTABooks
Instagram: @wherethewildthingsare_bookshop
Kasia recommends:
Picture Book: Another Book About Bears by Laura and Philip Bunting
https://www.booktopia.com.au/another-book-about-bears-laura-bunting/prod9781742991931.html
Junior Fiction: Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters by Andrea Beaty, Illustrations by David Roberts
Middle-Grade Fiction: Louisiana's Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
https://www.booktopia.com.au/louisiana-s-way-home-kate-dicamillo/prod9781406387544.html
Illustrated Novel: Tales From the Inner City by Shaun Tan
Wild Card: Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Readings is an independent retailer of books, music and film, with seven shops operating in Melbourne at Carlton, Doncaster, Hawthorn, Malvern, St Kilda and the State Library Victoria – as well as a specialty children’s and young adult bookshop, also in Carlton.
Angela Crocombe has worked at Readings bookshops in Melbourne for the last eight years and has been the manager of Readings Kids in Carlton since it opened in October 2016. She is a long-term book industry professional who has worked as a sales representative, publicist and in foreign rights at a number of Australian publishing companies. Angela is also the author of two non-fiction books on sustainable living and thirteen educational books for primary school students. Her books Climate Change and Water Supply were shortlisted for The Wilderness Society’s Environmental Awards for Children’s Literature in 2009.
Find out more about Readings:
In Store: Readings Kids, 315 Lygon St, Carlton VIC
Website: www.readings.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/readingsbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/readingsbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingsbooks/
Angela recommends:
Picture Book: All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys
Junior Fiction: The Tales of Mr Walker by Jess Black, illustrated by Sara Acton
Middle-Grade Fiction: Everything I've Never Said by Samantha Wheeler
Mystery: Kat Wolfe Investigates by Lauren St John
The Children's Bookshop, established in 1971, is the oldest specialist children's bookshop in NSW Australia. Its strength has always been the expert advice provided by the dedicated and enthusiastic staff who enjoy finding the right book for the young reader.
Paul Macdonald, the owner of the Children's Bookshop, has a Master of Education, working almost 20 years as a teacher of Upper Primary and Secondary. His interests include the development of literacy with a particular interest in reading for gifted children, boys' literacy and books for adolescents. Paul won the inaugural Maurice Saxby Award in 2012 for his contributions to raising the profile of teen fiction. Paul was also the winner of the 2016 Lady Cutler award for services to children's literature and literacy in Australia and was nominated as Bookseller of the Year in 2018.
Find out more about The Children's Bookshop:
In Store: 6 Hannah St, Beecroft NSW
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Childrens-Bookshop-239327069453946/
Paul recommends:
Picture Book: Midnight at the Library by Ursula Dubosarsky and Ron Brooks
Junior Fiction: The Adventures of Catvinkle by Elliot Perlman, illustrated by Laura Stitzel
Middle-Grade Fiction: Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
Middle-Grade Fiction: The Storm Keeper's Island by Catherine Doyle
Lower Young Adult: The Things that Will Not Stand by Michael Gerard Bauer
Gross: Excuse Me, Santa! by Dave Hughes and Holly Ife, illustrated by Philip Bunting
Wild Card: To Kill a Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel by Harper Lee, adapted and illustrated by Fred Fordham
Whatcha Readin?
This episode it's more "what will ya be reading"? Kate, Liz and Nat are excited to get stuck into their to-be-read piles over the summer break. Here is just a sample of what they'll be reading:
Kate will be reading Gabrielle Wang's books, including A Ghost in My Suitcase.
Liz plans to read The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty, Wakestone Hall by Judith Rossell and Love, Z by Jessie Sima.
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Love-Z/Jessie-Sima/9781481496773
Nat is excited about Greta Zargo and the Death Robots from Outer Space by A.F. Harrold and illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton
https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/greta-zargo-and-the-death-robots-from-outer-space-9781408869482/
Shout-out
Our shout-out this episode is to you, all our amazing listeners who have listened in during 2018, recommended us to your friends, followed us on social media, reviewed us on iTunes and generally been amazing.
Thanks so much for making this a truly special year for us all and we hope you'll be back for more in 2019!
On Our Radar
As well as planning to read Gabrielle Wang's entire backlist, Kate is also excited about the upcoming adaptation of her book A Ghost in My Suitcase, which will be on at the Sydney Opera House as part of the Sydney Festival in January
(www.sydneyoperahouse.com/events/whats-on/SydneyFestival/2019/a-ghost-in-my-suitcase.html).
Nat is sharing in the Opera House excitement, and heading off to see the stage adaptation of The 91-Storey Treehouse, which is running from the 3rd to the 20th of January. (https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/events/whats-on/Kids-and-Families/2019/the-91-storey-treehouse.html)
And why stop there? The Sydney Opera House has a great kids and families program going on all year long, so check it out.
(www.sydneyoperahouse.com/visit-us/bring-the-kids/kids-shows-age.html)
Other Bits & Pieces
Not everything on our Christmas wish lists this year is bookish. Check out what Kate, Liz and Nat are hoping to find under their trees!
Kate is looking forward to relaxing with a Shakti neck pillow this Christmas. What? Who says hard plastic spikes to the neck aren't relaxing?
Liz is prepping for a 2019 full of bookish events with some fun accessories the top of her wish list.
Nat actually has a Christmas wish list that would make Veruca Salt proud, but we thought we'd mention just one of the things on her list, this awesome Lego Hogwarts castle.
Our epic Bookmas rendition of Deck the Shelves was inspired by some of our favourite books of the year, and some new discoveries as well!
And, Kate and Nat got a pretty awesome Bookmas present this episode from Liz - library card socks!
Thanks
To illustrator Marianne Khoo for designing the One More Page podcast logo and other associated images.
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