Library 

Lucie Hill

Library Technician

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. 

Now in its 25th successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

This year the selected book is The Truck Cat,  a story about cats and humans, immigration and identity and homes lost and found. 

With illustrations by multi-award-winning artist Danny Snell and words by award-winning new voice Deborah Frenkel, The Truck Cat is the perfect book to inspire kindness and compassion in young children everywhere.

Here is the blurb:

Some cats are house cats. Some are apartment cats. But Tinka is a truck cat. Tinka lives everywhere.

Along with his human, Yacoub, Tinka travels roads wide and narrow, near and distant. But no matter how much they travel, home feels very far away – for both of them. Yacoub drives his truck to make a living, learning the landscape of a new country along the way, and longing for connection. When Tinka and Yacoub are unexpectedly separated, they are determined to find their way back to each other – and, in doing so, might find more than they expected …

This year Kingswood will be participating once again with NSS. It will take place on Wednesday 21 May 2025 at 12:00pm, however some grades will be sharing the book at a different time, but still on the same day. 

National Simultaneous Storytime have introduced some wonderful Australian books to children over the years. Here are just a few of them.

Happy Reading!