Byron Bibliotherapy

31/10/2026

Dr Nick Maynard, the respected British GI surgeon who features in the film, is hoping LIFE SUPPORT will reach a wide audience, especially doctors and other healthcare workers.

This might be the only screening in Brisbane. It’s on at 3:30 for 4pm start today (1 Nov) at Palace Barracks. It will finish at 6pm.

The Q&A session is a great opportunity to hear from anaesthetist, Dr Saya Aziz, and two critical care nurses, Cass Lillis and Paula Conder, all of whom have returned from volunteering in Gaza.

Proceeds go to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and the cinema is only half full so far. So please share this.

I hope to see you there!

Hosted by Healthcare Workers for Palestine QLD and Australian Healthcare Alliance for Palestine (AHAP), ‘Life Support’ is a full-length documentary that capture

31/10/2026

Beheadings, dismemberment … this tale is not for the squeamish.

But you should request a purchase by your local library and consider buying it yourself. Thanks to Mia Macrossan for recommending it at book club! I hope it does well in the CBCA Awards, perhaps the Eve Pownall, although it’s so quirky, it is hard to categorise.

Dark, gloomy and macabre, it skilfully connects the consumerism of Australia’s rapid adoption of the American tradition of Halloween with decaying synthetic cobwebs and other paraphernalia. The book ultimately links Halloween detritus to ocean dumping and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch🛢️☢️🌊

The graphics and use of credited artists’ work are inspired. The title is an obvious nod to Mem Fox’s POSSIM MAGIC🎉

Some may argue these themes are too heavy-handed for children, but emergency times call for emergency measures. By feather and claw, sometimes we need gore!

[In our stories—this is not a call for violence in real life! Just thought I’d better clarify that in this age of aligning antifascism with terrorism🤯]

31/10/2026

Some of the best Halloween books I’ve come across recently. Mostly picture books, with one well-plotted and gorgeously adapted middle grade graphic novel.

See the previous post for a read-aloud intro to the spooky singalong, GHOST TOWN IN THE MOUNTAINS👻

And see the next post for a video of an eco-horror picture book, POSSUM TRAGIC (a pun on one of Australia’s most famous children’s books, POSSUM MAGICE, for overseas readers). It’s by the creative genius behind the CBCA-shortlisted AZARIA, as well as many other out-of-the-box books. I love the use of artworks by John Glover and Diego Rodriguez Velasquez!🪾🐎🎃

SOXIETY💲by Tamlyn Teow 🦕🪐 was an absolute hit at our Speed Review workshop! I also shared it around at a subsequent catch-up lunch and screening of Abby Martin’s documentary, “Earth’s Greatest Enemy” (spoiler alert 🚨 it’s the US military). Adult readers love a wordless picture book exploring complex themes of capitali$m, disinformation and social media-enhanced anxiety. If you’re a fan of Shaun Tan , you might want to check out this beautifully produced, oversized picture book by an emerging Asian-Australian creator. Make sure you look out for Tan’s HOMETOWN🪲 too. Powerful, impressive, and for our times.

CACKLE CRACKLE🧙🏼‍♀️ has such incredible production values in terms of the paper folding and inserts, it’s hard to believe it retailed for under AUD30. I’m blown away, and will keep my eye out for the Christmas version, LETTERS FROM THE NORTH POLE❄️

Three posts in a day, when I was meant to spread them out, but October has been spooktacularly hectic! 🫨

31/10/2026

Proving you don’t have to sing in key to enjoy a good ol’ singalong!

This is my favourite Halloween picture book. It’s a variation of “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain”, with kids exploring a ghost town 👻

There’s interesting back matter about real-life ghost towns, and a musical score. And heaps of onomatopoeia and opportunity for interaction, musicality, movement and even a skeleton dance party! 💀🪩🦴

GHOST TOWN IN THE MOUNTAINS👻
🖋️
🎨
📖

30/10/2026

Don’t miss it.

“Life Support” Is a historically vital piece of documentation of the Palestinian Genocide, focusing on war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated on children, civilians, infrastructure and hospitals.

It follows British doctors and allied health workers working alongside their Palestinian colleagues in what will go down in history as a shameful, debauched period of ethnic cleansing and oppression.

See it, share it and bring a friend who would not normally come to a film like this.

Thanks to the production and distribution teams, William Parry, .rugo ; the beautiful venue ; and the organisers 🍉⚕️

Stay for the Q&A with healthcare workers recently returned from Gaza, .ce.ce .conder & Cass Lillis, all of whom have contributed to the book, WEIGHT OF WITNESS⛑️, available for purchase at the screening.

Funds raised will go to

27/10/2026

It’s the bill dup, but we don’t want to get our hopes up . . .

Yesterday was so muggy my glasses steamed up, but it didn’t rain at the Coast. It did this arvo though!

Thankfully after school pickup, but I don’t think swimming training will be on. Although it’s only [solid] water . . .

And, of course, by the time I’ve finished this post the sun has come out!

My book, THE BILL DUP🌵, was inspired by my childhood memories of the vagaries of summer storms and drought in subtropical Queensland, where many adult conversations started with the weather. Available in all good bookstores!

23/10/2026

There’s a picture book for everyone! 😍

SOXIETY is abstract and detailed speculative fiction, dealing with big, philosophical questions of social media, misinformation and anxiety.

THE ATLAS OF SHIPWRECKS is an exquisite compendium for adult and child readers who prefer nonfiction.

Come join us as we explore 10 picture books that will appeal to all tastes, and then write short reviews of them to entice new readers.

Support emerging and mid-list picture book creators and have fun boosting those calling for Palestinian liberation🇵🇸

Join our free workshop on 24 October at 🔗 In bio of Zewlan Moor (pronounced “SHOO-len”)

Or contact me later for access to the recording🎙️

22/10/2026

Just under 3 years ago, an Australian publishing professional I respect posted in her stories:

“If you’ve ever wondered what you would do in a genocide, you’re doing it now.”

Everything I have done since is in response to that post. And the consequences have been surprising, to say the least.

Come hear 10 picture books by authors and illustrators who have risked their creative careers to speak truth to power.

We will read the books aloud and then write short reviews for them, to eventually post to online review sites. This will hopefully go some way to counteracting the silencing and loss of opportunities afforded to them for speaking up for Palestine.

Please join us! ✨

In person at The Grange Library in Brisbane
OR
Online

Saturday 24 October, 3:15 for 3:30pm start, until 5:30pm AEST (Brisbane time)

Can’t make it? Register for online and request a recording of the event so you can participate in your own time.

Host a watch party, and do something practical to help these creators. Normalise our children’s thought leaders speaking up against war crimes and genocide for all people, including Palestinians.

If you like your children's book creators anti-genocidal, this is the workshop for you! By the end of the workshop you will have: - read 10 pictur