NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2019 author interviews

Join author and illustrator Aura Parker as she guides us through the process of creating our very own Read Back Spider from the 2019 PRC poster!

Suitable for primary and secondary students.

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.

Suitable for primary and secondary students.

Ashley from Galston High School go to chat to Megan McDonald, author of the phenomenally successful Judy Moody series, at Sydney Writers’ Festival primary Schools day. Megan shares with us the stories that captivated her as a child, and what it was like to see Judy Moody appear both in someone else’s illustrations and on film.

Suitable for primary students.

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.

Suitable for primary students.

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!

Suitable for primary students.

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.

Suitable for primary and secondary students.

Join author and illustrator Aura Parker as she guides us through the process of creating our very own Read Back Spider from the 2019 PRC poster!

Suitable for primary and secondary students.

Dhonielle hails from New York, and is a self-proclaimed school nerd who loved putting headings on her homework and was thrilled by freshly sharpened pencils. She joined Emily Woods from Galston High School to chat about her work, why she writes what she writes, and who her inspirations are in life and in fiction.

Suitable for secondary students.

Michael Earp has spent his whole life finding ways to work with and around books, as a bookseller, a writer and in publishing. He joined PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers at Sydney Writers’ Festival AllDayYA festival to talk about his new anthology Kindred which was launched at the festival, how you can turn an obsession with stories into a career, and how you can engage with stories in many different ways – including a great idea to pick your next read. TBR Death Match, anyone?

Suitable for secondary students.

Alison Evans is the author of Ida, which won the People’s Choice Award at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, and Highway Bodies, their recently published zombie fiction novel, as well as contributing to Kindred, the recently published collection of queer #LoveOzYA stories. Alison joined PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers at AllDayYA to chat about unusual and extraordinary plots in everyday life, fan fiction, and why representation matters in fiction.

Suitable for secondary students.

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.

Suitable for secondary students.

Jenna Guillaume is the author of the young adult rom-com What I Like About 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!

Suitable for secondary students.

Rafeif Ismail is a refugee and third culture youth of the Sudanese diaspora. A multilingual writer, Rafeif was the winner of the 2017 Deborah Cass Prize for Writing, the 2018 Convocation of UWA Graduates Bryant Stokes Matilda Award for Cultural Excellence (Literature) and a finalist for the 2018 WA Youth Awards Cultural Endeavours category. She joined PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers to talk about why writing in own voices matters, how superheroes helped her to learn to read in English, and the books that influenced her as a child.

Suitable for secondary students.

Jordi Kerr joined PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers to talk about their life as a “consumer, creator and curator of stories”. From writing for Saddle Club to contributing to Meet Me at the Intersection anthology of stories from diverse voices, Jordi shares their experiences with stories and how they help them navigate the process of creating when writing feels hard.

Suitable for secondary students.

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!)

Suitable for secondary students.

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.

Suitable for secondary students.

International SWF guest Mackenzi Lee talks to PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers about writing fan fiction as a career, and how she became interested in writing historical fiction. She also shares some of her upcoming work, including the book she was asked to write for Marvel (what a great job!) and history through the eyes of dogs.

Suitable for secondary students.

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.

Suitable for primary and secondary students.

PRC Officer Tamara Rodgers chats with Omar Sakr about why poetry is easier – both to read, and to write! Omar shares his feelings on why telling your own story is important, and talks about the books that influenced him as a child.

Suitable for secondary students.

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.

Suitable for secondary students.

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.

Suitable for primary and secondary students.