Sydney Writers’ Festival is thrilled to present our first ever Children’s Festival of Moving Stories.We’ve packed up our favourite Children’s stories, writers and illustrators and we’re setting off to tell our tales and to collect new ones.

What better place to launch a new children’s program, and celebrate storytelling in all forms, than Western Sydney – where there are more children than anywhere else in the state?

Look out for us on Russ the Travelling Story Bus as we make our way around Western Sydney from 14-28 November. We will be very hard to miss!

Then get ready to enter a whole new world at Stories from the Pyjamaverse, our opening night event for children and families at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatre on Friday 28 November.

Our Children’s Author Roadshow sees a line-up of some of Australia’s

best writers and illustrators for children travelling to libraries across Western Sydney for a series of free events for local schools. Libraries include Bankstown City Library and Knowledge Centre, Blacktown City Library, Parramatta City Library, The Whitlam Library Cabramatta, Liverpool City Library and Penrith City Library.

And don’t miss the chance to hear Australia’s Children’s Laureate, Jackie French, talk about ‘magic’ books or bestselling children’s author, Mem Fox, discuss how stories are made.

We hope you can join us on our big new adventure.

Best wishes,Jeanmarie MorosinSydney Writers’ Festival Head of Children’s Programs

Meet Russ. He’s a travelling story bus and he’s coming to a place near you.Russ loves books. He eats them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He even eats them before bed and now he has a belly full of books.

Bring one of your favourite books and swap it for a new one from the library inside Russ’s belly.

You’d better be quick, though, Russ is on the move, travelling all over Western Sydney on the hunt for new books to eat up and exchange.

Russ the Travelling Story Bus Book Exchange will be stopping at:Parramatta Eels stadium Fri 14 Nov, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Penrith Panthers Sat 22 Nov, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Blaxland Riverside Park Sat 15 Nov, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Riverside Theatres Parramatta Fri 28 Nov, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Plus schools all across Parramatta, Bankstown, Blacktown, Penrith, Cabramatta and Liverpool.

You can also find Russ at #russthebus.

Are you ready to enter a world as big as your imagination?

You will need your favourite pyjamas and your most special friends. Together you will journey to faraway storylands and meet magical creatures, big and small. You will soar above the clouds and go adventuring on land and sea.

The door to the Pyjamaverse opens at 5.30 pm for pre-show entertainment in the foyer with the Western Sydney Wanderers, the Parramatta Eels, Grug, Maisy, Geronimo Stilton, Where’s Wally? craft activities and so much more.

The show starts at 6:30 pm and features interactive storytime with bestselling children’s authors Morris Gleitzman, Will Kostakis and Melina Marchetta, as well as players from the Parramatta Eels and the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Playschool’s Michelle Lim Davidson and acclaimed poet Ahmad Al Rady. Plus award-winning children’s book artist, Tony Flowers, illustrates the stories live on stage. Don’t miss out!

Venue Parramatta Riverside TheatresDate Friday 28 NovemberFoyer Fun 5:30 – 6:30 pmShow time 6:30 – 7:30 pmTickets Adults $15, Children $10, Family of four $40Book now riversideparramatta.com.au or phone 8839 3399Dress Pyjamas welcome

Mem Fox is one of Australia’s best-loved and most respected children’s book authors. In this session, Mem talks about the inspirations and creative processes behind her award-winning books, and offers advice on how to create and tell stories that will engage even the most reluctant readers.

Venue Lennox Theatre, Parramatta Riverside TheatreDate Thursday 4 December Time 6:30 pmCost $10Bookings riversideparramatta.com.au or phone 8839 3399

Current Australian Children’s Laureate Jackie French talks about how to find the ‘magic’ book that will get even the most reluctant young readers hooked on books.

Venue Bankstown Arts CentreDate Wednesday 3 December Time 6:30 pmCost $10Bookings swf.org.au

Ahmad Al Rady Sarah Ayoub Tamar Chnorhokian Andrew Cranna Andrew Daddo Nathaniel Eckstrom Tara Eglington Tony FlowersMem Fox

Bankstown Arts Centre, Bankstown Youth Development Service (BYDS), Bankstown City Library and Knowledge Centre, Blacktown City Libraries, Liverpool City Library, Parramatta City Library, Penrith City Library, Fairfield City Libraries, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, Your Bookshop, Tony Flowers and J. Yi.

Jackie FrenchSusanne Gervay Libby Gleeson Morris Gleitzman Will Kostakis Michelle Lim Davidson Melina Marchetta Jaclyn Moriarty Belinda Murrell

James O’LoghlinParramatta Eels Oliver Phommavanh Jessica Shirvington R.A. Spratt Gabrielle Tozer Frances WattsWestern Sydney Wanderers FC

Core Funders

Contributors

Sponsors

Western Sydney Wanderers FC players are provided by University of Western Sydney with Parramatta Council