File 01: Robin Morrow interview and photograph by Sally Zwartz

file

29 June, 3 July, 13 July 2023

Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories, Graphic Materials, Photographs

9679651

3 audio files (4 hr. 44 min.) - digital, WAV, stereo (48 kHz, 24 bit)
1 photograph - digital, JPG, colour

Item 1: Robin Morrow interview by Sally Zwartz, 29 June 2023
Item 2: Robin Morrow interview by Sally Zwartz, 3 July 2023
Item 3: Robin Morrow interview by Sally Zwartz, 13 July 2023
Item 4: Photograph of Robin Morrow / by Sally Zwartz

Access via appointment - Onsite access only.

In copyright:
Reproduction Restricted:
Approval for reproduction required: from interviewee.
Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Robin Moncrieff Morrow (1942-) grew up in Wentworthville, in Sydney’s west. She attended Meriden, an Anglican school for girls, and completed a Bachelor of Arts at Sydney University. After university Robin became a teacher at Meriden where she also had responsibility for the school library. In partnership with her mother Beryl, she opened The Children’s Bookshop in Beecroft in 1971.

Robin owned the bookshop for 25 years. During that time it hosted visits from children’s authors, and Robin also gave many talks about children’s books to community groups, librarians and teachers. While managing the shop Robin became a reviewer of children’s books for Sydney’s Child and The Australian, a teacher of children’s literature at Macquarie University, a student of children’s literature at UTS (graduating with an MA in 1991), and a judge of awards including the Nan Chauncy Award and the Premier’s Award. Robin left the bookshop in 1994 to take up a role as publisher at Ashton Scholastic and sold it in 1996.

After leaving Ashton Scholastic, Robin’s work with children’s books continued as an editor, reviewer, teacher and frequent speaker at conferences and other events. She undertook a PhD at UTS, examining nostalgia in Australian picture books, which was awarded in 2004. In 2008 she became President of International Board of Books for Young People (IBBY) Australia. She continued to review, give talks, judge awards and teach, including an online course on Australian children’s literature at Simmons College in Boston. Her contribution to the field of children’s literature has been recognised with multiple accolades: the Pixie O'Harris Award for Dedicated and Distinguished Service to the Development and Reputation of Australian Children's Literature in 1996, in 1998 the John Hirst Award for outstanding service to teacher librarianship and school libraries in New South Wales, and the Lady Cutler Award for Distinguished Service to Children’s Literature in NSW, in 2004. In 2014 she received an AM, for service to children’s literature and to the writing and publishing profession.