Book Week leaves Petersham Public School students starstruck

The kindy children at Petersham Public School received a surprise visit from the ARIA Award-winning star of Emma Memma and former Yellow Wiggle, Emma Watkins.

The children’s entertainer who said book week was her favourite week of the year, read the awestruck students one of her books, ‘Hello, Emma Memma’.

“I wish we had book week when I was at school – how nice for children to use their book characters as their idols”, she said.

“Our philosophy at Emma Memma is to try and integrate as much visual communication as possible so that children have options in how they interact with a book, and being able to read to children in person is great feedback for next books.”

Preschoolers celebrate a magical Book Week

From Cat in a Hat to Gruffalo and Disney princesses, Edgeworth Public School Preschoolers have been given the opportunity to bring their favourite book characters to life, in a special collaboration to help mark the school’s annual Book Week celebrations.  

The children joined 700 teachers and students from kindergarten to year six to parade around the school grounds, showcasing their colourful creations together.  

This year’s Children Book Council of Australia book week theme is ‘reading is magic,’ celebrating books for young people and the joys of reading with classroom activities, competitions, storytelling and the popular schoolbook parade happening in schools across New South Wales.  

Assistant Principal Clair Callinan said Book Week is important for preschoolers because it fosters a love for reading and storytelling from an early age. 
 
“It encourages children to explore different genres, discover new authors and engage with stories and their imagination.”  

Speers Point Public School spearheads Book Week for the Hunter community

Speers Point Public School in Lake Macquarie has led one of the longest community Book Week parades in the Hunter.

Staff, students and community members turned out in style for this year's parade.

More than 250 students, more than 30 staff and many community members dressed up as book characters under the ‘Reading is Magic’ theme this year before parading more than two kilometres up and down Speers Point’s Main Road.

Principal Chris Payne said the school is building a wonderful tradition of community involvement.

“En route we connect with local businesses and the wider community such as the Speers Point library, Lake Macquarie Council and Great Beginnings Preschool,” he said.

“It’s the most marvellous way of sharing and promoting a love of reading, which is a bullseye on our target of improving literacy for everyon

Socceroo books in at Kellyville Ridge Public School for Book Week

Western Sydney Wanderers goalie and Socceroo, Lawrence Thomas, received a rockstar welcome when he visited Kellyville Ridge Public School as part of the school’s 20-year anniversary Book Week celebrations.

Lawrence read one of The Children’s Book Council of Australia Shortlisted books – Gymnastica Fantastica – to the students before taking questions.

Lawrence confessed that he wasn’t a big reader however when asked about his favourite books, his answer, that he “loved Harry Potter books”, drew loud cheers and applause from the audience.

“[Reading] is probably something I should do a bit more,” he said. “I was more a gamer to be honest, but I tell the kids not to game too much and read more books.”

However, his coach will be pleased that he enthusiastically reads the publications his club produces on tactics to beat his football opponents.

Classic story book characters make a comback at Yowie Bay Public School.

Students dressed up in everything from ‘Alice in Wonderland’, Dorothy from the ‘Wizard of Oz’, ‘Mary Poppins’, ‘Peter Pan’, Willy Wonka, ‘Charlotte’s Web’ and ‘Cinderella’. A few modern examples were ‘Barbie’, ‘The Unbelievable Top Secret Diary of Pig’ and ‘Where’s Wally?’

Yowie Bay Public School teacher librarian Leanne Heffernan said the Book Week parades and dressing up encourages imagination and brings out the fun of books and reading.

“Now that children have access to so much technology it's more important than ever to help them develop a love of literature and reading and to highlight all that books have to offer,” she said.

“During Book Week we have the chance to change students attitudes to reading. A love of reading sets children up for success at school and in life.”

Principal Bronwyn Jeffree said the students were each week reading books shortlisted by the Children’s Book Council of Australia and voting on their favourites.

“So far, the winning books from student choice is ‘Gymnastica Fantastica’ for our younger readers and ‘Timeless’ for our older readers. Our favourite picture books are ‘Paper Flower Girl’ and ‘Hope is the Thing’.

Library monitor and Year 6 student Christian Farrell highlighted how Book Week is also a valuable transition activity for preschoolers who were invited to Yowie Bay Public School.

Staff dress up and join in the fun of Book Week at Engadine West Public School

At Engadine West Public School staff always dress up for Book Week. This year the staff chose characters from Little Miss and Mr Men. Last year it was ‘101 Dalmatians’.

“It’s such a happy inclusive environment at our school and everyone dresses up, including our student practicum teachers on their internship and our visiting casual teachers,” principal Sue Roach said.

Engadine West students have this week zoomed in to online learning through the State Library and Dart Learning, had a visit from children’s author Richie Cotton, and visual literacy lessons and book readings with teacher librarians. Favourite books highlighted included ‘Incredibilia’, ‘If I Were a Horse’, and ‘That Bird Has Arms’.