NZ Writers Week

Great to see so many fascinating sessions on offer at this year's NZ Writers Week (8-13 March); in fact, there's a whole section titled For the young and youthful (and that's all of us, right??) Pick up a programme if you haven't seen it yet, or look online.

Here are some sessions that should be of special interest to anyone who follows children's and young adult writing:

Thursday 10 March

9.45am Anna Smaill talking to Kate de Goldi

11am Jamie Curry and Mallory Ortberg talking about Life Online

12.30pm (Don’t miss this one!) Anna McKenzie talking about the story behind Evie's War

Also on 10 March, the launch of Hooked on NZ Books, a new online review website for young adults.

Saturday 12 March

2pm (another don’t miss session) The Kids Are All Right: Mandy Hager chairing a session on YA books and the issues today's kids face, with Sally Gardner, Cornelia Funke and Ted Dawe.

7pm (but at the Dowse in Lower Hutt) Robert Dessaix on Enid Blyton and "the lasting influences of a childhood reading".

Sunday 13 March

9.30am Live storytelling session with Paul Beavis (I've seen Paul in action and kids always love his sessions)

11am Sally Gardner in conversation with Anna McKenzie

12.30pm Mariko Tamaki, graphic novelist, in conversation with Kate de Goldi

2pm Cornelia Funke in conversation with Jo Randerson

3.30pm How Weta Digital translated James Dashner's YA series The maze runner to film

5pm Joy Cowley : A Joyful Life (a celebration of Joy's 80th year)

Plenty of other great sessions as well; it's going to be hard to choose.