About the author
Aura Parker is an award-winning illustrator, writer and designer. Her picture books are joyful with a playful sense of humour, brimming with details to explore. Aura Parker’s storytelling though words and pictures inspires imagination, courage and confidence in young readers as well as a love, curiosity and passion for nature.
Click here for Aura Parker official website.
Photo Credit: Aura Parker (Official Website).
Book Synopsis:
I am a collector. Always looking, finding ... and keeping! Bowerbird loves blue. Magnificent cobalt. Brilliant, vibrant blue! But something is missing. What could it be?
This new picture book from Aura Parker stars a beautiful bowerbird on the search for blue! It’s a moving story of longing and connection, that unfolds as the bowerbird’s search sends him soaring across the sea, sky and city. He swoops and snatches vibrant treasures for his collection, and soon his bower – a mix of natural and unnatural objects – attracts something greater and more fulfilling than he could ever have imagined.
National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 24th successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.
NSS receives positive media coverage and generates a great deal of community interest. 2022 was our biggest and most successful NSS to date with over 2.18 million participants at over 59, 000 locations!
What do we look for in the National Simultaneous Storytime book?
Each year, interested publishers send in possible titles. From a practical perspective, the publisher has to be able and willing to provide copyright release for use of the illustrations, book projection, translation into other languages and performance. The publisher also needs to commit to a special print run of several thousand copies. This narrows down the options. The criteria for choosing from the remaining books include: a positive storyline; appeal to a modern and diverse audience; suitability for read-aloud (language and length); how well the book lends itself to craft and other activities.
This event takes place online.
This year NSS takes place on Wednesday 22 May 2024 from 12.00 - 1.00 pm and we would love it if you could join us! Everyone can join NSS, it doesn't matter whether you are at home, a school, a public library or even a university library! Register here to participate - it's free! Everyone can join NSS, it doesn’t matter whether you are at home, a school, a public library or even a university library.
NSS 2024 Bowerbird Blues Activities - create a membership for free to download activities.
2024 NSS Bowerbird Blues Digital Resource - free eBook full of great resources for teachers and parents.
2024 CleverPatch Activities eBook for National Simultaneous Storytime - free eBook full of great resources for teachers and parents.
2024 Learn From Play Resources Page for 2024 National Simultaneous Storytime - includes fun games and activities for teachers and parents.
Bowerbird Blues Collector's Column Graph - PDF Document.
Bowerbird Blues Shape Poem Activity sheet - PDF Document.
Bowerbird Blues Writing Activity Sheet - PDF Document.
Don't forget to download and print the certificates for your participants:
Satin Bowerbird (Australian Museum).
Bowerbirds (Bush Heritage Australia).
Bowerbirds: Meet the Bird World's Kleptomaniac Love Architect (Hausheer, 2024).
Satin bowerbirds fall victim to plastic waste, wildlife experts urge mindfulness (Siossian, 2018).
Bopping Bowerbirds (ABC Kids Listen Podcast - Tue, 25 May, 2021).
The Satin Bowerbird: a cartoon guide to Australian Ecology (Peeters, 2023) - colourful ebook.
Creatura : weird and wonderful Australian animals by 
