Bestselling children's book author Davina Bell shares what keeps her excited and involved in the Early Harvest project and how she came up with a story of the world's worst detective.

For early harvest issue six, we asked children from Melbourne’s west to dig into the crimes and murder mysteries lurking in their neighbourhoods. Here’s an extract from The Up and Down Case! uncovered by Lili Rivera from St Monica’s Primary School. Illustration by Cameron Baker.

English teachers at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College recently journeyed down the trapdoor on a quest for tips, tricks and tools to transform Year 8 students into brilliant, majestic talespinners. Ernest Price, Director of English, sent us a letter sharing all the fun the teachers and students have had since.

Former Early Harvest editor and current mentor Caitlin (age 13) caught up with criminal masterminds Mary (age 10) and Grace (age 11) to uncover the mysterious goings-on at the weekly early harvest issue six editorial meets over the last ten weeks!

You are invited to the launch of Early Harvest 2017, a magazine by children for children. The theme this year is CRIME and MURDER MYSTERY, and it features mind-boggling mysteries, diabolical villains, criminal quizzes and nefarious games by aspiring young writers from Melbourne’s west and a sprinkling of Australia’s best-loved children’s book authors.

The theme of early harvest issue six is CRIME and MURDER MYSTERY! Brace yourself for stories about books that wail, a clue that is a bag full of clues, the world’s worst detective who also happens to be a panda and a host of other colourful, diabolical and nefarious characters and plotlines!

Collabowriters are running a ‘come and test’ day at Westvale Community Centre on 3 and 4 October, and would like to invite children and their families to drop-in and make space-age planes, DIY ping-pong shooters and comics with them!

On October 5, hopeful time travellers can make an interactive screen-based installation called Hello Future Self, thanks to artist Steve Berrick. Children will draw and create characters that his technology will bring to life through real-time animation.

A Monday morning creative breakfast club for Year 1 to 4 at Tarneit P-9 is giving the students an exciting and fun start to the week, and improving student attendance and engagement.

We need YOU to attend a special session of Level 87 Book Club on 5 October, 2-4pm and help us, the young people, sort out some important literary matters.

In this podcast, young writers at 100 Story Building share micro stories and discuss important matters such what if Fitbits could act as ‘homework completers’, would World War III spell the end of Taco Bell and where do baby apes sleep?

A pink fairy armadillo in red gum boots has jumped out of the trapdoor and is furious at us for not telling all of you about 100 Story Holidays, our upcoming story workshops for the school holidays. You really don’t want to upset a pink fairy armadillo, especially one in red gum boots. So here we go.

Through our Story Cups & Bites project, we convinced eight local cafes to join us in amplifying the creative voices of the young writers at 100 Story Building. For the duration of the festival, the cafes will be adding their stories into your order via coffee cups, zines and photo frames.