Fabulous activities for The Sorcerer’s Tower

We’re delighted to announce that Ian Irvine’s fabulous fantasy quartet, The Sorcerer’s Tower, published by Second Look as an omnibus in 2017, now has its own Featured Book pages on the United Publishers of Armidale website. This includes an information page about the book, the author Ian Irvine and the illustrator DM Cornish, and a link to buy the book, and also a great activities page which includes a lively video reading by Ian of a chapter from the book, and some great writing and art activities. All free to download and use in schools, libraries, and by families.

Shortlisting for The Boy who Could Fly!

We are delighted to announce that Ursula Dubosarsky’s The Boy Who Could Fly And Other Magical Plays for Children (illustrated by Amy Golbach) has been shortlisted for the 2020 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards, in the 8 to 10 year old category. Congratulations, Ursula and Amy, on this very well-deserved award for a very special book we are very proud to publish!

The Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards which are held every year, aim to promote quality Australian books that help children get the best, most literate start in life.

Books are awarded for “Best Book for Language and Literacy Development” in the following categories:

  • Birth to 3 years
  • 3 to 5 years
  • 5 to 8 years
  • 8 to 10 years
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Authored Children’s Book Award.

Each book is judged on its appeal to children, interactive quality and ability to assist speech pathologists and parents in communication and literacy development.

Great review of The Boy who could Fly in Magpies Magazine

There’s a great review of The Boy who could Fly and Other Magical Plays for Children, in the most recent issue of Magpies Magazine. Here’s a short extract:

Dubosarsky uses straight-forward, sometimes humorous language for the dialogue and episodes. The scripts are ideal for children to read or perform and can be staged simply or more extravagantly…Amy Golbach has illustrated one simple picture at the beginning of each tale to help orient children into the ancient period and characters. 

The review isn’t available online, but below is the full review, as a jpeg.

The Boy who Could Fly reviewed at Read Plus

There’s a nice review of Ursula Dubosarsky’s The Boy who Could Fly and Other Magical Plays for Children just published at Read Plus. Here’s a short extract:

Taking ideas from ancient Greek and Roman literature and mythology, Ursula Dubosarsky has applied her deft touch to transform these ancient stories into simple play scripts suited to performance . . . or just reading for pleasure for younger readers.

You can read the whole review here. 

Great review for The Boy who Could Fly in Reading Time!

There’s a great review  in Reading Time for our latest title, Ursula Dubosarsky’s The Boy who Could Fly and Other Magical Plays for Children. Here’s a short extract:

The literary qualities of the plays are high, consistent with the quality of Dubosarsky’s novels. The language sparks, full of wit and vigour, and it is easy to visualise a performance from the text.

You can read the full review here. 

First review for The Boy Who Could Fly!

Illustration by Amy Golbach, from The Boy who Could Fly

There’s a nice first review for our latest title, Ursula Dubosarsky’s The Boy Who Could Fly And Other Magical Plays for Children (illustrated by Amy Golbach)at Buzz Words magazine.,

Here’s a short extract:

Each of the plays in this book have largish casts which can be performed in classrooms by all or most of the students. The dialogue is fast-paced, there’s occasional humour and plenty of action. Recommended.

You can read the whole thing here.

Our fantastic forthcoming title and cover reveal!

We are delighted to announce our forthcoming title for 2019:

The Boy Who Could Fly And Other Magical Plays for Children, multi-award winning author Ursula Dubosarsky’s fabulous collection of short plays for children, based on Greek and Roman myth. With  illustrations by the talented Amy Golbach, it will be published in the Second Look imprint in July.

Doesn’t the cover look fantastic!

Here’s something about the book:

The Boy who Could Fly and Other Magical Plays for Children

By Ursula Dubosarsky

Cover and internal illustrations by Amy Golbach

ISBN: 9780994528094

Have you ever wished you could fly? Well a boy called Icarus and his father built themselves wings out of feathers and wax. Up they flew into the huge blue sky. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked!

Here are eleven easy-to-read, exciting and funny plays for children, based on stories from ancient Greek and Roman myths, where all sorts of very strange things can happen! A girl becomes a spider, a statue comes to life, a couple turn into a pair of lions and that’s just a few of the startling transformations. Inspired by the Roman poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses, these plays by multi award- winning author Ursula Dubosarsky, with lively illustrations by new illustrator Amy Golbach, are great fun for group performance, reading aloud, or just curling up by yourself with your eyes wide open, ready to be amazed!

 

Great review for The Fastest Ship on BuzzWords

There’s a great new review for Pamela Freeman’s The Fastest Ship in Space at Buzz Words.

Here’s a short extract:

The Fastest Ship in Space is a fun and adventure-filled story, with space pirates, smugglers and spaceships.
Boys and girls alike will enjoy this story, which is fast-paced and action-packed. The images throughout the book add to the story, helping to break up chapters and getting readers involved in the story.
You can read the whole review here.