Celebrating Young Literature
To mark Book Week, three acclaimed authors dropped in to deepen the Senior School girls’ understanding of the complexities of writing, while the Junior School buzzed with creativity and storytelling.
It’s no secret Australia boasts some of the best Young Adult (YA) fiction writers in the world and this week, we hosted three of them to share their expertise and help our girls hone and elevate their own writing skills.
Former journalist, Jenna Guillaume, has written for publications like The Guardian, Rolling Stone, MTV, and The Sydney Morning Herald. She discussed her transition from entertainment and lifestyle journalism to writing the romantic comedies, What I Like About Me, and You Were Made For Me, with Years 7 and 8. She also discussed her writing approach, which has been praised for its positive depiction of body image and young love.
Author, Sarah Ayoub, spoke to Years 9 and 10 about the advantages of living in Australia and the significance of finding one's voice. Ms Ayoub is the author of Hate is Such a Strong Word, The Yearbook Committee, and The Cult of Romance. She began writing about the complexities of navigating racial and cultural mixtures and the pressures of teenage life while completing her PhD on the subject. Now her novels are attracting international acclaim for their investigation of migrant narratives.
Former surfing champion, Kirsty Eagar, helped Years 11 and 12 students dig into the writing process, including methods of incorporating personal experiences. Ms Eagar's YA novels include the critically acclaimed Summer Skin, and have won numerous literary awards.
The Library Captains organised a Book and Bake sale, offering an enticing selection of delectable treats and highly sought-after book titles. They raised $634 for the Pyjama Foundation, which assists children in foster care with their learning and literacy development.
Woodstock kicked off its celebrations today with a "Magical Moment of Reading" Parade, while over in Hooke House, the students ran an impromptu book catwalk, which included some fun teacher involvement.
Years 3 to 4 were thrilled to engage with internationally recognised author and illustrator, Serena Geddes, who has written two books and illustrated almost 70. Ms Geddes enthralled the students who were filled with questions about her process and how she finds a character's "visual voice”.
Years 5 and 6 were joined by author, Jeremy Lachlan, who penned the Jane Doe chronicles including the bestseller, Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds. They also had the chance to hone their journalistic skills by formulating questions about what inspires him as an author and writing up a report of his visit.
Throughout the day, all year groups wrote some imaginative poetry, while the littlest girls made badges and the older students played word and story games such as “Continue the Chapter of the Book”.