Prominent Children’s Authors to Speak at National Young Leaders Days

Children readily look up to sports stars, music stars, and TV personalities. Similarly, they will also acknowledge the leadership role of politicians and the public service. To add to this, Halogen Australia has recently announced a new partnership with the highly regarded publisher, Scholastic, to feature some of Australia’s most prominent children’s authors as speakers at the upcoming National Young Leaders Days for primary school students.

This announcement aligns with Halogen’s commitment to include categories of speakers that might challenge and expand the kind of people that audiences traditionally view as leaders. At recent events for secondary school students, a number of Australia’s most exciting female cricketers shared their stories and wisdom with thousands of students who attended.

Halogen and Scholastic have confirmed that the following 3 authors will join the esteemed line-up of speakers at the events in early 2018:

COSENTINO (Speaking at Melbourne event for primary students)

Cosentino is Australia’s premier illusionist and magician. The LA Times has said of him that ‘Cosentino mirrors the legendary Harry Houdini’ – and like Houdini, he is a true pioneer and trailer blazer.

Cosentino was the first Australian magician to have his own shows on prime-time television, and these TV spectaculars have now been broadcast in over forty countries. Recognised by his peers as the International Magician of the Year, he is one of Australia’s most popular performers, and stages his award-winning live shows to full houses across the globe.

But Cosentino’s greatest trick of all? Well, that’s something completely different. It was learning how to read. He was a twelve-year-old boy with learning difficulties, teased and isolated, who struggled with reading and schoolwork. But one day, in a library, he found a illustrated book about magic – and that unlocked something in him. That magic book not only inspired him to learn to read, it propelled him on an extraordinary journey – from a shy boy with low self-esteem to the international star that he is today. His Children’s book ‘The Mysterious World of Cosentino’ is a wonderful mix of magic and adventure.

JACK HEATH (Speaking at Brisbane event for primary students)

Jack has written twenty action-packed books for kids, including the popular ‘Danger Series’. His award winning books have been translated into several languages and optioned for film and television.

Jack fell in love with reading in primary school, when an ear infection left him unable to do much else. In high school he was frustrated by the slow pace and lack of excitement in most teenage fiction, so he started writing his own novel. It was picked out of a slush pile and published while he was still a teenager, and it soon became an international success.

MATT COSGROVE (Speaking at Sydney and Adelaide events for primary students)

 

Matt Cosgrove is the author and illustrator of the exciting new book series Epic Fail Tales. These totally disgusting, yet completely awesome, retellings of classic fairy tales with a twist include Snow Man and the Seven Ninjas, Attack of the Giant Robot Zombie Mermaid and, Little Stunt Riding Hood. Guaranteed no sloppy kissing, no handsome princes and no happily ever after!

In a long and varied career, Matt has been the Creative Director of Australia’s number one fashion magazine, Marie Claire, Lecturer in Comic Art at Western Sydney University and one of the guys who drew the catchphrases for the TV show Burgo’s CatchPhrase . He has illustrated many, many picture books, collaborating with industry legends such as Jackie French and Glenda Millard.

To find out more about the National Young Leaders Days in Australia visit: www.halogen.org.au