Sarah Brennan Funny & Fabulous Blog

A Hero in My Eyes at Discovery Bay International School

Today I was honoured to be invited to Discovery Bay International School Senior School for their Hero in My Eyes Assembly  where the Grade 7s and 8s are beginning their study unit on their own personal heroes! I was asked to talk about my own personal hero, and it was very hard to choose! For me, a hero is someone who is willing to put their comfort, safety – even their lives – at risk for the sake of helping others. And 17 year old Pakistani high school girl Malala Yousafszai, born 12/7/1997, has done just that – for almost a third of her short life so far. She believes so strongly in the right of all children to an education – rich, poor, girl or boy – that she spoke out against the Taliban in her home in the Swat Valley – and almost died for that belief! Now she lives in Birmingham in England and is continuing to speak out for education for all. What a fabulous hero she is! You can find out more about her at http://www.malala.org and I encourage you to visit that site right away with your mum and dad!

Goodbye marvellous Melbourne – and home again in Hong Kong!

A fond farewell to marvellous Melbourne, one of my favourite cities in the world! It’s not for nothing that it’s been voted the Most Liveable City in the World – again! On my last day, Tuesday, I visited the fantastic State Library of Victoria. Here I am posing in front of it! But have no fear – I will return, and soon I hope!

And now I’m back home in Hong Kong, another of my favourite cities in the world! It’s good to be back!

A funny and fabulous day at St Joseph’s Malvern!

A big thank you to Literacy Co-ordinator Mary Murphy for inviting me today to visit all the lovely kids of St Joseph’s Primary in Malvern! The Grade 1s and 2s learned all about how the animals got into the Chinese Zodiac with my Tale of Pin Yin Panda, while the Grade 3s to Grade 6s learned How to Write a Riveting Story! It was great fun to meet you all! Please remember to enter my Clever Competition – and keep on reading lots and lots and lots of books!

Rhonda Rabbit meets Flopsy Bunny in Geelong!

My favourite bunny Rhonda Rabbit met a real live relative at my sister’s house in Geelong today! Here they both are, together with me and my lovely niece Caroline Stephens!

Dalmatians in peril at Methodist Ladies College!

    
Oh dear! Cruella Deville (aka Head of Junior Library Tracey Ricchini) was capturing dalmatian puppies in a red string bag at Methodist Ladies College on Friday, with the assistance of Perdita (aka Library Technician Pam) – and all in honour of Costume Day for Book Week! But Miss Pink from A Dirty Story (below left) was there to save the day, together with a bevvy of Bookbugs! Thanks Tracey, Pam and the fabulous staff and students of MLC for a terrific day!

A Grand Gallop at Geelong Grammar Junior School in Toorak!

I had such a great day today at Geelong Grammar Junior School in Toorak, visiting everyone from the adorable Kindies to the fabulous Grade 4s! The littlest ones met my child-eating dragon in The Tale of Chester Choi, while the Grade Ones had fun meeting all the Chinese Zodiac animals in The Tale of Pin Yin Panda. The Grade 4s learned all about How to Write a Riveting Story, and finally the Grade 3s unscrambled limericks, identified haikus and even helped write a rhyming poem in my Introduction to Poetry Workshop! Warm thanks to teacher librarian Fiona O’Rourke for inviting me and looking after me so well, library technician Lyn Pool for taking me out for a delicious lunch, and Harrison who won a Dark Horse book for asking the best, most perspicacious question! I look forward to seeing dozens of Geelong Grammar entries in my Favourite Tree Poem Competition ! See all the details on the Clever Competitions page above!

Meet a Clever Competition Place Winner from Sydney!

Meet Chelsea Parker-Burton, talented writer and Third Place Winner in the Grade 4 to 6 Section of my Handsome Horse Poem Competition earlier this year! I had the great pleasure of meeting Chelsea yesterday in person at her school Kambala! As you can see, Chelsea is particularly fond of horses which perhaps explains why her poem was particularly good! You can read Chelsea’s poem, together with all the other winning entries, by clicking the Handsome Horse Poem tab on the Clever Competitions page at the right!

And if you want to be a Competition Winner yourself, why not enter my new Favourite Tree Poem Competition! See all the details on the Clever Competition page above!

A Big Hello to Melbourne!

I’ve just arrived in Melbourne for Book Week and I’m so excited to be visiting three fabulous schools here! Tomorrow I’ll be visiting Geelong Grammar Junior School in Toorak; on Friday I’ll see my friends at Methodist Ladies College, then next Monday I’ll be visiting St Joseph’s Malvern for the first time! See you all soon!

The Dark Horse visits Kambala!

My handsome Dark Horse and I galloped into Kambala in Rose Bay, Sydney today to visit the Grade 3 girls for a fantastic story session, full of all the mystery and history of the Silk Road! Thanks to lovely librarian Jo Laretive for having me again – it was a treat!

Helloooo Chatswood Primary School!

Today was a VERY rainy Monday in Sydney! It was also fabulous fun, as I visited Chatswood Primary School and introduced all the kids to my Chinese Calendar Tales! The Kindies and Grade 1s met Chester Choi the child-eating dragon with a soft heart; the Grade 2s met my naughty and very vain Pin Yin Panda; and the Grade 3s, 4s, 5s and 6s learned all about How to Write a Really Riveting Story! A big thank you to the lovely Ali Ryan for hosting me today, and to the kids and teachers who were so welcoming and attentive!