“[Students] found the show very enjoyable and it enhanced their knowledge regarding wellbeing and how spending time with loved ones is beneficial for mental health.” – Galston PS, NSW

“[Students] got the message about time being spent with loved ones, etc. I teach stage 3 and they got a lot out of the Q&A after the show.” – St Joseph’s PS, Glen Innes NSW

“You made it exciting and engaging, lots of singing and movement and actions.” – Balaklava PS, SA

“All years enjoyed the show and pre performance activities (making masks and reading books). Performers had plenty of energy and interacted well with all year levels. ” – Glenden State School, QLD

“Great themes. Good link with friendships which is current in 5/6. Invention themes fits into curriculum. ” – Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Deepdene VIC

“We are able to link the messages from the book into our well-being program… the students were able to be apart of it and participate in different parts. [Students] were able to delve into the messages in the book better” – Saint Patrick’s School, Nhill VIC

“Really clear message – never give up. Emotions and feelings of characters enabling prior knowledge and connection to text. The performance itself fits in with the grade 2 unit of inquiry – How We Express Ourselves.” – Murrumbeena Primary School, VIC

“Taught them some wonderful life lessons.” – Manning Valley Anglican College, NSW

"Great messages in the story - strong characters and acting to deliver the message to the students at their level!" - Moree PS, NSW

"A great show. Fantastic message and great interaction with students before, during and after the show." - Cobden PS, VIC

"The students were so engaged in the performance, and really understood the message of the book. They left the show talking about things they dream of doing in the future." - Ryan Catholic College, Kirwan QLD

"A great ‘response to book’ activity to encourage a lifelong love of books; opportunity to participate; observation of skills of performance to enhance own future performances; appropriate messages delivered (be persistent; dream big; hard work…)" - Holy Cross PS, Trinity Park QLD

“Theme of bravery. It reflects our school’s disposition of ‘embracing challenge’.” - Thangool State School, QLD

“Great links to theme of being brave and a good amount of silliness for the kids to enjoy!” - Dayboro State School, QLD

“I loved how the final song really brought home the theme of the performance... I also loved the attention to detail and how all parts of the performance were inspired by the illustrations.” - Ryan Catholic College, Kirwan QLD

“Made a connection to real problems that children are dealing with.” - Holy Cross School, Trinity Park QLD

“I thought the book was told beautifully through the songs and props. The whole show was excellent.” – Holy Cross School, Trinity Park, Cairns QLD

“Lots of energy. Content is appropriate and multimodal. Very enjoyable and engaging. Students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the show.” - St William's Grovely Catholic Primary School, QLD

“The cast were very enthusiastic and the story had a great message.” – Dayboro State School, QLD

"The puppetry and the interpretation of the story, the message of 'it's ok to be different'. I also enjoyed the audience participation as well as the musical insert to the play." – Conargo Public School, NSW

“Probably the best show we have had visit our school.” - Middleton PS, Parkes NSW

“Love the natural involvement of the children in the production.” – Canberra Grammar ELC, Red Hill ACT

“Interesting to kids of all ages.” – Emmanuel College, Ballina NSW

“Loved it. Very entertaining and captured the message within the book.” – St Stephens College, Coomera QLD

“The students were able to gain the emotions of the story through your interpretation with believable characters.” – Binda Public School, Binda NSW

“A great balance between story and audience participation.” – King’s Baptist Grammar School, Wynn Vale SA

“Fabulous. Completely at the children’s level.” – Armadale Primary School, VIC

“An intelligent adaptation.” – Virginia Primary School, VIC

“Great use of mixed medium. Puppet
was clever for Boy.” – Mackay Regional Council, QLD

“Fantastic connections to text.” – Dayboro State School, QLD

“The strong messages were highlighted around social behaviour.” – St Catherine’s School, VIC

“Interactive nature – fabulous!” – St Monica’s, Evatt ACT

“I liked the way the performance stayed true to the story. The interactive aspect was excellent – the students were engaged throughout.” - Caroline Chisholm School, ACT

“Sympathetic handling of the book’s message.” - Newmarket State School, QLD

“Imaginative production.” - Gayndah State School, QLD

"Wonderful that children are exposed to such relevant mental health issues through quality drama."
St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie, NSW

"Excellent opportunities for all children to participate."
"Age appropriate to help embed learning how to manage emotions."
St Stephen's College, Upper Coomera, QLD

"I have one particular student who often experiences 'the huffs'. You made his day. ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!"
Gayndah State School, QLD

"Absolutely fabulous!! Thank you. Super message - great lesson in life."
St Oliver Plunkett School, Cannon Hill, QLD

"It truly was the best shortlisted book performance I have ever seen."
Iona Public School, Woodville, NSW

"The interpretation of the book was fantastic and presented at a level that engaged all students, Prep to Grade 6."
Lightning Reef Primary School, VIC

“Great children's show” - The Clothesline

“Delightful” - The Advertiser

“a perfect theatrical experience” - Play & Go

“Fits of laughter...Entertaining...Engaging” - Weekend Notes

“Brilliant performance. Great props Elizabeth. One of the best performances / props we’ve seen.”
Moama Anglican Grammar, Moama NSW

“Students engaged with the different characters and took away with them a powerful message.”
Caulfield Primary School, Caulfield South, VIC

"As we live in a remote community this, for most of our children, is their first experience of live theatre. A most delightful experience"
St Joseph's School, Rosebery, TAS

"Fantastic show, great involvement of the students and catered to the full breadth of students from Playgroup to Grade 6. I felt inspired to get the kids making puppets back at school."
Pyalong Neighbourhood House, VIC

"The performance was excellent! A very topical theme. Children liked it. Liked the theme of resilience and we can overcome any problems with Grandpa saying "Never Mind". Enjoyed the renewable energy theme and the explanation via diagram and song about power, coal, C02!! Top work!!"
Sacred Heart Primary School Coolah, NSW

"Absolutely wonderful - love everything about this show. Inspirational. Great work!"
Highfields PS, Lindfield NSW

"A great performance! Loved the combination of puppets, singing, dancing and acting. Very entertaining and engaging. The students from Primary School all took something away. All the little nuances in Herman and Rosie were explored. One student asked a question about the sets and it was fabulous seeing how lots of the props and sets were made."
Caroline Chisholm College, Chisholm ACT

"My preschool class sang the monster chant 'oogie boogie....(however the rest goes)' for the ENTIRE day!! they loved it... The unbridled joy on the faces of the children was worth every cent we paid. It was a lovely interpretation of the book (in fact it made me rethink my opinion of the book) and the kids could not have been more engaged."
Harrison School, Harrison, ACT

"So impressed by the whole performance. Loved the way that it was also designed to inspire the students and teachers to use books in other ways. [The students] couldn't stop talking about it afterwards and loved all the funny bits."
St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie, NSW

“Excellent in every respect. Nothing to improve on. Girls rapt! Good way to handle separation. Theme well developed."
Queenwood Junior School Medway Library, Mosman, NSW

“All the staff commented that they wanted to re-read it and find all the things they hadn’t noticed and only discovered through your performance. It is a great way for the kids (and teachers!) to learn how to delve into a story and discover the writers intentions and at the same time have fun.”
Pleasant Street P.S., Ballarat, VIC

"Very entertaining, suitable for Prep to Year 7. True to the written story, very enjoyable, great props."
Kersbrook Primary School, Kersbrook, SA

“The themes of Schumann the Shoeman are quite complex. The finale, with the celebration of Schumann's life, and the songs about following your dreams and being unique, really helped explain them at a child level."
East Maitland Public School, East Maitland, NSW

“Fantastic, Fantastic, Fantastic. It was so good to see the students, some for the first time, experience live theatre.” Lightning Ridge School, NSW

“We thought the deep message of the book was a bit beyond the understanding of our kinders when we read it to them. However the play helped convey things more obviously. It was great to see the kids get into reading with a book coming alive.”
Duffy Primary School, ACT

“It's wonderful! Funny, moving and really entertaining. I so appreciate how you "get" my books and pick up on details others might miss. Congratulations to you and your actors. I thought the actors were really good - funny and lively and kid-friendly - and I was impressed with your various solutions for staging: loved the dancing bear, the lights, the dress-circle seating for Humphrey and Clive during the 'play', and the factory scene. I also appreciated that you picked up on things like the Latin phrase and Walt Whitman's poetry - nice touches... Cheers, Tohby.”
Tohby Riddle, Author & illustrator of "Nobody Owns the Moon"

"It's definitely going to stay with the children as an inspiration to them of what creativity and fun can be had through books."
St Joseph's School, Benalla, VIC

“10/10 Congrats! An excellent production."
Donvale Primary School, VIC

“This show was just fantastic! A very worthwhile and educational event.”
Frankston Library, VIC

"Great way to bring the book alive. A lesson in history, literacy and drama. So practical... Discussion afterwards was valuable – just planned my literacy and art lesson for Wednesday... Fantastic show – very educational and enjoyable.”
Glen Katherine Primary School, Eltham, VIC

"Absolutely sensational!!"
Dromana Primary School, VIC

"Fabulous, really inspired the children to act using books and things in the environment... a top production."
Maranatha Christian College, VIC

"You've done it again! I really enjoyed it - so did my wife, who watched it with me. The script, the songs and the performances were good and funny. And I liked the way you handled the ideas in the book - keeping a nice balance between lively, witty entertainment and sometimes more reflective narrative and meanings in the book. It must have been a challenge, but I think you nailed it and I thought the result was a rich piece of children's theatre. I also appreciated your presentation of the ideas underpinning the book at the end of the show. Very clear and insightful. It was an education for me too. You're doing a great job - I hope it's all going well for you... Best wishes, Tohby Riddle."
Tohby Riddle - Author & Illustrator "Irving the Magician"

"We raced to the library to get the book straight after the show - the children "argue" over whose turn it is to look at it!! Children enjoyed writing about a shared experience... I thought it was a very novel and enjoyable way of introducing a storybook to the children. They all enjoyed it immensely and wrote at length about it when we returned to school.”
St Peter Apostle School, Hoppers Crossing, VIC

"More than just an excellent show of entertainment. The discussion of the book and themes gave teachers and children an extended appreciation of the book."
Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

“Great choice of book to dramatise. It was excellent… Had an important message… The message of ‘You Can Do It!’ was also clear.”
The Peninsula School, VIC

“Thanks for an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience.”
St Jude PS, Scoresby, VIC

"Best part is that the students have extra enthusiasm to borrow from the library."
Glenroy Specialist School, VIC

"It was fantastic... Very entertaining... Kept children interested and involved... Question time at the end was valuable and informative."
Watsonia Heights PS, VIC

"Great performance once again. Singing was exceptionally good this year. Props were cleverly done... Engaged the children so well. It was great to see them laughing spontaneously... Thanks for an excellent show."
Maranatha Christian College, VIC

"I love seeing children improvise play and this was a great model for this."
Hughesdale PS, VIC

"Meaningful story that gave good examples of how children can react when being bullied so that they are not a victim."
Warranwood PS, VIC

"Absolutely Fantastic!! Your performance was not only thoroughly educational - in that children were exposed to the reasons underlying bullying behaviour and how to respond to bullies - but also extremely entertaining from start to finish."
Maranatha School - Doveton Campus, VIC

"It was a thrill to see the book come to life like this. I appreciated your clever and thoughtful interpretation (funny but meaningful) of the story. All the best, Tohby"
Tohby Riddle - Author of 'The Singing Hat'

"Yours was the most talked about show of the programme. Everybody commented on it on their way out about how good it was."
Children's Book Council Of Australia - 2001 Victorian Launch of Book Week