"NO ONE tells a story quite like Mem Fox," exclaimed Lesley Steele of Manning Gardens Public School, and the statement couldn't have been more true.
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The staff and students were treated to a very special visit from the acclaimed children's author early in the term, after she came to the area earlier this month to visit her sister Alison Partridge.
Alison volunteers at Manning Gardens and Mem generously took time out of her flying visit to attend a special assembly in her honour.
Students in all classes at the school enjoyed many different creative arts activities to go with one of Mem's books that their class had been studying in the lead up to the visit.
Following a meet and greet with the teaching staff, Mem then treated the staff and students to readings of a couple of her books, including Good Night, Sleep Tight, Tough Boris and her latest offering which hasn't even been released yet, 'Woo Hoo Ladybug'.
"It's only just been printed, so it's a really, really new one," she explained.
The school was fortunate to have Mem stop in, as she rarely does school visits anymore.
"No I'd prefer not to, I'm getting far too old," she laughed. "I've been winding down from these sorts of things, but this is a lovely school and it's special to my sister so I'm happy to have come here."
It was a flying visit for the much-loved author, spending just 18 hours in the Manning, due to her busy schedule.
"It's only the second time she's been to Taree," explained sister Alison.
Mem has been writing stories since she was 10 years old and has published over 40 children's books including international favourites 'Where is the Green Sheep?', 'Possum Magic', 'Tough Boris', 'Whoever you are' and 'Good Night, Sleep Tight'.
"We cannot thank Mem enough for her visit to our school. It was a wonderful opportunity for all students and staff and as part of her visit we were very lucky to receive such a wonderful new book for our school library - Woo Hoo Ladybug, which has not even been released in Australia yet," said an excited Melissa Barry, a class teacher at the school.
The children were completely enthralled through Mem's 'performances' of her books, clapping, laughing and joining in, a great sight to see.
