Create a Kids’ Book
Workshop for adults
Who have always wanted to write and/or illustrate a picture book.
Dr. Virginia Lowe
At this one-hour workshop you will learn the 32 page rule, how to make and use a storyboard,
how the pictures and the text work together, and how to find a publisher. For adults (or committed teens).
For the past fourteen years, I have been the proprietor of Create a Kids’ Book, a manuscript assessment agency,
which also runs regular workshops on creating the picture book or children’s novel, runs interactive writing e-courses,
mentorships and a regular free e-bulletin on writing for children and children’s literature generally.
See www.createakidsbook.com.au for further details.
I kept a record of my two children’s contacts with books, regularly from birth to independent reading (about eight) and sporadically
from then until late adolescence. (6000 handwritten pages, 26 volumes – 2000 children’s titles mentioned).
I used it to write my PhD thesis in 1997 – Is This a Real Story? (Monash).
In 2007, this became the book Stories, Pictures and Reality: Two children tell (Routledge).
There are four other parent-observer diaries of children and books, but mine is the only one that deals with two children in
similar detail; that concerns a male child; that notes the interaction between siblings; the only one that has extensive details
of infancy; and the only one that deals at length with their understanding of the reality status of the stories and pictures.
There are almost no other records of infant responses to books, and very little on young children’s understanding of the author
and illustrator roles, for instance. My object in writing it is that young children are not to be underestimated –
their ability is phenomenal, as all parents, but it seems few cognitive psychologists, know.
I have published extensively, mainly on this topic, in refereed and other professional journals; also written many reviews
I have lectured in children’s literature at several universities, been Victorian Judge for the CBCA Children’s
Book of the Year Awards, been convenor of the Crichton Award for first-time illustrators, and been CBCA Victorian President.
I have also been a Children’s Librarian in Moonee Valley and Brighton municipal libraries,
and a school librarian at St Paul’s school Baxter (Woodleigh and Minimbah).
CURRICULUM VITAE
Dr Virginia Joy Lowe
PO Box 2
Ormond, Victoria 3204
phone: 03 9578 5689
mob: 0400 488100
virginia@createakidsbook.com.au
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Education, Monash University, 1997.
Thesis title : Is This a Real Story?: Young Children's Concept of the Reality-Status of Stories and Pictures.
Master of Arts, Monash University, 1988: M.A. in Literary and Cultural Theory, by course work and thesis, 1987 and 1988.
Thesis title: Poems by Eminent Ladies: Anthologies of Women's Poetry.
Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours, Monash University, 1986:
General Studies, Mitchell College of Advanced Education, Bathurst, N.S.W., 1972-73:
Registration Certificate of the Library Association of Australia 1966 (R.M.I.T.).
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2008 - Adjunct Associate, Monash University.
2004-2008, Honorary Associate Monash University.
1996- Self-employed.
1997- Create a Kids' Book: workshops, assessment of mss, email courses.
1996-2002 Memories in Pint: biographies of elderly people for their families.
1995-2000, Deakin University, Burwood Campus: Sessional lecturer, English, children's literature.
1995, 1999, Australian Catholic University, Mercy Campus, Christ Campus: Sessional lecturer: Linguistics, English.
1992-1994 Deakin University, Rusden and Burwood Campuses: Lecturer A8, School of Literature and Journalism, Faculty of Arts.
1995, Semester I: Melbourne University: Graduate School. Archival work.
1992-1994 Deakin University, Rusden and Burwood Campuses: Lecturer A8, School of Literature and Journalism, Faculty of Arts.
1988-1992: St Paul's School, Baxter: Head of Library Services for both Woodleigh, the senior campus,
and Minimbah, the junior campus at Frankston.
1987: Victoria College, Rusden Campus: Senior Tutor (part time), Semester II.
1981-1985: Australian Catholic University, Christ Campus: Senior Tutor, Department of English Literature and Language,
both part and full time.
1980: Institute of Early Childhood Development (now School of Early Childhood Studies): Sessional lecturer in children's literature.
1980: Brighton City Library: Children's Librarian, half time.
1967-1969: Essendon-Broadmeadows Regional Library Service (now Moonee Valley Regional Library Service):
foundation Children's Librarian.
1963-1966: Three libraries specialising in textiles, management and engineering.
CONFERENCE PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS
20 papers on young children and books, presented between 1980 and 2009, including:
“‘Read read!’ ‘Book book!’: Young children’s encounters with story and pictures” Conference "Children's Books from 0 to 3:
where Literacy Begins" organised by the Universität zu Köln, Institut für deutsche Sprache und Literatur,
Troisdorf, Germany, March 19th to 21st, 2009.
“‘That rhymes, Mummy!’: Two children’s encounters with poetry from birth to adolescence”. Conference
"Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat: 250 years of poetry for children" organised by the Education Faculty of Cambridge University,
the British Museum April 21st and 22nd, 2009.
“Perceptions of reality: ‘Is the Wiz-a-Woz alive in the story?’”, Australasian Children’s Literature Association
for Research (ACLAR), Victoria University of Wellington, 27–29 June 2008.
“’Does it go on and on and on?’: Fantasy Series in the lives of two young children” After Harry Seminar,
Monash University, 3rd August 2007.
PUBLICATIONS
Books
Stories, Pictures and Reality: Two children tell. London, Routledge. 2007, 188 p.
(Reviewed Maurice Saxby, Viewpoint 15 (3), 2007, 43-44)
Books for Children, a Select List. 8th edition. Melbourne: Children's Book Council of Australia, Victorian Branch, 1982.
104 pages. (I edited and produced the book unaided, and selected and wrote the entries in collaboration with Eileen Nelson).
Adult, Book, Child. Melbourne: Australian Library Promotion Council, 1979. 2nd edition 1982,
37 pages. (On young children and books, as an aid to parents in the International Year of the Child).
Merrily Merrily: A Book of Rhymes and Songs with Music to Use with Young Children.
Melbourne: Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia, 1978, reprinted nine times, in 100,000 copies.
(The editorial committee for this work comprised myself and three others, headed by Leigh Wigglesworth).
Chapters in Books
“Read, read! Book, book!”: responses to books before they are three. In Children’s Books from 0 – 3:
Where literacy Begins. Ed Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer, Benjamin, Amsterdam [2011?]
“Playing with Words: Two Children’s Encounters with Poetry from Birth”. In Poetry and Childhood,
edited by Morag Styles. Trentham [2010? In press]
"A Place of Infinite Delight: Pullman, Lewis and Milton". In On Books for Young Adults: 14 years of Viewpoin,
edited by Pam Macintyre. Viewpoint, Melbourne, 2007..
"`Little Fur Coats of Their Own': Clothed Animals as Metafictional Markers and Children as their Audience".
In Writing the Australian Child: Texts and Context in Fictions for Children,
edited by Clare Bradford. Nedlands W.A., Univ. of Western Australia Press, 1996.
Articles in Refereed Journals
Seven refereed, including most recently:
“‘Does it go on and on?’: Series Books in the Lives of Young Children”.
The Journal of Children's Literature Studies, 6 (2009), 39-51.
“’It’s Got the Same Clouds’: Young Children’s Concepts of Illustrator and Artistic Style”.
International Journal of Education through Art, 2 (2006) 119-137.
Articles in Other Professional Publications
50 between 1975 and 2009 including recently:
On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, cognition and fiction by Brian Boyd. (Review article). Viewpoint:
on Books for Young Adults, 17 (4), 2009, pp. 41-42.
“Writing for Children: creating kids’ picture books with Virginia Lowe” Newswrite:
The NSW Writers’ Centre Magazine, no. 178 (February 2008).
“The Arrival of The Rainbow Bird: the migration experience in picture books” Viewpoint:
on Books for Young Adults, 16 (1), 2008.
“A Boy, a girl, and their books” FYI (School Library Association of Victoria), 11 (3) 2007
“Love of Books” Stellar Showcase Journal (Canada) 1 (5), 2007.
“Gruffalo Creator: Julia Donaldson” Reading Time, 31 (2), 2007.
“How the Passion for Books Begins” Access, 20 (4), 2006
“‘Childist’ Criticism and the case study” Idiom, 42 (3), 2006.
“’But animals can’t talk’: Anthropomorphised animals and the young child. Reading Time, 30 (3), 2006.
"The Poetry Basket." The Literature Base, 2 no. 4 (October 1991), 12-14.
"'Where's Pat Hutchins?': The Young Child's Concept of Author." Australian Reading Association [Victorian] State Conference, 1991.
Conference Papers: Sharing Adventures in Literacy. [Frankston? : A.R.A., 1991] P. 112-124.
"'As No One Save a Woman Can': Villette and Bleak House." Australasian Victorian Studies Association Conference Papers, 1987.
Christchurch: University of Canterbury for the A.V.S.A., 1987. P. 25-30.
Internet Publications
Eight, including:
“My creative life: interview: Virginia Lowe” Expressive Arts Coach
Blog http://theexpressiveartscoach.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-creative-life-interview-14-with.html (last accessed 5 March 2010)
“‘Stop! You Didn’t Read Who Wrote It!’ Young children and authors”.
Calliope Online (The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators - Greece), no 16. Winter 2006-7.
“’Wead, Wead’: Do something wonderful for a child – buy them a book!” FemmeVIP
http://www.femmevip.com/literaryreview.htm (last accessed 5th December 2006)
Gaps in ‘Read-Makers’: Young Children Finding and Filling Gaps in Stories. Double Dialogues.
..http://www.doubledialogues.com/archive/issue_two/lowe.htm (last accessed 11th June 2007)
Encyclopaedia Entries
Encyclopaedia of Play in today’s society ed. by Rodney P. Carlisle Los Angeles, SAGE, 2009. Article on reading as play.
Oxford Encyclopaedia of Children's Literature ed. by Jack Zipes, N.Y., Oxford U P, 2006. Articles on Mary Barber,
Margaret Meek and A Mother's Offering to her Children.
Reviews
Monthly reviews in Create a Kids’ Book e-bulletin, since 2007.
Six review articles in Australian Book Review and nine for Viewpoint from 2000.
Reviews in Reading Time since 2000, reviews in Magpies: Talking About Children's Books from 1992 - 2002.
Feature article on reading to babies in Women's Weekly, May 22, 1974.
64 weekly articles on children's literature in the Western Advocate, Bathurst, N.S.W., and special articles for
Children's Book Week, 1970-1973.
Poetry
Eight published, including:
"Real People" and "Baby Walking" in Mother Lode: Poems reflecting on motherhood ed. by Jean Sietzema-Dickson.
Poetica Christi Press. 2003.
"Dolphins, Monkey Mia" (poem) in Travelling to the Future: Tourism and its Effect on Society,
by Janet Baker. Port Melbourne, Reed Library, Cardigan Street, 1996. P.51-52.
"Republican Song" (poem) in For Queen or Country?: Republicanism in Australia, by Janet Baker. Carlton: CIS Publishers, 1994.
OTHER CONSULTANCY AND COMMUNITY LIAISON
Many talks and workshops at Regional writers’ festivals and municipal libraries, also school sessions specifically on poetry.
Some are:
Baw Baw Writers’ Festival: 2008, 2009.
Workshops on making picture books for the NSW Writers’ Centre, 17th February 2008, 7th October 2007.
“’As No-one Save a Woman Can’: Bleak House and Villette”. Paper given to combined Bronte and Dickens Societies,
Sydney, 6th October 2007.
“’As No-one Save a Woman Can’: Bleak House and Villette”. .Paper given to Friends of Dickens Society Melbourne,
18th October 2006.
"Fine Fiction or Literary Junk Food?" panel discussion with Louise Adler, Robert Sessions and Jenny Pausacker, Booktalkers, October 1992.
"Excellence in Children's Literature," panel discussion with Gary Crew, Bea Fincher and Ros Price,
Deakin University Children's Literature Conference, Towards Excellence in Children's Literature, Toorak Campus, August 1992.
"Judging the C.B.C. Book of the Year Awards," School Libraries Association Litfest, Mordialloc, June 1991.
Artist-in-Residence, Albert Park Primary School. Poetry, workshops, with all grades, 1982 (1 week), 1984 (3 days).
"The History of Children's Books," Bass Valley Historical Society, Corinella, 1986.
Radio interviews
On Stories, Pictures and Reality: Two children tell
Box Hill community radio (3WBC) 5th June 2008
The Book Show (Radio National}. 24th April 2007
Readings and Writings (Inner FM) 4th June 2007
On Dr Seuss (3RRR) 10th February 2007
On current issues in Australian children's literature:
Arts and Leisure with Clive Stark 20th August 1995,
Books and Libraries (ABC Regionals) 18th August 1995,
Books and Libraries (ABC Regionals) 2nd August 1994,
Jill Kitson, The Book Report (3RN) 6th August 1992,
Krista Bell, The Children's Hour (3RPH) 28th July 1992,
Ramona Koval (3LO) 17th March 1992,
Elaine Canty (3LO) 26th November 1991
On Adult, Book, Child
Saturday Review (3AR) 14th July 1979.
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Australasian Children's Literature Association for Research (ACLAR).
Children's Book Council of Australia, Victorian Branch:
Convenor, Crichton Award, 2000–2006.
President, 1993-1995
Victorian Judge, Children's Book of the Year Award, 1991-1993
Honorary Secretary, 1981-1983
Newsletter editor, 1967-68, 1989-1991, 1996-1997.
Regional Liaison Officer, 1996-1998
Executive Committee member, 1967-68, 1979-1983, 1988-2006, 2007-
The Dromkeen Society: Life member
The International Research Society for Children's Literature
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
Australian Society of Authors