Primary School Days

Want to know what it’s like to make graphic novels? Terri Libenson is an American cartoonist and creator of the beloved graphic novel series, Emmie & Friends. Discover Terri’s journey from writing humorous greeting cards to becoming a New York Times bestselling author.

Children’s author and performance poet, Joel McKerrow, will share his own brand of magic. Featuring performances, storytelling and insights into his latest books, students will also have the amazing opportunity to workshop with Joel and his incredible creative process.

Dr Jared Thomas is a Nukunu person of the Southern Flinders Ranges. His books, which include Uncle Xbox, highlight the importance of getting away from screens and making real life connections with community and Country. Jared will also share what it was like collaborating with Olympian and NBA star, Patty Mills, on the Game Day series.

Katrina Nannestad’s bestselling historic novels transport us back in time, from World War ravaged Europe to 1950s rural Australia. Inspired by lesser-known real stories, Katrina will discuss the research and writing processes she uses so effectively to conjure the past.

Each Primary Schools Day will feature a super surprise bestselling author. Who will it be? All will be revealed on the day!

Terri Libenson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Emmie & Friends series and the cartoonist of the (now retired) award-winning comic strip The Pajama Diaries. Terri empty-nests in Cleveland, Ohio, with her husband, Mike. She is the proud mom of two grown daughters and a poodle. You can find her online at terrilibenson.com.

Joel McKerrow is an award-winning writer, children’s author, educator, keynote speaker and, as one of Australia’s most successful performance poets, has spent the last 15 years captivating hundreds of thousands of people on stages worldwide. Joel has a graphic novel series, Urban Legend Hunters, as well as a brand-new Heist trilogy, with Penguin Random House, launching early in 2025.

Katrina Nannestad is a multi-award-winning Australian author. Her books include the CBCA-shortlisted We Are Wolves, The Girl Who Brought Mischief, The Travelling Bookshop series, The Girl, the Dog and the Writer series, the Olive of Groves series, the Red Dirt Diaries series, the Lottie Perkins series, and the historical novels Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief, Waiting for the Storks, Silver Linings, and All the Beautiful Things.

Dr Jared Thomas is a Nukunu person of the Southern Flinders Ranges and the Research Fellow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Material Culture and Art at the South Australian Museum and the University of South Australia. His YA novels have been published to much acclaim and for primary school students, Jared has written Uncle XBox and the Game Day series, which was written with NBA player and Olympian Patty Mills. His latest release, Getting Dusty is released in February 2025.