Launch of National Year of Reading at Marrickville Library

Marrickville Library will host a local launch of the 2012 National Year of Reading on Friday 17 February with prominent local authors, Gabrielle Carey and Nadia Wheatley, who will speak about the books that have inspired them and how reading has enriched their lives.

The National Year of Reading will link together events involving books, reading and literacy, and create new inspirational literacy programs across the country. The Year will encourage children learning to read, help keen readers find new sources of inspiration, and support reading initiatives that also respect the oral tradition of storytelling.

Gabrielle Carey is a well-known and popular writer of fiction, non-fiction and memoir, essays and newspaper articles. Her first book was Puberty Blues, co-authored with Kathy Lette. She is currently working on a collection of essays investigating the Australian psyche, Australia on the Couch: analysing the Australian national character.

Nadia Wheatley has won a number of awards for her writing that spans fiction, history, biography and picture books. She writes for adults as well as for young people. She is the author of My Place, illustrated by Donna Rawlins, which won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers in 1988. It is based on Nadia’s knowledge of the St Peters area and tells the stories of different children over thousands of years to illustrate the history of Australia.

The local launch of the 2012 National Year of Reading is at Marrickville Library on Friday 17 February from 6.30pm to 8pm. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVPs to 9335 2173 or info1@marrickville.nsw.gov.au. Other programs and events to take place during the National Year of Reading will also be announced at the launch.