Join us for this year's insightful and inspiring MWF Schools (7 & 8 May), where students learn from some of the most exciting storytelling talents in the country!
Get ready for an action-packed day of learning this May at State Library Victoria as MWF Schools has a stellar program in store for students.
Across the four sessions of the day, award-winning and acclaimed authors engage students in a broad range of topics, ranging from relationships and consent, identity and poetry, fitting in and standing out, plus dystopian futures. Each session is directly linked to key curriculum areas and objectives.
In between sessions, students can have their books signed by their favourite authors and they can also purchase books from Readings Bookstore on the day (with a bank card only). We hope to see your school there!
Please note: There is a limit of 100 student tickets per school group. We have also introduced an invoice payment option, if paying via bank card is not suitable for your school.
If you have any questions, please contact ticketing@mwf.com.au.
Book Tickets
Program Line Up
Robyn Dennison: Blind Spot
Relationships, sexuality and consent are tough to navigate in real life. How do fiction writers do justice to their complexity on the page?
YA author Robyn Dennison explores these themes with warmth and empathy in her debut novel Blind Spot, which was named a 2024 CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers and shortlisted for the Readings Young Adult Prize and the Text Prize. In this honest session, Robyn shares how she approaches writing relationships and queerness, her journey to publication, and tips for writing authentic stories. Students will also have the chance to ask their own questions in an interactive Ask Me Anything session.
Robyn Dennison will be in conversation with Karys McEwen.
Gary Lonesborough: I'm Not Really Here
It’s hard to fit in when you feel like you were born to stand out. 17-year-old Jonah has moved to a country town that feels like a foreign place. It could be a fresh start from his unresolved past, and he finally feels like he's moving closer to something good. But even though he knows what he wants, it doesn't mean he's ready.
Internationally acclaimed Yuin author Gary Lonesborough discusses his third YA novel, I’m Not Really Here: an emotionally compelling, honest and warm story about navigating new friendships, grief, body image, queer love, and the big emotions that define coming-of-age.
Gary Lonesborough will be in conversation with Bebe Oliver.
Solli Raphael: Identity x Poetry
Figuring out your own identity can feel mystifying. Growing up is, at times, a tireless cycle of self-discovery and rediscovery, a contradiction between longing to be understood yet hoping to be left alone.
Award-winning poet, author and advocate Solli Raphael knows the feeling, and he has the antidote – poetry. Solli is the author of four books, including Limelight and Spotlight. In his new book, Starlight, he draws on topics from philosophy to social media, as well as his own experiences of self-discovery and belonging. In this interactive session, Solli illuminates the power of poetry to help us better understand our identity.
Neal Shusterman: All Better Now
Live at MWF Schools, New York Times-bestselling author Neal Shusterman (USA) discusses his new YA novel All Better Now – a thriller about a world where happiness is contagious, but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure.
In this session, Neal delves into the questions about truth, power and capitalism that shape All Better Now. He’ll also share why he's drawn to writing science fiction stories and dystopian worlds across a career spanning more than fifty award-winning books.
Neal Shusterman will be in conversation with Amie Kaufman.
7 & 8 May Schedule
Session 1: 10.00 - 10.45am
Session 2: 10.45 - 11.30am
Break and Book Signings: 11.30am - 12.30pm
Session 3: 12.30 - 1.15pm
Session 4: 1.15 - 2pm
Book Signings: 2 - 2.30pm
Learn More
– Download a PDF version of the MWF Schools program and learn more about the authors via this link
– Read our FAQs here
– Stay tuned for Teacher Resources. We will share these on the website and via our Schools eNews shortly.