Dim's Write Stuff

As many busy creatives will tell you, finding time to write is precious enough without having to carve out extra hours to secure those all important school visits or Book Week bookings . Those same creatives, aka children's authors and illustrators, will continue to explain that it is often engagements at writing festivals, conferences and schools that form the bulk of our income. Enter the speakers' agencies, those associations devoted to finding their expansive lists of authors and illustrators the most lucrative, exciting and perfectly matched events as possible. Agencies work on our behalf as well as that of the schools and institutions that enlist them to find exactly the right author or illustrator for their literary event. I rely on those agencies I am listed with to not only find but also secure these bookings for me, without them I'd really need an extra Girl Friday to cope. That's why I'm all a flutter with delight to be signed up with one of t...

Australian’s don’t need much guidance in the arts of kindness and compassion. The outpouring for generosity and empathy from around the nation, indeed throughout the world in recent times, is heart-swelling. As are these next few picture books which define thankfulness, humility, acceptance and understanding. Rediscover the joy in shared humanity. Three There are so many things to love about this charming picture book, Three : kombis, dogs, animals, fragrant gardens, raindrops…It is another masterpiece by master storyteller and artist, Stephen Michael King   and is imbued with the kind of tenderness that makes big kids weep and little ones smile with joy. The most miraculous thing about Three’s story, apart from his tenacious and spirited outlook on life, is that it took several page turns in before I realised that this adorable little butterscotch-orange and white dog only has three legs. This is shown in the pictures of course but King’s narrative is so engaging, Three’...

As our fair land buckles and burns in the grip of vicious summer heat, I can’t help but reflect on how catastrophic events like this remind one of not only the fragility of life but also its unique beauty. Across Australia and indeed the world, humans are rallying to make things better for all the worse they have caused. We are all tiny players in this huge game but I hope titles like these below help highlight the best bits of living in Australia no matter what. They are but snippets of my impressions but hopefully enough to water hope and maintain wonder.  Read on! Dream on! Eco Rangers Wildfire Rescue This is the third in the Eco Ranges environmentally charged series and one of the most salient to date. Despite being conceived and written well before the awful bushfire events of late 2019 / early 2020, this episode of Jay and Ebony’s conservational crusade ironically involves bushland under the siege of wildfires and wildlife under stress. It also illuminates a less wel...