Making the world a kinder, safer place
March 19, 2019 at 2:41 pm | Posted in children's education, girls' education, Room to Read | Leave a commentTags: children's literacy, Girls' literacy, Global Literacy, Room to Read, Room To Read Writer Ambassador
We all want the world to be a kinder, safer place. And the most effective, most permanent way to achieve that is bringing literacy and education to children. That’s why I’m so proud of being a Writer Ambassador for Room to Read.
Just take a look at the fantastic 2018, Room to Read Year in Review and 2019, Room to Read global fact sheet ! You’ll see just how effective Room to Read has been in lifting children, especially girls, out of illiteracy and into a world of opportunity and possibilities by the end of 2018 – which means that we will all be happier and safer in the future!
If you’re a kid reading this post, please show it to your Mum and Dad. And if you’re a Mum or Dad, please take a look here to find out what you and your family can do to help this fundamentally important cause.
Eight weeks to go in my Clever Competition!
March 16, 2019 at 10:46 am | Posted in Boxed Set of Chinese Calendar Tales, children's literacy, Writing competitions for kids | Leave a commentTags: Clever Competition, Practically Perfect Pig Tale Competition, Sarah Brennan's Clever Competitions, Writing Competitions for Kids
Ping Pong would like to remind you that there are just eight weeks to go to get your story entries in to my Practically Perfect Pig Tale Competition! Now you might think that’s a long time…but even if you don’t think pigs can fly, I can assure you that time does, especially when you’re having fun! And with a beautiful Boxed Set of Chinese Calendar Tales on the table as first prize, you’d better get started! So take a look at the competition rules and ingredients here, and start planning your fabulous story today!
Thank you Fullers Bookshop!
March 16, 2019 at 9:58 am | Posted in Bookshop event, Events, Fuller's Bookshop, Hobart, Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Books about the Chinese Zodiac, The Chinese Calendar Tales, The Tale of Ping Pong Pig, Yongle Emperor
Many thanks to Tim Jarvis and Anne Fagan of Fullers Bookshop for hosting a story reading at their fabulous Collins Street store in Hobart on Saturday morning, 9th March! We had a small but quality audience of kids who expertly danced the Dance of the Seven Veils alongside Ping Pong Pig as she charmed the mighty Yongle Emperor in The Tale of Ping Pong Pig, and they left with some fun colouring-in sheets of characters from the book drawn by Harry Harrison! I look forward to seeing you all again soon!
Ping Pong Pig bounces into Hutchins School in Hobart!
March 16, 2019 at 9:41 am | Posted in Hobart, Hobart Schools, Tasmania, The Hutchins School | Leave a commentTags: Beijing, Stories about Chinese history for kids, Stories about Chinese Zodiac characters, The Chinese Calendar Tales, The Forbidden City, The Tale of Ping Pong Pig
Wow! Look at that sky! It was what my Dad used to call a “blue and gold day” on Friday 8th March when Ping Pong Pig and I visited Hutchins Junior School at Sandy Bay in Hobart, Tasmania to visit our many friends there with my latest Chinese Calendar Tale in one packed session! Just about every kid and teacher in school was there, from the Pre-Kindies to the Grade 6s, and they all fell in love with my feisty little pig as she evaded the Minister of Most Important Things in her romp around the Forbidden City in Beijing! Huge thanks to my dear friend, Head of Library Kate Reid, for inviting me in! And I’m looking forward to some great Hutchins entries in my Clever Competition!
Two wonderful days at St Margaret’s Anglican School in Brisbane!
March 6, 2019 at 11:52 am | Posted in Brisbane schools, St Margaret's Anglican School Brisbane, Story Readings, Writing competitions for kids, writing workshops for children | Leave a commentTags: St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School, The Chinese Calendar Tales, The Tale of Chester Choi, The Tale of Pin Yin Panda, The Tale of Ping Pong Pig
What a lovely two days I’ve just had with the gorgeous girls (and some boys) and teachers of St Margaret’s Primary and Pre-Prep this week! I met everyone from the cute little Pre-Preps to the savvy Grade 6s, and we had everything from story-readings of my Chinese Calendar Tales (The Tale of Chester Choi, The Tale of Pin Yin Panda and The Tale of Ping Pong Pig) with all their juicy Chinese history and folklore thrown in, to workshops and talks about How to Write a Riveting Story, How to Become a Great Writer in the Digital Age, Books are a Brain’s Best Friend, and History is Geography! I even spoke at a big assembly of the Grade 4s to 6s about How I Became an Author and Publisher – including all the life-skills I learned along the way! Then at school pickup time I met some lovely parents when they purchased my books!
Thank you, everybody, for making me feel so welcome and for engaging so intently in all the sessions! It was a treat to work with you all! And do make sure that you click on my Clever Competitions link here for details of my latest writing competition for primary school kids – I hope to see lots of fabulous entries from the St Margaret’s girls!
Finally, warmest thanks to some very special staff members who looked after me so kindly throughout: Primary Principal Angela Drysdale (above and below centre), Head of Planning and Organisation – Primary Ms Mary Surtees (above and below left); librarian Mrs Donna Jackson (to my second left above) and Administration Assistant Miss Elizabeth Hook (to my far left above). I had so much fun spending time with you all!
More photos to come! In the meantime, meet the dragon mascot of St Margaret’s – in tile above and in textile below!
Hellooo again Brisbane!
March 3, 2019 at 6:54 pm | Posted in Australian schools, Brisbane schools, Hobart, School visits, St Margaret's Anglican School Brisbane, The Hutchins School | Leave a commentTags: The Chinese Calendar Tales, The Tale of Ping Pong Pig, The Year of the Pig
Ping Pong Pig and I have just arrived in Brisbane and it’s HOT!! And a nice change from the cold weather of Hong Kong it is, I must say! My jolly little pig and I are really excited to be visiting the fabulous St Margaret’s Anglican School for the next two days! Then on Thursday we fly down to Tasmania for another fun visit to my friends at The Hutchins School and a (slightly belated) Chinese New Year celebration at Fullers Bookshop on Saturday! Keep visiting my blog for all the photos and fun!
How I ended up in publishing!
February 26, 2019 at 10:54 am | Posted in Being a publisher, Being an Author, media articles | Leave a commentTags: Bookazine Magazine, The Chinese Calendar Tales
Here’s an interesting article from Bookazine which was published in their Spring magazine yesterday, where 7 people involved in publishing in Hong Kong (including Harry Harrison and me!) tell the story of how it all happened! Take a look and see if maybe one day you also might like to join this wonderful, frustrating, fascinating, difficult but very rewarding industry! Thank you to Clemence Robine, marketing manager at Bookazine, for including me! And don’t you just love Harry’s fun illustration?
Ping Pong Pig visits the Asia Society!
February 24, 2019 at 11:41 am | Posted in Asia Society, Chinese festivals, Chinese New Year, Events, Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Asia Society Hong Kong, Books about Chinese history for kids, Books about Chinese Zodiac, The Chinese Calendar Tales, The Tale of Ping Pong Pig, The Year of the Pig
Ping Pong Pig and I visited the Asia Society yesterday for a lovely afternoon with some scrumptious kids, mums, dads and some fabulous grandmas! We had so much shouting to that plump little pig to “Run Pig Run!” or “Stay Pig Stay!” as the Minister of Most Important Things tried to track her down, and winning mini-pandas during my quiz! And the kids really learned their Ming Dynasty history too, with some impressively accurate answers to some of my tricky questions! Many thanks to the lovely Pauline Wong who hosted me for the event, and to CEO Alice Mong for asking me in!
Fabulous fun writing poetry at PLK CKY today!
February 20, 2019 at 5:14 pm | Posted in Hong Kong Schools, PLK CKY School, Poetry Workshops for kids, Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: An Introduction to Rhyming Poetry Workshop
I had so much fun today with the Year 4s at my old friends at Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School at Piper’s Point today! I talked to the kids about writing my favourite rhyming verse, then after a few rhyming and rhythm exercises they got down to work to complete a funny poem called Let’s Destroy the School! in perfect rhythm and rhyme! At the end of each session, the first groups to finish got to read their masterpieces out to the class! Warm thanks to Joli Moore, to my left above, who was my wonderful host for the day! And kids – remember, writing poems is FUN!
Hear me read The Tale of Ping Pong Pig at the Asia Society this Saturday afternoon!
February 19, 2019 at 10:50 am | Posted in Hong Kong events, Story Readings | Leave a commentTags: Asia Society Hong Kong, Books about Chinese Zodiac, Books about Pigs for kids, The Chinese Calendar Tales, The Tale of Ping Pong Pig, The Year of the Pig
On Saturday afternoon I’ll be reading Ping Pong Pig’s hilarious Tale at the Asia Society in Admiralty at a fun family event, and afterwards you can buy your own copy, and compete in a fun quiz for a cute baby panda toy! Find all the details here! You’ll even get a FREE Year of the Pig bookmark! See you there!
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