There are some things that I just will not say no to. Some things speak to my heart more than others. This is why I am breaking my own blogging rule, posting about an event and having a giveaway while another one is still running. Let’s call it a Flash Friday Giveaway with Heart shall we?
In just one weeks time, on Friday December 14th two of my most loved things will come together for one night at Hamer Hall in Melbourne. Great music and a lot of heart and soul.
The Key of Sea, brings some of Australia’s finest (and some of my own favourite) musicians together with Australian-based musicians from refugee/asylum seeker backgrounds. Collaboration, music and voice. Read more…
I am a bit of a sucker for perfume. Growing up when Mum had an empty bottle, I’d prize the lid off and fill it with water, mixing any hint of fragrance left and using it.
As I got older, I ran the teen gauntlet that is aerosol body spray. I am certain if you lit a match anywhere near my room the whole house would have gone up. Something I am now re-living with my own daughter.
Congratulations to the winners Lucy and Fiona. Both have been emailed to be notified.
Some books, some stories stay with you forever. The Chronicles of Narnia are like that for me. As a child I spent many hours in my parent’s wardrobe just in case the back finally gave up its magic and let me into the woods I was sure were at the back.
Some of the books were read to me by teachers, others I read myself. There was also a BBC TV series to watch. My own children have loved the books and the recent movies as well. Some stories cross generations and capture imaginations for years and years. I love when that happens, families sharing their love of stories.
You can imagine then, how excited my household was when we first discovered there was to be a Chronicles of Narnia interactive exhibition. The Green Eyed Girl had talked about it every day since she discovered it was coming. That’s a lot of talking.
The exhibition has interactive hands on experiences, as well as costumes from characters including The White Witch and the Pevensie children (I so wanted to be Susan when I was young.) Exhibition goers will be able to create their own mythical creatures featured in the films.
Authentic props, costumes and set dressings are on display, and as I have been told every day for a few weeks now, there is an interactive frozen waterfall.
There is also a recreation of the study where C.S.Lewis wrote the books. I may linger near this display for longer than is necessary.
Whether it is the fantasy, the mythical creatures, the characters or the writer of these classic adventures himself you love, there is something for everyone at this exhibition. I can not wait to go.
Now for the really good part – you can go to! I have two sets of passes to giveaway. Each set has four tickets, valued at just under $60 for Saturday 24th November. The exhibition is at Pavilion Waterfront, Docklands Ave, Docklands, Melbourne.
To be in the running to win one of these passes, leave a comment below telling me about your favourite childhood book.
Entries close TUESDAY 20th November at 6pm. At which time comments on this post will be closed. Winners will be notified via email. Please contact me via return email with your address so tickets can be posted to you.
Do you remember how it felt as a child to listen to a story being told? How it unfolded in your imagination, whole worlds being created from the words the storyteller spoke? I do, and even as an adult I love the magic of it.
Storytelling is an art form. Not all of us can do it well. If you were to ask me, I’d tell you the best storytellers are the people who still have some of that childhood magic. Are still able to unfold an imaginary world and bring it to life with nothing more than their voice.
Many a childhood interstate car trip was held together by audio cassettes in my family. Wind in the Willows, I am sure, I could still recite to this day. My own children were often lulled to sleep with audio books on CD. There is not a Roald Dahl story they do not know. And while I love that when we travel now both children have headphones and iDevices to keep them occupied in the back seat, there are still audio books. I’ll also admit to a love of late night radio and a weeknight book reading. Although I am often asleep by the time the reader says their last words, being as it is 11.20pm by the time they finish.
So you can imagine my excitement when I found out about a one man show in Melbourne this Christmas. Charles Dickens Performs A Christmas Carol. This is a true storytelling event. Phil Zachariah brings to life the characters and story of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. In his later life, Dickens himself gave reading of this well loved book, and indulged in amateur theatricals. In this recreation, Phil Zachariah takes on not only the character of Dickens himself, but those of the story. The characters Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet to come, have been created for this production using Charles Dickens’ original prompt copy, which includes directions in the author’s own hand writing.
As an aside, this year marks the 200th anniversary of Dickens’ birth. Celebrations are taking place worldwide and this unique local production, after performing each Christmas for the past ten years in Melbourne, is now touring the world to rave reviews.
If there’s anything I love more than my city at night, it is my city at night during Christmas. I am, if you like, the anti-scrooge. There is something magical about warm, not yet dark evenings of Melbourne City. I often invent reasons to be there during December. Now I have an actual reason.
The combination of storytelling, Christmas and Melbourne is too good a pass up. I miss good storytelling and cannot wait to see this performance. But you don’t have to miss out either. I have a family pass of four tickets valued at $160 to the opening night of Charles Dickens Performs A Christmas Carol to giveaway.
So, if you will, or can be in Melbourne on Wednesday 5th December at 6.30 pm then this is for you.
To enter please be sure to like my facebook page, and leave a comment on this post, or on facebook - just click on the giveaway tab on the page, telling me about your favourite part of Christmas.
Entry will close WEDNESDAY 21st of November at 7pm. At this time comments on this post will be closed.
Winners will be notified via email on Thursday 22nd November and will have until Sunday 25th November to contact me via return email or tickets will be re-drawn.
Disclaimer: I received a family pass of four tickets to the opening of Charles Dickens Performs A Christmas Carol.
In our family there is one thing the kids know Hubby and I will never say no to. Something we are suckers for ourselves. Books.
We are a household that reads. A lot.
When we moved from Tasmania, the removals company gave us the standard ten book boxes. I rang and asked for more. Three times.
When The Blue Eyed Boy’s year seven teacher commented that he always finds it hard to get his boys to read, we may have been those smug parents who smirk a little. As I write this, the Green Eyed Girl is buried in a new book from her school book club.
Reading is such a joy, whether you are doing it yourself or reading aloud to others. The love of books is something I really wanted my children to have, and I am grateful they do.
One of the best ways to teach children to read is to read to them, and let them see you reading. Simple as that. And while I am a lover of classics, and have read them to my kids, I am happy for them to read just about anything. Reading is reading is reading, and in all honesty, as a parent and a teacher, I see nothing wrong with comics, catalogues or magazines as reading material. Better to be reading anything than not reading at all.
A few weeks ago Hinkler Books sent a parcel for The Green Eyed Girl. A tailor-made package just for her. Before the night was out she had begun reading Tiger Lily, by Maeve Friel. She was also making a list of ingredients so she could bake macrons. (Sadly the oven had died, so the macarons are yet to be made.) What I loved about Tiger Lily was that the main character spent time looking for adventure. In the process she read classics including Little Women, Treasure Island and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Adventure found in the pages of books. You can’t go wrong with that premise! As a bonus, The Green Eyed Girl now thinks having a mum who blogs is a good thing.
It’s a good thing for you too. I have a pack of Hinkler books valued at around $100 to give away. The pack will be age specific for your child. How good is that!
To be in the chance to win, leave a comment below and tell me what your favourite book is.
Entries will be open until Friday 22nd June at 5pm when comments on this post will close.
Australian entires only.
Book giveaway winner will be announced on facebook and twitter, as well as notified via email.
Winner will have three days to reply via email with their address or the pack will be redrawn.
You can follow Hinkler Books on twitter and like them on facebook too.
Good luck and happy reading!
EDIT: The winner of the book pack is Mary J. I’ll be in touch via email Mary, congratulations!
