It was the final day of the Storylines Tour yesterday and now I’m at home, tucked up in my duvet in a proper Dunedin winter, reflecting on what was an EPIC week.
Heather, Raymond, Ben, Andrew and I saw over 7000 Auckland children in total over the week of which I got to share stories and books with around 2000 of them. And I’ve left a trail of half-drunk cups of tea in school kitchens all over Auckland to prove I was there.
My Storylines week was rounded off with a visit to Botany Downs Primary School where I met with 30 children from the Reading Enhancement program.
We talked about Bad Panda and I gave them my top tips on creating characters. They told me about teenage cucumbers on missions to escape salad bowls and slices of toast looking for love to make toasted sandwiches. I was so impressed with their creativity. You should all know there are 30 young authors in the making at Botany Downs so watch this space and make space on your shelves for their incredible stories.
Heather and I then headed to Ormiston Primary School where I met with Years 3 and 4 for a pre-lunch Grizzly Bear storytime and creativity exercise. We talked about ideas and where they come from and all my favourite books.
My final visit was to Alfriston School with Raymond and whilst he met with the juniors, I had the pleasure of chatting with Years 0 to 2 in the gorgeous school library. We talked about Grizzly Bears and sinkholes and actual holes in actual sinks and, rather randomly, going to the opticians, leaving me with favourite question of the week: why do you wear glasses?
This has been a rollercoaster of a week. There were the highs of meeting so many wonderful children, the apprehension of being stuck in a van with five strangers and the lows of homesickness but overall, despite being completely exhausted, I have come away chuffed to bits to have met so many creative little minds and thrilled to have five new Storyline friends.
Now I reckon it’s time for a well-deserved cup of tea and nap by the fireplace.