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Throughout June, Australia’s #1 award-winning author, Sally Rippin, will be on tour to celebrate the release of her new book, Polly and Buster, and as part of this, she will be delivering talks at several host schools around Australia.

Sally Rippin fans in Grades 1 – 4 are invited along to any of the following locations:

VIC

Lauriston Girls’ School Montrose, 38 Huntingtower Rd, Armadale, VIC, 3143
Friday 2nd of June from 9.30am – 10.30am

Antonine College – Cedar Campus, 130 Harding Street, East Coburg, VIC, 3058
Wednesday 14th of June from 10am – 11am

Beaconhills College – Berwick, 92 Kangan Dve, Berwick, VIC, 3806
Thursday 13th of June from 10am – 11am

NSW

Bondi Public School, 5 Wellington St, Bondi, NSW, 2026
Tuesday 6th of June from 10am – 11am

QLD

Our Lady of Rosary School, Kenmore, QLD 4069
Friday 9th of June from 11.30am – 12.30pm

The cost is $5 per head and you can bring as few, or as many, students as you like. The invitation is open to all students between Grade 1 – 4.

If you’d like to take part in this limited opportunity and want to see Sally in action, give us a call today on 03 9824 0177 or email us – bookings@bookedout.com.au

To hear the first chapter of this new book, do check out this video from Sally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMi30jNU5kQ

You can also view the teachers notes for Polly and Buster: http://www.hardiegrant.com/au/egmont/our-books/polly-and-buster

Hot off the Booked Out presses: we are delighted to announce that award-winning author, J.C. Burke will be down with us in Melbourne for Book Week!

A multi-award winning YA author, J.C. Burke has a long list of critically acclaimed books, including White Lies, The Red Cardigan, Faking Sweet, and CBCA Book of the Year 2006, The Story of Tom Brennan. Her latest release, The Things We Promise, delves into that quintessential time of uncertainty and fear – a girl’s first formal. Following her brother’s promise that she will look fabulous on the night, Gemma’s world quickly unravels when the family’s circumstances change dramatically. Gemma’s story, laden with emotion, humour and heartbreak, is a beautiful depiction of a young girl’s struggle in the face of change.

Her Book Week tour will fill up fast so get in touch today to secure your visit from J.C. Burke.

Our super talented speaker, Tristan Bancks is soon releasing a new book and we are BEYOND excited to get our hands on it.

The new thriller, ‘The Fall’, is due out on May 29th, just in time for winter reading when you’ll need a good dose of suspense to keep you toasty and warm!

Check out Tristan’s short video, telling you everything you need to know about ‘The Fall’ and click the link here to read a FREE sample chapter.

Tristan is almost completely full during his tour weeks but please do get in touch if you’d like to connect with Tristan via a Skype or online session.

Today we are spotlighting our fabulous speaker and award-winning author, Steven Amsterdam who has made the long-list of nominations for the 2017 Miles Franklin Award!

After winning The Age ‘Book of the Year’ award in 2009 for his post-apocalyptic novel Things We Didn’t See Coming, Steven has now been long listed for his latest novel, The Easy Way Out.

Steven, who also works as a palliative care nurse, draws on the complicated theme of assisted suicide, making this latest offering a topical and thought provoking work of fiction – a must read!

Paul Dillon has delivered professional development seminars for teachers and other professionals for many years. This year he will be expanding his DARTA Seminar Days to include Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth along with Sydney and Melbourne.

The one-day information session aims to provide teachers with some basic information on current youth AOD trends in Australia, with a particular emphasis on school-based young people. Using the most up-to-date statistics and research, the workshop aims to empower attendees by providing the facts around some of the issues in this controversial area.

Specific topic areas to be covered for each of the sessions will be made closer to the date, but a particular emphasis will be given to a close examination of the latest Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) survey and what these results mean for those working with school-based young people?

Please note that if you have attended a DARTA Seminar Day in the past the content will not be the same as for previous sessions.

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To book your place or find out more, see the links below:

A one-day information session delivered by Paul Dillon for teachers and other professionals who work with young people.

Paul Dillon has delivered professional development seminars for teachers and other professionals for many years. Since 2014 he has been presenting DARTA Seminar Days in both Sydney and Melbourne and has received an overwhelmingly positively response from delegates. This year Paul will also be delivering DARTA Seminar Days in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

The one-day information session aims to provide teachers with some basic information on current youth AOD trends in Australia, with a particular emphasis on school-based young people. Using the most up-to-date statistics and research, the workshop aims to empower attendees by providing the facts around some of the issues in this controversial area.

Although the workshop is not designed to provide teaching strategies or classroom activities, a list of quality web-based drug education resources will be provided to attendees, as well as information on other websites that are able to support professionals who work with young people.

Specific topic areas to be covered for each of the sessions will be made closer to the date, but a particular emphasis will be given to a close examination of the latest Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug (ASSAD) survey and what these results mean for those working with school-based young people.

Please note that if you have attended a DARTA Seminar Day in the past the content will not be the same as for previous sessions. Click on your closest city to register!

Dates:
Adelaide Tuesday, 27 June
Sydney Tuesday, 12 September
Perth Thursday, 21 September
Brisbane Friday, 6 October
Melbourne Monday, 4 December

A massive congratulations to the Fitzroy Children’s Literature Festival on a successful Saturday of books and festivities. We were thrilled to take part in such a fantastic event. Our staff went along to join in the fun and were delighted to see so many familiar Booked Out faces. A huge thank-you to Alan Brough, Asphyxia, Davina Bell, Judy Horacek, Tony Wilson, Jacqueline Harvey and Oliver Phommavanh for their fabulous contributions to the day and of course, to all the wonderful organisers of the Fitzroy Children’s Literature Festival.

A change is in the air…

We are moving offices today, Wednesday the 5th of April, and might be a little slower getting back to you.

If your enquiry is urgent, please call us on 03 9824 0177 and one of our dedicated agents will dive over boxes for you. We should be back up and running within the next couple of days.

Thanks for your patience!

Booked Out veteran, Felice Arena, has done it again and this time in a whole new genre…

As one of Australia’s most beloved children’s authors, Felice has enthralled young readers with scores of titles, including the Specky Magee and Farticus Maximus series, as well as the Boyz- RuleGirlz-Rule and the Sporty Kids books. Topping best seller lists and garnering a multitude of awards, Felice wows us again, taking on a new direction in his latest novel, The Boy and the Spy.

Set in Sicily during the World War II, The Boy and the Spy follows the journey of Antonio, an orphan ‘Rota’ boy whose chance meeting with a fallen American soldier will change not only his life forever, but potentially the future of Sicily.

The Boy and the Spy is an engaging work of historical fiction teeming with adventure and themes of adversity, trust, war and belonging.

Well done, Felice – we can’t wait to read it!

We are thrilled to announce the release of The Beast of Hushing Wood, a new adventure story by Booked Out’s award-winning author and illustrator, Gabrielle Wang.

Deep in the forests of of Dell Hollow roams eleven year-old Ziggy Truegood, a true child of nature drawn to the strange and hidden beauty of the woods. Over time, Ziggy begins to sense that something is hunting her, a premonition that she will drown on her twelfth birthday.
Then Raffi and his grandfather arrive in town and Ziggy finds herself strangely drawn to them. But are they her rescuers or her hunters?

The Beast of Hushing Wood is a fable of courage, bound in mysticism and detailing the triumph of a young girl in the face of adversity and change. A blend of adventure and imaginative realism, Gabrielle’s latest book is both engaging and thought-provoking.

An honor to be working with such an inspiring talent.

Congratulations, Gabrielle – we can’t wait to read it!

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