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Book School Visit
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Booktalks
With your books I can’t put them down. One night I was reading one of your books, mum came in and said “lights out”, I said “one more chapter please”, but mum said no, so I had to go to bed. I was at a good part too.
Our programmes
We aim to educate and excite children all over New Zealand and the world about New Zealand writers and their work. We do this in many ways, not least through our programmes for schools.
Writers in Schools
Every year through Writers in Schools, 50,000 New Zealand school students have an experience that inspires them to read New Zealand children’s and young adult’s fiction, and helps to create a life-long value of reading and the enjoyment of books. The New Zealand Book Council has been sending writers into member schools since 1974.
Creative Coaching writer residencies
The New Zealand Book Council and the National Library work together to help develop readers and writers through this residency programme. Piloted through funding from the Ministry of Education, the Creative Coaching writer residencies sends writers to schools to help them complete literacy projects of their own devising. Nineteen schools benefitted from this in 2010-11, and we are working with schools to fund future residencies. Learn more below.
speed date an author
Ever wondered what your kids could write with a bit of advice from New Zealand’s top writers? Six writers, 15 minutes each with 5 groups of 10 kids. The writers will give talented writers the essence of how to deal with characterisation, structure, and many other aspects of story-writing. This event has run successfully in Wellington, Hawera, Palmerston North, and Auckland, and will be run in four cities in 2012. Let us know if you are interested in being a part!
The Writers Files
The Book Council maintains the most comprehensive collection of information about New Zealand writers on the Internet. The council’s New Zealand Writers Files, which include pages on more than 550 authors, are an invaluable and heavily-used resource for students, readers and literature professionals here and across the world.
WordSpace
WordSpace is a series of video conference discussions between secondary school students and leading New Zealand writers. Providing a forum for inspiration, education and the exchange of ideas, it has included discussions with James Brown and Hinemoana Baker on Poetry, Kate De Goldi and Paula Boock on Fiction, VM Jones and Elizabeth Knox on Fantasy Fiction, and more. DVD recordings of many Wordspace sessions are available to buy from the Book Council’s online shop.
New zealand post Book Awards festival & celebrations
The New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults celebrates the importance of children's books, reading and writing with hundreds of events nationwide. The festival takes place annually in May and includes a tour by New Zealand children's writers and illustrators to 26 regions, organised by the New Zealand Book Council.
