Books Go Walkabout brings an inspirational dimension to reading and writing, literacy and cultural exchange.
Children and students engage with authors across the world in real and virtual time . By speaking directly with the author, students are involved and books come to life. Stories from different countries make the world a smaller place. Books embrace a deep and powerful understanding of culture and people, places and the planet.
We travel and explore, we bring you life on earth direct to your door. All from our base in Norfolk, UK .
Books Go Walkabout New Adventures in 2021…
Books Go Walkabout and schools in the Far East are our first projects in 2021 as we emerge from Covid19. World Book Day 2021 came alive with our authors who inspired and engaged with children at Harrow International School in Shanghai and Shrewsbury International School in Hong Kong.
Authors based in Australia and New Zealand were just right to manage the time difference. Authors in the UK had to work earlier than usual!
It was a very gloomy, wet, and stay inside Monday in the UK when I received an email from Tess St ClairFord, Head of English and Whole School Literacy Coordinator in Shanghai. Tess had heard Books Go Walkabout do amazing online author visits and could we find them an author or two for Book Week at Harrow International School in Shanghai!
We heard from Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong Librarian and supported two sessions at Book Week.
I put on my teacher’s hat and asked for specifics from the schools about age group, writing targets, reading ages and loads of other stuff to make sure we achieved the right mix of author and school.
Books Go Walkabout authors live in many different countries. I knew the time difference would mean an early call for authors in the UK, but good for Australia or New Zealand .To make things perfect for the school we worked together ahead of the online author event making sure it was just right.
Details of our work and online visits follow below. If you are interested in finding an author to inspire, engage and make a difference to your children’s learning and interest in literacy, we would love to hear from you. Contact us at Books Go Walkabout.
Author Online visits to China and Hong Kong…
Joanna Grochowicz at Harrow International School, Shanghai.
New Zealand children’s author of polar exploration in the early 1900’s. zoomed into two classes full of 10-year-old children Stories based on her books enthralled them with images and stories of Antarctic conditions and reaching the South Pole. We found our way to the Antarctic; where Joanna had visited in February this year, we reached the South Pole, and saw the photographer Ponting taking a photo of killer whales, we heard that the ice block he was standing on was upended by the whales, but he managed to escape, which was good as they would have eaten him.
There was so much fascinating detail of the journeys of both R.F Scott from the UK, and R. Amundsen from Norway in the early 1900’s, that the stories of adventure, courage, determination, skill and expertise were incredible. All the stories which brought the presentation and the books to life had been meticulously researched by Joanna with visits to many places to gather the story behind the journey. Joanna visited Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, UK, where she also came to Books Go Walkabout office.
Her books are just made for reading, the first in the series is, Into the White, Scott’s Antarctic Odyssey and her second book is, Amundsen’s Way, with her third book about Shackleton being published later this year. They are some incredible stories and immensely well written, good for ages above 9 years and including all adults.
Children in Shanghai discovering about explorers from Britain and Norway travelling with husky dogs to the South Pole.
Read more about books on the Book Monitor blog
…children are so good at it!
Cheryl Moskowitz at Harrow International School, an American poet from the UK, followed on Shanghai with younger children to create a Cinquain poem. They created their own poems in a matter of minutes and now understand some of the key aspects of real poetry.
In this global pandemic we have been thinking of just how to reach out to others across the world. Poetry is a way of finding and releasing feelings.
And do you know what, children are so good at it!
Cheryl Moskowitz is a poet, narrator and writer who works with us at Books Go Walkabout . Since March 2020, when school closures were announced in the UK, Cheryl has been talking to children, their parents and staff at schools. What is life like in this Covid19 world?
Lili Wilkinson, at Shrewsbury International School, Hong Kong
A children’s author from Australia, inspired new budding writers with her book, How to Create a Pet Monster.
They found out how to develop the character in a book and make it come alive for a reader. This was a great learning experience and has proved hugely successful.
We have made some huge changes in 2021, we are working through the Covid 19 Pandemic. We have stories zooming across the world, cross continental.
The future is exciting, and we are ready! All it takes is a little IT equipment, some courageous thought and a never-ending belief that we can make a difference!
Read more on Book Monitor blog
Authors travelled around the world with BGW in the Autumn of 2019 before Covid!
Leigh Hobbs, from Australia to the UK
Joanna Grochowicz from New Zealand to the UK
Cheryl Moskowitz in video link to Hong Kong from the UK
That’s over 1,200 children and students inspired, motivated and achieving.
New author profiles for 2021 – see our Our Author Miscellany page here. We are now booking for new events…
” Writing is a process of discovery, it’s not just knowing them and putting them down, it’s discovering them as you write.”
Philip Pullman and Miss Jones – BBC Sounds, December 2019
Discover him here
We deliver book events, author and illustrator workshops, reading and writing tutorials, literacy across the world information, pop-up bookshops in the UK and we sell the very best children’s books everywhere they are needed.
The Book Monitor is our book blog for readers and teachers. Includes newly published book reviews and reflections. See more here.
The Dolphin is a collection of the best new book reviews for younger children. See more here.
We work in places across the globe – Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Europe and the USA. We provide a ‘no fee’ UK representation service for authors and illustrators in our partner countries.
We are always happy to engage, informally and at no cost, about how we can provide books, services and authors in a tailored package to meet the needs of your school, community or organisation. Just ask us.
Books go Walkabout is the children’s book sales, author event, literacy support and publishing arm of SmithMartin LLP.
Book World image: Nicola Nuttall, Creative Commons, Unsplash