Pakenham Secondary College students Sarah Anderson (left) and Tahlia Hobson with author Marcus Zusak.
– Jessica Craike
AWARD-winning Australian author Marcus Zusak visited students at Pakenham Secondary College last week to promote national Book Week.
Year nine students at the college were entertained by the charismatic author who emphasised a personal and humorous approach to writing.
School librarian Chris Te Lindert said the children “could not stop laughing” at Zusak’s stories.
“Even the sport students snuck in to listen,” she said. “Marcus really talked to them on their own level.” The author showed the students how to turn everyday events into exciting stories.
“It was an interesting lesson on how to write well,” Mrs Lindert said.
The visiting author, lunchtime trivia contests and a poster competition were just some of the activities at the college to encourage students to visit their school library.
“We want to encourage students to go to the library for a good book, not only for a school assignment,” Mrs Lindert said.
Marcus Zusak is the 2006 winner of the Printz Honor Award. The award is for excellence in young adult literature.
