Riley the Little Aviator

pleasant heights public school book masterpieces

2012-02-09T08:21:00.006+11:00

One of the very best things about writing children's books, is inspiring kids to read and write and create adventures of their own.

The kids from 3P at Pleasant Heights Public School in Wollongong have completely stunned me with their interpretation of the Riley book format.

Teacher Annabel Wood says, "3P have been enjoying Tania McCartney’s Riley Series and studying China. 3P used Tania’s books to inspire a narrative travelogue set in China using photos and illustrations to tell the story."

I'm so impressed with the results of this study. What a talented bunch these kids are - I mean, just look at the use of photos and hand-drawn images, and the highly imaginative stories.

Please enjoy just three of these glorious books - I hope you adore them and take as much pleasure in them as I have (you can click on the pages to enlarge).

Thanks, kids and thanks, Mrs Wood! I hope to come and visit you soon.

Chen and Hong's Search for Noodles by Kiya

Sally and the Invisible Panda, Billy by Daniel and Bryce

Koong-Se, Chang and the Hidden Treasure by Imogen and Charlotte

I'm looking forward to the continuation of this story!!

what the riley crew are up to

2012-01-11T14:57:00.000+11:00

Hmmm. I wonder what's going on in the Riley camp? Seems to be some curious goings-on. Can you imagine what his team of critters is up to? All in preparation for the upcoming book Riley and the Jumpy Kangaroo?

Keep an eye on this site for more hints and reveals . . . it's all very exciting.

gallery: Grumpy Wombat - Book Readings 2011

2012-01-05T11:00:00.003+11:00

L to R: Sean McMullen, Claire Saxby, Dee White, George Ivanoff, Michael Panckridge, Phil Kettle, Hazel Edwards, Jacqui Grantford, MC Graham Davey, Speaker, David Miller, Paul Collins, Meredith Costain, Judith Rossell, Marc McBride, Tania McCartney

the creators, left to right: Jackie Small of My Little Bookcase, Three Four Knock on the Door owners Danielle and L-J, and me

gallery: Grumpy Wombat - Book Launch Party, Canberra

2012-01-05T09:52:00.000+11:00

insider: riley and the curious koala

2012-01-04T22:33:00.000+11:00

Hello, everyone! Riley author Tania McCartney here. I'm loving taking you through this peek at the making of the Riley books. Here is the low down on Curious Koala, book three in the series. Don't forget to check out the other books, too!

The first thing I asked Kieron to draw for Riley and the Curious Koala was... a koala! But being the wonderful artist he is, Kieron insisted on giving me several koalas to choose from, and this is what he drew...

Can you see which one I kind of chose? SO many to choose from! But I finally settled on a bit of a cross between something no.1 and no.5.

For the title page of Curious Koala, Kieron creates a map scene where all the friends get together and plan where they might fly to next. For this book, Kieron sent me two options:

I chose the second one because I loved how Dragon was sleeping under the map. Kieron sketched out a final (see Dragon hiding?)...

Then he coloured it in...

And then added all those wonderful shadings and highlights that bring his work to life...

And here is the final Title Page...

For the page where Riley runs to his plane, ready to take off to Sydney, Kieron gave me some options for everyone running to the plane. It's always so much fun to choose!

Take a look at what I chose... these make me laugh every time I look at them...

I also asked Kieron to draw a series of koala-related drinks to add to the end of the story. Just look at how clever he is...

Towards the end of Curious Koala, Riley visits a very famous zoo. Here are the very first drawings Kieron did of the animals in the zoo.

And here is how the animals eventually turned out on the book's pages...

Sigh. I wish I could draw.

See more insider info on all the Riley books...

happy christmas!

2011-12-13T08:42:00.000+11:00

grumpy wombat activity book!

2011-11-25T14:10:00.005+11:00

Want to print this really cool Grumpy Wombat activity book? Just click each page to enlarge, print out and staple into a little book!

Instructions

Print page 1, then turn it over and print page 2 on the back.

Print page 3 and 4 back-to-back, and ditto pages 5 and 6.

Stack pages from 1 through 6, with page 1 facing down on the table and page 6 facing up, then either staple in the centre with a long stapler, or punch holes in the spine and thread through string, tying off to secure.

Have fun!

page 1 . . .

page 2 . . .

page 3 . . .

page 4 . . .

page 5 . . .

page 6 . . .

destinations: Melbourne

2011-11-22T08:20:00.000+11:00

In Riley and the Grumpy Wombat, our little aviator heads off around Melbourne and surrounds. Here are some interesting facts about all the sights and sites featured in the book:

Bourke Street Mall is located right in the heart of Melbourne city. It has trams running through it. What is a mall? Who can use it? Bourke Street is named after Sir Richard Bourke, the Governor of New South Wales (1837). The city centre of Melbourne is laid out in a block-like fashion which is called the Hoddle Grid. Can you see anyone interesting in this picture? You may just see a certain illustrator!

Federation Square was built to commemorate 100 years of Federation in Australia (1901-2001). Two large office towers had to be torn down to make way for the Square which is now a centre for multimedia including a cinema, function centre, restaurants, cafés, street theatre and music. The sandstone used in construction was mined and quarried from the Kimberley Region in Western Australia. Who has been to Federation Square? What did you do there?

Flinders Street Station is located at the southern end of the city centre, right next to the Yarra River. What is the station used for? Every day, over 110,000 people and 1,500 trains pass through the station. People wanting to meet near Flinders Street Station often say “I’ll meet you under the clocks.” What do you think they mean? The Station is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. What is a Heritage Register?

The Southbank area is named because it runs along the south bank of the Yarra River, right in Melbourne city. The area is an entertainment hub for Melburnians with shops, cafés, restaurants, a riverside food court, and also features the Crown Casino and the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. Tall columns line the river along Southbank. What do you think might come blasting out of these columns at night time? (Fire.)

St Kilda Beach used to be a seaside resort and is now one of Melbourne’s most famous beaches. It is fringed by very tropical trees; can you guess which kind? (Palm trees.) Fairy penguins are sometimes seen at St Kilda Beach. The Melbourne Marathon passes through St Kilda and its beach is used for State and International volley ball tournaments. What other sports could you play on St Kilda Beach?

Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens are one of the world’s most famous gardens and cover 36 hectares right near the centre of the city. The gardens were originally built on marshland and swamp. In 1877, Australia’s first prime minister, Sir Edmund Barton, was married in the gardens (to Jane Ross). The gardens now host over 10,000 floral species. The 300-year-old ‘Separation Tree’ can be found in the gardens. What kind of native tree do you think it might be? (River Red Gum.)

Lygon Street in the inner city suburb of Carlton is one of Melbourne’s most famous restaurant, café and shopping strips. The street is particularly famous for Italian restaurants and cafés, and hosts the annual Lygon Street Festa, one of Australia’s largest street festivals. Toto’s Pizza House was Australia’s very first pizzeria. What kind of sporting events do you think might be celebrated in this Italian-influenced street? (FIFA World Cup and Ferrari Festival.)

The Dandenong Ranges were formed more than 300 million years ago by a major volcanic eruption near the town of Olinda. When white man arrived in Australia, the ranges were inhabited by the Wurundjeri tribe who called the area Corrhanwarrabul, meaning a desirable place where birds sang, kangaroos jumped and lyrebirds perform. What kind of plants do you think might enjoy the rich volcanic soil of the Dandenong Ranges and high rainfall? (Indigenous plants, ash forests, fern gullies.)

Mount Hotham in the Victorian Alps north of Melbourne stands 1861 m high and has the highest natural snowfall of any other resort in Victoria. The first ski run was developed by 1900 and there are now a number of resorts available to skiers. Have you been skiing? Would you see many wombats in the snow?

Situated at Ballarat, north of Melbourne, Sovereign Hill is an outdoor museum which presents the story of one of Australia’s most historical events. Do you know what kind of precious metal was found at Sovereign Hill? The first gold was discovered in the area in 1851, when people from all over the world flocked to Victoria to find their fortune. Sovereign Hill museum attracts over 750,000 visitors a year. Visitors can explore the area indoors, outdoors, above ground and even below ground!

The Great Ocean Road lies west of Melbourne and is one of the most beautiful coastal drives in the world. One of its major attractions is The Twelve Apostles – does anyone know what they might be? These massive limestone stack formations were once named The Sow and Piglets but were renamed The Twelve Apostles in 1922 for tourism purposes. The road stretches for 243 kms and was actually built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932. The rate of erosion at the base of the limestone pillars is approximately 2 cm per year.

Phillip Island is located 140 kms south-east of Melbourne and was named after the first governor of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip. The island is visited by 3.5 million people every year, who come to see a nightly beach parade of which animal? (The Fairy Penguin or Little Penguin.) Which other animal might you see on Phillip Island? (Fur seals, which settle on Seal Rock and form the largest colony in the Southern Hemisphere.)

colouring in

2011-11-15T14:15:00.000+11:00

Click to enlarge, print and colour!

Print and colour some of the very first animal drawings Kieron did for Riley and the Curious Koala!

Riley looks sad. Give him some colour!

Back to fun 4 kids!

destinations: Sydney

2011-11-08T21:32:00.000+11:00

In Riley and the Curious Koala, our little aviator heads off around the beautiful city of Sydney. Here are some interesting facts about all the sights and sites featured in the book:

Darling Harbour is located right in the heart of Sydney city. Once a derelict dockland, the area is now packed with shops, restaurants, cafés and tourist attractions like the Sydney Aquarium and National Maritime Museum. The original aboriginal inhabitants of Darling Harbour – the Cadigal people – used to call it ‘Tumbalong’, which means ‘place where seafood is found’. When white man arrived in 1788, they called the bay ‘Long Cove’. Why do you think they named it such? (Its unusual length.)

The Rocks is one of Australian’s oldest settlements. Originally inhabited by the Cadigal people, the area was claimed by white man in 1788 and began life as an open air gaol, which later developed into a vibrant port community. Many original sandstone buildings still survive at The Rocks. What kinds of items might you find at The Rocks Discovery Museum?

Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the world’s most recognised bridges. Opened in 1932, it weighs 39,000 tonnes and took over 8 years to build. It is not the longest steel arch bridge in the world, but it is the largest and widest. There were no safety nets for workers during its construction and eight men fell to their deaths. How could we provide workers with better safety conditions today? Why do you think a city like Sydney needed this bridge?

Circular Quay is located in the heart of Sydney between Bennelong Point and The Rocks. This is where the First Fleet arrived in Australia in 1788. Circular Quay was originally known as ‘Semi-Circular Quay’ and was used for shipping before being developed into the transport, leisure and recreational centre it is today. What transportation options are available at Circular Quay? (Ferry, boat, train, bus. It was once also a tram terminus.)

Sydney Opera House is one of Australia’s best known icons and is one of the world’s most recognised buildings. It sits on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour and was designed by a Danish architect named Jorn Utzon. Utzon had to redesign his plans several times until engineers could work out how to build the unusual roof. The Opera House has over 1,000 rooms and stages 3,000 events a year. The exterior features over 1 million tiles. What does the roof remind you of?

One of Sydney’s major city thoroughfares, George Street runs all the way from The Rocks near Sydney Harbour Bridge to Broadway near Central Station. The street was created from a track made by marines and convicts who walked from a convict camp to The Rocks every day. Originally referred to as ‘High Street’, in typical English fashion, it was officially named George Street in 1810. Who do you think it was named after? (King George III of England)

The Strand Arcade was built between 1880 and 1900, and was created in the late Victorian style, with an overhanging gallery and tinted roof glass. It is the only Sydney arcade remaining in its original form. Named after a famous London Street, the arcade was partially destroyed by fire in 1976 and was restored a year later. What does ‘Victorian’ mean?

Manly Beach in the northern suburbs of Sydney was named by Captain Arthur Phillip after the ‘manly’ behaviour of the aboriginal (Guringai) people living there at time of white settlement. During the 1800s and early 1900s, Manly was one of Australia's most popular seaside holiday resorts. It’s said to be the place where the ban on daylight swimming was first challenged. Why do you think people weren’t allowed to swim during daylight hours? What did people wear when they went swimming back then? (Neck-to-knee costumes.)

Bondi Beach is one of the world’s most famous beaches. Its name comes from an aboriginal dialect meaning ‘water breaking over rocks’. The land around Bondi was once privately owned but due to its popularity, the beach was made public in 1882. Between 1935 and 1961, beach inspectors would measure swimming costumes to make sure they weren’t too skimpy. The world’s first lifesaving reel was used at Bondi in 1906. Which famous sportspeople train almost daily at Bondi Beach? (Surf lifesavers.)

Luna Park opened in 1935 and was based on the famous Coney Island version in New York (1903). In 1969, the site and rides were sold to a group who wanted to replace it with a multi-storey trade centre. Thankfully, their application was unsuccessful, though the Park was closed and re-opened several times through the 80s and 90s. In February 2010, Luna Park was listed on the State Heritage Register. What kind of rides might you find at Luna Park?

Situated right on the northern shores of Sydney Harbour, Taronga Zoo was opened in 1916 and is one of the world’s largest and most beautiful zoos. Spreading over 21 hectares, it’s home to over 2,600 animals. In the mid 1980s, a gondola lift was installed to transport visitors from the waterfront to the upper part of the zoo. In July 2009, the first ever elephant calf was born at Taronga Zoo. Considering its wonderful position on the harbour, what do you think ‘Taronga’ might mean? (It is an Aboriginal dialect word meaning ‘beautiful view’.)

animals: Koala

2011-11-03T18:21:00.000+11:00

Want to know more about the Koala? Here are some really cool wombat facts you can share with your class. You can also read an interview with Koala here.

Koalas are not bears, they are marsupials
Koalas have two thumbs which help them climb and grip their food
They are nocturnal animals
The fur of the koala differs according to where it lives. In southern parts of the country, their fur is longer and shaggier, to keep them warm
Koalas communicate with each other by making snoring noises and then a burping sound known as a bellow
Koalas usually have only one baby per year; older females may have two
Like wombats, koalas have a pouch that opens to the rear
Koala babies are known by several names including ‘joeys’ and ‘cubs’
When born, they are only 2 cm long, have no fur and their eyes and ears are sealed shut
A cub stays in the pouch for five months then rides on its mother’s back until the age of one
Koalas are fully grown by their third or fourth year
An average koala eats just over a kilo of leaves per day
There are about 600 varieties of eucalyptus tree and koalas only eat about 120 of these
Koalas don't normally drink as they get all the moisture they need from gum leaves
If too many koalas live in one forest, they get hungry and sick
The biggest problem facing koalas is the loss of eucalyptus trees, which serve as both their home and food
Koalas are protected by law, but their homes and food aren't
Dogs and cars kill many koalas each year
Only between 43,000 and 80,000 koalas remain in Australia today

A percentage of direct sales of Riley and the Curious Koala go to the Australian Koala Foundation. If you would like to sponsor a koala, head to savethekoala.com.

Learn about:

Panda
Dragon
Lion
Wombat
Kangaroo

insider: riley and the dancing lion

2011-11-01T14:23:00.000+11:00

Hello. Riley book author Tania McCartney here. I'm going to give you the inside scoop on how the Riley series was put together. I hope you enjoy this peek at Riley and the Dancing Lion, Book Two in the series. Don't forget to check out the other Riley books, too!

There are two major differences between Book One - and subsequent books in the Riley series. The first is that the books were produced and printed in Australia, using all the lessons I had learned by creating Book One.

The second difference is the new illustrator. I was absolutely delighted to discover Canberra talent Kieron Pratt through a friend of a friend - and Kieron has brought such new life to the Riley series. His stunning, clever and totally hilarious illustrations completely capture the spirit of Riley and his friends.

Kieron has also become a collaborator on the series. His fantastic ideas and comic genius additions to the books have been priceless in improving the series and I couldn't imagine continuing it without him.

So, let's take a look at how we started the Riley journey together, starting with Riley and the Dancing Lion: A journey around Hong Kong.

When I first decided to feature Hong Kong for Book Two, I absolutely knew I wanted to feature the dancing lion who welcomes in the Chinese New Year. To begin the book, I asked Kieron to draw a traditional lion, and here is the very first image he sent me:

Now can you tell why our entire collaboration is perennially filled with laughter!?

Here are some more traditional styles:

After this, I had to reign the master in and get some 'serious' options. The first thing we discussed was body shape because I wanted a lion that meandered up and down and was quite bumpelly. Here are some versions Kieron played around with:

I really liked the look of the lion on stilts (above), so Kieron did some more options for me...

I fell in love with the body of the first lion but preferred the second head, so he chopped and changed, and we came up with this rough final, though, as you can see, we were still toying with colour. We went for the Good Gold not the Bad Gold.

For Dancing Lion, I came up with the idea of Riley encountering a series of dancing lions, but none of them the traditional lion. It was a lot more work for Kieron, illustration-wise, but he truly had a ball creating this incredible line-up of dancers, and it was eye-boggling watching his work unfold.

Here are some of the dancers, their original incarnations, and the finals. I've also included how they ended up looking on the final page.

Here is the very first rapper Kieron designed for the hip hop page...

He later changed it to this...

Refined it to this...

Then the final image looked like this...

Do you see how things change as we went along? And don't you love his love-heart shorts?

Dancing Lion was also the book where Kieron and I refined a lot of things. We started incorporating a map at the end of the book, to track where Riley goes...

You can also see the little map icons he drew that are added to the map as each book is produced...

And check out Kieron's idea for another Riley book - Riley and the Electric Penguins. This is being kept for when Riley visits the Land of the Coco Bananas Illustrators.

See more insider info on all the Riley books...

the yarra valley preps go to sydney

2011-10-28T12:32:00.000+11:00

Just take a look at this amazing book! put together by the preps at Yarra Valley Grammar in Melbourne. Mum was totally blown away when she was presented with this book during her recent visit.

How cool are the pictures? We just had to share it with you. Well done, preps! you are so clever!

my visit to Three Four Knock on the Door

2011-10-26T08:14:00.000+11:00

So cool to visit this amazing store in Port Melbourne - Three Four Knock on the Door, jam-packed with all things cool for kids. And of course - the best of the best of the best books!

Mum and I visited for a book reading special event. Owners L-J and Danielle Lacey are soooo lovely, and it was great to finally meet Jackie Small from My Little Bookcase, in person. She even had her cute little girl there.

Here is mum (below right) with Jackie, left, and Danielle and L-J in the middle.

the creators, left to right: Jackie Small, shop owners Danielle and L-J, and me

And how cool are these chocolate-covered wombat cookies (above), made by Jackie! They were delicious, too. All the kids had lots of fun making wombat headbands and paper planes.

And my favourite part was eating the gingerbread cookies L-J made - talk about scrumptious!

Jackie took the kids in a round of songs - here she is (below) driving that bus with its wheels going round and round - and then Mum was introduced, and off we went, on a tour of Melbourne, to find a Grumpy Wombat.

What a cool morning - and best-ever balloons!

a very grumpy cookie

2011-10-24T14:58:00.001+11:00

This amazing cookie was created by Jackie Small of My Little Bookcase. So, what does a wombat do when she's feeling a little bit cranky? Answer below.

paper dolls

2011-10-19T18:51:00.000+11:00

Simply print onto card and cut out!

Back to fun 4 kids!

characters: Dragon

2011-10-16T17:18:00.000+11:00

Dragon came second in the Riley series. He was found on Riley's first adventure - to Beijing - and the two fast became the best of friends. Much to Panda's disdain.

name:

Dragon (龙)

home town:

Beijing

favourite place to visit:

I actually never get to see a lot of places because I spend so much time sleeping. YAWN! but I really really loved visiting Sydney. It was my first time in Australia, so it was very cool - and that Taronga Zoo - wow - can you believe that place? No dragons, though. Probably a good thing. I really like the Welsh countryside. Lots of old mines there.

stats:

Blue. Strong. Sleepy. Long and scaly like a fish, with the head of a camel, eyes of rabbit, ears of a bull, horns of a deer, neck of snake, belly of a clam, claws of an eagle and the footpads of a tiger. I'm pretty cool-looking, actually.

likes:

Coal. Sleeping. Flying.

dislikes:

Being woken up.

favourite colour:

Blue. Red because in China this is a very lucky colour.

favourite food:

Coal with noodles. Great with tomato sauce - learned this in Sydney.

favourite drink:

Bai jiu - this means white spirit. You need to be a grown up to drink this. Lucky I am very old.

favourite song:

Puff the Magic Dragon. He's a good friend. Met him in Shanghai in 1959.

favourite books:

101 Ways with Coal, Mao's Little Red Book

what I want to be when I grow up:

I dream of driving mining trucks or coal trains but I can't get my license - keep falling asleep at the wheel.

best thing about travel:

The opportunity to snooze in different languages.

insider: riley and the grumpy wombat

2011-10-14T15:54:00.000+11:00

Hi all! Tania here. I'm the author of the Riley series and I'm taking you on this fabulous peek at how the series was created. I hope you enjoy this inside look at Riley and the Grumpy Wombat, book four in the series. Don't forget to check out the other Riley books, too!

Here is a picture Kieron did for the first page of Grumpy Wombat. It's when Riley discovers a hole in his nanny's garden...

He also did this one... and this is the one we eventually went with...

You can see it in the finished page here...

Here is the very first image Kieron drew of Wombat...

...and following are the different colours we played around with, to find the perfect hue...

Do you think we made the right colour choice?

She doesn't look very happy, does she? Do you know why she isn't happy?

While writing Riley and the Grumpy Wombat, I knew I wanted to bring something new and exciting into the book. This is when I came up with the 'contraption' idea. Wombats burrow under the ground and I wondered how on earth Riley would be able to search for Wombat if he didn't have some pretty super sonic high tech radar devices.

So the Riley contraption idea was born.

Here you will see some first sketches of the contraptions Kieron came up with for Riley... which one do you like best?

Can you tell which contraptions belong to which page of the book? See if you can spot something similar to one of the contraptions above in this book page...

It's great fun working on a book with someone funny like Kieron. Check out what he did for this page of the book...

That's right - he put HIMSELF in the photo of Bourke Street Mall! (note: he wasn't there before!) Kieron also put a photo of his brother in the photo... I wonder if you can guess which person this brother might be.

You might have to look out for more 'real life' people in the Riley books...

When we were deciding on a back cover for Grumpy Wombat, Kieron thought up this wonderful idea - an image of Riley with his friends acting a little bit nervous around their very cranky new friend. Here is Riley looking a tad nervy...

And here is the final illustration, along with his travelling companions...

...coloured in...

...and shaded...

...and of course - on the back page of the book...

I wonder if Riley and the Wombat become friends in the end...?

See more insider info on all the Riley books...

animals: Panda

2011-10-09T09:43:00.000+11:00

Want to know more about the Panda (he wants to know more about you!)? Here are some really cool panda facts you can share with your class. You can also read an interview with Panda here.

The Giant Panda is called 'xiong mao' (pron. shong maow) in China, which means 'bear cat'
In the wild, pandas are only found in China, and live in the Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces
They used to live in lowland areas but farming and forest clearing pushed them to the mountains, between 1,500 and 3,000 metres high
The panda has black fur on its ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs and shoulders; the rest of its coat is white
Its thick coat keeps it warm in the cool forests
The giant panda is listed as endangered by the World Conservation Union; there are only around 1,600 left in the wild
More than 300 pandas live in zoos and breeding centres around the world, mostly in China
We don’t know how long pandas live in the wild, but they can live up to 35 years in captivity
99 per cent of a wild panda’s diet is made up of) bamboo; it sometimes eats other grasses and the occasional small rodent
In zoos, pandas eat bamboo, sugar cane, rice gruel, a special high-fiber biscuit, carrots, apples and sweet potatoes
Pandas have large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing bamboo
Pandas stand around a metre tall at the shoulder and can be up to 1.8 metres long
Males are larger than females, weighing up to 115kg in the wild
Adult pandas tend to live alone
Baby pandas stay with their mums between 18 mths to three years
The panda spends 10 to 16 hours a day foraging and eating; the rest of the time is spent sleeping or resting
Wild giant pandas get much of the water they need from bamboo (which is about 50 per cent water) but it still needs to drink from mountain streams
Giant pandas can start breeding between four and eight years of age, right up until they are 20
Female pandas ovulate only once a year, in spring, which means the chance of conceiving a baby is very low; this has added to the panda’s decline
Females may give birth to two young but usually only one survives
A newborn cub weighs around 120 grams, half the weight of a stick of butter
The baby is born hairless and blind, and except for marsupials, baby pandas are the smallest newborn mammal relative to its mother's size (who is 900 times the baby’s weight)
Unlike other bears, giant pandas do not hibernate
They may or may not have a fondness for jam sandwiches

Learn about:

Dragon
Lion
Koala
Wombat
Kangaroo

destinations: Beijing

2011-10-03T13:19:00.000+11:00

In Riley and the Sleeping Dragon, our little aviator scours the Chinese capital of Beijing and surrounds in search of an elusive dragon. Here are some interesting facts about all the sights and sites featured in the book:

Tian’anmen Square is the second largest city central square in the world. It means ‘long peace street’ and is named after the Gate of Heavenly Peace which sits at the square's northern end and separates it from the Forbidden City. The square was originally built in 1415 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), was redesigned in 1651 and has since quadrupled in size. A mausoleum was built on the square in 1976 to hold the embalmed body of Chairman Mao. People from all over China come to visit the body of this great leader.

The Forbidden City was once an imperial palace for the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 to 1912). It once operated as an entirely independent city, with no need to open to the outside world. Built from 1406 to 1420, it covers 720,000 square metres. Called Gu Gong (pron. goo goong), the Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

Hou Hai lake in the north-east centre of Beijing is a popular restaurant, bar and nightclub site. In winter, people skate and slide across the lake's surface on chairs and ice bikes.

The hutong alleyways of Beijing have been smashed to smithereens in recent years, to make way for skyscrapers and shopping centres. Hutongs run east-west and north-south, and contain traditional courtyard houses with few rooms and no plumbing. Even today, many of the people living in these alleyways share public bathrooms with their neighbours.

The Temple of Heaven located in southern Beijing is where you can stand to get closer to God. The temple was visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing to pray for a good harvest. It's considered a Taoist temple and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

Once know as Morrison Street, Wangfujing Street, located near Tian'anmen Square, is one of Beijing's most famous shopping malls. Much of the road is off-limits to cars and other motor vehicles, and it is not rare to see the entire street full of people. Several aristocrats and princesses once lived in this street, and it was also the site of a famous well full of sweet water. The street's name therefore means 'princely residence' (wang fu) and 'well' (jing).

Ritan Park is home to the Temple of the Sun, one of the four main ancient Beijing temples representing the north, south, east and west. Ritan Park's temple represents the east. The temple's altar was built in 1530 and was used for ritual sacrifice to the sun by the Emperor of China. Ritan Park is now a popular place for families and elderly to enjoy the extensive gardens, playgrounds and lake. The other temples include the Temple of Heaven, the Temple of Earth and the Temple of the Moon.

Yihe Yuan (pron. ee-her yoo-ar) covers 2.9 square kilometres, mostly comprising the massive Kunming Lake. Meaning 'gardens of nurtured harmony', the palace was built in 1750 and served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi, who took money from the Chinese navy to construct and enlarge the Summer Palace, including a boat made of marble. In December 1998, UNESCO included the Summer Palace on its World Heritage List.

The Great Wall of China was built, re-built and maintained between 5th Century BC and the 16th Century to protect the country’s northern borders. Chang Chang means ‘long fortress or wall’. Different parts of the wall are given different regional names, like Badaling Great Wall near Beijing. It runs for approximately 8,851km from one end in the far west of China, to the sea on the eastern coast near Beidaihe (pron. bay der her) at a place called Bai ShanHaiGuan Great Wall (pron. bye shan hy gwan). The end of the Wall is called the old dragon’s head – laolongtou (pron. lao loong toe).

characters: Koala

2011-09-29T12:36:00.000+10:00

Koala was found on Riley's journey to Sydney. He's a most curious creature - some say it has something to do with the eucalyptus leaves he ingests... he can't get enough of them, that's for sure. Like Dragon, he gets a little sleepy, but he has a truly kooky side.

name:

Koala McGum

home town:

The Old Gum Tree. Alas, there's not a lot of them left now. Mine is in Sydney.

favourite place to visit:

The tippety top of the gum tree.

stats:

Soft, round, impossibly soft and fluffy and grey, kooky, dozy.

likes:

Eucalyptus leaves. Gum leaves. Sleeping. Confounding people.

dislikes:

Swimming. Logging.

favourite colour:

Grey and green.

favourite food:

Gum leaves. Eucalyptus leaves. Noodles.

favourite drink:

K-lattè, Euc Juice, Koala Beer, Coca Koala, Koalade, Gum Leaf Milk.

favourite song:

Crazy

favourite books:

Blinky Bill

what I want to be when I grow up:

A Euc Juice sommelier.

best thing about travel:

Discovering new varieties of tree. Nothing beats the Euc, though. It's my house, it's my food, it's my home.

mum and grumpy wombat in Panorama magazine

2011-09-24T10:27:00.000+10:00

So much fun to chat to Sarina Talip about my books and what I get up to on the weekends. Grumpy Wombat even managed to wangle her way into the shot!

riley and the grumpy wombat launch party peek!

2011-09-18T14:48:00.002+10:00

In a day or two, we will have a FULL run down of the event, with photos from the gorgeous and talented Jen Leheny of Red Instead, so make sure you check back then!

mum reading Riley and the Dancing Lion

2011-09-15T16:45:00.000+10:00

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;My &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

She's at it again! Here's mum with her second book reading of Riley and the Dancing Lion. Come visit Hong Kong with me!

Riley
x

a riley fan!

2011-09-14T14:46:00.000+10:00

How cool is this plane?!? Created by a talented student (and perhaps a very clever mum and/or dad!) for Book Week at one of the Canberra schools mum visited last month. I think this fellow and I would have lots of amazing journeys together!

I also love this book by a kindergartener, who was inspired to write his own Riley adventure - Riley and the Croaking Lizard: A journey around Sydney. He wrote a second book, too - Riley and the Grumpy Koala. How cool is that!?

Riley
x

grump juice

2011-09-13T08:06:00.002+10:00

We're getting ready for the Big Launch this Sunday at Dalton's bookstore... Mum has organised this extra special Grump Juice, especially for Grumpy Wombats. I'm sure the kids will also like it. And I'm so excited about the candy bar!!

Riley
x

book launch party this weekend!

2011-09-12T11:23:00.000+10:00

Just had to tell you I'm soooo excited - my book launch party for Grumpy Wombat is this Sunday! at Dalton's bookstore (in the courtyard next door) in Canberra city. It's going to be SO COOL! Do come along if you can, but make sure you RSVP. There are only a few places left!

Riley
x

riley and the grumpy wombat on Aussie Reviews

2011-09-12T09:59:00.001+10:00

Lovely review of Riley and the Grumpy Wombat on Aussie Reviews, with warm thanks to Claire Saxby.

I'm on tour!!!

2011-09-08T10:55:00.004+10:00

Announcing... the launch of Riley and the Grumpy Wombat!

We are now on TOUR! Yes, that's right - me and my fuzzy friends are on the road, leaving behind the sights of Melbourne and soaring into the blogosphere for an eight-day trip into fun! What better way to celebrate the fourth book in the Riley series?

Join us for some great blog posts, book reviews, facts and interviews - there will even be a Wombat interview! We will be visiting some of the best blogs and websites on the web - come join in!

Thursday 1 September

Blog Tour Announcement

Tania McCartney Blogspot

Blog Tour Schedule

Kids Book Review

Book Review and Giveaway

Bug in a Book

Publishing v Self-Publishing

Claire Saxby’s Let’s Have Words blog

Book Giveaway
Tickle the Imagination magazine

Friday 2 September

Author Guest Post and Book Review

Read Plus

Hosting a Fabulous Book Launch Part I

Sheryl Gwyther 4 Kids blog

Melbourne Via the Pages of Grumpy Wombat

Buzz Words’ Book blog

Book Giveaway

Handmade Canberra

Saturday 3 September

Hosting a Fabulous Book Launch Part II

Sheryl Gwyther 4 Kids blog

Book Giveaway

Fat Mum Slim

Speaking at Schools

Under the Apple Tree with Angela Sunde blog

Book Giveaway

HerCanberra

Sunday 4 September

Book Giveaway

Posie, The Blog

Writing Effective Teachers’ Notes

Sandy Fussell’s Stories Are Light

Interview with Wombat

My Little Bookcase

Book Giveaway

Alphabet Street

Monday 5 September
Creating Effective Presentations for Schools

Blue Dingo

Researching Tips for Writers

Chris Bell’s From Hook to Book blog

Book Resources for Parents

The Book Chook

Top 10 Tips for Writing a Submission

Sally Murphy’s Writing for Children Blog

Tuesday 6 September
Writing Processes

Soup Blog

Top 10 Book Writing Tips and Top 10 Book Marketing Tips

DeeScribe blog

Travelling with Children

Wise Words blog

Author Interview

HerCanberra

Wednesday 7 September

Interview with Riley

Boomerang Books, Kids’ Book Capers blog

Book Review
Boomerang Books, Kids' Book Capers blog

Book Review

Buzz Words’ Book blog

Author Interview

Helen Ross Writes blog

Book Review

My Little Bookcase

Book Giveaway

Australian Women Online

Book Review
The Book Chook

Thursday 8 September

Book Review
The Compulsive Reader

Balancing Motherhood with Career

Planning with Kids

Fun Author Facts
Reading Upside Down

Self-Publishing Journey, Review, Book Giveaway

Pass It On blog

Tania McCartney Blog

Blog Tour Wrap Up and Exciting Announcement

riley and the grumpy wombat book review on The Compulsive Reader

2011-09-08T10:54:00.002+10:00

I was so touched by Jenny Mounfield's amazing review of Riley and the Grumpy Wombat on The Compulsive Reader. Check it out now!

riley and the grumpy wombat book review on My Little Bookcase

2011-09-08T10:53:00.002+10:00

The amazing Jackie Small of My Little Bookcase has written the most humbling review of my book - I can't believe how she pinned both the gist of the book, and me as a writer. She's a wonderment. And, yet again, she provides amazing links and insights to every review and post she adds to My Little Bookcase. Don't miss it.

riley and the grumpy wombat review on Buzz Words Blog

2011-09-07T14:07:00.000+10:00

riley and the grumpy wombat review on Kids' Book Capers

2011-09-07T14:05:00.001+10:00

riley and the grumpy wombat review on The Book Chook

2011-09-07T14:04:00.002+10:00

riley and the grumpy wombat review on ReadPlus

2011-09-07T14:03:00.001+10:00

riley and the grumpy wombat review on Bug in a Book

2011-09-07T14:02:00.003+10:00

mum reading Sleeping Dragon on You Tube

2011-09-01T16:49:00.002+10:00

It's KIND OF embarrassing... but here's my mum reading all about my first adventure in Beijing - in a video on You Tube. It is kind of cool of her to do that. But it's still embarrassing.

Riley and the Grumpy Wombat in Reading Time!

2011-08-28T09:19:00.002+10:00

A big thank you to John Cohen of Reading Time for including Riley and the Grumpy Wombat in the latest issue!

Make sure you check out Reading Time - a quality quarterly journal put out by the Children's Book Council of Australia. It's well worth the annual subscription.

grumpy wombat blog tour!

2011-08-13T22:02:00.004+10:00

It's almost here! Riley and the Grumpy Wombat is due for release this 1 September, 2011 - and we are celebrating! There will be a very special blog tour that you can follow along with, and there'll be many chances to win your very own copy of the book!

PLUS, don't miss out on the massive launch party in Canberra, and some book readings in Melbourne. It's going to be so much fun!

riley and the grumpy wombat book launch party!

2011-08-12T23:56:00.001+10:00

You are invited! RSVP now - places go fast. Hope to see you there!

upcoming events

2011-08-12T21:39:00.001+10:00

Want to track down Tania for a reading or book signing? She would love to meet you! Here are some of the places you can find her and her Riley books...

Book Week Visits
22 Aug - 2 Sep 2011
Canberra Schools

Book Reading and Presentation
4.30pm
Weds 24 Aug 2011
Gungahlin Library, Canberra

Riley and the Grumpy Wombat Book Launch Blog Tour
1 - 8 Sep 2011

Book Launch - Riley and the Grumpy Wombat
11am
Sunday 18 Sept 2011
Dalton's Bookstore, Canberra
More info soon!

Handmade Mega Market
Sat 1 & Sun 2 Oct 2011
National Convention Centre, Canberra

Grumpy Wombat Book Launch and Workshops for Literary Festival
Thursday 20 Oct 2011
Yarra Valley Grammar School
Victoria

Book Reading - Riley and the Grumpy Wombat
10.30am
Friday 21 Oct 2011
Readings Bookstore, Carlton, Melbourne

Book Readings - Riley and the Grumpy Wombat
Saturday 22 Oct 2011
Melbourne
More info soon!

Handmade Christmas Market
10am - 4pm
Saturday 17 Dec 2011
National Convention Centre, Canberra

animals: Lion

2011-08-12T13:43:00.003+10:00

Want to know more about the traditional Chinese Lion? Here are some really cool facts you can share with your class. You can also read an interview with Lion here.

The word for lion in Mandarin is 'shīzi' (pron. shr-zr)
The traditional dancing lion costume is usually worn by martial artists, who have the physical skill to jump and leap
The lion dance originated in China more than one thousand years ago
It is performed at Chinese new year and other festivals
The lion is seen as a guardian creature, and lion statues can be seen outside many Chinese buildings
There are two main types of lion dance: northern and southern
Northern dance is acrobatic and was used to entertain the imperial court
The northern lion is usually red, orange, yellow and shaggy, with a golden head
Southern dance is more symbolic and is performed at ceremonies to summon luck
The southern lion can be many colours and has large eyes, a mirror on its forehead and a horn at the center of its head
The lion dance is often confused with the Chinese dragon dance which features ten or more dancers; the lion dance is usually performed by two people
A new lion costume should not be used without going through the ‘Kai Guang’ ceremony; this is where the lion’s pupils are painted on
To begin the dance, the lion slowly awakens, blinks and starts to move
As the lion comes to life, drums, gongs and cymbals get louder and firecrackers are set off
The lion dance begins with three bows; left, right and then to the centre
The original Chinese lion was known as the kind of all animals and was made up of every magical and lucky animal
The lion used to have a horn but after being disrespectful to the Jade Emperor, his horn was slashed away

Learn about:

Panda
Dragon
Koala
Wombat
Kangaroo

animals: Dragon

2011-08-12T13:30:00.003+10:00

Want to know more about the traditional Chinese Dragon? Here are some really cool facts you can share with your class. You can also read an interview with Dragon here.

The word for dragon in Mandarin is 'long' (pron. loong)
The traditional Chinese dragon is made of nine parts: the scales of a fish, the head of a camel, eyes of a rabbit, ears of a bull, horns of a deer, neck of a snake, belly of a clam, claws of an eagle and the foot pads of a tiger
It lives in water and creates all water weather elements - rain, clouds, snow, hail, sleet, thunder, lightning, rainbows and water vapour
Dragons may control the weather but they also control human happiness
The Chinese Dragon can fly but it has no wings
It breathes smoke but no fire
The Dragon is the symbol of China; it represents strength and unity
Its origins go back 5000 years
In Chinese myth, the dragon is considered the creator of heaven and earth
In 300 BC, a Chinese historian named Chang Qu labeled some dinosaur bones found in Sichuan Province as the bones of a dragon
Some say the legend of the dragon comes from the misty mountains and rumbling earthquakes of Sichuan, caused - of course - by angry dragons
Others say the dragon legend was found in a breed of giant crocodile whose fossilized remains have been found in rivers throughout Asia
Dragons were thought to live in caves, deep in the sides of mountains
In ancient China, people built their houses on the slope of the mountain so they wouldn’t upset the dragon living below
As a modern symbol, the dragon means ‘rising rapidly’ or ‘opening up and changing’, which represents the way modern China is opening up to the world
According to legend, dragons have mated with humans and produced great rulers of China; emperors in many Asian countries claim to have dragon ancestors
Oriental astrologers predict that children born during dragon years (2000, 2012) enjoy health, wealth and a long life
Small dragons can be mischief-makers, causing leaky roofs or sticky rice
The Chinese dragon doesn’t eat people; it prefers bamboo, milk and cream, swallows and arsenic (which doesn’t kill them, just makes them fat)
The centipede is the dragon's only enemy; it can walk up its nose into its head, and feast on its brain!
Chinese Dragons love jewels and precious stones, preferring jade, coral and pearls; they even give gifts of gems to those lucky enough to meet them

Learn about:

Panda
Lion
Koala
Wombat
Kangaroo

the characters

2011-08-11T15:17:00.001+10:00

destinations: Hong Kong

2011-08-11T14:21:00.003+10:00

In Riley and the Dancing Lion, our little aviator heads off around the islands of Hong Kong. Here are some interesting facts about all the sights and sites featured in the book:

Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China (SARs) which means they have their own laws, independent of China. Hong Kong is actually an archipelago, made up of 260 territorial islands and peninsulas. The name Hong Kong means 'fragrant harbour' because of the fragrant wood and incense that was once traded at port. Mandarin is spoken on mainland China but Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong.

Victoria Harbour was named after Queen Victoria when the city was under British rule (1841 to 1997, 156 years). It is one of the deepest natural harbours in the world. Traditional Chinese boats like sampans and junks are becoming more and more rare on Hong Kong waters. The word ‘junk’ is a Westernised word from the Malayan ‘djong’, meaning 'boat'.

Kowloon is a popular part of the Hong Kong peninsula and was named after nine dragons and a Chinese emperor. It is located at the southern end of the mainland peninsula.

Victoria Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island, offering wonderful views over the city and Hong Kong archipelago of islands. Who do you think the peak was named after?

Situated on the south-eastern side of Hong Kong island, Stanley has cafés and restaurants overlooking a beautiful beach, and a very famous market. Visitors can reach Stanley by double decker bus!

Aberdeen on the south-west side of Hong Kong Island features a floating village of around 600 junks, but the population is diminishing and most fishermen now only use the boats during the day for fishing. Aberdeen was one of the first places in Hong Kong to begin dragon boat racing, which is now a famous tradition. The boats are very long and each carries 48 paddlers.

Ocean Park is one of the best-rated amusement parks in the world and features a cable car system and a series of outdoor escalators which includes the second-longest in the world. The park also houses 10 animal exhibits and a four-storey aquarium.

Lantau Buddha is also known as ‘Tian Tan’ and ‘Big Buddha’. It is one of the five largest Buddha statues in China and sits on top of an altar modelled on the Altar of Heaven (at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing). It is 34 metres tall and weighs 250 tonnes. This is the only Buddha to face north (all others face south). What does the Buddha represent? (Wisdom and truth.)

Macau sits on the Chinese mainland, around 60 kms south-west of Hong Kong. It was originally a Portuguese colony and is famous for its casinos and tourism. It was once an island but is now connected to the mainland by a sandbar.

Hong Kong Night Market (or Temple Street market) is the busiest night market in the territory. The site of the market was built during the Qing Dynasty (the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912). The market is also called Men's Street because of the men's fashion on sale.

animals: Wombat

2011-08-11T13:47:00.006+10:00

Want to know more about the Wombat? Here are some really cool wombat facts you can share with your class. You can also read an interview with wombat here.

Wombats spend a lot of the day asleep in their burrows.
Young are usually born from September to December, and spend six to nine months in the pouch.
The wombat pouch opens towards the back so dirt can’t get kicked inside when the animal burrows.
Wombats can be anything from a sandy colour to brown, black or grey.
The average wombat is about one metre long and weighs about 25 kgs, as much as a five-year-old child!
Wombats are very smart and like to play.
They can run up to 40 kph and have been known to chase after a packet of chocolate biscuits.
Wombats can live from about five to over 30 years.
Wombats have poor eyesight but excellent senses of smell and hearing.
Their teeth never stop growing.
The most common wombat is the Common wombat!
Most Australians have never seen a wild wombat.
Wombats are marsupials which means they give birth to young and raise them in a pouch.
Wombats are native only to Australia.
There are three species of wombat. The Common wombat is larger, stocky, tailless and has thick, coarse fur. The Hairy-Nosed wombats have longer, pointed ears, soft, silky fur and a hairy muzzle.
The Northern Hairy-Nosed wombat is now endangered –more endangered than China’s giant panda.
Wombats are nocturnal feeders.
Their diet comprises mainly grasses, roots and herbs.
They live in large burrows as much as 30 metres long.
Wombats are powerful diggers and are extremely strong.
To enlarge their burrows, they lie on their back or side and scratch the walls and ceiling.

Learn about:

Panda
Dragon
Lion
Koala
Kangaroo

Riley and the Grumpy Wombat Review on the Great Raven

2011-08-01T09:20:00.001+10:00

Warm thanks to Sue Bursztynski of The Great Raven for this lovely pre-launch review of Riley and the Grumpy Wombat. I loved how she's been seeing biplanes in the sky over St Kilda lately!! Too spooky.

Click the image to view Sue's blog.

gallery: The Riley Doll Arrival

2011-07-14T08:45:00.003+10:00

This beautiful doll by Tina Snerling of...

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gallery: Dancing Lion - Book Readings, Canberra 2009/2010

2011-07-14T08:37:00.009+10:00

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gallery: Dancing Lion - Book Launch Party, Canberra

2011-07-14T08:06:00.003+10:00

Photos by Jen Leheny of Red Instead

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gallery: Book Week 2009, Canberra

2011-07-13T17:24:00.002+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Book Launch, Canberra

2011-07-13T16:47:00.003+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Book Readings, Canberra

2011-07-12T20:25:00.005+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Book Readings, Beijing

2011-07-12T19:46:00.006+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Book Launch, The Bookworm, Beijing

2011-07-12T19:15:00.005+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Book Launch, The BookMark, Beijing

2011-07-12T18:58:00.002+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Soft Book Launch, Australian Embassy Beijing

2011-07-12T18:46:00.006+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Readings at British School of Beijing

2011-07-12T18:41:00.004+10:00

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gallery: Sleeping Dragon - The Book's Arrival

2011-07-12T17:25:00.003+10:00

- a very happy author.

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your creations

2011-07-05T15:30:00.010+10:00

Just look at this incredible line-up of Riley creations from all over the world! Don't you love it? If you'd like to send in a Riley picture just email it to Riley right here. OR you can post it if you like. Address it to:

Riley the Little Aviator

C/- Tania McCartney

PO Box 1753

Woden ACT 2606

Australia

Every picture will be published right here!

Timothy and his superb box dragon

xxx

Back to fun 4 kids!

be a-mazed

2011-07-05T15:15:00.001+10:00

Can you help Riley find the lion? Click to enlarge, then print and enjoy!

Back to fun 4 kids!

spot the difference

2011-07-05T15:13:00.002+10:00

Can you find the 10 differences between each picture?
(answers here)

Back to fun 4 kids!

grumpy wombat book trailer

2011-07-05T14:48:00.003+10:00

Thanks to the comic stylings and film production skills of Adam Wallace.

Back to fun 4 kids!

dancing lion on The Book Chook

2011-07-05T14:29:00.000+10:00

Huge thanks to the Book Chook for a fantastic review of Riley and the Dancing Lion! I love Susan's informative and highly creative site and am thrilled to be featured.

curious koala on The Book Chook

2011-07-05T14:25:00.001+10:00

Huge thanks to the wonderful Susan Stephenson (aka The Book Chook) for posting a review of Riley and the Curious Koala on her fabulous site - love your work, Chook!

curious koala on Writing Out Loud

2011-07-05T14:24:00.000+10:00

Riley and the Curious Koala has appeared on the blog of good friend, Kids Book Review partner and talented writer Megan Blandford. It's such an honour to appear on Writing Out Loud - Megan is such a fine writer and advocate of literature - her words were so well appreciated. Check out the entire review here!

sleeping dragon on Reading Upside Down

2011-07-05T14:22:00.000+10:00

Review by Susan Whelan from Reading Upside Down, a site jam-packed with kids book reviews of all genres.

sleeping dragon on Canberra Kids

2011-07-05T14:21:00.000+10:00

The beautiful Ingrid Jonach, Canberra-based children's author, has written a fabulous review on Riley and the Sleeping Dragon for the sensational CanberraKids website. CanberraKids is a one-stop shop of all things steeped in fabulousness for little ones and their big supervisors. Love it.
Click the picture above to view.

Thanks Ingrid! and thanks also to the lovely Janette from CanberraKids.

sleeping dragon and dancing lion on Suite 101

2011-07-05T14:20:00.000+10:00

Huge thanks to the amazing Susan Whelan of Reading Upside Down who has done a remarkable article on my works so far, focusing on the Riley series of books. You'll find this article at Suite 101, where Whelan posts brilliant articles and reviews as a World Literature Feature Writer.

This talented writer is a true lover of literature, particulary children's books and you can check out her fabulous reviews and other work at Reading Upside Down and Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!, both of which should really be on your literary blog roll.

Thanks, Susan!

sleeping dragon and dancing lion in Reading Time

2011-07-05T14:19:00.000+10:00

So thrilled to have both Riley books featured in Reading Time, the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s children's books magazine.

To read this small review, click the picture to enlarge.

Huge thanks to John Cohen, editor and publisher of Reading Time.

curious koala review on Buzz Words

2011-07-05T14:17:00.000+10:00

Amazing book review from the uber talented Vicki Stanton of Buzz Words. Love it, thanks Vicki!

curious koala review on Need to Read This

2011-07-05T14:16:00.000+10:00

Huge thanks to Sally Hall of Need to Read This for the lovely Riley and the Curious Koala review! So so wonderful to hear kids loving Riley's adventures. Just warms the heart. Canberra and a very jumpy kangaroo is next!

gallery: Book Week 2010, Canberra

2011-06-18T15:49:00.002+10:00

gallery: Riley Book Readings, Canberra 2011

2011-06-18T15:29:00.002+10:00

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gallery: Curious Koala Reading, Dymocks, Canberra

2011-06-18T13:30:00.001+10:00

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gallery: Curious Koala Reading, Paperchain, Canberra

2011-06-18T13:22:00.001+10:00

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gallery: Curious Koala Book Launch Party, Canberra, Nov 2010

2011-06-17T15:10:00.001+10:00

Photos by Jen Leheny of Red Instead.

Cakes by Elizabeth Wright of pARTy cakes.

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Gallery: Sleeping Dragon - Writer in Residence, November 2009

2011-06-17T09:59:00.002+10:00

- one of the most enriching experiences of my life. How I adore these beautiful kids, each and every one.

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characters: Kangaroo

2011-06-06T12:54:00.009+10:00

Kangaroo is the newest member of the Riley team. Currently in talks with the producers on book production for the Jumpy Kangaroo, Canberra-based Kanga will be profiled in more detail here soon.

name:

Kanga Roo (Mrs)

home town:

Canberra and surrounds (within bounding distance).

favourite place to visit:

Surrounds.

stats:

Tall, lean, softest grey, pretty.

likes:

Looking pretty, flowers.

dislikes:

Rumour-mongering.

favourite colour:

Softest grey.

favourite food:

I have a thing for petals.

favourite drink:

Fruit nectars. Noodles.

favourite song:

Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport! (I have a crush on Rolf Harris.)

favourite books:

Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, Adelaide the Flying Kangaroo (my idol!)

what I want to be when I grow up:

Famous.

best thing about travel:

All that bounding keeps me fit.

characters: Lion

2011-06-06T12:53:00.020+10:00

Lion is the third character to accompany Riley on his travels - Riley discovered him on his journey to Hong Kong. He speaks fluent Mandarin AND Cantonese, and is skilled in all areas of dance. In fact, he just can't stop a-dancin'!

name:

Lion (狮子)

home town:

Hong Kong. Kowloon, actually. Right near Night Market. I have lovely little bedsit there - keep it nice, tidy.

favourite place to visit:

Sorry. Home town Hong Kong best place of all.

stats:

Muscular, fit, golden yellow and red with high-detail bedazzle bling. Agile. Big talent.

likes:

Jazz, tap, latin, highland fling, ballet, ballroom, hip hop (not like synchronise swimming so much). Noodle. We all - whole Riley team - like noodle, actually.

dislikes:

Sorry to say - synchronise swimming.

favourite colour:

Red red red. Colour of success. Like gold, too.

favourite food:

Noodle. Dumpling, too.

favourite drink:

Green tea - so good for you.

favourite song:

In the Jungle the Mighty Jungle. Can not spell 'awimbooway'.

favourite books:

Any book on Fred Astaire (maybe Beyoncé, too - think she dance okaaaay...)

what I want to be when I grow up:

Want to own dance studio in Kowloon. Next to Night Market.

best thing about travel:

Learning new dance move!

characters: Wombat

2011-06-06T12:53:00.019+10:00

Wombat, the first female character in the series, was a little reluctant to appear on the website, but she was eventually encouraged to join in after the offer of a fresh batch of herbs. She's warming up to the Riley team... especially since Riley introduced her to Milo with milk.

name:

Wombat. You don't need to know my family name.

home town:

Melbourne. NOT in a whole in the ground, thankyouverymuch.

favourite place to visit:

I'm off to Canberra soon for the making of Riley and the Jumpy Kangaroo. It's my first trip away from Melbourne so I can't tell you what I'm expecting. I've heard things about that Kangaroo, though. Let's just say that unlike some fuzzy creatures, her fur colour may or may NOT be natural. Hmph.

stats:

Strong, bulky, short, coarse, dark brown fur. Amiable enough disposition. I said 'enough'.

likes:

Herbs. Roots. Weight-lifting at the gym. A place to call home.

dislikes:

Dark holes in the ground.

favourite colour:

Brown and green.

favourite food:

Herbs and roots. I'm coming around to Milo with milk, and also noodles, but I do NOT like jam sandwiches. You know who I'm talking to, Panda.

favourite drink:

Wheatgrass juice. A girl has to maintain her health.

favourite song:

All By Myself

favourite books:

An A to Z of Culinary Herbs, Adobe House Construction 101

what I want to be when I grow up:

I just want to be left alone.

best thing about travel:

I'll let you know in 2012.

characters: Panda

2011-06-06T12:52:00.013+10:00

Panda is the first character in the Riley series to accompany Riley on his travels. He came first, and don't you forget it! Here is a little more about Riley's very first travelling companion.

name:

Panda the First

home town:

Right next to Riley.

favourite place to visit:

I like visiting EVERYWHERE but my favourite place of all is Beijing - because it's the first place I ever went and I really love the noodles. I also like jam sandwiches. A lot.

stats:

Black and white. Beady eyes. Short and stocky. Prone to pudge.

likes:

Flying, travel, noodles, jam sandwiches, tinkering with contraptions, being first.

dislikes:

Engine and propeller problems, coming second.

favourite colour:

Black and white. Sorry, that's two.

favourite food:

Jam sandwiches.

favourite drink:

Jam sandwiches - juiced. I also LOVE milkshakes, smoothies, traditional home-style lemonade (Riley's mum makes the BEST!), Italian sparkling mineral water and the odd caffè lattè.

favourite song:

Someone Left the Cake Out in the Rain - actually, the real title of the song is MacArthur Park but I like this song because it reminds me of what happened during the making of Riley and the Curious Koala - yes, someone left the jam sandwiches out in the rain. Not happy, Jan.

favourite books:

Cookbooks.

what I want to be when I grow up:

A chef who travels the world in a little black and white plane

best thing about travel:

It's amazing how different jam sandwiches can taste in other countries and places.