24 Around Every Corner

Richard Newsome Australia

Richard Newsome was born in Wanganui, New Zealand, and now lives in Brisbane, Australia, with his wife and three children. The Billionaire’s Curse grew out of stories he made up for his children at bedtime. The winner of the inaugural Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing in 2008 and published originally in Australia and New Zealand, it has since been published in five other countries. Newsome is now busy writing the exciting sequel.

Richard Newsome’s appearance is made possible by the Australian Council for the Arts. Read more

Richard Scrimger Ontario

Richard Scrimger is the award-winning author of several novels, picture books, screenplays and short stories. His first children’s novel, The Nose from Jupiter, won the Mr. Christie’s Book Award and his latest adult novel, Mystical Rose, was a Globe and Mail Book of the Year. His new book for young readers, Me & Death: An Afterlife Adventure, is the story of one boy’s experience with the (not so) sweet hereafter. Read more

Kevin Sylvester Ontario

Kevin Sylvester is an award-winning writer, illustrator and broadcaster, living in Toronto. The character Neil Flambé, featured in his third children’s book, was originally created by Kevin for a CBC summer morning broadcast of his ongoing story, “Neil Flambé and the Case of the Caustic Cumin.” Sylvester gave Neil Flambé a literary debut in his novel Neil Flambé and the Marco Polo Murders, and this fall follows up with Neil Flambé and the Aztec Abduction, a mystery filled with chills, thrills and adventure. Read more

Thursday, October 21, 2010 - 10:00am - 11:30am
Performance Works
$17 / $8.50 for student groups

Videogame adversaries have nothing on this morning’s challengers! Three heroes, sprung from the minds of these novelists, face ancient crypt dwellers, scary grave walkers or even Deep Blue Cheese in their quests to overcome death, solve murder or save a sister while simultaneously competing in a Mexican-cooking competition. A riotous morning is in store for readers who love adventure and appreciate when an active imagination can pin a great story down on the written page. Newsome, Scrimger and Sylvester show clearly that reading can be way more fun than staring at a video screen.

Suitable for grades 5 to 8

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View the study guide for this event.

Around Every Corner

Videogame adversaries have nothing on this morning’s challengers! Three heroes, sprung from the minds of these novelists, face ancient crypt dwellers, scary grave walkers or even Deep Blue Cheese in their quests to overcome death, solve murders or save a sister while simultaneously competing in a Mexican-cooking competition. A riotous morning is in store for readers who love adventure and appreciate when an active imagination can pin a great story down on the written page. Newsome, Scrimger and Sylvester show clearly that reading can be way more fun than staring at a video screen.

Curriculum Connection:

• engage their imagination to create a futuristic/fantasy land.
• research an unknown place.
• develop writing skills.

Activities:

1. Have students design a map of a completely new world or find a real-world place to recreate. Mark an area on the map with an X. This is where a special treasure will be.
2. Expand on the map and the things within it. What types of terrain will the character pass over? What kind of obstacles will they run into? People? Enemies and monsters? Draw the path that the character will be using to get to their destination.
3. Using the map created, write a story around it. What is the significance of the item? Is it an object or something less tangible such as a granted wish? Who is looking for it? Why? Does the character have a friend who accompanies them on their journey? Are they working against the clock?
4. After, ask students to think about the visual element of a story. Does it help to have the story visually laid out (such as television or video games)? How does having an image to go along with a story add to the writing or take away from it?