Matilda from Ebenezer Public School interviews the 'Wunder-full' Jessica Townsend. Jessica talks about her inspiration as a writer, how to deliver stories that are both familiar by using tropes but also be original, and her top tips for coming up with character names. There are many more tales to come from Jessica in the world of Morrigan Crow, so get the inside scoop on this fantastic series while you wait for the next book in the series!
The Arts Unit, NSW Department of Education. (2021). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2021 Author Videos - Jessica Townsend [Video]. https://digital.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/premiers-reading-challenges/author-videos/2021
Emily from Galston High School talks to Zana Fraillon at the Sydney Writers’ Festival Secondary Schools Day. Zana shares her writing process, how she decides who her audience will be, and the importance of research. She also shares the process of writing her latest award-winning novel, The Lost Soul Atlas, and how important it is to be respectful and authentic when creating characters from diverse backgrounds.
The Arts Unit, NSW Department of Education. (2021). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2021 Author Videos - Zana Fraillon [Video]. https://digital.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/premiers-reading-challenges/author-videos/2021
Gary Lonesborough shares his experience as a debut author with Angie from Galston High School backstage at the Sydney Writers’ Festival Secondary Schools Day. Gary talks about what inspired his own-voices novel The Boy From the Mish, and how his real-life experiences and relationships inspired the fictional settings and characters in his book.
The Arts Unit, NSW Department of Education. (2021). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2021 Author Videos - Gary Lonesborough [Video]. https://digital.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/premiers-reading-challenges/author-videos/2021
Jenna Guillaume is the author of the young adult rom-com What I Like About Me and more recently You Were Made For Me.She is a former editor-at-large for BuzzFeed Australia, where she wrote about very important things like pop culture, identity, feminism, social media, and Chris Hemsworth's biceps. She joined PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers at Sydney Writers’ Festival’s AllDayYA event to chat about her writing career, finding the right story for you, and what’s coming next!
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 13. Jenna Guillaume [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/V3Tp
Ambelin is an Aboriginal writer and illustrator from the Palyku people. She talks with Sam from Galston High School about the importance of representation in fiction, and how she incorporated the history of treatment of Aboriginal people in Australia in her speculative fiction Tribe series.
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 05. Ambellin Kwaymullina [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/t4Tp
Caleb from Galston High School loved getting to chat to Neal Shusterman about his dystopian fiction, and how he comes up with his story ideas. Neal shares the books he enjoyed reading when he was younger, and why he thinks books are so important.
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 06. Neil Shusterman [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/S4Tp
PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers got to catch up with Gabrielle Tozer, who has books on the K-2, 3-4 and 7-9 PRC lists! Gabi talks about how her writing process has changed as she has written all her books, and what it was like to work on her first picture book.
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 11. Gabrielle Tozer [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/56Tp
Momo from Galston High School caught up with Katherine Rundell at the Sydney Writers’ Festival primary Schools day to chat about why children’s books are for everyone, and how stories stay with us.
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 02. Katherine Rundell [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/V6Tp
Kirli Saunders, proud Gunai Woman and award-winning author, chats to Ella-Rose from Lidcombe Public about discovering her love of sharing stories as a child. They discuss how stories can change the world, and help us through difficult times. Kirli also provides some fantastic tips for your young writers!
The Arts Unit, NSW Department of Education. (2021). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2021 Author Videos - Kirli Saunders [Video]. https://digital.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/premiers-reading-challenges/author-videos/2021
Join Ashley from Galston High School in conversation with Australian author Leanne Hall, about the real-life drama that inspired her latest book, The Gaps. Leanne reflects on the importance of representing contemporary settings and characters in her work, and how being a writer has changed the way she views herself and the world around her.
The Arts Unit, NSW Department of Education. (2021). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2021 Author Videos - Leanne Hall [Video]. https://digital.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/premiers-reading-challenges/author-videos/2021
Declan from Lidcombe Public School talks to one of Australia’s most beloved children’s authors, the wonderful Emily Rodda! Emily shares her journey as an author, from writing extensively as a child to having her first novel published at 36, to now over 100 books later! Join Declan and Emily as we get some insight into the writing process for some of our favourite children’s books.
The Arts Unit, NSW Department of Education. (2021). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2021 Author Videos - Emily Rodda [Video]. https://digital.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/premiers-reading-challenges/author-videos/2021
PRC Ambassador, burger and video game obsessed Oliver Phommavanh chats to Anastasia from Galston High School at the Sydney Writers’ Festival primary Schools day. He shares his tips for getting your parents to accept your dream to be a writer rather than a doctor or lawyer, and why being a nerd is cool.
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 03. Oliver Phommavanh [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/E4Tp
Bonnie Lloyd from Galston High School chats to PRC Ambassador Will Kostakis about how he approached the writing process for his novels including his first book deal that he signed when he was in high school. He also talks about authors who inspired him, what the Premier’s Reading Challenge meant to him when he was at school, and what we can look forward to in his next book (which is just about to be added the PRC 7-9 list!)
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 07. Will Kostakis [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/M4Tp
Rebecca has written 19 books for children and young adults, as well as contributed many pieces to anthologies and other collections. She joined Tamara Rodgers, NSW PRC Officer at Sydney Writers’ Festival AllDayYA to chat about how reading can take you places, and why she wants to expand our ideas about what dragons are.
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 09. Rebecca Lim [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/06Tp
Erin is the author of two award-winning novels for young adults, including Flywheel, which one the Ampersand Prize, and Amelia Westlake, which won the Readings Young Adult Book Prize and the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature at the 2019 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Erin joined Tamara Rodgers, NSW PRC Officer, to talk about writing for young adults, the inspiration behind her recent work, and what she read as a child that inspired her to write herself.
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 10. Erin Gough [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/F6Tp
The hilarious R.A. Spratt talks to Ashley from Galston High School at SWF Primary Schools Day. Rachel shares with us her beginnings as a reluctant reader, and where she finds inspiration for her characters. Pro tip – don’t ask her if there’s going to be another Friday Barnes book. And for future reference, R.A. – Peski Kids IS on the PRC booklist, and we love it!
Arts Unit C, NSW Department of Education and Communities. (2019). NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 - Showcase - 01. R. A. Spratt [Video]. Click View. https://clickv.ie/w/Y6Tp