After a whirlwind few days down in Melbourne at the HNSA conference, it was such a pleasure then to visit the beautiful old St Patricks Seminary / Hogwarts Castle in Manly yesterday to celebrate books and reading with over 200 excited students and their heroic teacher/librarians. Pictured: organiser Belinda Murrell and her sister Kate Forsyth along with NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge Officer, Yvette Poshoglian. 
In celebration of my book ‘The Little Penguins of Manly’
the students at my table had opted for a penguin theme and we all dressed in black pants, white shirts and bow ties – so I shared a table with eight lovely penguins from St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School, with their librarian Liz McGuire. And I was so thrilled to receive a lovely memento of the occasion – a photo in a frame decorated with penguins! The students had brought sand, shells and rocks, a blue board and multiple penguins, and they decorated the table beautifully – here they’re just setting it up. It was a really terrific afternoon! And we all loved Gus Gordon’s talk and illustrations, while his challenge to draw a sloth produced some fabulous work from all the students! Congratulations to Belinda for yet another wonderful LWTS!
