Squishy Minnie Bookstore in Kyneton, Victoria | Book shop

Squishy Minnie Bookstore

Locality: Kyneton, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 5460 1420

Address: 6 High St 3444 Kyneton, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.squishyminnie.com.au

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• Independent book shop

21.01.2022 A quick reminder that we are CLOSING early today at 3.45pm so that our last two bookclubs of the year can meet face to face here in Squishy! Thank you all for your understanding, we reopen tomorrow morning at 10am. This afternoon our grade 6 bookclub are chatting about We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad AND When Rain Turn to Snow by Jane Godwin while our High School group are discussing This is How We change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield. Three spectacular books, we are so looking forward to hear our book clubbers thoughts.

21.01.2022 If you haven't already heard the most wonderful news - this Sunday at 9.30am we are hosting a live zoom storytime with Jane Godwin and Alison Lester who are reading us their exquisite brand new picture book Sing Me the Summer. This events pulls on my heartstrings for a number of reasons, firstly my love for Jane Godwin is well known! Initially it was just for Jane's books but over the last three years we have slowly gotten to know her as a human and gosh, she is thoughtful, ...clever, kind and funny! Everything Jane has been involved in with Squishy is a joyful experience, and we all need some joy right now. Secondly this is the first event we will have had with Alison Lester, but small Kristen would be beside herself. As a child one of my happiest memories was camping right near where Alison's book Magic Beach is based, so I have always been a bit of a fan girl. To say I am excited about hearing these two fantastic women read us their book on Sunday would be an understatement. It is also quite apt that I will be taking our just turned four year old away on her very first camping trip over the weekend and her and I will be joining in the zoom storytime from our tent in Northern Victoria. Anyhow - JOIN US! Old, Young, families, teachers, carers, ANYONE who needs a beautiful story in their life right now is welcome! After the book reading there will be a craft activity (you'll find little list of supplies needed below). Let's show these two fabulous woman all the love we can muster! Zoom details are - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82833219920 Meeting ID: 828 3321 9920 Passcode: squishy Supplies needed for the optional craft activity - -coloured paper (origami paper is great) OR kids could have painted some white paper and let it dry beforehand - string - scissors - glue - textas or coloured pencils - a shell, bead, button or sinker - or any small object that could act as a weight so that the mobile hangs nicely

20.01.2022 There are quite a lot of folks choosing book gifts for Christmas at the moment, it's always such fun helping select surprise books for young readers! Just a little reminder that we have layby and we LOVE it!

20.01.2022 We are SO incredibly excited to be back with a one off zoom storytime tomorrow! We had been planning behind the scenes to get back to in-store storytime in the coming weeks but as we know, things apparently can't get planned too far in advance these days! Tomorrow at 10am, Lucky will be reading We Will Rock Our Classmates by Ryan T Higgins, Slug in Love by Rachel Bright and Nadia Shireen, Billie and the Blue Bike by Ambelin Kwaymullina and the Pocket Chaotic by Ziggy Hanaor a...nd Daniel Gray-Barnett. Yes, that's right FOUR books and maybe some extra songs too!! I suspect most of us know all about trying to get anything done during lock down while having a hovering child interjecting every 2 minutes. Hopefully this will give you all a few extra minutes for a cup of tea (or a lie down!). Join us at 10am (different day & time to usual) via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89883267723 Meeting ID: 898 8326 7723 Passcode: squishy Lucky will try to log on just a few minutes early to say hello to any eager little ones and we're so excited about seeing your smiling faces! Everyone is welcome and much love to you all!

20.01.2022 Throughout this wild year an abundance of excellent Australian books have been published for kids and young adults. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dangerous Animals by Sami Bayly is one such book The scientific illustrations by Sami Bayly are nothing short of extraordinary and this is truly a non fiction book that will be appreciated by young folks and grown ups alike. Perfect for ages 8+... "With more than sixty of the most deadly and dangerous animals from across the world to explore, every page of this beautifully illustrated volume is more eye-opening than the last. You will learn interesting facts about these fascinating species, (many of which you won't have even known were deadly) such as how they have adapted to survive and whether we should be threatened by these animals or appreciate them for their incredible features."

19.01.2022 This afternoon Ellie and I hosted the final bookclubs of the year for our Grade 4 and Grade 5 groups. It was the first time we'd met face to face since March, and gosh it was a joy! We had milkshakes from Donkey to celebrate and I got just a little teary when the Grade 4 group made a pact at the end of bookclub that they will all join again next year. The resilience of these kids is astounding, their empathy huge and their humour, sense of fun and enthusiasm infectious Sin...ce we closed in March we have facilitated 18 bookclubs online for Grades 4, 5, 6 and Years 7 -9, plus Connie has conducted 12 remote bookclubs online for Grade 5 and 6's at Lancefield, Romsey and New Gisborne Primary Schools. We organised and hosted 14 online workshops for kids and young people with seven different authors and illustrators, Andrew McDonald, Daniel Gray-Barnett. Jane Godwin, Nova Weetman, Jess Racklyeft, Bren MacDibble and Ailsa Wild. We've had 5 Zoom Storytime author events including one event with 13 Australian authors who had all published books during 2020. Finally Lucky has managed 30 storytimes which means he has read 90 picture books (and sung sleeping bunnies at least 30 times!!). What. A. Year. It's such a wonderful treat to have young readers back together talking about books with such enthusiasm. It feels like they bring Squishy back to life

17.01.2022 Since March 19th Lucky has been filming storytime every week (except for a couple of weeks before Stage 4 here in Victoria and we transitioned from pre-recorded to live storytimes) and gosh he has made my heart burst. His willingness to go above and beyond to keep little book lovers connected during a time that his own business stopped nearly completely (Lakshal Perera - Photographer of Awesome Stuff) has me feeling all emotional. Since losing the majority of his work, Lucky ...has picked up a mixture of casual work to keep our household above water and while he'll always love photography and continue his business he's made the big decision to return to university to study teaching (both primary and secondary) next year. Without all the positive feedback from kids and their families over the last few months he may not have felt he was cut out to be a teacher, so thank you all for giving him the encouragement and love to make such a big decision The time is getting closer for us to shift how we do storytime. In the coming weeks we will move to a hybrid online and in person storytime where a small number people will be able to book to come into Squishy and we will keep zooming the readings and songs for anyone unable to make it in person. In the meantime tomorrow Lucky will read us these three spectacular books - The Not So Good Outdoors by Madeline Kloepper, A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton and Snitzel von Krumm's Basketwork by Lynley Dodd. The zoom details are - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81856371693 Meeting ID: 818 5637 1693 Passcode: squishy As usual everyone is very welcome!

16.01.2022 Over the last week three of our bookclubs, the Grade 4, Grade 5 and the Grade 6 groups have all read the same book - We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad. We were thrilled to finally meet face to face back in Squishy after a year of Zoom meetings and celebrated with milkshakes from our mates at Donkey Kyneton. Katrina joined ALL THREE bookclubs via zoom to answer any questions the groups may have had. How is that for generosity and commitment to young folks reading experiences?...!?! Katrina had some beautiful responses to questions, and although she didn't get to enjoy a milkshake it was a real treat to have her be part of our final bookclubs of the year. Thank you so much to Katrina and all the authors and illustrators who have taken time to nurture young readers in our bookclubs this year. It's such a special experience for regional young people to connect with book creators! If you haven't heard of We Are Wolves yet, check it out. Perfect for ages 10 + it is a historical fiction from the perspective of a young German girl, Liesl, during the war. "Sometimes it's good to be wild. Sometimes you have to be wild. When the Russian Army marches into East Prussia at the end of the war, the Wolf family must flee. Liesl, Otto and their baby sister Mia find themselves lost and alone, in a blizzard, in the middle of a war zone. Liesl has promised Mama that she will keep her brother and sister safe. But sometimes, to survive, you have to do bad things. Dangerous things. Wild things. Sometimes to survive, you must become a wolf." https://shop.squishyminnie.com.au/p/middle-fiction-ages-8-1?

14.01.2022 The Not-So Great Outdoors written and illustrated by the talented madelinekloepper grabbed my heart as soon as I saw it. Look at that cover and the little human on the front! The slouch, the sullen face. We have all seen that look before (and maybe even done our own version of it). When I sat down to read the book I was so taken with the stunning illustrations and the universal story about being in nature, and actually it was really lovely to read ideas about how to engage wi...th the outdoors when it isn't your comfortable place. Also we have a special love here at Squishy for books published by Tundra Books "What's so great about the "great outdoors"? A grumpy urban kid begrudgingly accompanies her family on a summer camping trip, missing all the sublime sights right under her nose as she longs for the lights and stimulation of the city. But as she explores forests, lakes and mountains, and encounters bears, beavers and caribou, she slowly comes to realize that the simpler things are just as sparkly, that the sky is its own majestic light show, and the symphony is all around."

13.01.2022 And we are BACK! From tomorrow we are back to being open from 9.30am until 5pm Thursday & Friday, 9.30am until 4pm Saturday, 10 until 1 on Sundays AND from next week we will be reopening on Wednesdays from 10am until 4pm. The reason we need to close at 4 on a Wednesday is because Wednesdays are our bookclub days and with the ongoing COVID situation it makes more sense for us to close so that the bookclubs can meet without other visitors in Squishy, and we can be confident th...at we won't be breaching number limits. This afternoon our bookclubs have to be held on zoom but regardless we are SO excited to be reconnecting with our book clubbers for the first time this year. Today the books we will be chatting about - Some Places More Than Others by Renee Watson (Grade 5's) After the Lights Go Out by Lili Wilkinson (Year 7's) Ghost Bird (Years 8 to 10) Hooray for books!

12.01.2022 Book gang we are closing at 3.45 today so that our Grade 4 and 5 bookclubs can meet here in person at Squishy. Thanks for your understanding, we'll be open again from 9.30am Friday

12.01.2022 Hello bookish friends! Just a reminder that we are still doing free delivery in Kyneton, along with $5 delivery around the Macedon Ranges plus Trentham and Daylesford https://www.squishyminnie.com.au/home-delivery/ You can order via our website shop for delivery, pick up or postage ... https://shop.squishyminnie.com.au/ We're looking forward to welcoming back Melbourne friends this week For anyone a little nervous about being in Squishy with others around we still have browsing bookings available for Sunday (where you book for your household to have Squishy to yourselves for twenty minutes) https://www.squishyminnie.com.au/in-store-browsing

12.01.2022 Last Online storytime this morning at 10.30am Good morning book friends! This is it! Our last zoom storytime! A big day for us and a moment of reflection regarding how much has changed since we started online storytimes in March. Join Lucky this morning to hear him read these three glorious stories, How to be a Real Ballerina by Davina Bell and Jenny Lovlie, I Want to be a Superhero by Breanna Humes and Amberlin Kwaymullina and the classic Room on the Broom by Julia Don...aldson and Axel Scheffler. Big thank you to everyone who has joined in along the way this year and of course a huge thank you to all the authors, illustrators, publishers and the book community who have allowed us to read their books online. THANKYOU! The link for today is - Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87170046605 Meeting ID: 871 7004 6605 Passcode: squishy

06.01.2022 Here I am earlier this afternoon at home as the Grade 5 book clubbers log onto zoom. It was so glorious to see their faces at our first bookclub of the year! The Year 7 bookclub was after the Grade 5's and has not long finished - it was all kinds of delightful! There was also quite a bit of hilarity, with one book clubber (who has been critiquing the lack of romance in Middle Fiction for the last couple of years) thrilled there was finally a bit of romantic action now that w...e have moved on to Young Adult books! AND right at this very moment Connie is online with the Year 8 - 10 bookclub. Young folks are all legends - watching them taking the uncertainty and the ups and downs in their stride fills my heart

05.01.2022 Happy Friday bookish friends - we hope life is being kind to you at the moment! Squishy is open today, Friday, and tomorrow, Saturday, from 10 until 4.30

04.01.2022 NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN for the Macedon Ranges Youth Awards!! If you are, or you know, a young person doing great things that should be recognised then make su...re you nominate them. It’s easy and you can do it online - www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/youthawards

04.01.2022 As I am typing this I'm listening to Lucky read to our four year before bed old while she giggles away at the stories. This is a big deal because until about 12 months ago she was not interested in books unless they were about facts - germs, dinosaurs, bugs, planets - you name it, she was keen. She would also sit and listen to a made up story (generally about our animals - our pets get up to all sorts of imaginary mischief, our cat is the head of the Pigeons Have Rights Too ...activist group and our dog is adamant that pork chops grow on trees) and repeatedly ask for more, but she wasn't taken with fiction on pages until recently. It's an exciting development in our household. Her favourite junior chapter books at the moment are: Barkus by Patricia MacLachlan Coco the Big City Kitty by Laura Bunting Meet Maud the Koala by J E Morris Here is a snap of a few early reader books, perfect for young ones as they start to have interest in reading words themselves. https://shop.squishyminnie.com.au/p/junior-fiction-ages-5-9? https://shop.squishyminnie.com.au/p/junior-fiction-ages-5-9? https://shop.squishyminnie.com.au/p/no-category-meet-maud-t?

03.01.2022 FINAL ONLINE STORYTIME The time has come to finish up our online storytimes, with tomorrow being our last live zoom storytime. We will be moving back to instore storytime over the next couple of weeks, we'll let folks know the details as you will need to book in due to space restrictions. It'll be glorious to have little faces back in Squishy but we will miss our online community. Thank you all so much for joining us on a Thursday morning for the last seven months, it has be...en joyous in the midst of an uncertain time. A special extra big thank you to storytime regulars who have purchased books via our online shop as a thank you for Lucky's hard work in keeping storytime going, it's really kind and thoughtful of you. Getting the little notes on online orders from folks saying their small humans are enjoying storytime has kept out hearts full We'll post the last zoom link and the three storytime books in the morning and we'll see you online at 10.30am tomorrow, and hopefully back in Squishy very soon

02.01.2022 Our opening hours for the rest of the year are sorted! Mondays - CLOSED Tuesday - Saturday 10am until 4.30pm Sunday 10am until 1pm... Our online store remains open 24/7 as always and we continue to home delivery in Kyneton and around the Macedon Ranges We will be holding off on restarting story time until the end of January - it will be via a booking system so we can monitor numbers in Squishy. As always thank you to you all for being so delightful this year, we are sending so much love out to our little book community.