The Little Bookroom is excited to host the popular night for Teachers, Librarians, Home-Schoolers, Parents, or any other grown-up interested in what books are being published that tick curriculum boxes or could engage young readers on any number of topics!

Book Chat is a casual, entertaining, but enlightening night.

6pm for a 6:30 start (browse the shelves before we kick off)
Michael will lead a special guest in a Q&A/Discussion about their latest release and how it's a perfect fit for schools and libraries - be it in the classroom, or to promote to students for their free-choice reading.
We take a short comfort break.
Michael takes us, rapid-fire, through some of the recent releases that might pique the interest of the Education Sector, focusing on local publishing and quality reads.

TERM 4 SPECIAL GUESTS:

Amelia Mellor and Maddy Mara (Hilary Rogers and Meredith Badger), Jess Racklyeft, A.L. Tait and publisher Tash Besliev

Affirm Press and the creators of Your Kid’s Next Read (YKNR) have partnered to launch a new junior fiction series which aims to encourage the joy of reading. The new junior fiction series, Your Next Read, is the result of a collaboration between junior fiction series publishing veteran Tash Besliev (of Affirm Press) and the creative minds behind YKNR – award-winning teacher librarian Megan Daley, and accomplished children’s authors Allison Tait and Allison Rushby.

About Amelia:

Amelia Mellor is an author, teacher and nature nerd. She is the creator of The Grandest Bookshop in the World, The Bookseller’s Apprentice and The Lost Book of Magic, a multi-award-winning historical fantasy trilogy based in Melbourne where she lives. She holds degrees from Monash University and The University of Melbourne. Amelia is writing a new Ocean-based adventure series called Oceanforged. and has already published Oceanforged 1: The Wicked Ship, Oceanforged 2: The Silent Island. When she’s not writing or researching, she’s usually tending her collection of tropical fish or attempting a wildly ambitious craft project.

About Maddy:

Maddy Mara is the pen name of Melbourne-based creative duo Hilary Rogers and Meredith Badger. Hilary and Meredith have been collaborating on children's books for nearly two decades. Hilary is an author and former publishing director; Meredith is the author of countless books for kids and young adults, and teaches English as a foreign language. Maddy Mara is the melding of their respective daughters' names.

About Jess:

Jess Racklyeft creates a variety of illustrated things - picture books, paintings, prints, pins and cards - mainly in watercolours. She works from her Melbourne studio along Merri Creek. Her work often combines collage - either on paper or digitally assembled - and lots of ink, and for every book she tries to use a new technique or process to continue to challenge and grow, book by book. Jess worked in publishing sales for almost a decade before making the leap to full-time illustration work, and since then has won several illustration accolades including CBCA Picture Book of the Year for Iceberg and an Environment Award for Children's Literature for Tree (both written by Claire Saxby). Her work can now be found in bookshops and libraries across Australia, and her days are happily spent in a messy studio.

About A.L.:

Allison Tait is the bestselling author of more than a dozen middle-grade novels. Her books have been shortlisted and longlisted for a range of Australian children’s book awards and are published in Australia and around the world. When she’s not writing, Allison is passionate about helping kids discover the joy of books and stories. She is a co-founder of the Your Kid’s Next Read community and co-host of the Your Kid’s Next Read podcast, and she regularly visits schools, festivals and libraries to talk about books, writing and creativity.

About Tash:

Tash Besliev is currently Executive Publisher, Children’s at S&S Australia having spent 25 years in children’s publishing working almost every job except operating the printing press (she’d have a go if they let her). With experience spanning editorial, marketing and sales, she has driven bestselling series like Billie B Brown and Life Lessons for Little Ones, worked with brands like Disney and ABC Kids, beloved creators like Jess Racklyeft and Brentos and iconic estates including Enid Blyton and Tintin.

Contact the host of Primary Book Chat Term 4: "Your Next Read" Spotlight