Literary festival to bring students, writers to town

Students from across the South West will flock to Busselton next Friday for the Seven Rooms Seven Stories literature festival at St Mary MacKillop College.

Organised by Dymocks Busselton and the school, the festival will bring a host of WA authors to the college, including Norman Jorgensen, Dianne Wolfer and Amanda Betts.

Students will be able to meet the authors and discuss specific books and will also have the chance to take part in writing workshops, as well as illustration workshops and readings.

Dymocks Busselton owner Beth Herbert said she was driven to develop a festival for young readers in the region.

“It’s really been embraced by schools in the South West,” she said.

“It’s a real celebration of literature, and especially WA writers.”

St Mary MacKillop teacher and librarian Jeanette Sangmeister said all primary and Year 7 students would take part in the festival, as well as students from the middle school.

She said about 250 students from around the region, including from schools as far afield as Nannup and Bunbury, were due to come to town for the festival.

English teacher Tamara Clark said the school tried to promote children reading Australian fiction and the festival had had strong support from other schools in town.

“We wanted something that is more focused for curriculum and for a younger audience,” she said.

If all goes well, the festival is planned to become an annual event.

There will also be an illustrative aspect to the festival, with Margaret River artist Rebecca Cool to attend and paint a mural at the school with two classes during the day.

Cool will also read her book, Isabella’s Garden, to students at lunchtime.

There will also be a “sidewalk signing” outside Dymocks in Busselton on Saturday, March 19, with authors from the festival on hand to sign books and speak to young fans from 10am.