From Our Library

Melbourne Writer's Festival

On 7 May, 20 students from Years 7 to 9, accompanied by Ms Summer and Ms Gardiner journeyed to the State Library of Victoria to participate in the Melbourne Writers Festival School’s Day program. The program consisted of interactive presentations from four authors, as well as a chance to meet the speakers and have books signed.

Speakers included: 

Solli Raphael is an award-winning author and poet, advocate, and acclaimed keynote speaker. As an advocate, Solli sparks thought-provoking conversations, instigates change in the areas he feels are critical for attention and action, and mentors young people. Solli’s books have received accolades for their capacity to engage children and teenagers educationally. Solli has spoken at hundreds of schools, universities and events, and has been regularly featured on radio and TV shows, in printed media and in books, reaching a global audience of two billion people with his work.

Neal Shusterman is the New York Times-bestselling author of more than fifty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award, Courage to Dream, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Scythe, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Unwind Dystology, which won more than thirty domestic and international awards, and the highly acclaimed novels, Dry, and Roxy which he co-wrote with his son, Jarrod. For his body of work, Neal won the 2024 Margaret A. Edwards Award, and the ALAN Lifetime Achievement Award. He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television. Neal is the father of four, all of whom are talented writers and artists themselves.

Robyn Dennison’s fiction has appeared in Australian literary journals, including as a runner-up for the Overland VU Short Story Prize. She has a PhD at the University of Melbourne, where she teaches creative writing. Blind Spot, her first novel, was shortlisted for the Text Prize.

Gary Lonesborough is a Yuin writer, who grew up on the Far South Coast of NSW as part of a large and proud Aboriginal family. His debut YA novel, The Boy from the Mish, was published in 2021. His second YA novel, We Didn’t Think It Through, was published in July 2023. Gary’s latest book is I’m not Really Here.

Students thoroughly enjoyed the chance to ask authors questions and hear about the writing and publishing process.

Books by all authors are available to borrow from the Library.

Beanstack Reading Challenge

This week, our College reading community surpassed 130,000 reading minutes since the start of Term 2 - a fantastic result!  

Student Leaderboard

Peter N - 6,397 mins

Grayson N - 29 books

Leading Class - Year 8.1M (27,002 mins) 

Leading Year - Year 8 (64,294 mins) 

Leading House - McCristal (63,951 mins)