Local landscapes shape Sarah Armstrong’s children’s books

AS a child growing up in Armidale, Sarah Armstrong didn’t have a television, so she turned to books instead. That early love of reading sparked a lifelong connection to storytelling. She went on to become a journalist and producer at the ABC, but always had a quiet, persistent feeling that she might have a novel in her.

Eventually, she left the national broadcaster and moved with her partner to the hills behind Mullumbimby — a landscape that would become the setting for her debut novel, Salt Rain.

Like many authors who write for children, Armstrong made the shift after becoming a parent herself.

“I knew all the stuff about the importance of reading to kids but lying beside Amelia (who’s now 15) and reading her The Borrowers or Hairy Maclary or Violet Mackerel; it became much, much more,” she said.

That return to the immersive world of children’s literature reignited the magic she felt as a child and inspired her to create stories that could do the same for today’s young readers.

Her first children’s novel, Big Magic, was sparked by a visit to the Mullumbimby Showgrounds. The lush, dramatic landscapes of the Northern Rivers region continue to play a central role in her storytelling.

“My latest book, Run, is set a bit north of Byron Shire, but it’s very sub-tropical,” she said. “I think the landscape here ends up in my work because it’s dramatic and shapes my life, so I let it shape the lives of my characters, too.”

Run, set to be released on July 29, is an adventure story for readers aged nine and up. It follows Cas, a boy who runs away from a complicated family situation and becomes lost in the Australian bush. There, he encounters a mysterious family who are also on the run — though from what, they won’t say.

Armstrong will be speaking about Run at the upcoming Byron Writers Festival at Bangalow Showground, where she is presenting a session as part of the children’s program on Sunday, August 10, alongside fellow authors Anita Heiss, Tony Armstrong, Zanni Louise and Kirli Saunders.

“At a time when reading and literacy rates are falling in Australia, which can feel pretty disheartening, it’s uplifting to be surrounded by hundreds of people — including kids — who really value books and reading,” Armstrong said.

“It’s so important that we do everything we can to encourage kids to read. When a kid meets an author, it excites them about their books; it sends them to their school library or the bookshop. And once a kid is excited about one book, with a little guidance, they will find their way to the next one.”