"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Book Display in GKHS library, ready to welcome our visitors.

Our school is preparing to welcome 48 exchange students from Australia and their chaperones for an eleven day visit. As the school librarian I thought it would be a welcoming gesture to highlight some current YA authors from Australia by making a book display to encourage circulation. I was amazed by the quality of writers heralding from Australia and the high number of award books credited to them.  I also added to my display a few adult authors who are quite famous worldwide for their literary contributions.

Here is the library display I made to highlight the authors and their works.

Students have already started checking out books by Australian authors.
The display is just stuffed with wonderful books and books in a series by these Australian authors.

I had no idea until I started creating this display just how many very, very good authors come from Australia.
Markus Zusak
From: Sydney
Facts: I Am the Messenger and The Book Thief won The Printz Honor in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Book Thief was made into a movie in 2013.

Lili Wilkinson
From: Melbourne
Not available in GKHS Library: Pink (Available from SLHS Library.) This book earned a Stonewall Honor book award.

Craig Silvey
From: Dwellingup
Fun Fact: He is the singer/songwriter for the indie/pop/rock band The Nancy Sikes!
In GKHS library: Jasper Jones . It was a Printz Honor book in 2012.

Garth Nix
From: Melbourne
Fun Fact: He was once a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve
Books in the GKHS Library: Sabriel , Lirael, Abhorsen, and Clariel (The Old Kingdom series), and A Confusion of Princes and many other books.

Jaclyn Moriarty
From: Perth
Facts: Her book A corner of White was a GKHS Mock Printz book last year.
Available in GKHS library: The Year of Secret Assignments and A Corner of White.

Colleen McCullough
From: Wellington
Fact: Not a YA authors but her books are excellent representations of life in Australia.
In GKHS library: Thorn Birds and The Ladies from Missalonghi (a personal favorite)

John Marsden
From: Victoria
Fact: There are at least seven book in The Tomorrow series.
Books in the GKHS: Tomorrow, When the War Began series.

Melina Marchetta
From: Sydney
Fact: Her novel Jellicoe Road won the Printz Award in 2009. Finnikin of the Rock won the Aurealis Award for best YA novel in 2008. This an Australian-based award.
Books in GKHS library: Jellicoe Road , Finnikin of the Rock series. Saving Francesca.
  
Justine Larabalestier
From: Sydney
Fact: She is married to Scott Westerfeld, an American author.
In GKHS Library: Liar 

Margo Lanagan
From: Newcastle
Facts: Several of her books have won literary awards
In GKHS library: The Brides of Rollrock IslandBlack Juice (short story collection), and Tender Morsels

Thomas Keneally
From: Sydney
Fact: His book, Schindler’s List, was made into an award-winning movie by Steven Spiegelberg.
Everyone should read: Schindler’s List

Catherine Jinks
From: Brisbane
GKHS library: Evil Genius series, and The Reformed Vampire Support Group.

Cath Crowley
From: Melbourne
Only book in the GKHS library: Graffiti Moon 

Bryce Courtenay
From: Canberra (now deceased)
Fact:  He was born in South Africa. The Power of One is on this blogger's list of favorite books.
GKHS library: The Power of One

Kate Constable
From: Melbourne
Fun Fact: As a young girl she lived in Papua New Guinea.
Available at GKHS: 
The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy

Lucy Christopher
From: Wales, UK (used to live in Melbourne)
Fact: Stolen won a Printz Honor in 2011. It remains very popular in the library today and is on the Nifty Fifty list of books.
At GKHS library: Stolen (4 copies)

Isobelle Carmody
From: Victoria
At GKHS: Obernewtyn series.

Laura Buzo
From: Sydney
Available in GKHS library: Love and Other Perishable Items 

A.J. Betts
From: Queensland
Fun Fact: Published first poem when she was twelve
New in the GKHS library: Zac and Mia

Alexandra Adornetto
Fun Fact: She was born in 1992 (she is younger than my daughter!)
Available at GKHS: Halo Trilogy (This trilogy has been very popular for several years.)

2 comments:

  1. What a wonderful and welcoming idea! I hope they'll come to the library to see the display. We have a group of Australians at RHS too.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. I try, I really do. It just seems like sometimes no one is looking. One of the chaperones with the Australian groups is staying with us and wants to help out in the library. So maybe she will entice others to come in and look around.

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