Kids Own Publishing launch wordless story book Somewhere in the Middle
Friday 07 October 2022
Artist Ana Rita Pires (left) and Kids' Own Publishing Director, Anna Dollard (right) at the launch of children book, Somewhere in the Middle. Photo by Olivia Allen.
Kids’ Own Publishing and Collingwood community members recently gathered at the Collingwood Neighbourhood House to launch ‘Somewhere in the Middle’ – a wordless picture book created by children and their parents from Carringbush Adult Education.
Kids’ Own Publishing and partners have had to wait a long time for this book – first proposed and funded through a Yarra City Arts Annual Grant in 2020 it has been postponed by COVID interruptions several times.
‘Somewhere in the Middle’ is an inclusive approach to storytelling which centres pictures rather than words. Pictures are language and can be read like text – across languages. Wordless books are accessible to all and free those struggling with language from the hurdle of words.
In the telling of the story, adults and children are invited into the story that an artist (in this instance a parent or child) imagines and they are invited to collaborate in the construction of their own story. Each reader is the artist's partner in the storytelling. A book illustrated by children further encourages children's own creative expression at home.
Everyone is invited to enjoy this book.
Contact Kids’ Own Publishing for more information at Kids' Own Publishing, SHG05 Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067.
Or via their website
Yarra City Arts is delighted to partner with Kids’ Own Publishing over many years and projects.
Stay tuned for the second book published with Carringbush families in Term 4, supported by a Yarra City Arts Engage grant.
Kids’ Own Publishing would like to thank the children and their families, Carringbush Adult Education staff – Laura, MK, Hanan, Natasha, Yarra City Arts, The ARC Laureate Fellowship on the History of Child Refugees for additional funding support, Hanan Moh for the Ethiopian coffee ceremony and artist Ana Rita Pires.
About Kids’ Own Publishing
Kids’ Own Publishing is a not-for-profit arts organisation who publish books by kids, for kids. Kids’ Own Artists co-create books with children and their communities that reflect their culture, identity, and imagination. Kids’ Own Publishing was established in Melbourne in 2005 and have since published over 200 children’s books. Through creative workshops and collaborative activities, they work alongside children and their adults to develop one-of-a-kind publications which are particular to the lives and local practices of each community of creators.
They work in partnership with children and their communities. These could include playgroups, kindergartens, schools, libraries, health services, local councils, and arts organisations. They collaborate to design and deliver innovative short- and long-term creative publishing projects. They ensure all their work reflects their core values of self-representation, creative expression, co-design and co-creation, creative risk, and fun. They believe that self-representation, self-expression, and visibility is powerful – when children publish books that reflect their own specific worlds (real and imaginary), they strengthen their confidence, creativity, and connections.
Children’s voices and stories are not always listened to seriously by adults. The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) asserts children’s right to express their own views freely. Embedded in this is children’s right to public participation. Books created by children about their lives is one way that children participate in public life. Through publishing stories and sharing them children learn from other children and become part of networks of expression and knowledge.
Kids’ Own Publishing and Collingwood community members recently gathered at the Collingwood Neighbourhood House to launch ‘Somewhere in the Middle’ – a wordless picture book created by children and their parents from Carringbush Adult Education.
Kids’ Own Publishing and partners have had to wait a long time for this book – first proposed and funded through a Yarra City Arts Annual Grant in 2020 it has been postponed by COVID interruptions several times.
‘Somewhere in the Middle’ is an inclusive approach to storytelling which centres pictures rather than words. Pictures are language and can be read like text – across languages. Wordless books are accessible to all and free those struggling with language from the hurdle of words.
In the telling of the story, adults and children are invited into the story that an artist (in this instance a parent or child) imagines and they are invited to collaborate in the construction of their own story. Each reader is the artist's partner in the storytelling. A book illustrated by children further encourages children's own creative expression at home.
Everyone is invited to enjoy this book.
Contact Kids’ Own Publishing for more information at Kids' Own Publishing, SHG05 Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067.
Or via their website
Yarra City Arts is delighted to partner with Kids’ Own Publishing over many years and projects.
Stay tuned for the second book published with Carringbush families in Term 4, supported by a Yarra City Arts Engage grant.
Kids’ Own Publishing would like to thank the children and their families, Carringbush Adult Education staff – Laura, MK, Hanan, Natasha, Yarra City Arts, The ARC Laureate Fellowship on the History of Child Refugees for additional funding support, Hanan Moh for the Ethiopian coffee ceremony and artist Ana Rita Pires.
About Kids’ Own Publishing
Kids’ Own Publishing is a not-for-profit arts organisation who publish books by kids, for kids. Kids’ Own Artists co-create books with children and their communities that reflect their culture, identity, and imagination. Kids’ Own Publishing was established in Melbourne in 2005 and have since published over 200 children’s books. Through creative workshops and collaborative activities, they work alongside children and their adults to develop one-of-a-kind publications which are particular to the lives and local practices of each community of creators.
They work in partnership with children and their communities. These could include playgroups, kindergartens, schools, libraries, health services, local councils, and arts organisations. They collaborate to design and deliver innovative short- and long-term creative publishing projects. They ensure all their work reflects their core values of self-representation, creative expression, co-design and co-creation, creative risk, and fun. They believe that self-representation, self-expression, and visibility is powerful – when children publish books that reflect their own specific worlds (real and imaginary), they strengthen their confidence, creativity, and connections.
Children’s voices and stories are not always listened to seriously by adults. The UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) asserts children’s right to express their own views freely. Embedded in this is children’s right to public participation. Books created by children about their lives is one way that children participate in public life. Through publishing stories and sharing them children learn from other children and become part of networks of expression and knowledge.
