Dim's Write Stuff

When I was a kid, Mum and Dad ordered in a magnificent, leatherbound, two volume set entitled, Singer of the Bush and Song of The Pen; a collection of poems, verse and short stories by Andrew Barton 'Banjo' Paterson. Like many others, I went on to love several of the well-known and well-worn classics. I never made it through every single poem. I still have the two giant tomes. They represent keepsakes and a slice of history. Imagine if other young readers, curious crafters of words and themes they are only just becoming acquainted with could have their own slice of this history. Meet Banjo Paterson - in board book form. Presented in hard cover, thick paged, glossy full colour, this introductory series to the amazing works behind one of Australia's best-loved poets comes to vivid life. Edited to be read in one sitting, these make familiar classics less wieldy and supremely more accessible for both carers, parents, teachers and the little ones they are reading with. Waltzi...

Experiencing a verse novel for young people is like discovering chocolate crackles are good for you. It’s a marvellous, heart-enveloping revelation, something you instantly want more of and know you’ll never be able to live without again. These two verse novels, one for juniors and the other for middle graders, by accomplished Aussie writers evoke the best chocolate crackle feels and more besides. You must experience them. Are You There, Buddha? Wise, satirical, poignant and alarmingly en pointe, Are You There, Buddha? reads with the ease and speed of a verse novel but involves the reader with so much immersive authenticity, you feel you have experienced something much greater. Bridget, aka, Bee is a tween wobbling on the precipice of teenage-hood, facing all the terrifying manifestations this transformation attracts. Her body is betraying her in increasingly alarming ways, morphing into a lumpy, bumpy, hairy hideous illusion of her former self. She has just started Year 7 and unlik...

This trio of gift ideas neatly summarises the Silly Season, don’t you think?! The Book of Not Entirely Useful Advice A F Harrold is known for his poetic turns of phrase and deeply emotive narratives. He credits stroking his long wild beard as a way to churn out ideas. Well, he must have one very smooth beard for this book of not entirely useful but unarguably hilarious advice is brimming with more fun and folly than you can fit in a bathtub. In fact it virtually runneth over with rhyme, witty word play and enough nonsensical verse stories to keep the most ardent young poetry-lover glued to its pages. Harrold’s worldly poetic inscriptions of advice are thoughtfully grouped into common sections, presumably to keep things orderly and understandable. And that’s where any pretence at seriousness disappears with section subtitles that read like this: Advice mainly relating to food, ducks and dessert . Or … Section 2: Advice mainly relating to animals, giants and the natural world. Kid...

Limelight by the youngest winner of the Australian Poetry Slam , Solli Raphael , is a slip of a book, barely a shiver of autumn breeze, yet between its snappy tri-coloured covers beats an enormous heart of passionate ability. Barely 13, Raphael tentatively turned his attention from writing and performing poetry to recording the evolution that resulted in him being a virtual overnight poetry sensation. For those like me that enjoy poetry from afar, dabble in the most basic of poetic structures and, up until a few literary festivals ago, thought slam poetry involved a shot of tequila and a lot of gratuitous shouting (and had no idea why anyone would want to encourage that sort of activity in a children's writing festival), this book is a revelation. Raphael writes with unfettered, youthful candour describing his passions for sport, music and the arts, namely writing. His zeal translates into an introduction that is both chatty and inspiring. He credits his primary school te...

The sun shines with forcible brightness here in SE Queensland most days but at times, the radiance of those that I meet in my quest to fill pages for young people with my inner most hopes and dreams, outshines it all. Two such luminaries within my tribe are author, photographer, June Perkins and fine artist and children's book illustrator, Helen Magisson . Together, they have embarked on a adventurous and exquisite project, creating a lusciously illustrated book of poetry for children, Magic Fish Dreaming . To float this dream collaboration, a Kickstarter funding campaign is underway. Whilst we can not always support every worthy project and needy cause, I urge you to have a look at this project that not only encapsulates the work of two very gifted artists but showcases the very essence of Far North Queensland, my birth place and one of the most richly diverse places on earth. Read on for information about Magic Fish Dreaming's creators, the Kickstarter crowd funding pr...

Nearly every time I brush shoulders with my target audience - children, I am asked, 'What now? How can I learn to edit better? Where can I submit my work? Where can I get more information?' Here is a post by fellow scribe for young people, Chris Bell . Her From Hook to Book site also includes a really comprehensive page of resources especially sourced for young people, YWR . It highlights writing competitions, noting those which are currently open along with other websites and links where budding young writers can find information on everything from punctuation to polishing stories until they blind you with their brilliance. Some can be found on my Kool Kidz Stuff page, many more are worth noting because most comps and conference are run annually giving you plenty of time and opportunity to practise, practise, practise. Chris writes... Calling all young writers, playwrights and poets! While I’ve been gallivanting around the UK, these past few weeks, heaps of regu...