A Word from the Principal

Book Week 2025 – The Power of a Good Book

Last week, our College was filled with colour, creativity and a sense of wonder as we celebrated Book Week. Each year, Book Week is a special opportunity to pause and recognise the gift that books bring to our lives – the power to inspire, to challenge, to comfort and to transport us into new worlds.

This year’s celebrations reminded us of the simple joy of getting lost in a good book. Whether it was through the excitement of dress-up day, the buzz of classroom activities, or the laughter shared in reading sessions, it was clear that books continue to spark imagination and connection across all ages.

At the heart of Book Week lies a message for all of us – the importance of finding time to read together. When families make reading a regular part of their routine, it not only builds language and literacy skills, but also creates lasting memories and strengthens relationships. Just a few minutes of shared reading each day can open up conversations, foster curiosity, and ignite a lifelong love of learning.

Children also learn by example. By modelling good reading habits – whether that’s enjoying the newspaper after breakfast, listening to an audiobook on the drive home, or winding down with a novel at night – we show our young people that reading is both valuable and enjoyable.

Book Week has once again reminded us that reading is more than a skill – it’s an adventure. Books invite us to escape, to dream, and to see the world through new eyes. As we carry forward the spirit of this celebration, may we continue to make more space for stories in our homes, classrooms and lives.

Some tips to encourage reading at home could include:

Make Reading a Routine

• Read daily: Make reading a consistent part of your family's day, such as a bedtime story, to build good habits. 

• Create a reading space: Set up a comfortable, inviting reading nook at home with pillows and blankets to make it a special place for you and your child. 

   

Engage Your Child

• Ask questions: Inquire about what's happening, what characters might do next, or what they think of the story to promote critical thinking. 
• Be interactive: Point out pictures, make funny voices for characters, and discuss interesting words to keep it fun and help with vocabulary. 

• Allow for re-reading: Let your child choose to re-read favorite books, as repetition helps them make connections and build confidence. 

   

Foster a Love of Reading

• Be a role model: Show your child that you enjoy reading by letting them see you read for pleasure. 
• Offer choice: Let your child pick the books they want to read, whether it's comics, magazines, or storybooks, to increase their interest. 

• Connect to real life: Link stories to your child's experiences, like reading about animals after a trip to the zoo, to make the stories more meaningful. 

   

Utilise Resources

• Visit the library: Make regular trips to the local library to borrow books and attend story time sessions. 

• Keep books accessible: Place books in various places around the house, such as the lounge room or bathroom, so they are readily available when your child is bored. 

   

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one" 

George R.R. Martin