But the students were fantastic and had some great story ideas. Here are the two stories the students came up with.

VOLCANO, THE HALF-MAN ROBOT

by Grade 3 and 4 students

THE KISSING ALPACA

by Grade 5 and 6 students

I did a session with the Year 6 students at Aitken College and out of the discussion about workshopping ideas and turning them into stories, the classes came up with their own story — a terrific tale (a tragicomedy really) called The Adventures of Hypo-Cat, which I am proud to present now for your enjoyment.

The dog and Hypo-Cat before the fateful chase that lead to the tree.

And it is with great pleasure that I now present the stories as written (and illustrated) by the grade six students of St Francis of Assisi Primary School.

THE GOOD WEREWOLF

by 6L

MISSING THE HORN!!!

by 6W

THE RAPPING CAMEL

by 6M and 6S

TIME FOOTBALL

by 6P

Today I was out at St Francis of Assisi Primary School in Mill Park all day doing sessions with groups of grade 6 students. We were in a small hall as their new library (as seen below) is halfway to completion. The students were all really enthusiastic and creative — which was especially good for the part of the session where we all write a story together. I’ll be blogging the short stories we came up with soon.

And since it’s Book Week I asked the kids of St Francis of Assisi Primary School to each bring in their favourite book to show and tell me why they like it so much. Book club style! Here are just some of books that were brought in, along with the reasons for their favourtism.

Matilda by Roald Dahl
Because Matilda does what she wants.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Because it relates to a kid who doesn’t want to be at school and just wants to have fun.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Because it has funny characters and weird words like ‘Jabberwocky’.

Go Girl! Dancing Queen by Thalia Kalkipsakis
Because I like dancing.

It’s OK I’m Wearing Really Big Knickers by Louise Rennison
Because of how she wants a boyfriend and how she relates to herself.

Specky Macgee by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon
Because he plays footy and it’s exciting and sporty.

Parvana by Deborah Ellis
Because it shows how other people live in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Because it’s all revealed.

Scorpia: Alex Rider #5 by Anthony Horrowitz
Because he finds out all about his life of spying and mysteries.

Halo: Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund
Because it’s sci-fi and it’s got action.

The Guinness Book of World Records
Because I like seeing people who have challenged themselves.

Skulduggery Pleasant: Dark Days by Derek Landy
Because it has lots of action and mystery.

Hating Alison Ashley by Robin Klein
Because it has funny jokes and it’s soppy.

The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick
Because of the mystery, characters and settings including train carriages, lakes and McDonalds.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Because Bella has to choose between two guys.

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging by Louise Rennison
Because it’s a funny book about a girl who wants a perfect life.

Dear Dumb Diary by Jim Benton
Because it’s about a girl who has bad luck.

Eldest by Christopher Paolin
Because it’s a good book about dragons and battles.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
Because it’s a true story.

Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda
Because it has adventure and a weird hero.

Chinese Cindarella by Adeline Yen Mah
Because it’s a true story.

Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman by Dav Pilkey
Because it has a weird superhero.

Specky Macgee and the Battle of the Young Guns by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon
Because I like footy and it’s fun reading.

Drowned Wednesday: The Keys to the Kingdom #3 by Garth Nix
Because it has interesting characters like giant talking rats.

The Dead of the Night by John Marsden
Because it’s all action, captivating and sucks you in.

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley
Because she tries to be popular but she dies.

Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Because it’s Harry Potter!!!

The Fall: Seventh Tower #1 by Garth Nix
Because it’s set in a different world that no one’s ever heard of before.

There will be plenty of Whedon projects to talk about on the night including Dr Horrible’s Sing-along Blog, Firefly, Dollhouse, The Avengers, the Whedon-directed episode of Glee and, of course, Buffy the slayer of the vampyres.

Speaking of which, it’s been a long time Buffy first aired. And the spin-off show Angel with its many complementary storylines and cross-over episodes, really needs to be watched in harmony with Buffy for the full Buffyverse effect. Unlike giving someone five seasons of The Wire and saying ‘Watch this from start to finish,’ watching Buffy/Angel from start to finish isn’t such a straightforward exercise.

And so, I present my complete listing of Buffy and Angel episodes and the best order in which to view them. Of course, there are many ways you could watch both shows, including watching the shows one at a time. But this way you get to enjoy the story arcs than span both shows and follow characters as they crossover between worlds. Plus you get to watch the show pretty much as it aired. The way the creator originally intended!

The Complete and Most Fulfilling Buffy & Angel Episode Sequence

BUFFY SEASON 1

BUFFY SEASON 2

BUFFY SEASON 3

and then

BUFFY SEASON 4 & ANGEL SEASON 1

• Buffy ‘The Freshman’ (S04E01)
• Angel ‘City Of…’ (S01E01)
• Buffy ‘Living Conditions’ (S04E02)
• Angel ‘Lonely Hearts’ (S01E02)
• Buffy ‘The Harsh Light of Day’ (S04E03)
• Angel ‘In The Dark’ (S01E03)
• Buffy ‘Fear Itself’ (S04E04)
• Angel ‘I Fall to Pieces’ (S01E04)
• Buffy ‘Beer Bad’ (S04E05)
• Angel ‘A Room With A View’ (S01E05)
• Buffy ‘Wild at Heart’ (S04E06)
• Angel ‘Sense and Sensitivity’ (S01E06)
• Buffy ‘The Initiative’ (S04E07)
• Angel ‘The Bachelor Party’ (S01E07)
• Buffy ‘Pangs’ (S04E08)
• Angel ‘I Will Remember You’ (S01E08)
• Buffy ‘Something Blue’ (S04E09)
• Angel ‘Hero’ (S01E09)
• Buffy ‘Hush’ (S04E10)
• Angel ‘Parting Gifts’ (S01E10)
• Buffy ‘Doomed’ (S04E11)
• Angel ‘Somnambulist’ (S01E11)
• Buffy ‘A New Man’ (S04E12)
• Angel ‘Expecting’ (S01E12)
• Buffy ‘The I in Team’ (S04E13)
• Angel ‘She’ (S01E13)
• Buffy ‘Goodbye Iowa’ (S04E14)
• Angel ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ (S01E14)
• Buffy ‘This Year’s Girl’ (S04E15)
• Angel ‘The Prodigal’ (S01E15)
• Buffy ‘Who Am I?’ (S04E16)
• Angel ‘The Ring’ (S01E16)
• Buffy ‘Superstar’ (S04E17)
• Angel ‘Eternity’ (S01E17)
• Buffy ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ (S04E18)
• Angel ‘Five By Five’ (S01E18)
• Buffy ‘New Moon Rising’ (S04E19)
• Angel ‘Sanctuary’ (S01E19)
• Buffy ‘The Yoko Factor’ (S04E20)
• Angel ‘War Zone’ (S01E20)
• Buffy ‘Primeval’ (S04E21)
• Angel ‘Blind Date’ (S01E21)
• Buffy ‘Restless’ (S04E22)
• Angel ‘To Shanshu in L.A.’ (S01E22)

BUFFY SEASON 5 & ANGEL SEASON 2

• Buffy ‘Buffy Vs Dracula’ (S05E01)
• Angel ‘Judgment’ (S02E01)
• Buffy ‘Real Me’ (S05E02)
• Angel ‘Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been’ (S02E02)
• Buffy ‘The Replacement’ (S05E03)
• Angel ‘First Impressions’ (S02E03)
• Buffy ‘Out of My Mind’ (S05E04)
• Angel ‘Untouched’ (S02E04)
• Buffy ‘No Place Like Home’ (S05E05)
• Angel ‘Dear Boy’ (S02E05)
• Buffy ‘Family’ (S05E06)
• Angel ‘Guise Will Be Guise’ (S02E06)
• Buffy ‘Fool For Love’ (S05E07)
• Angel ‘Darla’ (S02E07)
• Buffy ‘Shadow’ (S05E08)
• Angel ‘The Shroud of Rahmon’ (S02E08)
• Buffy ‘Listening to Fear’ (S05E09)
• Angel ‘The Trial’ (S02E09)
• Buffy ‘Into the Woods’ (S05E10)
• Angel ‘Reunion’ (S02E10)
• Buffy ‘Triangle’ (S05E11)
• Angel ‘Redefinition’ (S02E11)
• Buffy ‘Checkpoint’ (S05E12)
• Angel ‘Blood Money’ (S02E12)
• Buffy ‘Blood Ties’ (S05E13)
• Angel ‘Happy Anniversary’ (S02E13)
• Buffy ‘Crush’ (S05E14)
• Angel ‘The Thin Dead Line’ (S02E14)
• Buffy ‘I Was Made To Love You’ (S05E15)
• Angel ‘Reprise’ (S02E15)
• Buffy ‘The Body’ (S05E16)
• Angel ‘Epiphany’ (S02E16)
• Buffy ‘Forever’ (S05E17)
• Angel ‘Disharmony’ (S02E17)
• Buffy ‘Intervention’ (S05E18)
• Angel ‘Dead End’ (S02E18)
• Buffy ‘Tough Love’ (S05E19)
• Angel ‘Belonging’ (S02E19)
• Buffy ‘Spiral’ (S05E20)
• Angel ‘Over the Rainbow’ (S02E20)
• Buffy ‘The Weight of the World’ (S05E21)
• Angel ‘Through the Looking Glass’ (S02E21)
• Buffy ‘The Gift’ (S05E22)
• Angel ‘There’s No Place Like Plrtz Glrb’ (S02E22)

BUFFY SEASON 6 & ANGEL SEASON 3

• Angel ‘Heartthrob’ (S03E01)
• Angel ‘That Vision Thing’ (S03E02)
• Angel ‘That Old Gang of Mine’ (S03E03)
• Buffy ‘Bargaining Part One’ (S06E01)
• Buffy ‘Bargaining Part Two’ (S03E02)
• Buffy ‘After Life’ (S06E03)
• Angel ‘Carpe Noctem’ (S03E04)
• Buffy ‘Flooded’ (S06E04)
• Buffy ‘Life Serial’ (S06E05)
• Angel ‘Fredless’ (S03E05)
• Buffy ‘All The Way’ (S06E06)
• Angel ‘Billy’ (S03E06)
• Buffy ‘Once More With Feeling’ (S06E07)
• Angel ‘Offspring’ (S03E07)
• Buffy ‘Tabula Rasa’ (S06E08)
• Angel ‘Quickening’ (S03E08)
• Buffy ‘Smashed’ (S06E09)
• Angel ‘Lullaby’ (S03E09)
• Buffy ‘Wrecked’ (S06E10)
• Angel ‘Dad’ (S03E10)
• Buffy ‘Gone’ (S06E11)
• Angel ‘Birthday’ (S03E11)
• Buffy ‘Doublemeat Palace’ (S06E12)
• Angel ‘Provider’ (S03E12)
• Buffy ‘Dead Things’ (S06E13)
• Angel ‘Waiting In the Wings’ (S03E13)
• Buffy ‘Older and Far Away’ (S03E14)
• Angel ‘Couplet’ (S03E14)
• Buffy ‘As You Were’ (S06E15)
• Angel ‘Loyalty’ (S03E15)
• Buffy ‘Hell’s Bells’ (S06E16)
• Angel ‘Sleep Tight’ (S03E16)
• Buffy ‘Normal Again’ (S06E17)
• Angel ‘Forgiving’ (S03E17)
• Buffy ‘Entropy’ (S06E18)
• Angel ‘Double or Nothing’ (S03E18)
• Buffy ‘Seeing Red’ (S06E19)
• Angel ‘The Price’ (S03E19)
• Buffy ‘Villains’ (S06E20)
• Angel ‘A New World’ (S03E20)
• Buffy ‘Two To Go’ (S06E21)
• Angel ‘Benediction’ (S03E21)
• Buffy ‘Grave’ (S06E22)
• Angel ‘Tomorrow’ (S03E22)

BUFFY SEASON 7 & ANGEL SEASON 4

• Buffy ‘Lessons’ (S07E01)
• Buffy ‘Beneath You’ (S07E02)
• Angel ‘Deep Down’ (S04E01)
• Buffy ‘Same Time, Same Place’ (S07E03)
• Angel ‘Ground State’ (S04E02)
• Buffy ‘Help’ (S07E04)
• Angel ‘The House Always Wins’ (S04E03)
• Buffy ‘Selfless’ (S07E05)
• Angel ‘Slouching Toward Bethlehem’ (S04E04)
• Buffy ‘Him’ (S07E06)
• Angel ‘Supersymmetry’ (S04E05)
• Buffy ‘Conversations With Dead People’ (S07E07)
• Angel ‘Spin the Bottle’ (S04E06)
• Buffy ‘Sleeper’ (S07E08)
• Angel ‘Apocalypse, Nowish’ (S04E07)
• Buffy ‘Never Leave Me’ (S07E09)
• Angel ‘Habeas Corpses’ (S04E08)
• Buffy ‘Bring On the Night’ (S07E10)
• Angel ‘Long Day’s Journey’ (S04E09)
• Buffy ‘Showtime’ (S07E11)
• Angel ‘Awakening’ (S04E10)
• Buffy ‘Potential’ (S04E12)
• Angel ‘Souless’ (S04E11)
• Buffy ‘The Killer in Me’ (S07E13)
• Angel ‘Calvary’ (S04E12)
• Buffy ‘First Date’ (S07E14)
• Buffy ‘Get It Done’ (S07E15)
• Angel ‘Salvage’ (S04E13)
• Buffy ‘Storyteller’ (S07E16)
• Angel ‘Release’ (S04E14)
• Buffy ‘Lies My Parents Told Me’ (S07E17)
• Angel ‘Orpheus’ (S04E15)
• Buffy ‘Dirty Girls’ (S07E18)
• Angel ‘Players’ (S04E16)
• Angel ‘Inside Out’ (S04E17)
• Buffy ‘Empty Places’ (S07E19)
• Angel ‘Shiny Happy People’ (S04E18)
• Angel ‘The Magic Bullet’ (S04E19)
• Buffy ‘Touched’ (S07E20)
• Angel ‘Sacrifice’ (S04E20)
• Angel ‘Peace Out’ (S04E21)
• Angel ‘Home’ (S04E22)
• Buffy ‘End of Days’ (S07E21)
• Buffy ‘Chosen’ (S07E22)

and then the final (and most wonderful) season of Angel…

ANGEL SEASON 5

Happy viewing. Or re-viewing! NB: I have updated the beginning of Buffy S06/Angel S03 after some good corrections came through from ‘Morda’ in the comments section (where there are spoilers, so beware!)

Oh and if you’ve never seen it before, check out this video of Joss performing one of his songs from the musical DVD commentary to Dr Horrible’s Sing-along Blog during a live episode of This American Life. Great stuff.

Sneakiness is often associated with badness. For example, we all know that robbers sneak about in the night and mice sneak into kitchens to steal crumbs. We believe that to sneak is to perform an act of deceit or betrayal. But perhaps it is not the sneakiness that is evil here. A robber could still rob houses at night by being loud and obvious rather than sneaky. And mice could still enter a kitchen with fanfare and trumpets rather than with sneakiness. It’s just that sneakiness makes it easier for badness to go unnoticed.

There are plenty of good people who sometimes act sneakily. Ballerinas, for example. They sneak across the ballet stage on their tippy toes trying not to be heard. And yet ballerinas are good people, even if their clothes are often a few sizes too small for them. This in itself almost proves the point – sneakiness doesn’t cause badness, badness causes badness.

So it is about time we reclaimed the art of being sneaky to the good side of the force. And there are plenty of good reasons to be sneaky. For example, you may want to sneak a bunch of flowers into the letterbox of your favourite boy/girl. Or you may want to sneak up on a friend with hiccups and scare them. Or you may want to sneak away from your mother before you hurt her feelings by saying you don’t like it when she licks a tissue and cleans your face.

Now some people say that sneakiness is used to spy on people. And spying is bad. But spying, like sneaking, can be good. Just think of all the good spies there are – Maxwell Smart, Harriet the Spy, the Spy Kids and the Spy Kids in 3D, among many others. Even the Famous Five did their fair share of spying and those kids were made of pure good.

So if we are going to properly reclaim sneakiness from the kidnappers and politicians of the world, we must learn the art of sneaking inside out. And despite all this talk of creeping about in the dark, the best way to be sneaky is not to be sneaky at all. Because the best sneaking happens when nobody realises there’s sneaking afoot.

Firstly, do not walk around on your tippy toes with a hunched back. This is a dead giveaway that someone is being sneaky. Walk with your back straight like a lighthouse and your feet flat like the ocean. No one ever suspects right angles of being sneaky. Also, don’t smile while you’re sneaking. Smiling is for people who have something to hide. And for happy people. But mostly for those hiding something.

Secondly, don’t try to be sneaky by hiding. Only cartoon characters can get away with carrying a bush around and hiding behind it whenever anyone looks at them.

As you can see above, blending in with your surroundings is the best way to be sneaky. It’s the perfect way to hide the fact that there’s sneaking afoot. So if you’re at a skateboard ramp, strap on some kneepads. If you’re in a library, talk in a hushed voice when you’re on the phone. If you’re at the ballet, walk around on your tippy toes. Actually scrap that last one.

If we all concentrate on being sneaky in the appropriate ways and for the appropriate reasons, I’m confident we can take sneakiness back from the rodents and bogeymen of society and move about unnoticed (ie. sneak) in the name of good, not evil. Who knows, sneakiness may even save the world one day. Although the sneakiness involved in saving the world would probably be so excellent that we wouldn’t even realise there was sneaking afoot.

(Special thanks to Leanne Hall for her appearance in the controlled-sneaking experiment photos)

I say this as I’m very excited to be involved in the Pigeon Letters project this year. Pigeon Letters is a program that matches up authors (and illustrators) with primary school students, getting each author-student combo to write letters back and forth and collaborate to write a short story. Pretty cool, huh!

Some of the authors involved in the project last year include Tony Wilson, Sally Rippin and Michael Wagner. And some of the kids involved last year include Leif, Jasmine and Alex (all from North Melbourne Primary School).

This year I’ve been matched up with a grade five student called Toni from Footscray City Primary School. I received Toni’s first letter last week (pictured above) and I can already tell that Toni and I are going to write a mad story together.

In her letter she told me ‘I am interested in writing an action-packed story with you if that is OK with you’. It sure is Toni! I love action-packed stories almost as much as I like authors who know exactly what they want to write. Conviction FTW!

Here’s me with Toni’s letter.

I have spent this weekend writing a letter back to Toni. I would tell you what I have written back to her, but letters are private, don’t you know? I’ve already said too much by quoting from Toni’s letter and showing you what it looks like. But the good news is that at the end of the project, all author-student stories will be published as a special Pigeons book. Here’s what last year’s Pigeons book looked like. Pretty pigeons!

Jenna and Lachlann (the excellent peeps behind Pigeons) have almost doubled the number of creative types involved in the project since last year and this time around have 20 authors/illustrators working with 20 lucky Footscray City students. Toni and I are just one of 20 collaborative teams. Collaboration FTW!

For more info visit the Pigeons website and while you’re there check out what my pen pal Toni had to say about The Greatest Blogger in the World.