Pip Harry's writing is abuzz with literary charm, lovable characters and purposeful narratives. A CBCA Book of the Year for Young Readers winner and bestselling author of The Little Wave, Pip is set to make her next storytelling splash at Storyfest South West. With bags practically packed and ready for our regional festival tour this September, we have plenty of acclaimed Australian titles in our bookshop, including Pip's middle-grade novel, The Little Wave and her Over or Under? picture book.
The Country Calls, Pip Answers
While Pip grew up in the city, her family provided a chance to immerse herself in regional Victoria. Nurturing an ongoing relationship between the two worlds.
"In nearly all of my books, there's a rural connection of some kind, but particularly in The Little Wave, where one of the characters lives in a rural area. I'm really drawn to telling stories for kids who live in the centre of Australia, not necessarily in the big cities."
Our regional festival tour provides more than the opportunity for students and schools to engage with storytellers from across Australia; we bring passionate authors like Pip into the heart of Queensland's communities.
"It's important for me that kids can access stories and hear from authors who would usually be in the city areas. We can share our love of storytelling with kids who might not access it as easily as kids living in the city".
As Pip says, "it's a great chance for leading Australian authors just to be part of a rural and regional community for a couple of days and for the kids to know where our stories come from".
Between writing and launching her latest young adult verse novel, Drift, Pip answered the call to Storyfest South West.
She's ready for a programme packed with student sessions, workshops, and her eagerly awaited Ocean Project.
Awash with Anticipation
Excitement is building in St George, the first stop on our tour, for Pip's ocean-themed project, where city-meets-country postcards and painted fish bring ecological crafting to our festival goers.
When Megan Daley, our talented and incredibly persuasive Storyfest Artistic Director, asked Pip to bring her books to life, the answer was an immediate "I'm in!"
Like any creatively successful project, it all starts with an ambitious idea. In 2024, at our first Storyfest South West Writers' Festival, Megan teamed up with Vice President of the St George Art Group, Kimberley Thornton, who oversaw production of The Beehive Project. With the help of dozens of regional students, a giant beehive art installation came to life, inspired by Megan's picture book The Beehive.
With the creative waters rising, it's now Pip's turn.
Out of the ocean comes a two-part writing and artist project, ongoing throughout the festival.
"Where kids can be part of an ocean-themed arts installation. School kids will bring their painted fish and add them to the installation, which links into my book Over or Under?" and try their hands at "a postcard exchange with children from Storyfest South West with Gold Coast pen pals."
Between student sessions, interactive workshops and an adult panel, the Ocean Project provides a restorative opportunity to unwind with mindfulness and hands-on activities.
Collaboration Swells
At the core of Storyfest is our ability to bring together communities, curating unique storytelling experiences, and drawing on a wide network of creatives to bring our literary vision to life. We're excited to welcome back artistically devoted St George local, Kimberly Thorton, to oversee the production of our Ocean Project.
Continuing the collaborative affair, Harvey Bay artist and author, Tjalara Draper, has designed a school of wooden fish to complement Pip's underwater scenes from Over or Under? "where the main character gets knocked over by a wave."
Students across the St George region have been allocated fish to paint in preparation for the art installation, and when they attend the festival, they get to add their art pieces to the coral reef.
Bring your imagination. No snorkels needed!
A Wave of Letters
Pip is also bringing back snail mail, one postcard at a time. The art of letter writing isn't lost in a sea of emails.
As Pip says, "It's amazing what happens when kids write things down, especially handwrite things about their life and how they're feeling, and they get to know each other really slowly with anticipation of the next postcard".
The concept is simple: Storyfest South West children will write postcards to their Gold Coast pen pals. An opportunity that goes beyond the festival to connect through storytelling while building friendships and boosting literacy.
The idea ties into Pip's middle-grade book The Little Wave, where a city school in Manly attempts to bring a country class to visit the beach. The postcards play a role in communication between the school children.
The beauty of a postcard is how short, sweet and impactful they can be.
We trust that under Pip's guidance, there will be plenty of stories that connect the land to the sea.
Pip Harry at Storyfest South West
While we can't guarantee any big swells at St George, we know Pip is going to make waves in her Storyfest South West debut.
Join Pip throughout the Writers' Festival for a series of student sessions and workshops, an adult panel and the Ocean Project.
Located at the Balonne Shire Council Cultural Centre, Monday 01 to Wednesday 03 September.
Our full programme and tickets are available here.
