Watchwords
Wondering
about what books to buy for children and/or how to encourage them to read? Here you will find a great kids' quiz and links to some excellent children's authors.
THE KIDS’ LIT QUIZ COMPETITION
Reading for Australia is a place where book lovers are encouraged to discuss and exchange stories, ideas, thoughts and information about books. You can read and contribute comments, book reviews, photos of your bookshelves and your list of personal
favourites at http://readingforaustralia.blogspot.com.au.
The Kids’ Lit Quiz competition is an annual worldwide
competition for children aged from 10 to 13 who love reading. Reading for Australia is an initiative of the parents and friends of the 2013 team to promote the Kids' Lit Quiz, a not-for-profit organisation run solely by volunteers.
The international competition was started in 1991 by New Zealand quizmaster, Wayne Mills, to promote literacy by encouraging and rewarding child readers. He was concerned that his children’s
school prizes seemed to be solely focussed on sport and never included awards for avid readers.
To ensure that children who loved books and reading were publicly
valued as highly as those who participated in school sports, and in order to create an ‘Olympics of Reading’ for children, Wayne wanted to introduce trophies, national TV coverage, and trips for children to compete in exciting venues.
Quizzes are currently held in New Zealand, the UK, South Africa, Canada, Australia and the USA, with the winning team from each regional heat competing in a national final. In 2014
school teams in Singapore and Hong Kong will participate for the first time, and there is also interest in expanding the competition to Malaysia and Botswana. In 2013 more than 4,000 children from around the world participated in the quiz.
The Kids’ Lit Quiz is supported by some excellent authors, illustrators and artists including: Deborah Abela, Goldie Alexander, Emma Allen, Tristan Bancks, Georgia Blain, Cristy Burne, Charlotte Calder, Isobelle Carmody, Mark Carthew, Rod Clement, Paul Collins, Meredith Costain, Sarah
Davis, Ursula Dubosarsky, Adrienne Doig, Anthony Eaton, Hazel Edwards, Brian Falkner, Diane Finlay, Jackie
French, Jacqueline Harvey, Clare Havens, Anita Heiss, Nette Hilton, Donna Hosie, Bernadette Kelly, Finegan Kruckemeyer, Tania McCartney, Steven Miller, Simon Mitchell, Alexa Moses, Lynn Priestley, Sheridan Rogers, Sean Williams, Dianne Wolfer,
Miriam Margolyes (Professor Sprout to Harry Potter fans and Phryne’s Auntie for fans of the ABC’s Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries), Fiona Inglis of Curtis Brown (literary agent), and more! The Kids’ Lit Quiz is also happily supported
by the Australian Society of Authors.
For more information email:
kidslitquizaustralia@gmail.com and also see:
Kids' Lit Quiz South Africa,
Kids' Lit Quiz Canada, Good Books Not to be Missed!
Sponsors Wanted!
The Australian organisers say: ‘We're looking for sponsors for the 2014 Kids'
Lit Quiz Australia competition. If you can help please contact us at readingforaustralia@gmail.com.’
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