Life is too exciting for words. But words will have to suffice.

On Tuesday November 18th in Stockholm I met the daughter of Astrid Lindgren, author of the famous and adorable Pippi Longstocking books. Awesome! Lovely woman. And I had a grand time promoting Reading Magic, the Swedish edition. (I discovered that its title: Lasa Hogt is pronounced (roughly) Lairsser Herkt.)

Prior to that I’d had a ball at a wonderful early childhood conference in Calgary, Canada. Such pleasant people, the Canadians.

And I had also had an amazingly rewarding time at Even Start programs in Decatur and Indianapolis, both in Indiana, where I saw the results of a visit I’d made earlier this year. I watched the pride and excitement of mothers who are leading very challenging difficult lives but whose young children are now switched on to books and loving being read to. One very young mother told me she hadn’t bonded with her 18 month old baby until I had suggested, in February, reading aloud. As she put it: “He just loves books, and I love him, and we love each other. We’re real bonded now.”

Then I came home on November 21st and went directly from the airport to Government House for the Australian of the Year awards ceremony for the state of South Australia. Such heaven! I am the Australian of the Year in my state. I was over the moon with joy and jetlag. It was exceptionally exciting. I’m thrilled beyond belief.

This means I’m also a finalist for the Australian of the Year, announced on January 25th. “Mem Fox? Finalist for Australian of the Year?!” I hear you gasp. Don’t worry, I’m gasping too, daily, with the memory of it. I’m wheezing with surprise.

Now as if that weren’t enough adrenalin for one small woman, yesterday in federal parliament, the new leader of the Opposition Labor Party, Mark Latham, spoke in parliament about the importance of reading aloud to young children. I heard the news last night (at the Christmas party of my exercise class, can you imagine such a gathering?!) and I shrieked, literally. I was so heartened and revved up to hear that such an incredibly important politician had picked up “my” ball and was running with it.

But wait! There’s more! Today I was in the car for only fifteen minutes between our house and my hairdresser’s, going to an appointment that I had changed from this morning to later in the day. I flicked on the car radio and pressed a button at random, only to hear Mark Latham giving an inspiring speech in parliament (he’s only been Leader of the Opposition for three days) about the importance of the early years of schooling. And then I heard him mention my name! My heart nearly stopped. I was beside myself. He said something to the effect that he had “had a letter from Mem Fox” (true, some years ago) “advocating the reading aloud of three books per night to set children on the right educational road.” He said that education didn’t start at school it started on the first day of a child’s life, which was the day a baby started to learn.

Miraculously I didn’t crash the car nor run a red light. The odds of my hearing him say it live (which it was) were very small. The coincidence of my being in the car at that time, choosing that particular radio station, and going to an altered appointment at that moment was astounding. There are those who say there’s no such thing as coincidence, just circumstances that are meant to happen. I don’t know about that, but heavens, I was excited.

When I wrote Reading Magic I hoped it would help to change the world for children. I now see that Mark Latham is changing the world on my behalf, in Australia, and I’m very grateful.

If he is also begins to care more deeply for those other human beings called “refugees,” and introduces a more humane and decent refugee policy I will sleep more soundly and more sweetly than I have in many years.

Best wishes,

Mem Fox