From the President
iRead 2023 - June edition
Dear Members,
Can you believe it is already June! We have an exciting few months in front of us with CBCANSW.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been busy getting across the various elements of our great organisation. whilst doing this I’ve tried to view everything from our CBCA mission lens ‘to connect, communicate, celebrate and advocate for the value of stories'.
A few of the ways I’ve been working for CBCA over the last few weeks are as follows.
Firstly, I have met with CBCA National Chair, Wendy Rapee and CBCANSW Past President Gail Erskine on two occasions to complete a handover. Thanks to them once again for all they do for our organisation and for them finding the time to meet with me.
I did the introduction for the May First Wednesday Book Club with Rachel Spratt and also attended the June First Wednesday with Libby Hathorn. Two such fabulous events – both of which embody our mission fully.
I took the sample Children’s Book Week® merchandise to display at the AISNSW Teacher Librarian conference which was held at the State library of NSW. The artwork is beautiful and if you haven’t placed your order online (via the website) I encourage you to do so before it sells out.
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I have also updated and refreshed our LinkedIn page. It is Children's Book Council NSW Branch Please follow and tag us when you use LinkedIn. Let’s keep our organisation front and centre in peoples’s thoughts.
I also represented CBCANSW at the Indigenous Literacy Foundation’s AGM (ILF) on Monday June 5. It is such a great pleasure for us to support the ILF and its work.
I have also had the pleasure of an online meeting with the wonderful people who organise events in our different regions across Sydney and NSW. We will be following up this online meeting with a face to face in July and I’ll let you know about that next time.
With my CBCA Judge hat on, I also presented at CBCA VIC branch’s webinar about the Book of the Year Shortlist. I’ve spent two years judging the Older Readers Category and have been so impressed with the standard of submissions and so proud that CBCA’s Book of the Year Award is synonymous with quality children’s literature.
ALIA (Australian Library & Information Association) also invited me to attend the Australian Book Industry Awards with the ALIA President Vicki Edmunds. It was a fabulous evening and many of the people I spoke with had wonderful things to say about CBCA.
I encourage you to attend our First Wednesday book Club webinars and also to purchase your Children’s Book Week® to support all we do.
I can be reached on:
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/
Instagram: kitkayte1
Kathryn Eyre
June 1st, 2023
iRead 2022 - June edition
There have been lots of exciting initiatives happening in 2022 in both CBCA and CBCA NSW Branch. Your committee has been very busy updating the NSW office with a Federal government grant from our local member and new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. Thank you to those who have spent hours to enable this makeover to take place especially Toni Field who wrote the grant application.
Serendipitously, Peter Williams, a long-serving WA CBCA member, now living in NSW, has very generously donated his award winning first edition children’s book library to us. We look forward in the short future, to inviting members to join us to view this and the new office.
I hope you are all enjoying reading the CBCA Shortlisted titles and eagerly anticipating Book Week.
Happy Reading,
Gail Erskine
iRead 2022 - April edition
Dear Members
How entrancing was Jasmine Seymour’s presentation of the release of the CBCA Book of the Year Shortlist last Tuesday? The combination of her beautiful images, soothing narration and the haunting music made it truly a delightful experience. Congratulations to all creatives who have been Shortlisted. A special mention of our NSW member creatives:
Leila Rudge for Winston and the Indoor Cat, Max Hamilton for illustrating When the Waterhole Dries Up both shortlisted in the Early Childhood category
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Sami Bayly for The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature which has been shortlisted for the Eve Pownall Award.
Did you miss the presentation on Tuesday? Go to CBCA and watch. You are in for a real treat. I love this year’s CBCA Book Week poster, and Jasmine’s dreaming images decorate this year’s fabulous CBCA Book Week merchandise. I don’t know which ones to choose! I can imagine them in any classroom or library. Check them out CBCA e-store
Our core business is engaging children and young adults in reading high quality Australian literature, so here is the new and exciting Sun Project/shadow judging. This offers an opportunity to involve young readers in critical analysis of shortlisted books, within a supportive framework. See the EOI and FAQ’s for more detail and get a group reading/thinking/writing and reporting. We have been clamouring for a way to connect children in a rigorous, educationally sound and curriculum appropriate way to the Shortlist. Here it is.
Remember to send your nominations in for the 2022 Lady Cutler Award. Submissions close April 30.
AAA Anticipate! Appreciate! Applaud! our most popular event for those who work with children and books, is available on the website. Haven’t registered yet? Not a problem. Book now for this online event that features all the essentials, which will remain available on our website until the end of April for flexible viewing in your own time.
The papers for the Annual General Meeting will be released on April 8 and will be available on the website in the section About. We will send out a special notice to all members. There are some changes to the CBCA NSW Branch Constitution. All motions regarding adjustments to the Constitution will be put to the meeting for approval at the AGM. All committee positions are declared vacant, and you are encouraged to nominate people for executive positions and as committee members. The nomination forms are on the website, and an email trail is acceptable for nominating, seconding and acceptance of these positions. We are nominating a couple of special people for Life membership. Shh! A surprise.
Our membership renewal is going strongly. A final notice has come out for those who have put paying off to the side, or have missed the previous emails. The full iRead will only be available to paid members from now on. Subscribers will continue to receive an abbreviated newsletter.
Any questions? Look at our Membership page for loads of details and FAQ.
The Constitution defines that the term of President is to be no longer than 3 years. As I have been President for 3 years, I will not be nominating for President again. So, this is my last iRead. I have met so many delightful people through CBCA and especially over the last 3 years. Thank you all for your support and friendship. I will still be helping on the committee, and I invite you to join us as a committee member or as a helper on a sub-committee. Let me know what you would like to do.
Cheers from me
Liz
iRead 2022 - March edition
Dear Members
So exciting to start the year with the CBCA Book of the Year Notables list!
Congratulations to our CBCA NSW Branch Members who have books on the Notables list. Jackie Hawkes is compiling March Kids Corner which will focus on those books. Watch out for it in a week or two! I’d like to thank the National CBCA Board, who under Wendy Rapee’s guidance, organises the awards and have produced some engaging content which you will find on their website, as well as information about the stunning merchandise available specially for 2022.
Our Night of the Notables presentations will be our special presentation for this month.
CBCA NSW Branch had some cute ambassadors launching Collide! with the Notables 2022 and I encourage teachers, librarians, and parents to plan to participate. It is a great way to encourage critical thinking and technological skills. We have secured financial support for book prizes from North Sydney Rotary Club and our judges are back on board for the year. Thank you, Deb Abela, Nathan Luff and Tristian Bancks.
2022 is a year to award the Lady Cutler Award. We invite your submissions, closing date April 30. We have had the pleasure of Libby Hathorn as our current recipient, though sadly because of COVID restrictions she hasn’t had many opportunities to meet up with members over the past two years.
AAA: Contemporary Australian Children’s Literature, our most popular event for those who work with children and books, is fast approaching. BOOK NOW for the pared-down, online event that features all the essentials. We know no one wants to be online all day, and we believe you will find this tailored offering to be perfect. On the day it will flow into the CBCA Shortlist announcement, but the AAA will remain available on our website for flexible viewing in your own time.
Importantly, we have the Annual General Meeting approaching on April 30. We will send out a special notice to all members. Please be aware that all the information is freely available on the website in the section About. Last CBCA NSW Branch meeting we convened a subcommittee to focus on our Constitution and to prepare any motions regarding adjustments to the Constitution that may be needed to be approved at the AGM.
Fortunately, Sue Bates has offered to take on the role of acting Treasurer, and Viv Nicholl-Hatton will stand in as secretary, both until the AGM. All committee positions are then declared vacant at the AGM. Nomination forms will be available online and are to be submitted to the Public Officer via email cbcansw@outlook.com. It is essential that we regularly have new people join the committee. There are many roles available and your participation always most appreciated. It would be comforting to know there is a succession plan for the organisation. Without the CBCA NSW Branch committee CBCA NSW Branch cannot exist.
I want to take this opportunity to welcome Leonie Palmer and Carmel Grimmett to the committee. So pleased to have you join us. Unfortunately I had a little hiccup with the website and managed to delete the information about the committee members. I hope to have it back soon and you can find out a little about why each committee member devotes time to the CBCA NSW Branch.
I am certain you will have seen loads of information about our changing of membership to a calendar year. Any questions? Look at our Membership page for loads of details and FAQ. Remember that if you are currently a member you will soon receive by email an invoice to pay on directly. Payment on the website this year is onlyfor new or lapsed memberships.
Cheers from me
Liz
iRead 2022 - February edition
Dear Members
Welcome to 2022!
I wish I didn’t have to focus on uncertainty again, having all been immersed in it for almost 2 years. But now it is a major factor we must consider first in our planning. So once again CBCA NSW Branch is being agile in responding to its demands. I am so disappointed that we will not risk holding face-to-face events for the next few months.
The Night of the Notables/Launch of Collide! with the Notables 2022 will again be held online. As with last year we encourage you to meet together with friends to watch our presenters online and then follow up celebrating the Notables 2022 with the CBCA online announcement.
We were optimistic that the AAA: Quality Australian Literature our most popular event for those who work with children and books, would be face-to-face, but we have relented and will be offering a pared-down, online event that features all the essentials. We know no one wants to be online all day, and we believe you will find this tailored offering perfect. On the day it will flow into the CBCA Shortlist announcement, but the AAA will also be available for flexible viewing.
We have held over our booking at Rydges, World Square until October 29. Surely, we can get together then! We are cooking up an entertaining and celebratory get together during the morning, followed by lunch. Current thinking is ‘inspiring speakers, Lady Cutler Award presentation, Aspire and Celebrate new releases with our member authors and illustrators ‘speed dating’, plus some other ideas ‘up our sleeve’, so save the date.
When you read Wendy Rapee’s From the Desk you will see there is a fabulous program set for this year involving kids ‘shadow judging’ the CBCA Shortlist. The CBCA Sun Project really connects with our audiences and NSW Branch is in full support. In fact, we are not putting on the usual Kids Book of The Year Event but have chosen to celebrate the outcome of the CBCA Sun Project instead.
Another change will be a regular offering - think monthly - of interesting and relevant online presentations that you will be able to view in your own time. With a minimum charge of $5 for members, and $20 for non-members and a time limit of 20-40min these Special Presentations will be your CBCA NSW boosters for the year. Starting with Meg McKinlay now available until February 14.
We will be offering the Aspiring Writers Mentorship in 2022, and the plan is to extend this to include illustrators. This will involve adjusting our terms and conditions so keep an eye out for more details on the website.
It is time to prepare your nominations for the CBCA NSW Branch Lady Cutler Award. This highly prized accolade acknowledges the massive contribution that many of our members make to the rich landscape of children’s literature in Australia. The candidates are always of such high calibre, the decision is always difficult for the judges. Only new submissions are considered each time, so you are encouraged to re-nominate someone who has missed out in the past if you wish.
As you will be aware the committee has been making the change over to a calendar year membership. While complicated this year, it will make membership more straightforward in future. Assistance from Sub-branch members Sheryl Cootes, Wendy Fitzgerald, Krisitan Aus and Julie Paine has ensured that we are considering this from all perspectives. Be assured that this year you will be charged a pro-rata rate and all current members will receive a myob invoice that you can pay by credit card or direct debit and receive a receipt immediately. It will impact our financial bottom line this year, as many members will end up with a couple of months for free. Please keep this in mind and pay promptly when you receive the invoice later this month.
New members will pay via the website and receive an immediate receipt. We are currently constructing this part of the website.
A timely place to remind you that the website should be the place to get all your information. The committee work constantly to keep it up to date. Please let us know by email if there are any problems with the website. Office hours have been reduced substantially and are primarily used for accounts. This way one way we will be managing our expenditure. We intend that most inquiries should be able to be answered by the content on the website. Otherwise, email us and we will respond. One of the committee members will have the phone which will remain last port of call, so to speak.
CBCA NSW Branch promotes all our activities in Facebook and Instagram, so when you see our posts ‘like’ and ‘share’ us. You will see more of us that way. Subbranches are reminded to post to CBCA NSW Branch sites, so everyone sees your messages.
Cheers from me
Liz
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iRead 2021 - December edition
Dear members
‘Putting our members first’ is the mantra for CBCA NSW Branch and we have been applying this mantra to the numerous decisions we have been making in evaluating our processes and procedures in managing the office. When there is already change it makes a good sense to reassess and evaluate everything.
Sue Tayler has commenced admin and accounts in the office, and we welcome her on board. Sue has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector and has already made recommendations as to streamlining systems and appropriate compliance. As this position is only 10 hours a week the best form of communication regarding admin issues is by email.
You will all experience the new member fee process early in the year. We are confident in our plan to have this in place by March 2022 and you will notice we are keeping you informed via social media and email.
While mentioning social media, don’t forget to like and share our Facebook and Insta posts. We know many of you are seeing them, but we need engagement to get traction with the algorithm. Please post all CBCA NSW Branch news on the CBCA NSW Branch Facebook and discussion group pages, as there really is power in numbers. We all want to see what is happening in your neck of the woods!
Sadly, Vicki has not been able to take up the position of Treasurer as she had hoped. Treasurer is an essential position and needs to be performed by someone with experience in accounts. Knowledge of the specific rules for not-for-profit and registered charities will also be needed. This is especially pressing as our end of financial year is December 31. Whilst this volunteer position would ideally be held by a current member of CBCA NSW Branch, we may need to advertise externally for a person to join the committee. Please let me know if you know a possible candidate.
However, it would be dreadfully sad if we were to have to advertise externally for other committee positions. For example, the positions of President and Secretary will be vacant in April 2022, so we are looking for members to join the NSW committee soon to learn the roles. The Constitution defines that the President may only hold the position for 3 years, so my time will be up. Most of the current committee members have represented you for many years in many positions, and while keen to continue, cannot hold all the executive positions for much longer. Renewal is imperative, and vital for the continuation of CBCA NSW Branch.
Congratulations to Gail Erskine for coordinating another successful and popular Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program. Thanks to the judges who generously assisted her. We try to support all our members, and this is a special one for up-and-coming writers. Read Gail’s announcement of the winners later in iRead.
Next year the Night of the Notables in February and the AAA in March are for everyone, however there is always a special benefit for teachers and librarians in these events.
Big decisions as we hurtle towards the festive season! Wishing you and yours a safe and joyous holiday season.
Cheers
Liz
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iRead 2021 - November edition
Dear members,
On the 5th of November we will be announcing the longlist for the Aspiring Writiers Mentorship Program. As with everything this year, our dates have been muddled by various COVID restrictions, and so this date is later than we originally planned. Information regarding details for the announcement of the winners will be coming soon, and it will be an online event https://www.cbcansw.org.au/aspiring-writers-mentorship-program
Sadly Writing NSW are not taking any bookings for the rooms at Rozelle, so we are unable to plan any meetings or activites there until the new year.
We are excited to welcome the establishment of a new sub-branch and the new committee.
The Canterbury-Bankstown/Inner West Sub-branch:
President- Jemima Shafei- Ongu
Vice President- Angie Schiavone
Treasurer- Kristian Aus
Secretary- Gemma Patience and Liz Ledden
We trust that one outcome of our membership systems review is that we will be able to send emails targeting members with specific interests, but in the meantime if you would like to participate in the Canterbury-Bankstown/Inner West Sub-branch please send an email to the cbcansw@outlook.com address and we will pass it onto Jemima.
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Remember that we are all members of CBCA NSW Branch, and that all members are entitled to participate in any sub-branch activity. https://www.cbcansw.org.au/sub-branches
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Join the Sub-branch online get-together on Wednesday 10th November at 6.30 by Zoom. Details follow.
Don’t forget you can make a donation via our website and go in the draw for the Shaun Tan giclee poster. CBCA NSW Branch hopes to be able to offer a resource package of Shortlisted books that supports learning by providing quality Australian literature to schools which would not normally have the capacity to purchase these resources.
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Interviews for the position of Administrative Officer/Accounts, the part-time position with CBCA NSW Branch, are being held this week. We are pleased that we received applications from a number of strong candidates and will let you know as soon as the position is settled.
We have a new treasurer. Vicki Flarherty has joined the NSW Branch committee and we are all looking forward to working with her. Vicki has extensive experience in managning finance through both her work and volunteering and we are so pleased that she has joined us.
Have you made your choice from the possibilities for the 2023 CBCA Book of the Year theme?
If not, click on this link and vote before Friday November 5
Cheers from me
Liz
iRead 2021 - October edition
Dear members,
At long last we have a simple, direct way to accept donations on the website. You will find all the details later in iRead, and I hope you will be as excited as we are to be able to offer a package that supports learning with quality Australian literature in schools which would not normally have the capacity to purchase the resources. We are looking beyond the provision of resources, with the offer of professional assistance to the isolated teachers who choose to participate. We are aligned with the goals of the National CBCA shadow judging project, which Wendy Rapee introduced to the CBCA Branch Presidents last week, which she describes in her report.
It was delightful to meet online with our patrons, the Governor Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC and Mr Dennis Wilson in a virtual Patronage call on Friday September 17. Gail Erskine, Toni Field and I felt their genuine interest in CBCA NSW Branch, and our shared value of the importance of quality Australian literature. Many ideas were discussed and possibilities raised for future events.
The NSW Branch committee has been analysing all our systems with the primary focus on how best to serve members and meet your expectations. Our motivation is to cost effectively present and deliver on our purpose—connecting young people with literature. Our first goal is to streamline our membership calendar so that memberships are all on the same calendar cycle. This alleviates staff and accounting costs. Payments will be more automated. We are planning for this to commence in March 2022, and there will be regular updates sent out to keep you in touch with the process, so plan your budget for your membership fee to be due in March.
An advertisement will appear in the coming weeks for the position of Administrative Officer/Accounts, a part-time position with CBCA NSW Branch, 10 hours per week. The position will be advertised on SEEK as well as by email and the criteria will be available for all to view. If you know anyone who is passionate about our organisation, has the skills, and is interested in a part time position let them know.
Alison Manno has resigned as treasurer. Alison had returned this year to the position after a couple of years break, but has decided to focus on assisting with the Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program. I wish to thank Alison for her assistance in what has been a very busy five months. Our new treasurer will be welcomed onto the committee at the October meeting.
Don’t you love 2022’s Book Week theme Dreaming with eyes open….
So many possibilities!
Cheers from me
Liz
iRead 2021 - September edition
Dear members,
As CBCA Book Week 2021 comes to a close, I want to congratulate all winners of the CBCA Book of the Year Awards and especially our members who have received this wonderful recognition:
Book of the Year: Early Childhood Award Libby Hathorn and Lisa Hathorn-Jarman for No! Never!
Eve Pownall Award winner Liz Anelli for illustrating Dry to Dry, and Honour Award winners Sami Bayly for The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals, and Dub Leffler for illustrating Strangers on Country.
For a complete list, videos, reviews and teaching resources check the CBCA site.
Another Award – the Nan Chauncy Award has also been presented this month. It is pleasing to congratulate the lovely Jan Nicholls who is a dedicated supporter of Australian Children’s Literature. You will find a report with Jan’s response below.
The last submissions for the Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program have all arrived, and now the judges are assessing the manuscripts.
Over the past few months, as the committee have been undertaking the administrative tasks, we have been analysing our processes and looking at the most time and cost-effective procedures to benefit you, our members. We have been attending webinars by Answers for Associations, which have provided evidence to support our decision-making. The CBCA NSW Branch committee held a special meeting on Monday 23rd of August where it was decided to change memberships of CBCA NSW Branch to an annual membership. This means that all subscriptions will fall due at the same time. Administratively, this is much more efficient than the current practice, as all notices are sent out at the one time with a membership campaign, the payments can be processed together, and any follow-ups undertaken immediately. Dedicated staff can be employed to meet the increased workload for the necessary period. Details are to be sorted out – we will keep you informed, and we invite your feedback.
We still have some items of merchandise left to sell. We have plenty of posters, bunting, sticker sheets and bookmarks. The bookmarks make great mini gifts. Please email us if you have merchandise requests while we are locked down, and we can work out the best way to get the stock to you. We will not be going into the office otherwise at this stage. The first print run of the anthology has all been sold, and new stock is due from the printers. Contact the Eastern Suburbs Sub-branch directly with orders. There are a few cheeky videos by contributors on the website as well, so have a look.
We are aware of ensuring smooth succession on the committee. Please consider joining. Alison has been firm that she wishes to hand over the treasurer’s role at the next AGM, and there is plenty of other roles where you can make a positive impact on the direction of our organisation.
Excited for the announcement of next year’s Book Week theme! Stand by.
Cheers from me
Liz
iRead 2021 - August edition
Dear members,
We have some good news. The Register of Cultural Organisations has informed us that CBCA NSW Branch has been approved Deductible Gift Recipient Status, which means that donors to CBCA NSW Branch will be eligible to receive tax deductions on donations from 6 July 2021. The application process has taken a couple of years and has been very complex and I thank those on the committee (and who were on the committee) for pursuing this. We are now required to obtain Registered Charity status to complete all requirements, and this application is underway.
Soon there will be a ‘donate here‘ button on the website to assist those wishing to do so. Donations will go into a separate bank account, a public fund, and will be used for specific programs and will not be used for administration costs. I will be discussing the details further with the sub-branches, but just to let you know, as the entity is the CBCA NSW Branch, Sub-branches cannot apply for separate DGR status. The CBCA NSW Branch public fund is to be used for any donations to ensure the tax-deductibility.
On the morning of Sunday 25th July, I was pleased to join the first meeting of a new Sub-branch for members in the Canterbury/Bankstown and Inner West areas. Initiated by Jemima Shafei-Ongu, the Zoom meeting was attended by a diverse and enthusiastic group, and guided by Sub-branch liaison person, Wendy Fitzgerald. With so many creative people in the area there is great potential to create exciting programs, support each other and reach out to local readers. Welcome.
We have closing dates upon us this month:
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The Collide! Book Trailer Competition submissions closing August 2. Great prizes have been donated by North Sydney Rotary Club.
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The Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program submission deadline has been extended to August 31 in recognition of the additional stress people are experiencing with the lockdown.
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CBCA Book of the Year awards will be announced at noon on August 20. Have a paper plane handy as this is a strong motif in the video and the perfect vehicle to launch CBCA BOOK WEEK 21 August-27 August ‘OLD WORLDS NEW WORLDS OTHER WORLDS’.
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Register to view CBCA NSW Branch’s online Kids Book of the Year event either before the announcement or later at your leisure as CBCA Book Week is celebrated over the following week as usual.
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Want to know more about the CBCA Shortlisted books? Video presentations, teaching notes, links to Reading time are available on the CBCA National website. Click on the read more button on any Shortlisted title.
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Grab a copy of Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds: Stories, Poetry, and Plays for Children to support your teaching program, or simply to share with a young person.
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This year’s CBCA Book Week merchandise has been very popular, some stock has run out, but you may still be able to pick up a few items. Order now.
I particularly wish to thank the Awards Foundation who have ensured the viability of the Children’s Book of the Year Awards. This year, in their 75th year, the prize money totals $80,000. Their work is much appreciated. I would also like to thank SCWBI (the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) who have recently launched a fundraiser for the Awards Foundation. We are joined in our passionate drive to promote Australian books for Australian children.
Cheers from me
Liz
iRead 2021 - July edition
Dear members
Reaching out to you from the splendid isolation of the lockdown, and hoping you are all keeping safe and warm.
I want to extend our warmest congratulations to Jan Nicholls who has been awarded the 2021 CBCA Nan Chauncy Award. I have had the opportunity to meet Jan and work with her for a short time whilst she was CBCA WA Branch President. She is such a lovely person. She has an impressive knowledge of Australian children’s literature, and her commitment has made her an outstanding ambassador. Here is a link to an interview with Jan from earlier this year, you will see she is wearing her signature shade of red. We have included Wendy Rapee’s presentation speech later in iRead.
As I write I trust that there are many unpublished writers busily preparing their manuscripts to submit to our Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program. This is a great opportunity, and as many of you will already know, some very successful writers have gained recognition after receiving support from the CBCA NSW programs which have been running since the 1996 Frustrated Writers Program. After a hiatus last year, Cathy Tasker has generously ensured that we will be continuing this program with confidence for the next 5 years (Closing date for submissions is July 31, so tell your friends).
With the kids on holidays, it may be time to consider getting them to submit a book trailer to our Collide! Book Trailer Competition. It also has a deadline coming up, with submissions closing August 2. Great prizes have been donated by North Sydney Rotary Club. Also remember Kid’s Corner has a wealth of information and writing activities to keep young (and older) minds busy.
With CBCA Book Week coming up next month it is time to register individuals and classes to view our online Kids Book of the Year event. This year viewing times will be flexible, so you can choose to view before the official online announcement from CBCA, or later as suits.
Don’t forget we have a special Members lounge with resources curated just for you. Your password to the members lounge was in the email, along with your member number, that comes after paying your fees. If you can’t find it send us an email. You can still access Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2021 and the AAA: poetry exploring inner worlds.
The 2021 CBCA Judges' talks videos are now available! They have been uploaded to the CBCA National YouTube channel as 'unlisted', meaning that you require the URL to access them. They are readily available via the Members' Only page on the National website. Step by step via CBCA NSW Website. A lot of time and effort went into producing these videos. We would like to extend a huge thank you to the CBCA Book of the Year Judges, Christine Oughtred (Awards Subcommittee), Anne Varnes (Awards Administrator) and Simon Reeve (Simon Reeve Productions) for making these happen.
Members of the CBCA NSW Branch committee are covering the work that was done by our business manager, Felicity, as we assess the scope of work we will need when the position is advertised. I thank the following people for the huge extra effort they are putting in to ensure the organisation continues operating smoothly.
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Gail Erskine - email
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Toni Field - answering the phone enquiries and Sub-branch involvement
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Wendy Rapee – merchandise and volunteers
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Alison Manno – financial matters (Felicity has been contracted to do approx. 3hrs a week in the interim)
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Jackie Hawkes and Terry Fahy – Kid’s Corner
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Laurel Reynolds – iRead
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Liz Bowring – website and social media
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Viv Nicoll-Hatton – mail
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Sue Bates – meeting admin
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Cathy Drury and Denise Cramsie additional assistance with programs.
Cheers from me
Liz
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iRead - 2021 June Edition
Many of you will have already heard that our Business and Events Manger Felicity has resigned and will be
leaving CBCA NSW Branch on June 10th. Many accolades have been flowing in, and I am sure you all have
many fond memories from your interactions with her either by email, phone or at events. Felicity has been a
committed and enthusiastic supporter of CBCA and she has overseen the development of CBCA NSW Branch in both a professional and personal manner. Over the past 11 and a half years she has grown the role immensely. Hers will be difficult shoes to fill. On behalf of you all I wish her all the best in her new endeavours. We have asked the past presidents to write some memories of Felicity’s contributions and you will find these later in iRead.
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I want to share the following from the Eastern Suburbs Sub-branch President:
‘It was a 'pinch-yourself' moment at the State Library on Friday May 28th at the launch of Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds: Stories, Poetry and Plays for Children, not only as so many member creatives were able to attend, but also to hear our patron, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, describe our book as 'Already a classic in Australian Children's Literature'. This accolade will not have been lightly said indeed pays tribute to the calibre of the contributed works. It was a most humbling and emotional moment for all there.
The fact that we not only had a forward by the Governor but also a statement from our incredible children's laureate Ursula Dubosarsky has given our anthology a real sense of distinction and a special thanks goes to Ursula for this as well as for her story contribution. To have Jasmine Seymour's advice and input in the provision of a dual language Acknowledgment to Country as well as a dual-language poem and a translation of our English sub-branch title was another vital and significant aspect.’
Elizabeth Cummings
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We are currently taking orders using the CBCA Merchandise Order Form: purchasing the anthology.
The Sub-branches are continuing with their monthly zoom meetings, and will be meeting again on June 8. They are holding so many exciting events, so check out what’s happening near you.
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Fortunately, we have decided to move the Preparing for NAIDOC Week: Contemporary Indigenous Voices PD event online. With Monty Boori Pryor in Melbourne and Dr Helen Milroy in Western Australia, pre-recording has been the best option. We have recorded Boori in conversation with Wendy Rapee, and Helen will answer many questions to reveal insights into their creative process and explaining appropriate use of their story/illustration when working with children. Available from July 2, 2021.
Gail Erskine has taken a section of the AAA: Poetry: exploring Inner Worlds conference to Bronte Public School as a 3-hour professional development session. Wonderful opportunities can be tailored for schools to purchase a staff development session. Details on the website, and email us with your enquiries.
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Cheers from me
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Liz
iRead - 2021 May Edition
Dear Members,
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On April 17, 2021 CBCA NSW Branch held the AGM. We were very grateful to Jan Metzner who hosted the meeting in the very gorgeous Stanmore Public School Library. It turned out that quite a few members preferred to attend via zoom, and so it was a mixed meeting. I wish to apologise to members who had difficulty joining with Zoom. Unfortunately, we still do not have totally perfect systems in place, and I know that a couple of keen members were not able to connect. We will work on improving this.
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The elections have confirmed the following positions:
President: Liz Bowring
Past president: Gail Erskine
Vice President: Wendy Rapee
Treasurer: Alison Manno
Public Officer: Toni Field and Terry Fahey stood for election. Toni Field was declared elected after a show of hands by all present either bodily or via Zoom.
Minutes Secretary: Sue Bates
Committee: Terry Fahey, Laurel Reynolds, Cathy Drury, Viv Nicholl-Hatton, Judith Radin, Denise Cramsie
Natalia Bragaru, who has been treasurer for the past year, and Peter Macinnes were both thanked for their substantial contributions as committee members.
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It was interesting to hear from the sub-branches as they had a couple of minutes each to describe an element from their year. We have reactivated the Sub-branch liaison role and have a strong plan to facilitate good communication between the groups led by Wendy Fitzgerald. There are so many great things happening in the Sub-branches. Check out their reports and photos in iRead. In addition, Sub-branches have their own section of CBCA NSW Branch website.
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We are keenly anticipating the launch of ‘Old Worlds, New World, Other Worlds: stories, poetry and plays for children’ at the State Library of NSW by our Vice Regal Patrons, The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC and Mr Wilson on May 28th. Our patrons have also produced a wonderful video clip to promote Collide! Book Trailer Competition, and Nathan Luff, one of our Collide! judges and ambassadors will be giving Collide! a boost as part of the program. More information: booking to attend the event and purchasing the anthology.
The planning of a face-to-face event for Contemporary Indigenous Voices: Preparing for NAIDOC Week is well under way. We are confirming dates with our speakers, but please keep June 22 or 24, 2021 free.
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The brilliant AAA: Poetry: exploring Inner Worlds conference is still available on the website. There are varied packages on offer, with some wonderful opportunities for schools to purchase a pack for staff development sessions. There are details on the website, and a special arrangement can be made to suit the needs of your school. Contact Felicity in the office.
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I thank the committee and members for putting your confidence in me. This will be my third year as President, the final according to the constitution. I am mindful that we need a succession plan for a number of positions. It is a good time to join the committee and share your skills. I urge you to consider this opportunity.
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Cheers from me,
Liz
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Liz Bowring
CBCA NSW Branch President
Attending the CBCA NSW Branch 2021 AGM
Left to right: Sheryl Cootes, Jackie Hawkes, Kristen Darell, Wendy Fitzgerald, Liz Bowring, Toni Field, Jan Metz, Laurel Reynolds, Gail Erskine, Denise Cramsie and Viv Nicoll-Hatton.
iRead - 2021 April Edition
Dear Members,
Have you planned how you are going to use the Easter holidays yet? I know some of us will be heading off to a festival, a peaceful location or just have plans for ‘me time’ at home. Why not immerse yourself in poetry for a few hours? You can still register for AAA PD Conference Poetry: exploring inner worlds. With a cornucopia of poetical presentations, and a wide range of options, you can be assured of an absorbing and informative time wherever you are online.
Toni Field and I had a marvellous meeting with CBCA NSW Branch patron Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley this month. She shares our love of books and the understanding of the importance of quality Australian literature for developing minds. She was most supportive and enthusiastic about CBCA NSW Branch program of events, and keen to attend where she would be able to both meet our members and see our organisation in action. Her excellency and her husband Mr Wilson (both patrons) have produced just for us an entertaining video to promote Collide! Book Trailer Competition. You can view it online and use it with students. We are delighted to be able to show this video in her presence at the State Library of NSW where she will also be launching the Anthology: New Worlds, Old Worlds, Other Worlds, a collection of writing and illustration by our NSW Branch members published by the Eastern Suburbs Sub-branch. Keep the date free: 28th May, 5pm.
While talking about videos, watch out for the next South Australian video, which is on the Shortlist. This year it is South Australian Branch who are producing online content, shared across all branches, assisting us all to understand the process of selecting the CBCA Book of the Year especially for kids, and also one featuring Janeen Brian, and promoting the CBCA 2021 Shortlist.
The list judges of the Book of the Year for 2022 and 2023 is now available. We have 4 members who have bravely taken on the challenge for the next 2 years. They are Kathryn Eyre (Older Readers), Margot Lindgren (Picture Books), and Sheryl Cootes and Alex Wharton (both Eve Pownell). We are most appreciative of the substantial commitment these people are making, and I would like to thank them for offering their experience and wise counsel.
Don’t forget the CBCA NSW Branch AGM is coming up. We will be gathering at Stanmore Public School at 3pm, and I’m sure everyone is keen to get together and chat over a cuppa. Consider joining the committee. We would love to have you on board. Our treasurer would appreciate handing the reins over to another, so if you are interested, please nominate. There are also lots of opportunities to join a CBCA subcommittee that make the Book of the Year Awards happen. You can be involved in an element such as Merchandise or Communications. Check out Wendy Rapee’s column later in this newsletter.
An affirming article from The Conversation ‘After a year of digital learning and virtual teaching, let’s hear it for the joy of real books’ provides some interesting reading and inspiration as we promote the Shortlist.
Cheers,
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Liz Bowring
CBCA NSW Branch President
iRead - 2021 March Edition
Dear Members,
I think ‘Book Week is every week’ should be our mantra. The announcement of the Notables in February affirms this. The Book of the Year Award judges have been busily selecting the strongest candidates from the wide choices submitted by the publishers towards the end of last year. This year the CBCA South Australian Branch have produced two short videos for us all to use, which explain the annual selection process, one for kids and one featuring SA children’s author Janeen Brian. Janeen’s video challenges the audience to read as many books from the Notables as they can.
The launch of 2021 Collide with the Notables, our book trailer competition for kids, means that teachers and member schools have more time this year to create exciting book trailers, and we encourage kids to choose a book from the Notables list for their trailer. This year we have received a generous donation from the Rotary Club of North Sydney, which will be used for prizes in each section. Thank you, Rotary Club of North Sydney and their President Toni Field.
You may wish to check our calendar of events for 2021 to make sure you don’t miss any of them. There is a lot planned for this year, and all members receive substantial savings on all CBCA events. We are particularly excited by the AAA International PD Conference which will explore the inner worlds of Poetry over 2 days, featuring both local and international speakers. Online and flexible, this conference provides an excellent opportunity for teachers across Australia to expand their knowledge of Poetry, while acquiring those important Elective PD hours.
As is the legal requirement, we will be holding our Annual General Meeting on April 17 at 3pm. We will be on Zoom. A notice will go out shortly, so RSVP to the invitation and we will send you a link to the meeting. Consider becoming a member of the CBCA NSW committee, either in a position or to assist with the organisation of events. CBCA is your organisation. Being involved means the organisation better meets your expectations. Check your membership is up-to-date as only members can vote and nominate at meetings.
I want to alert you to an opportunity to volunteer, even from a distance, to assist regularly with our social media. CBCA NSW Branch has been producing regular social media posts for the last year or so with the generous assistance of Bronwyn Birdsall. Bronwyn is now stepping aside from that role. I would like to thank Bronwyn for the fabulous job she did getting us up there and established on social media. If you are interested, please email Felicity.
We have just seen the fabulous, evocative poster Shaun Tan has created for this year’s CBCA Book Week. The father and child from the old world, walking through a meadow of flowers, heading towards a world of fantastical buildings and flying machines, I think will generate lots of conversations and writing about ‘Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds’. This merchandise will be popular.
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March on!
Liz
iRead - 2021 February Edition
Dear Members
As you unpack your holiday suitcases and brush the sand from your beach chairs, we hope that you are ready to face this new year rested and revived. There will be few tales to share of international travel, these seem to all be vexed experiences of flight cancellations and monstrous charges. Perhaps there will, however, be a new-found excitement of sharing discoveries of the richness and diversity of our own land, unexpected treasures previously overlooked in preference to an exotic international experience. As our focus turns towards Australia, I trust that this appreciation will find firm grounding in the books written for our children and celebrated by CBCA. For us who champion the best home-grown product for our children this may be the best of times.
After last year’s uncertainty we have made the choice to present our events online, at least for the first half of 2021. The advantage is that you can choose to view at a time that suits you. We also like the idea of meeting up with a few friends, watching the presentation together and celebrating.
CBCA NSW Branch committee has decided this year to pair an experience for children with each of our events. We start with the Night of the Notables which will align with the launch of the 2021Collide Book Trailer Competition for children.
Always keenly anticipated, the AAA PD Conference returns to its usual date in March, aligned with the release of the Shortlist. The organising committee, led by Gail Erskine and Felicity Jagavkar, has managed to secure so many quality speakers that the conference has been extended to 2 days. You will be amazed by the quality of our speakers. We are delighted to have Libby Hathorn join the organising committee as advisor, as well as being a keynote speaker for the conference.
It was the Branch Presidents intention that when the changes to the constitution and Board were made last year, communication would flow more freely. With Wendy Rapee as Chairperson, prompt and open emails are regularly arriving in our inboxes. The latest is a Strategic Action Plan which is available for comment. The Board is also in the process of appointing two Independent Directors to complete the CBCA Board. If you know an appropriate person who would have the interests of CBCA at heart and the requisite skills, please send them the advertisement below. Applications close 1 March 2021.
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Positions Vacant for Independent Directors on the CBCA Board
Volunteer Independent Director Finance - Full details here
Volunteer Independent Director Legal including Volunteer Company Secretary - Full details here
Many of you would know June Smith retired from the Awards Foundation late last year. She had been involved in CBCA since the 1970’s, was integral in establishing the Awards Foundation in 1995, and has served CBCA on the Awards Foundation Committee of Responsible Persons since then. We all thank June for her marvellous contribution and wish her all the best.
We were disappointed to hear that Kate Flamsteed, who ran operations at the National CBCA office, has resigned. I would like to thank Kate for all her contributions and wish her well in the future. Shannon and Anne will be continuing in their roles in the office.
If you are teaching you would be aware of the huge restructure of NESA. During this time of Transition Arrangements it is not possible to obtain accreditation for our courses. Remember that all our high-quality presentations can be recorded as elective PD.
Please check your membership fee has been paid. Membership fees are used to provide services to you as a member, directly and via the website, and to ensure we are able to provide outstanding events to support Australian children’s literature.
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Cheers
Liz
