Books about Town

My facebook newsfeed has been filing up with lovely photos from friends on making their way through Europe whether its the family holiday (exchanging Melbourne cold for sunny skies), exchange student adventures or going solo travelling. I armchair travel through their travel snaps and am happy that there all having an awesome time even is slightly envious. I think, 'it's ok one day you'll get to that other side of the world too!'

And then this happens... and art + books + park benches + free. Some of my favourite things combine in epic awesomeness! Seriously, it's a park bench in the shape of an open book! I wish I was there in London right now. I'd just wander around, find these benches, sit on them perhaps with a good book to read.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie Source: booksabouttown.org.uk

What is happening is that this London summer, i.e. right now, is a public art event launched by the National Literary Trust and Wild in Art with "50 unique BookBench sculptures, designed by local artists and famous names to celebrate London’s literary heritage and reading for enjoyment".  

Here are some of my favs: 

Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers

It's like a painting!

Samuel Pepy's Diary

The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe by C.S Lewis

I wonder if we'll ever get something like this in Melbourne. I suppose we might not have that same rich literary heritage but reading for fun should always be encouraged!

Books around Town is happening 2 July - 15 September 2014. All images were taken from there webpage at:  http://www.booksabouttown.org.uk/

There's something under the spire...

and it's a wonderfully put together exhibition celebrating the long and varied career of Australian stage and screen actor Geoffrey Rush. And its FREE!! The Extraordinary Shapes of Geoffrey Rush is at the Arts Centre until October 27.

This is what I get up to during my holidays. Getting to see all the wonderful exhibitions happening in Melbourne.  I don't think I'll ever get over missing A Day in Pompeii due to studying hard for the final high school exams. My love living this city and getting access to all things arts.

If your thinking 'Geoffrey who'? Then its Barbosa from Pirates or the speech therapist from The Kings Speech. Also if your thinking this you should get yourself to the city and find out just how much stuff this actor has been in.

It's an exhibition featuring heaps of things to take a look at including many costumes, photos, annotaed scripts, awards (yes that's an Acamedy, Tony and Emmy all lined up on the piano) and lovely chalkboard quotes with many exhibits were lent by the man himself. You first get to look at his early years and inspiration before the space is roughly divided into sections by the types of characters that he has played. And there have been many from a pirate to priest to supervillian to yes a woman.

 My favourite things were probably the costumes, those that I had previously seen on screen or stage (yes I saw him on stage!) physically in front of me and the annotated scripts. Not that I would ever now how an actor goes about their craft to bring a character or scene to life but its cool to see those scripts behind the performances.

No pictures allowed so even better hears the man himself giving a tour:

"All children, except one, grow up."

Today I was a kid again and went along to the Children's Book Festival a FREE event at the State Library in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. At first I was a bit hesitant to go because I figured the event would be mostly attended by children (obviously) and parents, of which I am neither. However, my love for picture books won out and so I hopped on the train into Melbourne.

Fitting for the day I started reading Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie on the ride in. Only got a chapter in but it good so far! I'll tell you more about when I get around to finishing it. I got the title for this post from its opening sentence.

It was a day catered for kids with performances, a petting zoo, face painting, meet the authors/illustrators, book signings and places for kids to created their own comics/books/crafts.

Is that a guy in a orange suit?! YES it IS!! Yay for bright colours!

Make your own book...

or a Great Wall of Comics

nawwww

AND WE ALL KNOW FROGS GO LA-DEE-DA-DEE-DA!!! Is stuck in my head now thanks to a performance by Rhys Muldoon. That guy from playschool! At least I think he's still on playschool judging by the reception he got from the kids who rushed onto the stage.

He was on playschool back when I watched it which was a loonnnng time ago now. And on The Genie From Down Under (any 90's kid remember that show?). He also plays dad characters on Lockie Leonard (one of the best kids shows, based on the books by Aussie Tim Winton) and House Husbands. And now you know that I watch more Australian television than the average Australian and this guy is officially my second favourite Australian entertainer/performer/actor person after Hugh Jackman. Hehe Hugh Jackman should do a playschool episode that would be fun.

Back inside the library and there is a small display of some wonderfully illustrated Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. This one was my favourite. It's a page from a pop-up version. So its 3D and was in a glass box so the photo doesn't do it justice. Pop into the State Library to check it out; its free and there until May 20.

Ducked into the Readings bookstore in the library and wanted to get this T-shirt so badly! It's a T-shirt of one of my favourite picture books that I discovered one day randomly. More on the book in a future post perhaps. Also I would've been perfect for a kids themed party coming up. But alas, I couldn't get itbecause it only came in kids sizes. And even though I'm tiny I looked at this and judged it wouldn't have fit. Sigh :( I bought a book instead (hence the bag in the first photo) which I'll write about some other time.

Final thing for the day, a meet the author session with Rhys Muldoon.  The kids really like the guy and he interviewed a whole bunch of them which was very sweet. The lucky chosen kids loved it and the adults in the audience had a fun time too. Who knew that today's kids favourite foods are couscous, pancakes with spag bol sauce and CAPSICUM?! At least dinosaurs, kid spies, and Going on a Bear Hunt are still favourite stories. Things haven't changed too much :p

Being interviewed by Rhys from Playschool!

Story time! Jasper and Abby & the Great Australia Day Kerfuffle  by Rhys Muldoon, ft. KRudd's cat.

Hehe can you spot the kid in the very Aussie hat??
Well that's it for today! I had a lovely arvo by myself if slightly out of place. I'd recommend anyone with kids to go next year (which said kids of course). The kids wandering around today seemed to have a blast.

To end:

“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.”- C.S. Lewis