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Celebrating the magic of reading with Book Week

Posted on in Junior School, Senior School

Highlights from our Book Week parade

Our annual Book Week parade was a true spectacle of literary magic and creative flair, with colourful book characters and mythical legends coming to life across the College on Wednesday 21 August.

From witches and wizards to superheroes, princesses and rainbow unicorns, the diversity of costumes mirrored the variety of stories that captivate young hearts, serving as a reminder of the timeless power of books, and the way that stories can transport us to worlds beyond our own, fostering empathy, imagination and a lifelong love of learning.

The theme ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’ set by the Children’s Book Council of Australia for this year resonated vibrantly throughout the parade. The atmosphere in the Nagle Centre was charged with excitement, filled with cheers, expressions of awe, and the delightful joy of a collective imagination.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the parents, carers, teachers and students who dedicated their time and energy to participate in the celebrations and created such spectacular costumes.

Overall, the success of Book Week was truly a collective effort, with outstanding student participation, ‘Drop Everything and Read’ sessions, a visiting children’s author, a staff versus student debate, a poetry recital competition, creative workshops, art contests, mystery readers and even a few media appearances by our resident Dumbledore and Teacher Librarian, Marylouise Jones!

We all know that reading is the foundation of all learning, and our school library plays a vital role in fostering a love of books among our students. Together, the efforts of staff, students and families have not only made Book Week a success but have also reinforced the importance of reading in our community.

View the full image gallery on the College website here.

Author visit inspires young writers

On Monday 19 August, our Year 2, 3 and 4 students were treated to a visit from Yvette Poshoglian, author of the best-selling Ella and Olivia series, as part of our Book Week celebrations.

Yvette shared her strategies for creating engaging characters, memorable settings and inspiring narratives, describing the way place, people and animals influence her work and spark her imagination.

The students enjoyed finding out about her creative processes, asking Yvette thought-provoking questions about her new children’s book, ‘Dear Greta’, her life as an author living in Campbell Town and her adorable schnoodle, Archie. A few lucky students even had the chance to get their books signed after the event.

Reading is Magic

Reading is magic and so was our Student Resource Centre (library) last week, with Teacher Librarian Marylouise Jones’ 24-year legacy of dressing up for her beloved Book Week continuing with an enchanting winter wonderland, inspired by the worlds of Narnia and Harry Potter.

Thank you to ABC Hobart radio and the Mercury for celebrating her story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buddy readers 

On Wednesday 21 August, students took a break from their busy routines to sneak in some precious reading time in the spirit of ‘Drop Everything and Read’.

Junior School students buddied up with students in our Senior School to participate in the activity, which encourages children and families to make reading a priority in their lives.

Finding the perfect reading nook was all part of the fun, with students seeking out a quiet, cosy spot in the classroom to enjoy a story together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The great debate 

To finish off Book Week, Friday 23 August saw students and staff battle it out in a spirited and fiercely contested debate. Participants tackled the topic: Should politically incorrect books be banned? It was a close competition, with staff winning by a small margin! Well done to all debaters for your well thought out responses and very entertaining debating skills.

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St Mary's College is located on the traditional lands of the muwinina people of the South East Nation. We acknowledge and deeply respect the palawa people, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community, and all Elders past and present. We are committed to learning alongside our students and community in this place, nipaluna, and support the continued sharing of knowledge and culture.