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The Book Club: Solving 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time' is described by the panellists as part quest and part detective novel. How do they explain this? What are the two 'cases' that the narrator and protagonist 'solves' in the novel, whether deliberately or inadvertently? What is the effect of having the reader know more than ...

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Hey diddle diddle' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen as Buzz, Belle and Bop perform 'Hey diddle diddle' in this animated music video. Then try to create your own sentences that include pairs of words that sound the same at the end (rhyme).

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Jennifer Byrne Presents: Should some YA novels be banned?

Ever since Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' was published in 1884, books for teenagers have come under close scrutiny by adults concerned about their appropriateness for younger audiences. Why are some adults so worried about what teenagers read? Are they right to be concerned? Explore the tricky topic of censorship ...

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First Tuesday Book Club: Confabulating on 'Cold Comfort Farm'

Join in the debate about whether the 1932 novel 'Cold Comfort Farm' by Stella Gibbons should be considered a classic. The novel follows Flora Poste, a young woman who moves in with her country relatives in a village called Howling. It parodies other novels that represented rural life as woeful, and is filled with delightfully ...

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Heywire: Digging for diprotodons

Ever dreamed of finding buried treasure in your own backyard? For Natasha Camp, this is a reality. Her 'treasure' is not gold or silver, but the bones of ancient Australian megafauna. In this Heywire photo story, Natasha describes the latest dig at Floraville Station, Queensland, her family's property. It was on this dig ...

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Great Expectations: The fortunes of happiness

Does wealth bring happiness? Can people transcend their upbringing? Professor John Bowen from the University of York considers the manner in which these questions are addressed in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. As you listen, think not only about the references to Dickens' classic novel, but also about your life and ...

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Feathers, Fur and Fins: A Song about a sulphur-crested cockatoo

Do you know any songs about Australian animals? Listen to this song about sulphur-crested cockatoos performed by Don Spencer. Get a close up look at a sulphur-crested cockatoo and see the antics (funny actions) it gets up to.

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'Incy Wincy Spider' sung by Teddy Rock

Watch and listen to Buzz, Belle and Bop perform the traditional nursery rhyme 'Incy Wincy Spider' in this animated music video. Use the rhyme, sung with a rock beat by Teddy Rock, to discuss, order and retell events.

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First Tuesday Book Club: Navigating 'Cloud Atlas'

Some authors like to take readers on a journey, none more so than David Mitchell, the author of 'Cloud Atlas'. His novel is a complex tale that attempts to weave together six different narratives over a period of hundreds of years. Join in this discussion and find out if he succeeds. This clip is the second in a series of two.

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Writing London: Discovery and rebirth

How do writers respond to, and write about, the great city of London. Listen as some of London's greatest writers, including Andrea Levy, Jeremy Reed, Ian McEwan and Bernard Kops, reflect on the experience of writing in and about London. Consider what Bernard Kops means when he asks, 'Where was I born after I was born?'

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First Tuesday Book Club: The Australianness of 'Cloudstreet'

Could 'Cloudstreet' be the great Australian novel? Jennifer Byrne, Peter Garrett, Mem Fox, Marieke Hardy and Jason Steger discuss Tim Winton's novel, trying to pinpoint just what makes it a classic example of modern Australian writing. This panel discussion is aimed at people who have already read 'Cloudstreet'.

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First Tuesday Book Club: Lots to love about 'Cloudstreet'

Judging literature is highly personal. What one person loves about a book can drive someone else crazy. Some books, though, just seem to appeal to everyone! Well, almost everyone. Find out whether this is the case with Tim Winton's novel 'Cloudstreet'.

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First Tuesday Book Club: Sentencing 'The Book Thief'

People can express their opinions and attitudes in ways other than words. In this clip, join in the discussion about Markus Zusak's popular novel 'The Book Thief', and explore how verbal and non-verbal cues can add emphasis to your speech.

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Great Expectations: Victorian and Gothic

How does Charles Dickens weave Gothic elements into his classic Victorian novel, Great Expectations? Listen as Literary Professor John Bowen explains some of the ways in which Dickens draws on the Gothic tradition to challenge the conventions of Victorian literature. Consider the importance of time, repetition, violence, ...

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Dorothea Mackellar's 'My country' as a song

Do you know a poem with the line 'I love a sunburnt country'? The poem is 'My country' by Dorothea Mackellar. Find out what inspired Mackellar to write this famous poem and how she felt about teenager Christine Roberts basing a song on it. This is a black-and-white clip from a 1967 current affairs program This Day Tonight.

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First Tuesday Book Club: Moby Dick

What was Herman Melville aiming for when he wrote his masterpiece? Listen to Jennifer Byrne, David Malouf, Marieke Hardy, Jason Steger and Johanna Featherstone discuss their reactions to 'Moby Dick'. Is the novel just a detailed treatise (commentary) on whales and whaling, or is it an allegory (fable) teaching us about ...

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First Tuesday Book Club: Careful critiques of 'Cloud Atlas'

Sometimes you have to choose your words carefully to avoid offending others. I'm sure we've all had one of those moments! In this clip, explore how Marieke Hardy and Max Barry choose their words carefully when discussing one of Jennifer Byrne's favourite books. This clip is the first in a series of two.

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First Tuesday Book Club: Savouring 'The Magic Pudding'

It's been nearly 100 years since Norman Lindsay's madcap tale of a bad-tempered pudding was published, yet it continues to remain popular with children and adults alike. Over the years it's been a puppet show, cartoon, play, film and even an opera. What are the reasons for its enduring popularity? Explore the real magic ...

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First Tuesday Book Club: What's so funny about parody?

Parody is a popular form of humour where a particular subject is mocked or trivialised. The novel 'Cold Comfort Farm' is an example of parody. But what makes novels such as this so funny? Find out more by exploring this clip.

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Storyline Online: Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

Strega Nona – “Grandma Witch” – is the source for potions, cures, magic and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical ever-full pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden, but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony ...