As part of the Little Readers Read-a-thon we’re also encouraging children under the age of five to participate in reading sessions at home. This is a new program beginning in 2024 that we’ve called Little Readers at Home. To get you started we have a series of videos of Australian authors reading their own books in a virtual story time below and will also be sharing Friday Night Story Time on our social media channels every Friday night between 23 August and 27 September. It’s easy to take part in Little Readers at Home, and there are some great prizes up for grabs, too!

Michelle Worthington is an internationally published award-winning author of empowering picture books for children of all ages.

Michelle is also an international guest speaker on the importance of storytelling. Her books have been nominated for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award and Speech Pathology Awards. She was awarded a highly commended in the prestigious 2018 Hilarie Lindsay Children’s Book Awards. Two-time winner of the International Book Award and finalist in the USA Best Book Awards, Michelle also received a Gellett Burgess Award and a Silver Moonbeam Award for her contribution to celebrating diversity in children’s literature.

She’s also a real-life book fairy. Her magic powers include turning coffee into award-winning books. As Founder of Share Your Story Australia, she waves her wand to coach aspiring authors and illustrators all over the world achieve their dreams of publication. Whether she’s a fairy, a mermaid, a pirate or an elf, Michelle celebrates empowering readers and storytellers to dream big.

“My goal is to inspire all children to believe in themselves and encourage reluctant readers to fall in love with books.”

An internationally published author, Samantha has been a friend and supporter of Life’s Little Treasures for over a decade.

She lives in Melbourne with her three junior co-authors, an adopted cat, and nine-hundred-and-ninety-seven compost worms! With a doctorate focusing on youth communications, Samantha brings a unique blend of academic insight and practical wisdom to her writing.

Samantha loves visiting kindergartens, early learning centers, and schools around Australia to inspire a love of reading in children – and is thrilled to now extend this as an ambassador for the Little Readers Read-a-thon At Home program.

“They say a child who reads is an adult who thinks! Through books, children can travel anywhere, learn anything, and be anyone. Developing a love of reading in our children not only fuels their creativity but is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. The Little Readers Read-a-thon At Home is a wonderful opportunity to ignite this passion and create cherished memories together.”

Little Readers at Home will run between 17 August and 20 September 2024. During this time children are encouraged to read as many books as they can with parents, family members, and friends and log them on a downloadable reading log. It’s easy to participate!