General News
24 April, 2022
Mallee author shares her books story
Yarriambiack Library in Warracknabeal hosted some family fun with a Mallee author talk.
YARRIAMBIACK Library in Warracknabeal hosted some family fun with a Mallee author talk and many activities for children and people of all ages.
The Thursday, April 14, event saw attendees hear from author of Mallee Sky, Jodi Toering, listening to her inspire the young people and adults.
COLOURS: Asher, 1, with Grandma Gayle and the balloons. Photo: CHARLEE HARBERGER-FISCHER.Ms Toering was born in Hopetoun and attended Warracknabeal’s St Mary’s and Warracknabeal Secondary College.
As a child, she had three dreams: to become an English teacher, a children's author and a back-up singer.
She grew up on a wheat farm outside Beulah and fondly remembers days on the school bus that would take two hours to get to school, so she would look out the window and admire the landscape.
“I have always felt connected to land and the landscape,” Ms Toering said.
“I really wanted to write the story Mallee Sky because I wanted to tell the story of this area and I also wanted to tell the story of the land itself.
“The important part of this book is that the main character is not really a person, the main character is actually the land itself.
“It does really highlight climate change, because it's about drought and the impact of drought on communities. It's very multilayered. That's why it took seven years to write."
The book Mallee Sky, written by Jodi Toering and ilustralted by Tannya Harricks.Ms Toering is also a teacher, mother, performer and artist. She is living in Creswick and has taught children how to read and write for 27 years.
“When a child sits with a parent and they are reading books, not only are they instilling a love of literature in the child, every word read to them counts, that helps them learn to read,” she said.
Ms Toering expects to have a couple more books coming out in June next year, including a bedtime story.
There were plenty of activities to keep the little one's occupied at the Family Fun Day, including a book bag decorating session that Ms Toering hosted.
CREATIVES: Zayden, 6, and Hutson, 6, show-off the book bags they made that feature themselves doing half pipes on scooters. Photo: CHARLEE HARBERGER-FISCHER.Yarriambiack librarian Kiki Metlika said they encourage people to visit the library and that she wants to show that it is not just a place to borrow books.
Waldo the Magician performed some magical tricks that entertained the crowd. A few children were tough to impress, but there were many tricks left the entire audience wowing. Waldo said he “definitely believes in magic”.
MAGIC: Waldo the Magician shows some magic to the crowd at the Family Fun Day. Photo: CHARLEE HARBERGER-FISCHERRead more: Warracknabeal’s Good Friday Appeal smashes fundraising record
Yarriambiack Youth Action Council members helped cook up a storm on the barbecue and the Red Caboose van was on site supplying coffee and more drinks.
Logan Todd entertained took to the microphone with some of his beat-boxing skills and the Easter Bunny even made an appearance, handing out chocolate eggs.
The event was followed with an afternoon skate competition organised by the council where youth shredded it up at the Warracknabeal skate park.
SISTERS: Lela, 7, and Mia, 4, made some sculptures at the playdough station. Photo: CHARLEE HARBERGER-FISCHER.