Children being read to by Maria at Next Page Please bookstore in Takapuna, Auckland. Photo / Sarah Ivey
The Storylines Festival (or, if you must, its less-than-snappy full title, Storylines Festival of New Zealand Children's Writers and Illustrators Family Days) turns 20 this year, making it the country's oldest annual literary festival. It includes free family days, targeted at children from age 3 to early teens.
There are seminars featuring leading writers and commentators for adult and senior students in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch; writers, illustrators and storytellers will run workshops for children, in Auckland, as well as head around Auckland and Northland in the Story Tours. Over four days 10 authors, illustrators and storytellers will visit more than 70 early childhood centres and schools, reaching more than 12,000 students.
Children (and grown-ups) can meet their literary heroes at the free family days. Children can enjoy a lively mix of author talks, illustration demonstrations, book readings, stage shows, arts-and-crafts activities, and exhibitions from those involved with children's literature.
This year, for the first time, Storylines comes to the Vodafone Events Centre (formerly TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre) in Manukau (Saturday, August 17) then heads to the Aotea Centre for the Auckland family day (Sunday August 18). It's also making its first appearance in Kaitaia, with the Northland Family Day (Saturday, August 17, 10am-2pm, Te Ahu Centre and Kaitaia Library).
If you've got a gifted writer or talented illustrator in your home, a visit to Storylines is worthwhile. Students can write a short story or a poem or design a book cover at each of the family days to enter in the three Storylines competitions.
Those who are really serious about exploring their talent for writing or illustrating can participate in workshops (Saturday August 17, from 10am).
Writing workshops will teach youngsters aged 9-13 the techniques, tips and tricks to turn their ideas into great stories, to improve their writing, while illustration workshops, for those aged 7-12, look at how to create and draw characters ($25 a child).
For more details see storylines.org.nz
There are other places to explore, which may help stimulate interest and imaginations.
Here's what we found:
Auckland Libraries
Monthly writing workshops for teenagers are held at Auckland Libraries' Botany and Mangere Bridge branches, and more libraries are keen to start offering these. The libraries hold regular writer and illustrator talks, often with authors of books for children and young people. These give children and young people a valuable opportunity to quiz their favourite authors about techniques and inspiration, and help reinforce the message that writing can be a viable career.
New Zealand author/illustrator Donovan Bixley will appear at the Central City Library during the October school holidays Check Auckland Libraries' website for lists of their programmes and events and to sign up to a monthly events e-newsletter.
For more, see aucklandlibraries.govt.nz
The Michael King Writers Centre
Set up in 2005 in memory of historian and biographer Michael King, the centre in the historic Signalman's House on Mt Victoria in Devonport aims to support New Zealand writers and promote our country's literature. Its young writers programme for Year 11-13 students from across Auckland has one-day workshops led by top creative writing tutors and authors including Emily Perkins, Paula Morris, Sue Orr, Sarah Laing, Rosalind Ali, Johanna Emeney and Robert Sullivan. Three-hour master classes are limited to 15 participants, nominated by their schools. Students accepted for workshops or master classes can submit work for Signals, one of the country's only literary journals for young writers.
The centre is also the base for The Poetry Project, which started life as a Devonport-based initiative but has now expanded to include other areas of Auckland. In conjunction with the University of Auckland's New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre, poets run workshops in schools and the community to encourage children to pen a poem based on a culturally significant event.
For more details, see writerscentre.org.nz or check out nzepc.auckland.ac.nz
Online inspiration
A number of excellent home-grown sites offer tips and advice to up-and-coming writers. The New Zealand Book Council's website has extensive education channels for schools, parents and a kids' zone. The kids' zone features information on new books, reviews written by kids and professional reviewers, writing and illustrating tips, fun exercises to stimulate ideas and improve writing and drawing techniques.
New talents can submit their own work and get it published on the website's writers' gallery. With competitions, updates on literary happenings and popular authors, this is a lively spot for the junior writing set.
For more details see bookcouncil.org.nz and go to the education section.
The NZ School for Young Writers
This Christchurch-based school, founded in 1993, runs regular after-school workshops and Saturday morning classes for children aged between 8 and 18. It also offers distant learning for students anywhere in New Zealand (or indeed the world), or tutors visit schools around the country for two-day workshops.
Each student is assigned a personal tutor who provides regular feedback to encourage effort and develop skills. Children can also contribute poems, stories and reviews to the school's twice-yearly Write-On magazine. The school runs Re-draft, a national writing competition for teenagers. Entries this year close on Monday September 30. Tessa Duder and James Norcliffe will judge the competition.
To find out more, see schoolforyoungwriters.org
Poetry Box
Poet, author, teacher and Herald contributor Paula Green this year decided to become an informal ambassador for children's poetry, starting the interactive website, NZ Poetry Box. It's a place where kids can have their poems published, get poetry writing tutorials from Paula, who also writes regular blogs, and join in competitions and fun challenges to write poems. Paula says local publishers have been quick to offer books for prizes and she's heard from whole families taking up the poetry challenges.
For more, see nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com
Travel the Auckland Literary Heritage Trail
All around Auckland are landmarks - from beaches to historic buildings, shopping malls and mountains - that have inspired some of our greatest writers. The Auckland Literary Heritage Trail brochure, available from select libraries, brings together 37 sites from Waiuku to Whangaparaoa to briefly explain their influence on our writers and poets. The kids are likely to be enthused by some of the more wild sites: Karekare Beach or Piha, Mangere Mountain or Mt Eden (Maungawhau) but the range of locations shows you can find inspiration everywhere and every day. Naturally, Frank Sargeson's former home, on Esmonde Rd, Takapuna, is featured, but less well-known parts of the trail include Kitchener St in central Auckland, the Manukau shopping mall and Dominion Rd. You'll have to do the trail to find out who/what/why.
Writing competitions
Elsie Locke was a writer, historian and stalwart of the peace and women's movements. The Elsie Locke Writing Prize commemorates her achievements by offering young writers in Years 7-8 the chance to pen an original piece of work for publication.
For more, see elsielocketrust.org.nz
The BNZ Literary Awards turn 55 next year. Secondary school students can win $1500 for themselves and $2000 for their school if they win the BNZ Young Writer Award category. For more, see bnz.co.nz
For five years, real estate agents Barfoot & Thompson has held the Young Authors Challenge. Primary and intermediate students across Auckland and Northland can enter a short story or poem. Between six and eight winners are published in a book edited by author John Parker and illustrated by rugby hero Keven Mealamu.
These books are then sold to raise money for its Magic of Reading programme, which gives every child who spends a night or more in Starship or Whangarei Hospital's children's ward a new book to read and take home.
This year, 899 entries were received and more than 20,000 books will be donated to the hospitals.
For more details, see barfoot.co.nz
Warm water in therapeutic pools reduces swelling and eases joint pressure.