From teachers, students and readers:

What an amazing success yesterday’s sessions were. Thank you for inspiring so many students, feedback has been amazing.

Librarian, Stirling Libraries

Thanks so much for your wonderful workshop! You sure know how to engage a group of children and share your love of writing. The children were engaged and inspired, it was wonderful! After lunch they came in to the class and starting writing away, I had to abandon my lesson plans and allow for some narrative writing because the quality of their work was fantastic!

Year 3–4 teacher, Kerry Street Community School

Thank you so much for yesterday. I was left feeling inspired and excited about teaching writing!

Year 5 teacher, All Saints’ College

Thank you for your amazing energy, enthusiasm and passion.

Head of Learning Area (English), Ridge View Secondary College

Deb connects readers to their community with writing that reflects the rhythms of life. Working with our students, she has emboldened them to improve their narratives, and embrace reading and writing.

Lake Joondalup Baptist College

Deb’s rapport with the Warnbro students was evident. She learned their names. She tamed the wide-eyed question askers and she listened intently to the pieces they wrote in each session. Not only did Deb inspire the students, but many of the staff accompanying their classes have started to develop their own voice in their writing as well. In the words of the Year 7 class, you have inspired us in many ways and have defined the path for us to become better writers. Thank you.

Kate Stanford, Community Librarian, Warnbro Community High School Library

Very interactive and engaging. Deb is a champion author and the session was fantastic (for all ages).

Teacher, Edney Primary School, Children’s Book Week

I think it was amazing and I want to read all her books. I want to save all the Gilbert’s Potoroos. I think she is the best author!

Student, Edney Primary School, Children’s Book Week

Today Roger and I visited Scarborough Primary School with Fremantle author Deb Fitzpatrick. There were a total of 31 students and two adults who were very attentive to Deb’s presentation. Deb spoke about her knowledge of Australian critically endangered species. She has an incredible passion for the environment and conservation. It was a joy to watch her delightful presentation, inclusive of her book trailer for The Spectacular Spencer Gray. Deb enlightened the audience on how she researches for her books and comes up with ideas for her wonderful fiction adventures. The students asked a wide array of questions and were happy to answer the questions Deb asked.

Librarian, Stirling Libraries, Children’s Book Week

Dear Deb, my children (Emily and Oliver) attended your talk at Manning Library during book week and loved it! Emily read The Spectacular Spencer Gray and At My Door the same day. She has written a book review for you! Thanks again for the great talk.

Parent Adeline Cheong, Children’s Book Week

Dear Deb, it was a fantastic workshop today.  The Hale students were really engaged.  I teach Y and he loved it. I plan to use the creative writing prompts you used today with my Year 7 and 8 English classes to keep them motivated towards the end of term.  We do not do enough creative writing during the year.

Mr Pasha Hayat, Hale School

I would like to send my thanks to Deb for today, the kids absolutely loved it. All the students wanted to do when you left was continue to write which is amazing, as it can be pretty hard to motivate these students to write and really enjoy it too (haven’t seen them so engaged when writing). We will definitely be wanting to organise incursions like today in years to come. Thank you again, it was absolutely brilliant.

Ashleigh Weyell, Swan Valley Anglican Community School

The workshop was engaging and inspiring. Our students felt safe in their writing and sharing and trusted Deb totally. There was joy in our students’ voices and on their faces as they shared. Deb’s feedback was insightful and positive—not condescending. Sessions were paced well and were challenging—all students able to come to activities at own level and develop.

Debbie Douglass, Newman Senior High School

Fantastic library visit. Deb was enthusiastic, dynamic and had a fantastic relationship with the students. Relating real life stories, pictures and video clips was great. Very inspiring for the students.

Teachers, Cannington Library, Children’s Book Week

Deb Fitzpatrick gave a really engaging and interesting talk and presentation that was highly effective for our students. Her style was open and friendly and our students gained lots from her session.

Teachers, Cannington Library, Children’s Book Week

They were very engaged. Teaches them to research when they are writing, to experience what they are writing about. To hear an author tell where she gets her ideas from and experience is awesome.

Teachers, Cannington Library, Children’s Book Week

Great talk – pitched at right level for kids. Very worthwhile.

Teachers, Cannington Library, Children’s Book Week

Terrific. Deb engaged the kids with experiences and visual aids. These experiences are great for our students to listen to and see how she progressed with her ideas to write. More of this type of activity would be tremendous.

Feedback from teachers visiting Cannington Library during Children’s Book Week

We should have writers like Deb more often to inspire young writers. It was amazing, will appreciate more programs like this!

Teachers, Cannington Library, Children’s Book Week

This is a very good activity/promotion to encourage kids to love reading and even be inspired to pursue their dreams of being writers or illustrators. We love to support any of your plans such as this. Well done!

Teachers, Cannington Library, Children’s Book Week

Thank you for visiting our school today and being so warm and candid with the kids. They were really excited about the visit and their article … even being edited by a real writer 🙂

Michelle Murphy, Darling Range Sports College

Deb was well prepared and confident. She provided lots of opportunities for the students to be involved. Deb was very energetic and entertaining, very easy to listen to, and the content was both age appropriate and of interest to our class.

Simone McKenna, Shire of Murray

The kids all had a fantastic time meeting you, The Year 11s are about to do some writing for a competition so I’m sure they will be feeling inspired!

Nakita Kitson, WA College of Agriculture

I have just finished reading your book 90 packets of instant noodles. It was really awesome! I really enjoyed reading it, you are a really good writer. I have recommended it to school. You should definitely keep writing!

Olivia Hawks, Year 9 student

90 packets of Instant Noodles, Deb, boy o boy—it was worth the wait! Children’s book…pfft! I can’t put it down!

Louise, mother of two

I gave 90 packets of instant noodles to my grandsons. The 13-year-old read it in one sitting. Once he got started he couldn’t put it down and told me yesterday that it was “the best book he has ever read”!!

Maggie, Grandmother of three

I could feel Ally’s pain — and as a high school teacher I’ve certainly experienced the pain many endure. I felt like I was running on adrenalin reading Have you seen Ally Queen? I wanted to get to the end and yet I needed every bit of it.

Clare, high school teacher

Finished 90 Packets. Powerful, powerful stuff. Once the shooting happened my mouth was open for the rest of the book.  You did a lot of homework. Original and believable. I’ll definitely be slipping it to the sheltered as well as wayward teens I come across.

Michael Brown, English teacher

Thank you for being such a star today, Deb. You’re brilliant!

Denise Tan, Bookseller, Singapore

I have had a number of students that took part in your presentations come in and ask for your book. Both Have you Seen Ally Queen? and The Amazing Spencer Gray are out. Just thought you would like to know.

Carolina Mejia, Youth Events Librarian, Kalgoorlie-Boulder