As many of you may be aware, Rosalie Ham’s novel The Dressmaker is being made into a film…. right now! Pre-production has begun and we should see the final film hit the cinemas in October next year.

If you would like to learn more about the upcoming film, please visit the official Dressmaker Movie website: http://www.dressmakermovie.com/

Rosalie has also been writing a blog on the process of the pre-production, which you can enjoy here: http://dressmakermovie.com/blog/ Especially delightful is her description of the announcement of the leading actors at an all girls school presentation she recently gave. At the mention of Liam Hemsworth, she describes ‘a ruffle, like wind through wheat, buffeted the rows of spotty faces and at least one girl wept’. She also talks about the creation of the costumes, and gives some handy advice for those who are keen to audition as an extra.

And for those studying or teaching The Dressmaker, please note that with the release of the DVD in October next year, will come some excellent education resources, including a study guide and an Electronic Press Kit, featuring interviews with the key actors, directors and also background information of the filming process including ‘behind the scenes’ footage.

We only have to wait a year!

Bec Kavanagh appeared on ABC News 24 yesterday morning to discuss the under-representation of female authors in Australian classrooms, and how the Stella Prize is working to rectify this. Watch Bec in action on the ABC HERE

The official launch of the Stella Prize Schools program happened last night at the Wheeler Centre. This is exciting new program for girls and boys in Years 7 to 12 and offers school visits by notable Australian writers, educators & publishers, teaching notes on all Stella Prize shortlisted books (for Years 10 to 12) and PD sessions for teachers and librarians.

For more information, please visit The Stella Prize Schools Program.

After the busy month of August, with Book Week, Melbourne Writers Festival, National Literacy and Numeracy Week and the announcement of the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year awards, we are now Springing into Spring!

Over the month of August we organised hundreds of visits to schools, libraries and other organisations, seeing our speakers reach thousands of people.

We would love to share some fantastic feedback that we received:

It was a pleasure spending the morning with the amazing author Fiona Wood and learning about the variety of dispositions that are associated with being a writer. It was relieving to know that fear and judgement in writing was common however Fiona taught us that it would be of great benefit if fear can be used as a positive in writing. Thank you Fiona Wood for helping me believe in my writing and that I should no longer have fear in taking it forward.
– Student, St Columba’s College

I just wanted to let you know that our students really enjoyed Roland Harvey’s visit last week. Visiting Authors are always a highlight of our school year, and Roland’s presentations were very engaging  and inspiring for the students. They especially enjoyed his comic faces and the simple additions that portrayed mood and feeling. His books in our library will be in hot demand in the immediate future!
– F. Greenough, Nunawading Christian College

The year 7 students were very excited to see the process of writing a book, and I think Michael (Pryor) debunked many myths involved in writing, in a friendly and humorous way. The year 7’s were very interested in how a book is actually written and how much goes into “selling” the book to readers. His openness about the difficulties and the rewards was great, and the students were very responsive to it.
– N.Burke, St Leonards

Coming up in September is the launch of the Stella in Schools Program (Wednesday 10th of September) and of course Year 12 Exam Revision time!

Spring also sees us begin planning tours for August 2015 – watch this space!

Drop by Readings Carlton (309 Lygon St, Carlton, Victoria, 3053) at 6.30pm Thursday 11th September to join series creator and editor Lyn White as she launches Robert Hillman’s new addition to the Through My Eyes series, Malini: Through My Eyes.

Malini lives with her parents and young sister, Banni, in northern Sri Lanka. As the civil war heads towards its catastrophic end, Malini and her family are herded by Tamil Tiger troops towards the coast where they will act as human shields, along with thousands of other Tamil civilians. When Malini’s father pushes a mobile phone into her hands and tells her to run off into the forest with Banni, Malini does as she is told. But then the shelling begins, and Malini has no way of finding her mother and father.

With the role of parent thrust upon her, Malini has no choice but to travel to her grandfather’s village a long way inland. She and Banni will need to keep off the highways and stay alert for soldiers from all sides. But where will the next meal come from? Who can they trust? Where will they shelter? And will they ever be reunited with their parents again?

The uplifting story of one girl’s odyssey through war-torn Sri Lanka.

For more information about the launch of Malini: Through My Eyes, please visit Readings, Carlton. This is a free event, no bookings required. The Booked Out team will see you there!

Tonight will see the announcement of the winners of the 2014 Environment Award for Children’s Literature. This award is the initiative of The Wilderness Society and celebrates excellence in environmental children’s literature.

Past winners include Jackie French and Sue DeGennaro for The Tomorrow Book (2011) and Graeme Base for Uno’s Garden (2007).

If you are keen to get along, RSVP via The Little Book Room HERE. We might see you there!

If you can’t make it along, we will post the 2014 winners after the announcement at The Little Book Room tonight.

The Stella Prize is thrilled to invite you to the launch of the New Stella Prize Schools Program!

Download the Stella PDF and RSVP details HERE

The Stella Prize is a major new literary award celebrating Australian women’s writing. The Stella Prize Schools Program will bring some of this country’s best writers for adults and young adults into schools, as well as provide education resources for all secondary school levels (our education kit includes reading lists for Years 7 – 10, detailed teaching notes on all Stella Prize shortlisted titles, links to the Australian Curriculum, and loads of great ideas for the classroom).

This exciting new program will kick off with a free event at the Wheeler Centre from 4.30 to 5.30pm on Wednesday 10 September featuring acclaimed writers Cate Kennedy, Carrie Tiffany and Tony Birch in conversation with Bec Kavanagh.
RSVP is essential and any queries can be directed to the Stella Prize Manager, Megan Quinlan:
megan@thestellaprize.com.au / 0408 260 981

We hope to see you there!

Voting is now open for Australia’s top teen-choice book awards! The Inky Awards represent the best in new literature for young adults, and is selected by a panel of teen judges from across Australia.

The highly anticipated shortlist has been revealed to more than 300 young readers at a special Melbourne Writers Festival schools event. Five Australian books, nominated for the Gold Inky Award, and five international books, nominated for the Silver Inky Award, make up the 2014 shortlist.

Booked Out are very happy to congratulate two of our speakers, Will Kostakis and Ellie Marney in making it to the shortlist!

Gold Inky Award shortlist:
These Broken Stars – Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
The First Third – Will Kostakis
Every Breath – Ellie Marney
Fairytales for Wilde Girls – Allyse Near
The Sky So Heavy – Claire Zorn
Silver Inky Award shortlist:
All the Truth That’s In Me – Julie Berry
Seraphina – Rachel Hartman
ACID – Emma Pass
Man Made Boy – Jon Skovron
Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase – Jonathan Stroud

Young readers (aged 12–20) are invited to vote online for one book in each category, or select one overall favourite. Voting closes at 5pm AEDT on Sunday 5 October.

To cast your vote, visit the State Library of Victoria, INSIDE A DOG

The winners will be announced at the 2014 Inky Awards ceremony at the State Library of Victoria on Tuesday 21 October. Join the discussion on social media using#InkyAwards.

Melissa Keil’s new work is being launched today, and will be available from the 1st of September. Described by Junior Books & Publishing as  ‘every bit as nerdy, goofy and dramatic as Melissa Keil’s Ampersand Project-winning book ‘Life in Outer Space’… It is also every bit as loveable, touching and addictive’ this new YA novel is sure to be a hit.

Alba loves her life just as it is.
She loves living behind the bakery, and waking up in a cloud of sugar and cinnamon.
She loves drawing comics and watching bad TV with her friends.

The only problem is she’s overlooked a few teeny details:

Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared.
And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails.
And even her latest comic-book creation is misbehaving.

Also, the world might be ending – which is proving to be awkward.

As Doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Alba’s life is thrown into chaos.
Whatever happens next, it’s the end of the world as she knows it.
But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be
the least of her problems.

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl will be launched by Sally Rippin tonight at The Sun Bookshop in Yarraville.
For more details, visit melissakeil.com

Jack Heath’s new book Replica is being launched today! Described as an ‘electrifying new read for young adults…. a tense sci-fi thriller about identity, ethics and androids’  (Readings), this is a must-read for all Jack Heath fans.

Chloe’s memories have been erased. All she knows is she’s imprisoned in the basement of a girl who looks exactly like her.

Who is her captor? What does she want? Chloe is running out of time. She’s in more danger than she realises, and nothing is as it seems…

“Intense, thought-provoking YA sci-fi about identity, ethics and android doppelgangers… well worth waiting for. Great balance of contemplative philosophy/belting action.”  —Imogen Russell Williams, critic at The Guardian

Be at Carlton Readings, 6.30pm tonight to hear Jack discuss Replica.

You can also read more by visiting Jack’s website

Hats off to the winners of this years CBCA Book of the Year Awards!

Booked Out are very pleased to especially congratulate Fiona Wood for taking out the top prize for Older Readers with Wildlife and  Freya Blackwood for her Honorary Prize for Younger Readers with Banjo and Ruby Red.

In their comments, the judges acknowledged the tough themes in Wildlife are ‘handled brilliantly with honest and authentic teenage voices’.

Of Banjo and Ruby Red, the judges commented ‘the elegant brevity of language carries the action along with every word carefully selected for  maximum impact.’

If you are keen to find out more, you can read the full run down of the judges comments, here.  And for the full list of books and authors who have been awarded this year, please visit the CBCA webpage.

Photo of Fiona Wood by David Johns