Book Week Wrap Up

Thank you to our School community for your wonderful support and contribution to Book Week 2024. The activities and opportunities across the week allowed us to connect, celebrate, and advocate for the value of stories, books and reading for everyone.

The week kicked off with The Great Book Swap – an Indigenous Literacy Foundation initiative implemented by our Community Service Committee. Over three lunchtimes, the library hosted students ‘swapping’ some great reads. Thank you to Mr Holmsen, the Community Service Reps and the families who donated and/or purchased books. We raised $1183 which has been donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation to support their community publishing program and the supply of culturally relevant books to remote Indigenous communities across Australia.

In Library sessions, classes loved solving the ‘Magic Voices’ challenge to secure the key for the Magical Chest. Anticipation and excitement were high to unlock the chest, reimagined for this year’s theme, Reading is Magic. Using the Chatterpix app, teachers had way too much fun recording their voices to bring 24 book characters to life from the CBCA shortlisted titles and some other favourites. Via short videos, each character’s cover image literally ‘spoke’ to the readers, inviting them to dive into their book. Students had to identify and match the teachers’ voices to the correct book. Both speed and accuracy determined the winners, as their peers watchfully waited for the contents of the chest to emerge – Alohomora! Harry Potter costumes and props!

The return of the K- 6 Book Week assembly was a highlight of the week. Thank you to Mr Holmsen for writing and directing The Magic Bookshop play and to the performers – Felix C (6R), Oscar (6W), Felix S (6B), Oscar (4B), Aarav (4R), Angus (4W), Lucas K (3B), Ben M (3R), Connor (3W),  Zachary F (2R), Xavier R (2B) and Leo (2W) who brought books and magical creatures and characters alive for our Cranbrook readers. Mrs Erickson Adam spoke about how reading opens our hearts and minds to new ideas and experiences, reminding us of the transformational power of reading. She encouraged our students to continue to read, grow and explore, letting it guide us to become more empathetic and compassionate individuals. We acknowledged our Premier’s Reading Challenge Readers and Accelerated Reader Millionaires for inspiring excellence in themselves and others, as well as this year’s winning CBCA titles. Being Australian School Library Day, I asked the students if they had ever thought about the number of people that use our library? Over 500 people come through our library doors every week – students, teachers, parents, tour groups, visiting teachers and guests. Close to 800 books go in and out every week…that’s a lot of scanning and shelving books! Meanwhile, when we enter the library, it looks like no one has touched it. The books stand straight and ready, waiting for us to find them every day. That’s the magic of Mrs de Wit…she makes all that happen without us even realising. We are very appreciative to have such a wonderful library.

Kindergarten and Year 1’s stunningly starry Books at Bedtime on the Thursday evening brought us closer to our culminating day of costumes, guest speakers and the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge finish. We thank authors and illustrators, Chris Kennett, Dub Leffler and Susanne Gervay, for sharing their craft and personal stories (please note, signed book orders for Chris Kennett close tomorrow).

Finally, congratulations to the 290 students across the Junior School who completed this year’s NSW PRC challenge. We are so proud of their achievement and commitment. Certificates, including Gold (4 years participation), will arrive in November. Platinum certificates (7 years participation) will be presented at our end of year prizegiving event.

Reading is truly magic!

Ms Light