The Children's Publishers Committee of the Australian Publishers Association is delighted to be holding their annual one day conference, BETWEEN THE COVERS, BEHIND THE COUNTER, in Sydney this September. The event is being held in conjunction with the Australian Booksellers Association.

Designed to provide professional development and networking opportunities, the conference is targeted towards publishing professionals and booksellers with a particular interest in children's and YA books. The program will be filled with sessions that aim to inspire and educate, as well as creating opportunities for discussion.

The keynote session, READING IN THE DARK: BOOKS IN A CRISIS will be presented by Megan Daley, teacher librarian, author, podcast and website creator (and so much more).

The main conference event will be held in Sydney. All speakers will be in person* and catering will be provided.

There will also be satellite events held at Avid Reader in Brisbane and the Australian Booksellers Association office in Melbourne, which will provide an opportunity for those who can't make it to Sydney to watch a live stream together. Lunch will be included.

We are also offering a live stream only option.

Wesley Mission is a wheelchair accessible venue.

Sessions and Speakers

Reading in the Dark: Books in a Crisis

Megan Daley (teacher librarian, author, podcast and website creator)

Bookselling: What publishers want to know

Kimaya Charlton (Avid Reader Bookshop)

Hannah Gardiner (Berkelouw Books/BOOKFACE)

Rachel Robson (Gleebooks)

Chair: Meg Whelan (Affirm Press)

State of the Market

Bianca Whiteley (Nielsen BookScan)

Publishing: What booksellers want to know

Chren Byng (Hardie Grant)

Clare Hallifax (Walker Books Australia)

Rachel Bin Salleh (Magabala Books)

Chair: Danica Beaudoin (Beachside Bookshop)

Events: What works, what doesn't, how to get a crowd and dealing with Covid

Amelia Lush (formerly Sydney Writers' Festival)

Anna Burkey (Australian Publishers Association)

Working with Libraries

Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg (Stanton Library)

Paul Macdonald (The Children’s Bookshop)

Megan Daley (teacher librarian)

Chair: Jemma Myors (HarperCollins)

Reading for Joy

Clayton Zane Comber (author)

Chris (13 year old reader)

Chair: Megan Daley (teacher librarian)

*Covid dependent.