Here is a copy of the article and the entire magazine can be downloaded here.

This was the best possible setting for me to read the story of a Ute Picnic when all around the farms, hay making was taking place.

At the hotel

By Rhys Nickerson

Have a holiday for once at a hotel
On the coast
Tell all your friends
Extra food to eat
Look at the lovely pool!

On the calendar

Mum jots down everything

and if you look closely

You can find out things

There are the usual things

like:

Grandma’s birthday

kindy excursion

dentist (10am)

And other things

like:

Research cars

library books due

ring electrician

Then sometimes there are mysteries

that even Mum can’t solve

like:

42 + 25 green

and

28 May: socks

But you have to be careful

because sometimes the things Mum jots down

and the things you read

are different—

one Friday in January

I read pirates, (circled in red!)

but later it turned out to be

pilates.

Topic:    Family Note  by Glenys Eskdale

Poem:

This is just to say

that there’s soup on the stove.

Stir it, please Jake,

and Amy, you set the table.

Don’t worry,

I’ll be back before dinner.

I am walking

in the red glow of sunset,

after the rain.

I am letting

my feet step in puddles,

if they choose.

Forgive me,

the moist air smelled

so sweet.

(Inspired by ‘This is Just to Say’ by William Carlos Williams)

Well done poets!  Thank you for entering the competition.

Results of 'Note on the Door 'poetry competition.

Children's section:

Winner: Rhys Nickerson

Adult section

Winner: Janeen Brian

Highly commended (alphabetical order)

Kaye Baillie

Glenys Eskdale

Rebecca Newman

Here is Janeen's poem!

Letter-box note

Along the message

the snail slides

deciphering

the letterbox-note.

Please come to lunch tomorrow,

love

Jane.

Why wait? wonders the snail

and begins to dine on letterbox-note

till nibbling is complete

and diner disappears

leaving just the smallest, shiniest trace

of silver service.

Janeen Brian (C)

Hopefully some more of the poems will soon be up on the website shortly.

Note on the door is all about family poems so the challenge is to choose a topic from those below and write a short poem to be eligible for the prize- I have two signed copies of 'Note on the Door' to give away to:

an adult writing poetry for children

a poem written by a young person( ie) a child.

And an extra prize of one free lesson from my recent e-course with the Australian poetry centre- poets writing for children- a two layer technique.

The topic:- choose from

• a family note

• a holiday note

• a school note

• a playtime note

Here's an example from my collection:

Writing on a Beach

A stick dipped into the sea's frothy ink,

the wet peppery sand

is a long table to write on.

Footprints are commas,

pearls of seaweed are exclamation marks.

Here comes the tide

erasing, refreshing , recycling.

© Lorraine Marwood

It doesn't have to follow my format-try for free verse. Deadline- Friday 23^th September- winners posted on my blog site and website.

Email entry to : info@lorrainemarwood.com With the header 'Note on the Door' poetry comp.

Please note book prizes for Australian entry residents, but sample e-course  prize world wide.

Here's a first review posted recently in the magazine 'Bookseller and Publisher.'

Note on the Door: And other poems about /family Life (Lorraine Marwood, Walker Books, $15.95 pb, ISBN 9781921720611, September)

'Family' has been a major theme in children's literature over the past year. Award-wining author Lorraine Marwood continues this trend with her poetry collection Note on the Door, which features two sections of poems about family and others about school and holidays. The poems are aimed at eight- to twelve year olds, with some that would be good to share by reading aloud or performing and others that would benefit from quiet contemplation. Each poem is quite short in length and most can be read at a simple level, though many could e absorbed at a deeper consciousness where the sensory images are allowed to settle and spread. Poetic devices of imagery, such as describing blisters as 'hand weeping in 'Cat Burial', alliteration, assonance, repetition and some rhyme enhance the reading. Change of rhythms and pace, for example in 'Chicken Pox', show the transformation from frenetic itching to soothing relief. This keeps the tone varied and engaging. There are also poems with humour, and some particularly original interpretations of the everyday. Often the first image is the best, but this collection is distinctive enough to capture and keep th eyoung reader's attention.

Joy Lawn is a reviewer and consultant at Coaldrake's bookshop in Brisbane. She is the author of Inside the Shortlist 2011, published by CBCA (Qld.)

Thanks to Emilie Zoe Baker- education officer for Australia Poetry Org for collecting and putting the poems up online.

The CBCA shortlist and Notables has been announced.

'A Ute picnic' has been made a Notable book in the younger children's category.

The site has wonderful author links and parenting links.

I was thrilled to be awarded the inaugural prize for children's literature for Star Jumps.

Read the judges report here

And for a photo of the awards click here.

Good Reading and The Age have also reviewed my book.

Thanks Lisa for your kind hosting. It was an exhilarating experience.

Here's a comment from Lisa about the workshops.

Lorraine tailored her sessions to enhance the work students were currently learning in the classroom. This layered the value of lessons, making it a relevant, creative, interesting time for the students while producing poetry glittering with colour.

Lisa Coates