Forever Young: Children’s Literature Today

Sally Rippin, Leigh Hobbs and Julia Eccleshare

From Lewis Carroll to Dr Seuss, JK Rowling to Shaun Tan, some of the most inventive, surreal, hilarious and insightful minds in literature have chosen children as their preferred readership. Why choose children? And which of today’s kids’ books will be tomorrow’s classics?

At this grown-up discussion about books for little people, we take a close-up look at children’s literature today, with some of the best in the business. Writer, broadcaster, lecturer and the Guardian’s children’s book editor, Julia Eccleshare, is joined by beloved kids’ author and Australian Children’s Laureate, Leigh Hobbs. Their host is Billie B Brown author, Sally Rippin.

'I never say to kids, "you're all artists and you're all writers", because they're not. I would never be good at sport … this is the thing about people having different drives and different tastes.'

Leigh Hobbs

What’s the state of literary criticism for children’s books? How is the business of children’s book publishing changing, at home and abroad? How do we keep feeding insatiable young bookworms and how do we create new reading converts?

Tune in for some answers to these and other questions, in a lively conversation about kids, creativity and the business of books.

Presented in partnership with the Australian Children’s Literature Alliance.