KOALA Ceremony
Lights! Camera! Action! These are appropriate words to describe the Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) presentation that took place on Wednesday October 30th in the Old Boys Lecture Theatre at the Senior School. Each year, students from all over New South Wales become judges for their very own literary awards. By casting their vote in the KOALA awards they can recognise and award the Australian children’s books that have most inspired, amused, enlightened and engaged them.
Twenty Wyvern boys, along with students from 14 other State and Independent schools, joined a star studded literary line-up of Australian children’s authors including three authors who visited Wyvern for this year’s Newington Literature Festival and Book Week – Felice Arena (Specky Magee and Andy Roid) Oliver Phommavanh ( Con-Nerd and Thai-no-Mite) and Morris Gleitzman ( Toad Rage, Once, Then, Now and After). The author and illustrator Bruce Whatley, Belinda Murrell, Duncan Ball, Chris Morphew and Emily Rodda rounded out the visiting authors with Nick Bland, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton appearing to the audience through video message. Each author related a short story about the teacher or school incident that had a profound effect on their journey to become an author. Bruce Whatley shared that he always had difficulty with reading and he didn’t learn to read until he was ten years old. This story had great impact with many of the students in the audience.
Then the big moment came and it was time to announce of the awards chosen by the students
| Best Picture Book | The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland |
| Honour Books | Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair by Lee Fox and Cathy Wilcox
The Little Refugee by Anh & Suzanne Do |
| Best Fiction Book for Younger Readers | The Golden Door by Emily Rodda |
| Honour Books | Alice Miranda Shows the Way by Jacqueline Harvey
Pizza Cake by Morris Gleitzman |
| Best Fiction Book for Older Readers | 26-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton |
| Honour Books | The Forgotten Pearl by Belinda Murrell
Thai-Riffic! by Oliver Phommavanh |
| Best Fiction Book for Years 7 to 9 | The Phoenix Files: Contact by Chris Morphew |
| Honour Books | The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
After by Morris Gleitzman |
Wyvern boys were very excited when it was announced that Felice Arena was chosen as the KOALA Legend for 2013. Felice is a wonderful, dedicated writer of children’s literature. His writing is fun, fast-paced and appealing to younger readers. When he visited Wyvern for the Newington Literature Festival this year, the 350 boys in Years 3 to 6, had an inspiring and fun-filled session with him. His books flew off the library shelves even more than they normally do. His selection as a Legend was a very popular choice!
Later, the boys had the opportunity to collect autographs and chat with their favourite authors. They came back to Wyvern full of enthusiasm for the awards ceremony which they were able to share with their classmates.
This Awards Ceremony highlights how important and worthwhile organisations like KOALA are for the promotion of reading and literature for children.
Mrs Joanne Barnes
Teacher Librarian
