Time to book

August 18th, 2016

Imaginations will be running wild next week when hundreds of students across the Hills take part in Book Week celebrations.

Taking on the 2016 Book Week theme, 'Australia! Story Country', students will immerse themselves in the wonderful world of reading and storytelling and even get to dress up as their favourite book character.

Crafers Primary School teacher and librarian Elke Lobenstock said that it is important for students to experience the thrill of holding and reading a physical book and sharing the story with others in a “techie” world.

“Our school promote books as much as we can all the time, but it's great to have a week where we explore a new theme – this year it being Australia's history,” Elke said.

“The great thing about Book Week is that you get a great variety of books with underlying themes such as Indigenous history,” she said.

Crafers Primary School is celebrating their 150th anniversary in 2016, adding extra weight to the importance of looking back into history and particularly the school's past.

“We have been investigating the themes in books, writing written responses and creating art work based around the text,” Elke said.

“I think it's important that students see the enjoyment that can come from sharing a story,” she said.

The school will celebrate the end of Book Week with a dress up day, giving everyone the chance to dress up as their favourite book character.

“We have some very inventive parents who make some incredible costumes,” Elke said.

Book Week has played a role in the lives of Australian children for several years and this year money raised in schools will support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, giving hope to seriously ill children.

Children's Book Council of Australia chair professor Margot Hillel said Make-A-Wish was a great fit for Book Week.

“We're excited to help Make-A-Wish and the fantastic work that they do. This year we can inspire children to read and also help wishes come true for sick kids,” she said.

Mount Barker Primary deputy principal Jo Simpson said all year levels will be sharing stories related to Australia.

“On Monday our class will be going to the Mount Barker Community Library to watch a performance by Splash – bringing books to life,” she said.

“We have also put a lot of Book Week material in our newsletter so that parents at home can engage with what's happening.”

Jo said the school was taking a “cross curriculum” focus, incorporating Book Week themes in geography, history and English classes.

“For us, Book Week is all about developing a love for books and reading and exploring books and themes that are not always the first preference of students. The stories they are reading about 'Australia! Story Country' will give meaning to the community they live in,” she said.

A dress up parade will also be held, which Jo said is not only popular with students but with teachers as well.

“Even the principal likes to dress up!” Jo said.

Bridgewater Primary School will run educational activities based around the shortlisted Book Week books.

Student Support Officer and library manager Gina McKain said Book Week is about recognising the value of reading which is sometimes called a “dying art” in a technological world.

“I love the community feel of Book Week and how the whole school gets involved,” Gina said.

“We are going to have a 'whole school read' where older students read books to students in younger classes, all at the same time,” she said.

“It's going to be lovely hearing the buzz of words spoken around the school. It's nice to know that books are alive and well in children's minds.”

Heathfield High School will have a display of this year's Children's Book Council of Australia's short-listed secondary school books which students can borrow from the library.

Jessica Smith from the school's resource centre said the aim was to get students reading.

“This year we also want to help students in remote communities have access to great books by raising money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation,” Jessica said.

“We are organising a 'book swap' to raise money for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation – staff and students will bring in a book that they've enjoyed and swap it for a ‘new’ book. They then will make a donation to the ILF that will help fund their programs to supply books to remote communities across Australia and also help with Literacy Projects in these areas.”

“We want students to think about how they have easy access to great books, while students living in remote communities may not.”

Heathfield Primary School students will be visiting the Stirling Coventry Library during Book Week to take part in Book Week activities.

Student Support Officer and Pastoral Care worker Cathy said the activities would be science based.

“We like to foster a love of reading and exploring while gaining enthusiasm for science and technology,” she said.

The school will also host a dress up day.

“We have very creative parents who spend hours on costumes – they don't need to be expensive to be creative,” Cathy said.

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