Australia's First Children's Laureates Announced
Alison Lester and Boori Monty Pryor are to be Australia’s first Children’s Laureates. The inaugural announcement was made in Adelaide on 6 December and the appointment is the culmination of a campaign by the Australian Children’s Literature Alliance (ACLA). ACLA is working to ‘promote the transformational power of reading, creativity and story in the lives of young Australians’.
Lester was delighted with the joint appointment. ‘We come from very different backgrounds and perspectives’, she said, ‘but we are both incredibly passionate about sharing our stories and encouraging children to share theirs’.
Pryor was equally pleased. ‘Accepting the Laureate role together means we can reach more children, no matter where they may be in Australia, and double our focus on bringing children in this country into the circle of reading.’
For further details on the role of the laureates and the work of the Australian Children’s Literature Alliance, see the ACLA website.