BETTER READ KIDS
Write a short creative piece in any format — fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics — of around 800 words which engages with the theme Heroes and Villains. The competition is open to children aged 8-14. The winners will be published in the next Better Read Kids Anthology of Writing. Prizes will be awarded at a special launch event in June, including a $100 Better Read Than Dead voucher for first place and a $50 voucher for the runner up. Email entries to kids@betterread.com.au by April 26 with the subject line ‘Kids Writing Competition’ Heroes and villains: whose side are you on?
The Deadly 7 | Garth Jennings | $14.99 | Pan Macmillan | Hester’s Pick After his sister goes missing, eleven-year-old Nelson finds himself living with his uncle, an eccentric plumber who works at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. In an ancient crypt Nelson stumbles across a strange invention which extracts the so-called “seven deadly sins” from his soul, turning them into living, breathing monsters that follow him around everywhere. In a twist of fate, Nelson realises that these ugly, smelly, and embarrassing monsters are just the companions he needs for his global search for his sister. Ages 9+
Our Castle By the Sea | Lucy Strange | $16.99 | Chicken House | Kate’s Pick
Secret Runners of New York | Matthew Reilly | $16.99 | Pan Macmillan | Hester’s Pick
Pet has grown up in a lighthouse on an English clifftop with her family, and her life so far has been filled with storms, secret tunnels and enchanting stories of sea monsters. Now Pet is 12 years old, England is at war, and her half German mother has been accused of espionage. Pet feels it is up to her to clear her mother’s name and reveal the true spy in their midst... This is a gripping wartime adventure guaranteed to thrill fans of The War That Saved My Life, as well as anyone who — like me — has always dreamt of living in a lighthouse. Ages 10+
In this dystopian thriller, the line between rich and poor is the line between life and death. Skye and her twin brother Red move to New York City, where there are rumours of a global apocalypse growing. This doesn’t stop the young elite from partying, but everything changes when Skye joins an exclusive gang called ‘The Secret Runners of New York’. This group has access to a secret portal to the future, and what Skye finds there is horrifying. Ages 12+
Join our kids specialist Olivia for a series of action-packed workshops these April school holidays! Our programme has been inspired by the Better Read Kids Creative Writing Competition theme Heroes & Villains, and the workshops have been specially designed to get your kids writing, drawing and playing. Book online at www.betterreadevents.com/kids-events Ages 8-10: Wednesday April 17, 10:00am-11:30am — $20 Ages 11+: Wednesday April 17, 1:30pm-4:30pm — $30 Ages 6-8: Thursday April 18, 1:30pm-4:30pm — $15
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