Speak Out December 2019 V2 DIGITAL EDITION

Association news

Book of the Year with Harrison Craig

THE BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS ceremony for 2019 was held at the State Library of Victoria, in the Village Roadshow Theatrette, with Harrison Craig as the Association’s special guest. Harrison Craig is the winner of the second series of The Voice in 2013 and is a United Way Australia Ambassador. United Way is a not-for-profit organisation that works to raise awareness of the importance of early learning and literacy. Harrison is also the author of the children’s book, Harrison’s Song , which tells the story of Harrison, who is a bit different to the other children. Each time Harrison tries to speak, he stutters. No matter how hard he tries, his tongue feels like it’s tied in knots. That is, until one day when Harrison discovered his talent for singing! The awards ceremony was again professionally facilitated by Jo Hayes, radio presenter and Channel 7 journalist. Ms Hayes is a former speech pathologist. The ceremony was opened by the Association’s National President Tim Kittel, who welcomed Harrison Craig and outlined the reasons why the Association conducts the Book of the Year awards. Thanks, as always, must go to everyone involved with the Book of the Year Awards. There was a near-record number of books nominated in 2019, which makes the task of shortlisting even more challenging. A special thanks to our shortlisters and judges who make the final decision about who would be a winner in 2019. As announced in the October edition of Speak Out , five deserving books were awarded for their contribution to language and literacy development.

Indigenous children: Dreaming Soldiers by Catherine Bauer (Illustrations by Shane McGrath) Birth to 3 years: Let’s Go Strolling by Katrina Germein (Illustrations by Danny Snell) Three to 5 years: Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester (Illustrations by Alison Lester) Five to 8 years: The Oo in Uluru by Judith Barker (Illustrations by Janie Frith) Eight to 10 years: The Dog with Seven Names by Dianne Wolfer. A special thanks to the staff at the State Library of Victoria for helping to make the event such as success. The Association was also excited to welcome and have in the audience 107 students and teachers from Richmond West Primary School, who made their way to the library and enjoyed the ceremony and a reading by Judith Barker of her winning book, The Oo in Uluru .

Michael Kerrisk Manager Communications and Marketing

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December 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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