Dim's Write Stuff

The single most important thing in cultivating a love of reading in children is to engage them in the story. How this is done, through which ever medium, is almost inconsequential for the key to full engagement, I believe, will always lie within the story itself. Kindergo Avartar excited about being in my Pet Island blog post If the heart of the story is strong and purposeful, if it reads true and speaks directly to the age group it is written for, then it will be a winner no matter how it is relayed. Forever mindful of this, I have been adapting a few picture book stories, written over the last decade or so, as creative content for the Kindergo app found at Kindergo Kids . Kindergo Avatar brought to life with AR Kindergo Kids is a safe, curated digital storytelling platform that delivers enhanced reading experiences for 2 - 5 year-olds. They provide quality, immersive, entertaining stories grouped on a variety of themed islands. These archipelagos of creative content o...

When you go down to the woods today... SURPRISE It's spring time and we've been having a bit of a spruce up at Kids' Book Review . I can bearly contain my delight at having these beaut little bears (and one Koala) on board as our logo and on our new look banner. We owe our furry new look to KBR founder and editor-in-chief, Tania McCartney .  And even though KBR now has a bear or two in there, we are still the same superlative, one stop reviewing site for all things in Kids' Literature. So why not pop in one day and visit me* and my fabulous team of contributors to discover what the bears are reading.   * I am Kids' Book Review's Managing Editor and therefore the biggest kid on the team who loves to while away her days in the wonderful, wacky, written world of words for kids. 

I've been tootling around writers' groups for over eight years or so now. They are always seeping with new knowledge, eager scribes and unbridled passion to pen something wonderful which often spills over into exciting writing projects.   The Ten Penners is a group of dedicated writers that encompasses all these elements of story telling and more. Today I welcome one of the founding members of this group, M arion Martineer to discuss more about their latest project, Mystery, Mayhem and Magic!   Ten Penners Co-ordinator and children's author, Marion Martineer Come with us as we launch into their Blog Tour.  

I was chuffed as monkeys with brass bells on to have been invited along to the studios of ABC Radio Gold Coast to chat with Matt Webber. Matt Webber courtesy ABC Radio I was also six weeks into a bout of this season's awful flu onslaught and feeling less like a chipper little monkey ready to chatter as I did something someone might find in their kitty litter tray. But chat I had to so off I hauled myself to ABC's delightfully located Gold Coast studios. ABC Radio GC Headquarters, not quite beach front but a short amble from here My stories were not complete strangers to Matt's weekly Drive Time shows ; my digital narrative for Story City, The Chapel of Unlove being featured there back in 2016. This time I was able to discuss the inspirations and motivations behind my picture book, The Fix-It Man and its implications with death and dying, this being a segment series topic featuring regularly on Matt's Drive Time. I could not have asked for a better host...

As weeks slip away into months I want to share one last session round up from my time in Singapore at the Asian Festival of Children's Content . It is the session I was asked to present on Bibliotherapy as part of the Writer's and Illustrator's Conference . My objective was to: Explore the value of creating bibliotherapy themed diverse picture books (PBS) and debate their usefulness in combating various social issues affecting children. To discuss what works, what doesn't and why. This sounds straight forward enough but past experience has shown me that when you add the word therapy to anything relating to Kids' Lit, it has an immediate polarising effect; people either love the term and what it infers or they are vehemently against its implications. So what exactly is Bibliotherapy and its implications? Melissa Tan's impression of my session - she tells me, she was too involved in the topic to illustrate profusely. I first introduced delegates t...

Me and Dr Ruth Wong Perhaps one of the most stimulating sessions I moderated was Dr Ruth Wong's Interactive Narration: Having Fun with Postmodern Picture Book s.  Now although I consider myself a voracious and reasonably well-informed reader of picture books, the term 'postmodern' did befuddle me a little. It wasn't until I delved a little deeper into definitions that I realised, I had been savouring this style of picture book narrative for years. So what exactly is a postmodern picture book and what value do they represent for young readers. Ruth was on hand to explain. Characteristics of Postmodern picture books : Directly addresses the reader, thus acknowledging readers as active agents of the reading process Offers an overt invitation to interact and play or involve the reader with the book, not just the story readers become participants (good for one on one reading) Emphasis on implications for teaching and allowing educators to appreciate learning thr...

Robyn Soetikno and Dimity One of the highlights of the Asian Festival of Children's Content 2017 for me was the honour of moderating a number of sessions for other conference presenters. Through the pre-requisite to understand their topics and their associated backgrounds with Kids' Lit better, I was able to forge some truly rewarding relationships with people from Thailand, Singapore and, in the case of Robyn Soetikno , Indonesia. Robyn's session - Books for Indonesian Girls by Indonesian Girls: How Children's Books Shape Perspectives of the World focused on her new series aimed at young pubescent Indonesian girls.   The I Am Me series is a rigorously researched and thoughtful set of bilingual picture books designed to educate, inform and empower young girls with realistic expectations and useful information about their changing bodies and feelings. Bright, bold and unashamedly unambiguous, Robyn drew on her extensive health care industry background to de...