17-26 October 2025

Five local kindergartens and schools to host author visits in May

QLF has announced a strong line-up of children’s authors for its eleventh annual Schools Program, which will visit every preschool and school in Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale between 8–15 May.

This year’s program features:

Andrea Rowe, author of four picture books but best known for Jetty Jumping, which won the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year in 2022;
Song-writing sisters Beth and Byll Stephen from the Teeny Tiny Stevies, who have not only published six picture books but who also won the 2020 ARIA for Best Children's Album;
Former Neighbours star Felice Arena, author of the bestselling Specky MaGee and Sporty Kids series, as well as several historical novels; and
Former journalist and primary school teacher Huda Hayek, author of the 2022 CBCA-shortlisted novel Huda and Me and 2024 CBCA Honour Book Huda Was Here.

2025 is the first year in which the program will also feature a public event: music stars the Teeny Tiny Stevies will be meeting fans and signing their books at the Bookshop at Queenscliff after school on Thursday 8 May.

Queenscliffe Literary Festival’s Schools Program is supported by the Borough of Queenscliffe and receives donations as people buy tickets for the adult festival program. We are very grateful for the community support for this excellent program, which reaches every preschool and school student in the Borough each year.

The Queenscliffe Literary Festival is held in the last two weekends of October. It is a celebration of Australian writers, books and ideas featuring some of our finest authors and thinkers in a program of events designed to stimulate and entertain.

Our leisurely paced schedule has been carefully curated to give you the space and time to think as you enjoy this beautiful part of the world. We look forward to seeing you in October.