'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Saturday 23 May 2020

National Simultaneous Storytime 2020 with Whitney and Britney: Chicken Divas

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).

Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Everyone can join NSS, it doesn't matter whether you are at home, a school, a public library or even a university library!

This year NSS takes place on Wednesday 27 May 2020 at 11.00 am.

Be part of the fun by sharing Whitney and Britney: Chicken Divas, written and illustrated by Lucinda Gifford

Whitney and Britney are two gorgeous chooks who live alongside Dora von Dooze. But Dora is perplexed - why do her dear chickens seem to sleep all day long? Dora decides to snoop. She follows the chooks out at night to the local jazz club where she discovers, to her amazement, that they are Whitney and Britney: Chicken Divas!

Outrageous fun, abundant glitter, told in jaunty rhyme that simply bedazzles; this picture book is entertainment plus! 

Now in its 20th successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

By facilitating NSS the aim is to:
  • promote the value of reading and literacy
  • promote the value and fun of books
  • promote an Australian writer and publisher
  • promote storytime activities in public libraries and communities around the country
  • and provide opportunities to involve parents, grandparents, the media and others to participate in and enjoy the occasion.
NSS receives positive media coverage, generates a great deal of community interest and is held annually as part of Library and Information Week. 2019 was our biggest and most successful NSS to date with over 1,138,000 participants at over 11,550 locations, including participants from New Zealand, Thailand, UK, Canada, Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong. 


Several notable personalities will be reading this book on Wednesday 27 May at 11.00 am including Denise Scott on Playschool. For more information about how to be involved, where to register and what is going on, please visit the ALIA Simultaneous Storytime website.