LIBRARY NEWS

Welcome to Week 8 in the library! As we near the end of the term, the library remains a busy and happy place full of great stories and creative learning.

A very special thank you to Mrs Monica Durmisevic, who returned to the library last week while I was on leave. Mrs D had a wonderful time working with the students, and I sincerely appreciate the care she took in looking after the library so beautifully.

Reading Round-Up

Even though the end of term is coming quickly, we are still enjoying some wonderful stories in the library.

Kindergarten has continued their Term 1 theme of Friendship by reading two books from the Norton and Bear series by Gabriel Evans. These stories helped us talk about how friends sometimes enjoy doing and wearing the same things, but they can also like different things too, and that’s perfectly okay! Students are also continuing to learn the parts of a book and can now confidently identify the front cover, back cover, spine, title and blurb. This week, I'm excited to share one of my all-time favourite picture books, Banjo and Ruby Red by Libby Gleeson.

Stage 1 is still enjoying our journey through Pamela Allen's books. Students loved two stories celebrating individuality: The Man with the Crazy Hair and I Wish I Had a Pirate Suit. This week, we’ll finish our Pamela Allen focus with My Cat Maisie and The Big Fish. Students will then vote for their favourite story and recreate the cover of the winning book.

Stage 2 travelled around Australia with Mr Chicken All Over Australia by Leigh Hobbs. Inspired by the story, students designed Inverell’s next “big” thing, adding their ideas to famous landmarks such as the Big Banana, the Big Prawn, and the Big Pineapple. This week, we’re moving on to another of Hobbs’ well-known characters as we begin reading about the lazy, cheeky, smelly, but very lovable Old Tom.

Stage 3 is completing their Visual Literacy unit. Students have been experimenting with illustration techniques to evoke different emotions in the reader. After examining two books illustrated by Matt Ottley, they have been applying his use of colour, vectors and symbols to create their own illustrations.

Book Bingo Begins!

This term, we launched a new library initiative to encourage reading for pleasure—Book Bingo!

Students are invited to complete a bingo grid by reading 12 different types of books. Some of the squares include challenges such as a book with a one-word title, a story set in the past, a non-fiction book about something you find strange, or even a book with a green cover. The aim is to encourage students to explore new genres, authors and topics they might not usually choose.

Book Bingo is completely voluntary, but many students have taken up the challenge and are enjoying discovering new books along the way.

This week, we celebrated our first students to complete Book Bingo. Congratulations to Amity Letcher, Phoebe Hollingworth and Ava Reynolds for being our first readers to finish the grid. Happy reading! 

SORA eBook of the Week – Celebrating Harmony Week

This week’s SORA eBooks of the Week recognise Harmony Week, which runs from 16th to 21st of March. Harmony Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity and the message that everyone belongs. Our featured eBooks highlight stories of culture, identity, belonging and respect for others.

Don’t forget that all HTS students can access the SORA digital library at any time using their school username and password. When logging in, please remember to search for ACEN Library (not Holy Trinity).

Instructions for logging in can be found here.

Did you know, SORA even has cookbooks?

CBCA Notables Announced

The Children's Book Council of Australia has announced its 2026 Notable Books. From this list, the Book of the Year winners will be announced later in the year. For information about some of the very best books for young readers, visit the CBCA website.

Quick Bits

New Books on Display - Keep an eye out in the library for new books that have recently been placed on display. You might also spot some titles with a touch of green on the cover to celebrate St Patrick's Day this week!

Term 1 Scholastic Book Club - Thank you to the families who ordered from the Term 1 Scholastic Book Club. We greatly appreciate your support, as the library receives a credit for each order, which allows us to purchase new books for everyone to enjoy. Deliveries can take up to two weeks to arrive and will be sent home with your child once they reach the school.

Meet the Readers - Ollie was excited to find a picture book with his name in the title while browsing the shelves!

Matilda, a new student at HTS, was excited to become the first borrower of the newest addition to the Wings of Fire series. 

Happy reading! 

Mrs Toni Fraser