Rodney Ram meets the fabulous Kincoppal kids!
August 25, 2015 at 1:42 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 2 CommentsTags: Chinese Calendar Tales, Chinese Zodiac, Kincoppal Rose Bay, Sydney Schools, The Tale of Rodney Ram, Writing workshops
What a fun day I just had with the keen readers and writers of Grades 3 to 6 at Kincoppal Rose Bay in Sydney! We started with a fun reading of my latest book, The Tale of Rodney Ram, then had three fabulous workshops where we talked about How to Write a Riveting Story. After the sessions, some of the classes immediately got started on story plans for my Clever Competition – and I can’t wait to read the results! Warm thanks to librarian Helen Webster (above) for being such a kind and supportive host.
My Chinese Zodiac beasties and I visit Rose Bay Public School in Sydney!
August 24, 2015 at 2:36 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 2 CommentsTags: AISHK, Chinese Calendar Tales, Chinese history, Chinese Zodiac, Rose Bay Public School, Sydney Schools
Helloooo to all my friends at Rose Bay Public School! I had such a fun day today visiting the school, with story readings galore for the whole school! The Kindies met my hungry dragon Chester Choi and found out why some dragons have four toes and others have five, the Grade 1s and 2s met Pin Yin Panda and learned all about the Legend of Lord Buddha’s Race and panda diplomacy, the Grade 3s and 4s met Rodney Ram and learned how rice came to China, and the Grade 5s and 6s heard the mysterious Tale of Sybil Snake, and found out about China’s only female Emperor, Wu Zetian! We had a lot of fun! Many thanks to lovely librarian Sarah Skelton (above), who was my wonderful host for the day. And a reminder to all you budding writers out there to enter my Clever Competition – see all the rules on the Clever Competitions tab above!
The Chinese Calendar Characters romp into CAIS Lower Primary School!
March 20, 2015 at 7:01 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: CAIS, Chinese Zodiac, Hong Kong Schools, Pin Yin Panda, Rodney Ram
Today my funny and fabulous Chinese Calendar Tale characters and I went romping in to Christian Alliance International School Lower Primary Campus at Kwai Chung! We met the gorgeous Kindies, some Grade 1s, and the Grade 2s, with two story readings of The Tale of Pin Yin Panda, and two of The Tale of Rodney Ram! And they all met my fun cast of stuffed toys, cousins of my Chinese Calendar characters. Here I am above with librarian Jeannie Li, holding Spring the Lamb, library technician Justin Enns looking a bit puzzled as he points at the Big Cat Stamford, who never made it into the Zodiac (all because of that cheating Rat), and me with my Bear Bunny Bear! I’ll be seeing you all again on Monday when I visit the rest of the Grade 1s and the Grade 3s!
Helloooo to my old friends at WISS!
March 10, 2015 at 5:56 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Chinese Zodiac, Shanghai schools, WISS
It was fabulous to visit my old (and some new :)) friends at Western International School Shanghai today! My dear friend Fiona Collins, deputy principal and head of libraries (above left) and dedicated Primary School librarian Adrienne Johnson (right) were on hand to make the day run smoothly, and it was great to see the Grade 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s again! We had two story reading sessions where the Grade 2s and 3s met Rodney Ram, and two Riveting Story Workshops with the older kids! I hugely look forward to receiving lots of riveting stories from you all in my upcoming writing competitions this year! But in the meantime, you can enter my Shaggy Sheep Poem Competition – all the details are in the box attached to the whiteboard in your library below! And a fond farewell till next time to you all from the Chinese Zodiac beasties in the photo below, including Stamford the Lion at the back, the Big Cat who never made it into the Chinese Calendar…
A Funny and Fabulous Day at DBIS!
March 4, 2015 at 3:13 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Chinese Zodiac, Discovery Bay International School, The Tale of Pin Yin Panda, The Tale of Rodney Ram
I had SUCH a fun day today with my old – and young 🙂 – friends at Discovery Bay International School today! The Grade 2s, 3s, and 4s met my shaggy, shy sheep Rodney, and then the gorgeous Grade 1s met my very vain (but loveable) Pin Yin Panda, and learned all about how the animals got into the Chinese Zodiac! We had a ball! Huge thanks to the wonderful Naomi Gist (above) for hosting me today! And even more thanks for letting me, and my family of Chinese Zodiac animals, make our getaway, very stylishly, in her Discovery Bay golf buggy! But trust that Pin Yin Panda to insist on riding in the front! You can also see below a fabulous drawing of Rodney Ram given to me by a lovely student called Elin – isn’t it terrific?
AISHK loves SHEEP!
March 3, 2015 at 7:32 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: AISHK, Chinese Zodiac, Hong Kong Schools, Library ideas, Year of the Ram
It must be something to do with Australia’s historical connection to the sheep industry…but the Australian International School Hong Kong just LOVES sheep, and gave my shy sheep Rodney Ram a very enthusiastic welcome today! Here I am above left with lovely teacher librarian Megan O’Connor, with the Thinking Tree, and a very fat Aussie sheep, owned by Senior School librarian Mr Darryl Hopkins (above right) who tried to feed it to a Chinese dragon! The AISHK has SUCH great ideas in the library – like this wonderful Reading Tree (below left) and board games made by the kids about their favourite books (below right). No wonder all the kids at AISHK love reading books!
A Ram-bunctious Morning at Cranbrook Junior School!
February 26, 2015 at 2:44 pm | Posted in Being an Author, Chinese New Year, School visits, Sydney schools | 2 CommentsTags: Chinese culture, Chinese history, Chinese Zodiac, Cranbrook Junior School, The Tale of Rodney Ram
A huge thank you to teacher librarian Megan Light and library technician Liz de Wit for hosting me at Cranbrook Junior today. The boys from Grade 3 to 6 met my shy but artistic Rodney Ram in two fun story-telling sessions jam-packed with Chinese history and folklore, and even explored their romantic sides! It was so much fun, and I had a ball! Thank you all for your lovely warm welcome, and make sure you enter my Clever Competition right away! Also, do remember to take a look at http://www.roomtoread.org for more information about this very important children’s charity. Here I am with the boys, working out their signs of the zodiac, and pretending to be the farmer in Rodney Ram’s story!
Rodney Ram meets Robert Townson Public School!
February 26, 2015 at 4:51 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Australian schools, Chinese Calendar Tales, Chinese culture, Chinese history, Chinese New Year, Chinese Zodiac
On Wednesday, Rodney Ram and I and all the Chinese Calendar Tales characters met the wonderful kids and staff of Robert Townson Public School at Raby! It was a very special day for me, as my host was my dear friend Michelle Sarjana, deputy principal, who used to be deputy principal at Kennedy School in Hong Kong, and was one of the first teachers ever to invite me to visit her school with my first book, A Dirty Story! It was a BIG day! The Kindies met my hungry dragon Chester Choi, the Grade 1s and 2s learned all about the Chinese Zodiac animals in The Tale of Pin Yin Panda, then the Grade 3s and 4s met my VERY romantic Rodney Ram and the Grade 5s and 6s were hypnotized by Sybil Snake! Lastly, my toy tiger Tarini met the Townson Tiger who told her to Aim High! It was great to meet you all, and I really enjoyed my chats with the dedicated staff at the school – especially gifted potter and artist Lyn Thirwell who is currently looking after the library! It was a treat! I look forward to seeing lots of entries in my Clever Competition!
Fabulous Fun at Lindfield East Public School!
February 23, 2015 at 7:37 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Chinese Calendar Tales, Chinese Zodiac, Lindfield East Public School, Sydney, The Tale of Rodney Ram
Hellooooo Sydney!
Today I met over 400 fabulous kids at the exceptional Lindfield East Public School in North Sydney! Years 3 to 6 all heard my shaggy tale about Rodney Ram and how rice came to China, as well as lots of useful titbits about Chinese New Year, the Chinese Zodiac animals, and how I write and publish my books! Many thanks to the wonderful Rachel Watkins, deputy principal, who hosted me today, as well as inspirational principal Andrew Stevenson and all the dedicated staff. It was a huge pleasure to meet you all and to find out more about your fantastic cross-cultural curriculum and activities. Below you can see just a sample of the Chinese New Year decorations at the school – some bleached apples showing Chinese characters, and a fabulous Chinese Emperor a.k.a. principal Andrew Stevenson with the kids!
Kung Hei Fat Choy for the Year of the Sheep/Ram/Goat!
February 19, 2015 at 2:44 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: Chinese New Year, Chinese Zodiac, Harry Harrison, Year of the Goat, Year of the Sheep
A very Happy New Year of the Sheep – or the Ram – or the Goat – to you all from me and from Harry Harrison! Here is Harry’s wonderful cartoon – isn’t it fun?! We hope this year is woolly, woolly wonderful for you and the people you love! Have fun and remember to keep reading lots, and lots, and lots of BOOKS!
Blog at WordPress.com.
Entries and comments feeds.
Sarah Brennan Funny & Fabulous Blog 