Look up, and around, and write history

Andrea Rowe ‘s new picture book, Audrey Skips (Illustrated by Lisa Coutts, published by MidnightSun Publishing) celebrates Melbourne’s iconic Skipping Girl (Little Audrey) sign who turns 90 years old in 2026. Audrey’s skipping glow and iconic status has found its way into Audrey Skips books for a new generation to look up and see her, too.

The Skipping Girl symbolises connection, belonging and inclusion, hope and care in tough times, community in urban environments, and the legacies of preservation and conservation.

Andrea’s workshop for young readers and writers encourages conversations around special places and their stories, the resilience of landmarks and civic connections to history. 

Students will:

• Enjoy an engaging read-aloud text connection
• Take part in an Interactive Binoculars Game
• Be encouraged to look around and see landmarks
• Describe what they see through a word list or drawing
• Borrow the words of Andrea’s book to create their own group story featuring verbs, alliteration and onomatopoeia
• Develop a Word Splash of descriptions
• Investigate the setting of the story, and ponder landmarks and symbols in their own community